Christmas Anticipation

I must admit that while I write this post, I am listening to Mercy Me's Christmas cd and enjoying every minute of it. In fact, I'll confess, I've been listening to Christmas music consistently since I returned from Greece (the end of October).

I just love Christmas time. It's not the one day of the year (though I do really enjoy the particular day); it's the anticipation of the day. In the USA, I imagine stores are decorated for Christmas. Since Halloween is over, the Christmas merchandise has probably been moved to the front of the stores. The stores attempt to put irresitible sales out to customers, and the spending begins. After Thanksgiving, neighbors begin to put lights up and blow up snowmen in their front yards.

However, it's not all the commercialism of the holiday that really gets me. I love the time with family and friends. In fact, I'm anticipating it this year probably more than ever. One, I have a new appreciation of my Savior who came to a people who would not understand Him. Two, I will truly treasure the time with my family and friends. It'll involve trying to tickle my mom by reading the clues on the presents a few days before Christmas or singing "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer" with my brother. It's going to be making our seafood dinner on Christmas Eve with my brothers or begging my dad to go look at Christmas lights. It'll be watching Dustin's face light up with his super good "Czech" present or thanking the Lord that I get to spend another holiday with both sets of grandparents.

God has truly blessed me again. And though, while I'm enjoying my time in the Czech now, I look forward to this Christmas season. Not only do I get to experience a little of it in two different cultures, I really do have a new perspective of Christmas this year. I'm so thankful.