Well Christmas is right around the corner! I love this time of year. Getting to spend time with family and friends is always a wonderful blessing for me. I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I encourage you to remember what Christmas is really about. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season as they say, and it is so true. The lights, trees, decorations, gifts, wonderful food and of course Santa are all wonderful things to enjoy this Christmas, but without Jesus they mean nothing. So my hope for you this Christmas season, is that you will remember that Christmas is about more than gifts and good eats... it is about the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."