The Joy of the Redeemed!

It's not even December yet and Christmas decorations are already out! Goodness....It is a little early, but here is my stance on the holidays for this year:)

The Joy of the Redeemed

As a child, I remember Christmas being a time when the world appeared to be magical and peaceful.  I enjoyed driving through neighborhoods with my family, seeing the bright holiday lights and manger scenes of Jesus.  Let’s not forget the Norman Rockwell moments where the family would gather around our warm fireplace, drink eggnog and laugh while the old episode of Charlie Brown and his wimpy Christmas tree played in the background.  Last but not least, midnight mass was the final “hoorah” before the jolly fat man in the red suit squeezed down the chimney bearing gifts.  Life didn’t get much better for that naïve, brown-eyed girl who believed that joy only came once a year in the form of presents and man-made tradition.

Thankfully, as God would have it, I have been redeemed from childhood fantasies, and I have replaced them with lasting joy in the form of a Savior who is willing to celebrate with me all year round, whether or not I get put on the naughty list! My honor for Jesus will not be limited to just an annual Christmas card but rather rejoiced daily.  The beautiful Christmas lights I saw as a child are now replaced with the joy lit in my heart as I celebrate the coming King who will one day take me as His bride to a wonderland far better than any Macy’s parade could ever display!