It finally hit me...

Until a few days ago, it hadn't really hit me that Christmas was soon. We had our Christmas tree up...our front porch was decorated...the Christmas musical at our church was coming up soon. But I really wasn't in the Christmas spirit...which is very odd for me. It probably didn't help that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday it was 60 degrees...it was kinda hard to believe it was Christmas time when it was that warm outside.

On Thursday night, getting ready for dress rehearsal for our Christmas musical, William was on the phone, mom was fixing my hair, and we were running around getting ready to leave. And it hit me. Not because our live was crazy...not because we have presents under our tree...I'm not really sure what it was...but it hit me, "It's really Christmas time."

Last night we had a special performance of our musical, invitation only, it was for people who had visited our food pantry in the past year, and ladies from the battered women's shelter. We had about 125 people show up, and we fed them all a sit down dinner of steak, baked-potatoes, and salad. The tables were set up, and we had gift bags with apples, oranges, mints and chocolate in them. As the adult, youth and children's choir were all singing, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", and all of the people watching us...it was Christmas, right then and there...it really felt like Christmas. When we walked out, waiting in the lobby for people to exit, we continued to sing, "Peace on earth, peace on earth, peace on earth, goodwill to men." When they walked out, their faces were cheerful, and they looked so happy to have someone caring about them. And that right there was like giving a Christmas gift. To see them that happy...that's what all of our hard work in practices was for, to touch someones life with the love of Jesus Christ.

Last night, it hit me, that was what Christmas was supposed to be. Sharing God's love by caring for people, telling them the story of Jesus Christ. That's what Christmas is supposed to be about...

Sharing the joy of Christ's birth that we have through this season to those who don't know.

That's Christmas.

~Bailey