I absolutely love Christmas time. I love everything about it. I love the lights, the cookies, the parties, the presents, the family time, the music, all of it. I love that everyone is a little kinder to one another during this season. Christian or Jew, Atheist, or whatever, everyone is just kinder. It is a season when the blinders are less effective. It is harder to just go about your business. I grew up in an area where EVERYONE celebrated Christmas. Lights on every house, traditional Christmas Carols were sung at school, no Happy Holidays-- it was Always Merry Christmas. I live in LA now, and it is very different. While not everyone here celebrates Christmas, it is no less fun for me! I still deck the house out in Candy Cane Lane like splendor. We sing, we bake, we talk about Jesus, we love Christmas, just like we did when it was what everyone did. We also get to see what life is like for those who don't celebrate Christmas. That is interesting too! From what my friends tell me, being a Jew on Christmas is awesome! It is a no pressure, traffic free, line free, day to go have fun! Our Jewish and Atheist friends love the lights, the joy, the time with family and friends, the helping others, just like we Christians do. I am sure that is pleasing to our Lord. Loving one another, is important. Many are giving sacrificially, I am sure that makes God smile. He does want us all to honor him by acknowledging his sacrifice for us, but he will reach each of us in his own perfect timing. In the mean time, he cannot be displeased with the love he sees. Praise God for the blessings, for the softened hearts, for the generosity of many in this season. May it stretch throughout the year.
I am helping to prepare a baby shower for a young woman at our church. She is young, just 22. Thinking about her, and what the future may hold for her and her little family, got me to thinking about life at 22. Much has changed for me since I was 22. That was really a difficult time. I didn't realize at the time that it was difficult. I had graduated from college, was having a post college, pre-real life, super good time. I was bar tending, partying, picking up and traveling to far away places to party some more. I didn't really have much in the way of financial responsibility yet, and my parents were living in Egypt-- leaving me in charge of the house and my younger sister. It was an "out all night, sleep all day", kind of life. To be honest, I was setting a pretty poor example for my sister, who at the time was working full-time at a nursing home, and was far more responsible than I was. Looking back at that time, and even later, till about age 25, it make...
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