Merry Christmas!

A friend of mine pointed out that the word Holiday came from the base "Holy Day" and embraced both secular and religious holidays. That just started me thinking how easily we can move away from the personal relationship with God to the ritual, or religious traditions .... and celebrate the day, without regard to the One Reason it all began.

  Will there come a day when we will be discouraged from flying the American flag on the fourth of July, America's Birthday, because some may find it offensive? Will it become known as "Unity Day" to "celebrate" our new diversity? I have a personal history and relationship with America and that would not be acceptable for me.

  My personal relationship with Christ leads me to celebrate Him on this day set aside for just that. Everyone can choose to celebrate, or not. I just don't believe others should "hijack the true meaning of Christmas" and take away our rights to celebrate it as it is, just because they do not see it.  

I know some believe it is a "pagan holiday" and that we should not participate.  I don't know any of these pagans of which they speak.  I love celebrating the birth of Christ.  Is a celebration of Christ's birth scriptural?  Well, God threw the very first "Birthday Bash" for his Son.  He lit up the sky, sent out special invites to foreign Kings, commissioned the angels to deliver a message for the Shepherds ..... and they all attended. 

 The time of year and the fact that we do not know the exact date is of little importance to me.  What others celebrate this time of year, I cannot control.  God became a man, taking on human flesh.  I celebrate the babe in the manger as well as the man on the cross.   It is only a small part of God's timeline, I know, but history and my life will never be the same.  First, because He came.  Secondly, because He died and rose again.

I say to those who find Christmas offensive, figure out what you believe and make your own special holiday ..... celebrate to your heart's desire. But hands off Christ's Birthday celebration. If Angels, Shepherds and Kings celebrated it with joy, I will too!