Last week the family celebrated my wife’s birthday with dinner and then a visit to the local town square, that has been lit up for Christmas. The square is a very popular place during the holiday season for friends and families to gather and take photos. I am sure that some people will turn their photo into Christmas cards for the season.

It’s not all that often that I can get these two together for a photo. Even when they are together there seems to be an activity or event that is keeping them busy and away from the camera.

Nana and two of the grand kids. Yes, my wife has officially become the shortest member of the family and the grandson has surpassed me as the second tallest member of the group. He is pushing six feet. The two older grandchildren will be home for Christmas and I hope to get everyone back on the square for another photo shoot.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Baking cookies and making treats has long been a tradition in this family. This image is from 2012. The young lady on the far left is now married while the young lady on the far right is now a freshman in college. While photos bring back fond memories, they are also a vivid reminder of just how quickly time flies.

On the evening of Christ’s birth, angels appeared to shepherds and declared the event. Among their first words were “Glory to God in the hightest…” because Glory had descended from heaven and was sleeping in a stable in Bethlehem. Glory indeed.

Christmas is all about life. The birth of Christ gave the hope of eternal life to this world. While his arrival in Bethlehem did not cause a great stir here on earth, the heavens rejoice and called the earth to join in the worship of an eternal king.

As we enter the first full week of December the fact that Christmas is fast approaching has set in for most of us. There is a rush to get the traditional things done like putting up the tree, decorating the house, and putting up the lights on the outside. Christmas lists are made and mailing lists are compiled. There is a lot of activity that goes into just another Christmas. The purpose of this music marathon is to allow you to stop and give a few moments of time to ponder the true meaning of the season and experience the joy that surrounds the celebration of the birth of our Savior. Have a blessed day.

It seems that most small communities have a Christmas parade and ours is no different. Ten years ago the grandkids were young and we drove the short distance downtown to see the parade. In 2008 it was a particularly chilly morning. The two younger granddaughters bundled up and took their front row seats to wait for the floats and festivities.

Meanwhile, their little brother had been invited to ride on one of the floats. He was one of several “Elf on a Shelf” characters. He loved every minute of the ride. As you can see, he spotted me with the camera very quickly.

This year one of these granddaughters is in college, the other a junior in high school and their little brother will be 6 feet tall. Only photos can preserve the moments and inspire the memories.

Cities and towns across the country light up their downtown areas to celebrate the Christmas season. It is a great time and opportunity to get a few family photos. I intend to just that, a little later in the season.

God sent His Son on Christmas day to save this world. Christ’s birth was announced to shepherds first, then to wise men, and finally to the world. His message of peace, love, and redemption is still being told and souls are still being saved. One day Jesus will return in a cloud to gather His people. The trumpet will sound, the sky will open and the Savior will return. Do you hear what I hear? He’s coming again.

When we pause to think about the true meaning of Christmas, there are probably several things that go through our minds. Christmas is love. Christmas is friends and family as well as the birth of Christ, but what does it all mean? What was the purpose of the birth of Christ? The Bible tells us that mankind was in need of a savior because sin had entered this world through the actions of Adam and Eve. The only one who met the qualifications of the necessary sacrifice was Christ. He came into this world to save us and provide us with the opportunity to spend eternity in His presence.

 

“Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Who knew that God would change the world through a baby boy? (Luke 2:13-14)