Are you ready for Christmas?

It's an interesting time of year, Christmas.  People love to ask, are you ready for Christmas?  But what do they mean?  They usually mean, have you purchased all your gifts for your family and friends that you give gifts to?  Or, have you decorated your house with lights and Christmas decorations?  For many, this is all Christmas is or has become, a time to give gifts to others and hope you get some nice gifts in return.  Children give their parents and Santa a long list of items that they want, not things they hope for, but things they really expect to have waiting for them under the tree on Christmas day.  Now of course there is nothing wrong with giving and receiving gifts, but the tradition of gift giving has gotten a little out of hand in my opinion.  Toy stores, electronic and appliance stores, clothing and apparel shops, shopping centers and department stores have all made gift giving into a mind numbing, meaningless exchanges of presents that everyone must be a part of.  Our economy now thrives on end of the year purchases that must be made by all in order for businesses to even hope of having a successful year.  But wait, don't you have to be good to get something?  What? Are you kidding?  You better have something good for me!  Hold on...take a deep breath.  What is Christmas really all about anyway?  It's the time of year that we stop and reflect on the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to this earth in the form of a little baby, born and placed in a manger in a little town of Bethlehem a little over 2000 years ago.  Jesus changed the world through his life, his teachings, and his love for us that he showed us by example and by his death on a cross.  Then his burial and resurrection showed us that he was who he said he was, our Redeemer who had power over death and who lives with us and wants to be a part of our lives not just on Christmas and Easter, but everyday of the year.  He has the power to save us, so that we might live in eternity with him.  This baby that we celebrate, was real, but he was the ultimate Christmas gift, the gift God sent down from heaven to change lives forever.  Has he changed your life?  If not, he still can, if you let him.  Give yourself a real gift this year, the gift of eternal life.  It's available to you if you're willing to accept it.