What’s Christmas? The smell of sap and pine needles in the living room..a pie, and other sweet things cooking in the oven? Friends and family sitting and talking; earlier that day, shopping for a big meal and ransacking department stores searching for the right, last minute gift. Colored strings of lights and candles, and a fire in the fireplace; a cat by that fire. Laying in bed, lately, thinking of family, and remembering back over half a century, when we expected to wake up and see the evidence of a mysterious late night visit by a Mr. Claus..aka, ‘Saint Nick’ (he got da cookies). I grew up by the church, where – as a baby – I had my head sprinkled with water out of the silver basin by the minister of that church. That minister was dear old Dad. One Christmas we didn’t have a tree until Christmas Eve because Christmas happened on such and such a day; and so for whatever reason, the tree stood up in the church would no longer be needed there after the Christmas Eve service and it was a short evening journey for that tree, under stars, coming over to our house, across the lawn from the place of worship (the first recycled Christmas tree?) And by next sunrise, a generous pile of gifts had appeared, laying around, and under it, for me and my sister..my sister, and myself (a little later there was another sister). Somehow I survived being the preachers’ kid; and somehow they survived me being a son and a brother. Maybe, I’m too hard on myself, or maybe I’m too easy..maybe both; but I know what I remember about what I put my family through and it wasn’t always pretty, or nice. God in his infinite mercy has allowed me to forget a lot about my earlier days (I guess it’s called receiving forgiveness, and taking it to heart). When we hurt people in our lives, at the time we may not give it much thought; but later on in life, there’s hell to pay. That’s also called a conscience. What can I do to fix the damages? Not much, nothing, really. But this is where Jesus came to wash my sins away. He came into this world just like all of the rest of us; but when he got old enough to start doing wickedly (which doesn’t take long), he chose to obey God, his Father..in heaven. He never made that sinful choice, but always read the scriptures and kept the Father in his pure heart..safe at all times. Before he began his earthly ministry he gave opportunity to the devil to tempt him into disobedience when he was starving to death in a desert place..led there by The Spirit; and through it he came out, perfect in obedience..the perfect sacrifice, pleasing to God. As it began, so it ended. But what is Christmas? It is about what God has been telling us from the beginning..how much He loves us; but the enemy of creation wants to make us think it is all about us; or any other thing besides, “..the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” A baby! worshipped, and adored..by shepherds, first, we are told, in the Holy scriptures; and later by wise and learned men, who probably knew something of astronomy, and followed a star to the spot, bringing the young king precious gifts..men used by God to provide for his Son, born to a family of no wealth. A baby! we all know a baby, tender and sweet..what we once were. And how quickly we forget; but knowing Jesus returns us to a child’s simple faith. God will use any of us to advance the cause of saving souls out of sin and death, and into his kingdom..available to all. Will he use me? Will I let him? Count the cost (Luke 14:28) and (Matthew 16:26) “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall man give in exchange for his own soul?” He gave all for us..from manger, to cross. Merry Christmas, God bless