I know I’m a sound sleeper, but what month is it? I’m not adverse to Christmas advertising, but this is October, isn’t it? I didn’t sleep through Halloween, did I? Have we elected a new president yet? And we certainly haven’t reached Thanksgiving, have we?

I was catching up on some TiVo fare last night. Normally I would race through the commercials and go from action to action. But a pastoral, mid-December village scene skipped by while watching the latest episode of Nashville. I had to stop, go back and see what I missed.

Merry Christmas. The first full blown Yuletime commercial of the year as the Target dog ran through the town with a bundle of presents.

With the first Christmas sales pitch formally out of the way, it won’t be long for more to come as we roll toward Christmas. We’ll see everything from cars with bows on them to teddys and pjs and everything in between as merchants vie for our dollars. I don’t fault them. I just wish they would wait a little … like until around mid-November.

I understand the need for some people to get a jump start on Christmas shopping {my wife was like that} and I understand merchants are hoping to get people to spend their Christmas Club checks at their establishment rather than on silly things like gasoline or heating fuel. But, speaking as an avowed procrastinator, the sales pitches won’t work for me.

Whatever happened to those more simple days when spending seasons were more defined? Holidays meant something, not just a day off. I miss that.

I want to witness the parade of Halloween costumes. I want to elect a president. I want to savor turkey and trimmings. Then I’ll be ready for pastoral mid-December villages, Christmas movies and holiday decorations that point to the real reason for the season. And it’s not the Target dog.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: God will not only avenge you and make your wrongs right, but He will also bless you in front of your enemies.