As a Christmas gift to myself, I again vowed to take Christmas off. No writing. No work.

But I did want to share a Christmas message. What to do?

Well, as I’ve doing for the past few years, I “borrowed” some words my wife wrote, which became a staple for Christmas in the Reveille/Between the Lakes. I thought it was time to expand the readership and pass her words along to an entirely new audience. And I pre-posted the blog, scheduling its release Christmas Day.

Thanks, Karen, for your timeless words and a new tradition. And thanks to all followers and readers for the friendships and comments. May you all have a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with happiness, holiness and blessing.

And now, A Christmas Prayer from Karen…

For many of us, life seems to have shifted into the fast lane, and Christmas seems to come upon us earlier and earlier each year. With so much to do and little time to do it, we may find ourselves becoming grumpy, often mimicking familiar scenes from A Christmas Carol. With time at a premium, our thoughts seem to be consumed with what still has to be done or bought rather than focusing on the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

It’s not the presents found under the tree on Christmas morning, the giving or the taking … It’s not the trees or wreaths or the fancy decorations … It’s certainly not the commercialism or hustle and bustle that often puts us in a foul mood, the exact opposite of what the Lord’s birth was designed to offer.

Jesus was born into poverty. Imagine for a moment a stable birth, simply because no one had room for them.

Do we have room for Jesus today? Is He the focal point in our days? Or is He being told there is no room (time) in our busy schedules?

Ironically, that was Christ’s first gift to us – HUMILITY. No one can be great until they humble themselves.

The Lord’s precious gifts to us don’t stop there. Throughout His life, He demonstrated CHARITY, oft proclaimed the greatest of virtue.

What do we do?

Take and take some more. Dollars will come and go, inflation continues to bounce up and down, yet, there is always something we can give, but so often forget to do. Rich or poor, we can give love, understanding, compassion, a kind word or deed or a warm smile on a cold wintry day. Gifts don’t always have to be equated with the material things in life. Our gifts from the heart are equally important and can be used to help feed our own lives as well as the lives of others.

We can’t forget FAITH and HOPE. Faith is the belief in things we can neither see nor understand. Hope keeps things in proper perspective. Together, they lead to TRUST.

This Christmas, let us ask for help in attaining these virtues. And as a New Year resolution – which we can start today – let’s attempt to practice them in our daily lives.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Savior. Without “Christ” in Christmas we really have nothing to celebrate.

Merry Christmas to all of our readers. May the PEACE and JOY our Lord brought with Him so many years ago be with each and everyone of you.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them. — Carlos Ruiz Zafon