Sights and Sounds...

Unless you live somewhere besides planet earth, or specifically, the United States of America, you probably already know it's Christmas time. There are some things about Christmas that I cannot stand: the gross materialism, the greed, the mass consumerism that leads to so much debt, the pain, hurt, and loneliness that so many people feel during the holidays...But there is a lot about Christmas that I LOVE: the fact that it commemorates that Jesus was Immanuel - God With Us - that we serve a God who stepped into our world to show us life and love, the fact that it opens the door for weeks for those of us who are Christ followers to share the story and love of Jesus, the opportunity to give to others, and the time spent with family and friends...

The past couple days have held some Christmas fun...Last night Johanna and I went to Sights and Sounds in San Marcos...It is basically a mini-carnival type Christmas celebration...The banks of the San Marcos River are decorated with lights and Christmas decor, with a small replica of the town of Bethlehem, carnival rides, craft booths, and food vendors galore! We walked the river banks, toured Bethlehem (and Joseph just happened to be a worship leader I met a few weeks ago!), looked for some Christmas gifts among the craft booths, and tasted some good eats...We had sausage on a stick, snow cones, deep fried cookie dough, curly fries, chalupas, and got some kettle korn and cotton candy to take home...Maybe that's why I didn't sleep so well last night...But that's another subject...We had a blast! I love getting to spend time at those kinds of things with my incredible wife...Then this morning, I finished putting up all our Christmas lights...We've got icicle lights around the house, with our flower bed lined with lighted candy canes, and a sprial lighted tree in the middle of our yard...I planned to poast some pics with this, but I still need another extension cord to get it all lit up, so the pics will have to wait...

I hope that in the midst of all the craziness, and the sights and sounds of Christmas, that you have a chance to reflect on Immanuel...My prayer for you is that you might really understand what it means that God stepped out of heaven and moved into our neighborhood...And that those of us who know that love and that truth might take the opportunity of this holiday season to share that love and message of hope with others...