As I listen to the sounds of Christmas carols and the wind howling outside, I am thinking about the usual activities of the season. One for me is to dig in the drawer and pull out the Christmas socks and sweatshirts with designs to remind me Christmas is coming. A favorite one of mine is the sweater I inherited from my mom with the designs from “The Partridge and the Pear Tree”. It always brings back memories of singing in the elementary music concert, a song that went on and on and on!!! A few years ago, as I was listening to the music on KNWS radio, they were talking about the words to that song. The comment made that caught my ear was something like this “All the person singing the song seems to be thinking about is what she is getting for Christmas. It says, “My true love gave to ME, ME, ME. The commentator asked, shouldn’t she have been thinking about what she could have given in return? At this special time of year, when we are reminded of the awe-filled gift God has given us in his son Jesus, often we are caught up in that very worldly mold and mentality of what will I get for Christmas? How can I get the hectic schedule of programs, shopping, wrapping, cooking, & cleaning to work out the best for ME? Is there time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas? Is there time to attend church with friends in your community to celebrate Christ’s birth? Shouldn’t we be thinking of the things we could be giving in return? What would be a gift worthy of giving to Jesus Christ the King? In the carol, “The Little Drummer Boy”, he, like us, says he doesn’t have a gift he feels worthy, but he gives what he has; he plays a song for Jesus on his drum. God has given each of us gifts, and if we use them to tell others the Good News about Jesus’ birth, life, and death for the forgiveness of our sins, it is a gift good enough for a king. In the world today where many use their gifts for their own benefit, we find too many are running away from the responsibility God has given us. It is too inconvenient to look out for our neighbors, when our schedules are so full. It takes too much time to go to church when Sunday is the only day we have to do what we need or want to do. We too often find ourselves running away from what God wants us to do, but do we expect God to always be available when we need him? Of course. In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul reminds us that following Jesus’ ways also means following his example: “3  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” The best gift we can give God, is to love him. What will it look like? When we give the gift of our heart to God, others will see how the humility of Jesus comes alive in all we do. It will change our hearts and can change other lives as well. Have a Blessed Christmas!!!

In the grace, Spirit and love of Christ, Carolyn Moe