January 5, 2018

The holidays are over, Christmas decorations are coming down, the New Year has begun, the kids are back in school, and most people have gone back to work. It always makes me a little sad when I begin to realize that the festivities are coming to an end for the year and the beautiful decorations are being put away until next Christmas. Life begins to go back to normal for many of us, and if we are not careful, our lives can seem unchanged.

I want to offer a word of encouragement today. Don’t let the Christmas spirit go away just because the decorations are gone. Keep that spirit of joy, generosity, and kindness towards others with you. It’s because we have experienced Christmas that we can keep living with love in our hearts. It’s a lot easier to do that when we are celebrating with Christmas parties and the presents are under the tree, but it’s how we live our lives once that is all gone that lets people know what a difference the gift of a baby born in Bethlehem has really made in our lives.

Christmas may be coming to an end, but the spirit of Christmas – one of grace, kindness, and love towards all – is something that should continue to live on throughout the year.