It's the most wonderful time of the year

    It’s the most wonderful time of the year! If you ask most people, they will tell you that the Christmas season is their favorite season. Who doesn’t love Christmas music, shopping, poinsettias, and the smiles from strangers who can’t hide their enthusiasm? I, too, love the holidays. I find it easy to get caught up in all the “must-do’s” that accompany the craziness that takes over in December. I must put up the tree and decorate the house. I must encourage Honey to put up the outside Christmas lights. I must buy gifts for all those I love. I must try to bake some Christmas treats. I must mail Christmas cards. I must, I must, I must!!!
    Needless to say, the musts tend to take over and dampen my spirits a bit. The stress that settles on many as they try to live up to their own expectations of what the holiday should be sometimes ruins a perfectly wonderful time of the year. So, every year I try harder to find the joy – and keep it.
    This year I tried to slow things down a bit. There seems to be extra time because Thanksgiving was early, so that has helped. But what I think helped the most was remembering the “reason for the season.”
    You see, like many of our readers, I believe that Christmas is about the birth of my savior, Jesus Christ. And how God sent his Son to pay for my dirty, rotten sins. And how that small child, my Christmas present from God Almighty, has saved me from eternal damnation and will be there to welcome me into heaven someday.
    That simple truth keeps me going through all the hustle and bustle that goes along with this blessed holiday. And when the world and its troubles start to intrude on my Christmas spirit, I go to the foot of the cross and remember the true Reason for the Season.
    I hope you all have a blessed Christmas and spend it with those you love. Merry Christmas from all of us at the Jackson County Herald-Tribune. We thank you for your support during this past year and look forward to being your source of local news in 2012.