Winter Wonderland

I love snow. Lots of snow. Enough snow to make a good snowman. ( I know, several of those sentences aren't complete sentences.) But it is early..so cut me some slack.

This weekend our school hosted what they call Winter Wonderland. Alot of work goes into this evening. The gym is transformed into a beautiful place by the faculty and staff. They have a live auction and a silent. I got some tickets to the Tennessee Shindig in Pigeon Forge. I don't even really know what I bid on! Found out my kids are free anyway so my deal may not have been as sweet, and I have to use the tickets by Dec. 31 or this year....but that's OK...we are going back next weekend anyway and we may have some adults that can use the other tickets so all may still be well. It was a good evening. I observed alot of thing. I noticed that some people have more money to spend that others....couldn't believe what some of those classroom projects went for! I observed people that were elated over a bid win and kids that were disappointed when something they wanted wasn't one. I observed "sadness" at the announcement that one of our staff won't be back after Christmas and listened to conversations of "proudness" as a former student sang ( beautiful voice).

Christmas can be such a busy time. I hope this year my family can reflect on the meaning of Christmas, the babe that was born in the manger and why he was born. He was born to die. He was born to die for "ME" and for "YOU".

At school I have a small bulletin board that you can see as you come into my room. I have a nativity scene on that board. Beside the board we have a scene of baby Jesus and Mary when Jesus was around two and around him are the Wise Men with their gifts. We talked about gifts and Christmas and what it means to give them. I love Samaritan's Purse "Operation Christmas Child". This year I took each of my boys by themselves to buy items for their shoe boxes. With Sean it was a sweet experience. He asked nicely to buy a toy for himself and I told him "no" that this trip was about others and I explained a little about the boxes, where they might end up and that what we could get in that box would probably be all the Christmas some kid would receive. He seemed shocked but almost as if he understand and was ready to get to work.

Christmas, although I'm not advocating the "Bah Humbug" approach ( no gifts at all!), should be about "HIM". Enjoy your family, Enjoy your gifts, but celebrate and share "Jesus" this year.

"Joy to the World.......Let every heart prepare HIM Room!".