Christmas Eve. Advent Day 24. December 24, 2013.

Christmas Eve.

The eve of the birth of the Baby Jesus.

The eve of one of the most celebrated days of the year.

But, yet, we miss the point.

Amid the cookies

and ham,

present wrapping,

and cleaning,

family quarrels,

and decorating,

we forget.

We always blame those who make Christmas a secular holiday.

They don’t recognize Jesus’ presence and birth

but I go to church, therefore,

I understand the true meaning of Christmas.

No.

Just no.

It can’t always be “them”.

What about us?

What about me?

When do I fail?

When am I wrong?

Just because I go to church on Christmas Eve

doesn’t mean I make the holiday any less secular than the rest of the world.

I realize that I don’t take the time to truly ponder Christmas 

and its true meaning.

Cliché as it is,

it isn’t all about the cookies,

ham,

gifts,

trees,

ornaments,

lights,

and hot drinks.

It’s obviously about the gift of the Christ Child.

But how many of us truly understand the magnitude of that gift?

I don’t.

This gift.

The Christ Child is the most

undeserved,

life-saving, 

underappreciated,

rewarding,

challenging,

joyful,

forgotten,

humbling,

hopeful,

and love-driven gift.

EVER.

I can’t even begin to comprehend.

But I don’t take the time to either.

Let’s make one last goal for this season.

Together.

Let’s make it a goal today to sit,

even just for 5 minutes,

block everything else out,

and just think about the gift of the Christ Child.

Let us prepare our hearts.

Let us ready the way for Him.

Let us push aside all the extras

and just focus on the coming of the Christ Child

and what that means in your own life.

Maybe, just maybe,

we will receive the best gift of all this Christmas,

understanding the true meaning of Christmas.