This week I heard a grandmother talk about a darling picture of her grandchildren dressed like Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. What caught my attention was that this lady was saying how "Mary" (her pre-school granddaughter) did not want to cooperate; therefore, they took the picture without her and cropped her in later for the Christmas card. The picture was still adorable and the story is cute. BUT.....it challenged me to think about how often Jesus is missing from the Christmas story and how He is not even "cropped" back into it. Perhaps Santa or Rudolph or and elf might be put in, but not Jesus.I was thinking: "Surely I would never be guilty of cropping Jesus out of the Christmas season!" But as I think about my 'to do' list and how I get busy baking, cleaning, decorating, shopping, etc. I was gently convicted by the Holy Spirit that I need to make sure my focus is on Jesus Christ and the real meaning of the season. May we all take EXTRA time out of our schedules to truly make Him the center and to spread the Good News of his birth to those around us!
"Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King! ' Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners (me) reconciled. Joyful all ye nations rise; join the triumph of the skies With angelic hosts proclaim, 'Christ is born in Bethlehem.' Hark! the herald angels sing 'Glory to the newborn King!'"
