"Christmas is for Sharing"...

I love this Christmas season.

I love walking through shops listening to music singing about the joys and anticipations of Christmas morning. I love buying an extra bag of food while I grocery shop and donating it to the Food Drive in each grocery store. I love explaining to my kiddos that since we have plenty and are so richly blessed, it is God's desire for us to love on those that have less. I love, love, love emptying out my pockets at the Salvation Army kiosk in the mall...one tradition I was taught as a little girl and one I get joy when I teach my kiddos. I love people coming together and fundraising an amazing cause to see the joy in the eyes of the kid and the parents. I love watching people desiring to be Christ-like, putting their differences aside and spend a meal in love and laughter.

This warms my heart.

This to me is Christmas.

I have also seen another side of Christmas.

Shoppers buying too much and still have no joy. Others insisting to keep tradition though it is causing more friction and heartache...just because it has always been. I have seen sickness and poverty try to become a joy-zapper but standing firm and counting your blessings for the family and friends and God in your life. I ache to see those so difficult to live with, even joy cannot live with them. I have seen pain, stubbornness, hurting people all desiring to celebrate this season...yet in their stupor they do share too...their controlling ways, their hurt, and their pain.

As we busy ourselves for this season, let's desire to share God's Love from within so that everyone can have the opportunity to celebrate joy, experience love and the true meaning.