The FULLness of an empty box

 One of the best gifts that I've received on Christmas '09 was coming from my sister. It's a circle box and engraved on it was a bible verse from The Book of Numbers 6:24 "The Lord bless you and keep you". When I wasn't opening the box just yet, I've thought of any material things far more than what was really inside of the box. When I opened the gift, I saw this circle box that has an engraved crucifix in the center. When I opened the box, nothing was inside of it. It's all black. That's when I started realizing that there's something far deeper than what my sister was giving me. It's not just a gift, but a message reminding me that not all things can make me happy. I started thinking how I should be thankful for all the things that God has freely given me. It has thought me to pay attention to the things that I already have because I needed them, not to the things that I needed to have just because I wanted them. At the end of that year, just before my sister left for U.S. again, I texted her saying thank you for the wonderful gift that she has given me. It was a circle box. Nothing was inside of it, though it has full of meaning though. That's when I started feeling how solemn it was to feel the Spirit of Christmas in a very simple way just like that of the circle box. Today is the first day of December and I only have a few more days to count just before I get to see my sister coming home again, and I'm oh so excited to see the new member of our family

 Some people would create beautiful ornate packages for a Christmas gift. I myself love wrapping gifts and decorating it with bows and creative tags. For men, it is an obstacle. All they care about is what's inside the package. God's gift did not come in an elaborate packing. It is simple. From a very humble environment. Im not saying this to detract from the beauty of Christmas but to add to the beauty of what God did for us.

A little girl noticed that her mom was really getting etxremely stressed out around Christmas. Everything was bothering her mom and she gets easily irritable. 

Evening came and the mom bathed the little girl, got her ready for bed, tucked her under the sheets, and had her say her prayers. She would usually say the Lord's prayer, but on this particular evening, she amended it a little bit. 

Her petition went something like this, "Father forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us". 

This happens when we lose focus of the real meaning of Christmas.

 We forget the wonder of it all when we get caught up in the busy-ness of the season. When God came to earth, gave his life for our sins. 

2 Corinthians 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (NKJV)

Jesus literally went from heaven's throne to a little stable.

 The word CHRISTMAS has been emptied of its meaning, dragged through the gutter, & given back to us MINUS its power. At this time of the year, some prefer to use the more politically correct term like "Happy Holidays", "Merry XMAS" or even "Happy Winter Solstice". For a person who says Merry Christmas and do not know what it really means, those things are not as bad.

 Our version of Christmas that is filled with hype and endless activities that leads to exhaustion should be stopped, the version that gives little thought about Christ.

We should cancel Christmas and rather celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I believe in Christmas but not as our culture celebrates it. The real meaning of it is the birth of our Lord. 

 Christmas might be tough for you this year. Maybe you think this year is not as good as the year before. But if you free yourself from all the pressure of having to get stuff, you can experience a BETTER Christmas. Or maybe the MOST wonderful Christmas of your life. 

 The message of the season is not "Let it snow", not "let us shop, til you drop", but "LET US WORSHIP". This is what the wise men came to do, so should we.

Why I shared with you my dear friend's Facebook post......it is inspiring.

I hope it inspired you too.....

May you have a Merry CHRISTmas!