He's The Reason, for the Season...

As I've mentioned before I'm a Christmas junkie...I love this time of year and EVERYTHING that comes with it. So I begin my Christmas countdown very early...June 25. On the 25th of each month I send out reminders to family members and friends getting their excited and ready for my 2nd favorite day of the entire year. As we get within the month of December the e-mails come weekly...it's a fun and allows me to use some of my creative juices. (If you'd like to be added to the distribution list, let me know!!) Therefore, for some who read my blog...this you it will be a repeat from and e-mail I sent late last week...the . For those others this will be "new" material. I don't like to repeat e-mails and blogs; however, after sitting through our sermon this morning at IBC, the e-mail I sent out on Thursday kept coming to my mind...and for some reason I felt maybe I should share again. Therefore note that some of the details don't exactly match today's date (meaning we are now four days from Christmas, but the e-mail was sent seven days before, etc.)

Final E-mail sent on 12/18/2008 - 2008 Christmas Countdown Series:

Christmas Countdown followers...we are only four days from Christmas, and I hope that your lists have more checked off than left to do. Today's e-mail will be the final e-mail in the 2008 Christmas Countdown series. The 2009 Christmas Countdown will arrive in your in-box on June 25, 2009!!!

Beginning this evening, I'll conclude my purchasing and wrapping, bake some cookies, do a final sort of the IBC Christmas Cards (with the rest of the family on Sunday), make one more trip to the grocery store and complete other various final details. And when I go to bed on Sunday I will be ready to focus. Focus for the next four days on the Great I Am.

For Christmas fanatics, like myself, it is SO easy to get lost in the details, busyness and perfectionism of Christmas. If we allow ourselves, it is easy to look past the true meaning of Christmas...Christ's arrival to this earth through an ordinary, simple, teenage virgin girl. Our homes sparkle, shine and are extra beautiful during this time of the year. However, recently I thought of what it must have been like for Christ to leave the sparkle, shine and extraordinary beauty of Heaven to come to this earth. He came to Earth and became flesh. Just like you and me - he laughed and cried, he celebrated and mourned, he served and was served, he was hungry and full, he became tired and was rested. He became one of us...only unlike you and I - He was without sin. He came not only to become one of us, but to one day die on a cruel cross to bridge the gap for us. A bridge providing a way to allow us to join Him in the sparkle, shine and beauty of Heaven. Over the last few weeks I've had several packages arrive at my doorstep, most were gifts I plan to give away next Thursday. With each package, I was so excited to open the box and discover what my package held. One day as I was opening a delivery, it hit me...I wondered what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph to hold their extraordinary package that arrived on that very first Christmas over 2,000 years ago. When God's gift of Salvation was delivered to the doorstep of mankind. How exciting it must have been for Mary and Joseph to have such a package given to them - given to us.

In closing...my Christmas Wish for each of you is that at some point over the next seven days - you to be able to take time to stop...the madness, busyness and craziness...and reflect on God's continual gift to each of us, His Salvation through His only son - Jesus Christ. Making it possible for NO man to perish, but to ensure that we could have the JOY of ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven with Him.

In keeping with my "tradition" of using a Christmas song for each e-mail, I could think of no more fitting song than "Mary Did You Know?". However, instead of starting my final e-mail with the song, I'm going to conclude the 2008 Christmas Countdown series with both the lyrics and a YouTube link to this very powerful Christmas song. Listen to and read the words, and let the true meaning of Christmas fill your week!

Merry CHRISTmas with Love!
~Megan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0WIJw8JVeU

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels tried?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is Heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the Great I Am.