Start Putting Christmas Away...

Today is a sad day. It's the first day that I started putting away Christmas music, decorations, and other Christmas "stuff". I always hate to say goodbye to the things that make Christmas so wonderful. But time marches on and the new year is "in the wings". The great thing for Christians is that we celebrate Christmas all year long because of the relationship we have with Christ and His coming into our lives. From a church calendar stand point, Easter is the next big event, and we have another opportunity to tell a watching world that Christ lived, died and rose again to put us into a right relationship with the Father. I have been listening to Easter music throughout the Christmas season, and I think I've found an 8 song work that will be perfect for the Easter season. By Easter, April 12th, our nation and the world may be in a very difficult place financially and politically. We may have an unprecedented opportunity to share Christ with the people around us, in a way that has only come after 9/11 or other similar national times of crisis. I think we need to prepare now for this opportunity. So, while it is sad to pack away the Christmas things, it's exciting, and daunting, to think about what may be coming next. Emmanuel, God with us, God for us...