Countdown to Christmas - 1 Day

*This week I'm going to do a countdown to Christmas of sorts. I'll share just a few things relating to Christmas each day this week to get us all into the holiday spirit!*

Found here

I said on Wednesday that I had more I wanted to say about presents and being a symbolism for love. It all started around 2000 years ago...

Luke 2 (NLT)

(Joseph was on his way to Bethlehem for a census decreed by Caesar) 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc'e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn. 8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others -- the armies of heaven -- praising God: 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. " 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

Found here

Jesus was a gift to us. He was a gift to all mankind because God loved us. God loved us so much that he sent his only son to die on a cross to save us (John 3:16). This selfless gift of love made it so we can go to Heaven with just a simple phrase of "I believe." All we have to do is believe and love God with our whole being. I believe that Jesus Christ died on a cross for me, I believe that God loves me and wants me to have eternal life with Him. How incredible is that!? A sweet little baby boy came to earth, lived a human life, suffered just like us, and then died on a cross to prevent us from separation from His Father, OUR Father. That is the most amazing gift, the best gift I have ever received. And it's all a gift of love. We didn't (and don't) deserve the sacrifice God and Jesus made for us. Humanity is quite simply put, wretched, but that's what makes the gift so incredible. We don't deserve it yet God loves us so much anyway he was willing to give up everything to save us, everything to draw us closer to Him. True love does not get any greater than this.

Remember this Christmas the true reason we celebrate. It's not about the decorations, the gifts under the tree, the food, Santa or anything like that. It's all about the little baby born in a manger to a virgin and a carpenter. Remember and be thankful. Celebrate with JOY this year knowing that God loves you so much He would give us the best present ever!

Merry Christmas!!

Cindy