Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season

Hello folks! Christmas 2003 is upon us already. Are you ready? How wrapped up and consumed are we with regards to those events that take place during this time of the year? Someone reminded me AGAIN of the need to remember the REASON we celebrate this Christmas season. Its not Xmas as the world would have us to think but rather CHRISTmas. Christ IS the central theme for this holiday whether we embrace it or not. A friend of mine posted a message on a board that I help to moderate and asked what our gift to God was going to be? What birthday present will WE bring Jesus this year? This was my answer.
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I can not believe it is already Christmas.....Where in the world has time flown to? They say (who is they anyway?) that when you get older time flies faster and faster. Gosh, whoever they is, they are wise. Maybe THEY are older than I am? I turned 42 years on Thanksgiving (gulp) and I can attest to the fact that the years are picking up speed.

I think that the best gift that I can give Jesus for his birthday is as much of ME as possible. :)
I was talking to someone at the bowling alley on Monday night about my walking through the trials and tribulations that my family has experienced in the last couple of years. Here are some of those thoughts as I related them.

We all go through some sort of trial or tribulation in our lives. No one is exempt from pain, suffering or trials. No one is sinless and everyone needs grace, forgiveness, mercy and healing in some area of their lives. Maybe some more than others nonetheless we are all in the same humanity row boat. :)

One of the things that I have struggled with is the ongoing battle. I keep asking when is it going to end? Perhaps the answer to that is that it will never end until Jesus takes me out of this world and graduates me to where my Jessica is. Part of my battle has been to accept the battle which is full of struggles, pain and strife. My perception has had to change to accept my circumstances and realize that the battle does not belong to James. I have had to learn (still learning) how to accept the position of weakness and to throw off the never ending struggle for control over those things I have no control over. In my weakness HE is strong. Not in my ability to control my circumstances God provides. :)

So, with that in mind, my gift to the Lord is to learn how to give up the controls in those areas that I feel I am weak in so that HE can do what HE is going to do anyway. I also need to ACCEPT my position within the battle. I so do NOT want to be in the midst of all of this. I so much would rather have a job, be able to pay all my bills on time and NOT depend on anyone for anything. That is so far from reality at this point. Reality states that I am here and I need to have a clearer understanding of the battle and atleast do my part to be thankful and appreciative that things are not any worse than they are. Sometimes being thankful in the midst of adversity is a gift all by itself. So, that is another gift that I will try to bring the Lord. Being thankful in the midst of the adversity.

The other gift that I am going to try to bring to the Lord is the gift of service when I am able to serve. I have precious few dollars to donate but I do have lots of talent and time that I can bring to the table. So, with that in mind, instead of stressing out and being depressed about being stressed out and depressed I will try to channel that energy into areas of service in my local church. I have always served in church and played a role of service to my fellow brothers and sisters. Sometimes that service has given my the ability to forget the battle that rages on within and gives me some much needed respite.

I also want to bring another gift to the Lord for his birthday. That gift is to be a better and less selfish husband to my wife. My wife is a gift to me and even though I try to show her love and appreciation through my lips and sometimes my actions I know that I need to show her more action and less lip service. I need to be more proactive in doing those things that will bring her joy and happiness in our relationship. I need to serve my family more and myself less.

Help me Jesus to see where I have failed and give me the strength and perserverance and faith to embrace your power and love so that I can bring these gifts to your table.