Christmas Shopping

Christmas Shopping

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is Christmas Shopping from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

Christmas Shopping

Written by Luz Leigh - 19 December 2007

With the Christmas season upon us, let us not forget the true reason we celebrate this wonderful time of the year. In Isaiah 9:6 the prophet foretold the coming of our Savior when he penned these words: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." NIV

We look to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, where we find the familiar words regarding Jesus' birth. "While they (Mary and Joseph) were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him I cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." NIV Do we have room for Him in our hearts and lives? Or, are we so busy with everyday activities that we have no room for Him?

We prepare Christmas greeting cards to be mailed to our friends and family, but many times it is a chore instead of a loving expression of our feelings for those to whom we send the cards. We join other shoppers who crowd the stores and malls, searching for gifts for those we feel obligated to buy for. The gift buying, too, has become a chore. It is something that HAS to be done, not something we are excited about doing.

My family is small so I should not be pressured about gift buying. But, guess what? I am a procrastinator and here it is six days before Christmas and I still have not completed my shopping. Each year I make a vow to myself that I will not wait until the last minute to shop; each year finds me fighting the crowds, which I detest, looking for just the right gift for each of my children and grandchildren.

Today when I leave my home to face the maddening rush, I will go forth as a soldier into battle. Except, this year will be different. I have pledged to be kind and understanding of those around me. Many are facing difficulties that I can only imagine. There will be the single parent, trying to stretch what little funds he or she has to provide for their little ones. I will see an elderly couple who, like me, are wishing they had done this shopping last month, but they want to purchase a little something for their grandchildren, possibly great-grandchildren. The husband who has waited until the last minute because his paycheck has just arrived and he can now try to find the gift that he knows his wife is expecting of him. There will be those shopping who, because of their physical conditions, know within their hearts this will be their last time to shop for Christmas gifts. Their next Christmas will be a glorious one ... they will celebrate Jesus' birthday in His presence. They are the fortunate ones.

So, if all your gifts are purchased, wrapped and delivered, or sitting under your tree, I say more power to you. If you are like me, still working on getting there, take a deep breath, say a prayer of thanksgiving that we have this wonderful baby whose birthday we celebrate, ask our Father for strength to get through the day, and go forth into battle.

Oh, by the way, I don't have a handicap tag to drape from my rearview mirror allowing me to park close to the doors of the stores, so please don't get my blood pressure up when I see you reach into your bag, pull out your mother-in-law's handicap tag, slap it on the dash, hop out of your SUV and rush into the store while I make my way from parking space number twenty-five, hopping my arthritic knee does not pain me too much. Oh, I wouldn't mind if you were bringing your mother-in-law to do her shopping, but you just dropped her off at the hair salon where she is getting a "hair-do" and nail job.

Seriously, have a fun day at the mall. Surprise the heck out of folks by smiling, being courteous, and saying MERRY CHRISTMAS.

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