The Christmas Spirit

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If someone could define it, one would say the Christmas spirit is:

feeling happy, feeling content, happy to be alive, grateful, feeling generous, excited. All of these feelings are enhanced by the time of year and the accompanying accessories - trees, decorations, lights, presents, ugly sweaters, the colors red and green, eggnog, and snow or cold weather (though that depends on where you are from).

When I look at these characteristics, I realize that they are not confined to the month of December; one can have "the Christmas Spirit" all through the year (and without cold weather!)

Here's the secret - make a choice to be grateful every day that you are here regardless of your circumstances. Gratefulness will allow you to focus on the beauty of life; gratefulness makes you smile; gratefulness gives you much needed perspective; gratefulness generates good feelings.

I have recently rediscovered this secret; you see currently to an onlooker, life is not what I imagined it would be at this point in time; there are struggles and there are problems. However, I've recognized that these problems have the ability to impact my thinking but I have to choose to look at things differently.

So though my Christmas tree just went up, and my baking hasn't started, and I have fewer gifts (i.e. zero) under the tree - I have the Christmas spirit. I am grateful to be alive and to celebrate this time of year. I'm grateful for the ultimate Gift that was given to us at Christmas.

For a child is born to us,

a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 [NLT]

How are you feeling this year? What makes it feel like Christmas to you?