The decorations just keep coming around our house.  You need to know that most of my garage closet is filled with buckets devoted to various elements of holiday cheer.  This includes several trees, a shopping row of lights along with the incidentals.  Just arranging all of this requires a degree in engineering.  Madness does have a method in my system of keeping it all together.  Some buckets go in certain places depending on the time of the year.  Several hours will be needed to put things back in place when we wrap up the holiday.  It is a full time job just organizing the chaos.

Today was getting the "big" tree up in the living room.  My youngest strongly suggested putting it up last night but cooler heads prevailed.  He did request that dad get with the program upon his arrival from school today.  Now the tree is perched in its spot with lights shining bright.  My task for Tuesday is to uncover the buckets with ornaments so they can be used.  Of course there are more than a few of these containers required between uses.  No one can ever accuse us of being a "grinch" when it comes to Christmas decorations.  I am just glad that our roof was replaced a few years ago.  Nothing says its the season to be merry like sitting on the roof dangling lights from the edge. 

I never cease to be amazed at holiday light displays while driving this time of the year.  Some houses are elaborate both in their cost as well as their light shows.  Other houses look as if the weight of lights will cause it to fall to the ground.  You wonder about the type of people who live in those homes as they raise their decorations in spite of appearances.  Makes you wonder if they will appreciate their efforts far more than the person who can afford professional installers?  It looks as if they take whatever money they do have to make a statement about their faith.  I know it may not be faith exactly like the biblical kind but they do try.  Surely we can admire and appreciate that about them. 

It's the lights that are attracting my attention this year.  There is no telling why this is true.  But it is certain that all of the festive lights are catching my eye.  Perhaps we hang them to make our tree look pretty.  Our main tree will have both white and color lights.  It could be we use them to get others to notice our houses as they drive by.  Maybe it is that we just like being able to have a different look in our homes.  Sometimes we remember that Jesus is called the ultimate light in scripture.  You will always be mindful of how the light guides the wise men to their destination.  All of us are now called light when we relate to God in Jesus.  You do not have to wait until Christmas to let that shine.  You may need to know your light matters all twelve months of the year.  We need to be just as attractive through our living as our homes are for the holidays.  So try to let your light shine both now and then.

Bro. Trey