Who knew that giving thanks could be so hard on the body?  Getting a good night's sleep sounds awfully good about now.  You do all you can to get through this day of thanksgiving only to find another holiday bearing down on you fast.  At least it seems as though a few people took they day of turkey and family as a day unto itself.  All turned out well in my humble abode.  We enjoyed a great meal.  A nap worked itself into the day.  Family came and went.  Leftovers were saved for the following days.  Life was pretty good.

Then you wake up and it is time to grab the Christmas decorations.  I don't know how this year will turn out for that.  We have a shorter than usual time between these holidays.  It will seem as if we just got boxes of various décor put away when it will be time to change for yet another season.  Two days of locating, hanging, and decorating still isn't enough to have all of ours done.  Perhaps you should understand we basically have our very own Christmas store to get out.  My youngest enjoys all of it once the house is ready.  Now if he only did more to help in the process!

We do have four weeks to get ready for Christmas day.  That is no interim time but all of it ties together to make it a holiday.  Every year I talk about not getting swept away in the season.  Every year our society makes it harder for us to avoid doing that.  We just went through the annual rite of Black Friday.  There were actual fist fights in various retail outlets around the country.  I also read gunshots were fired at another store.  Have we just lost our mind?  I'm sure all of that is what the angels meant by "peace on earth and goodwill toward men." 

We really need to use these days to prepare our hearts as well as our plans for the arrival of Jesus.  Somehow we should make time to spend with God amid all of the upheaval of this month.  He may have great advice on how to handle all of the stress.  We also might as well get ready for those people who make us more like the Grinch than a disciple.  All of us have people like that somewhere. Some are friends, others are family but they just get on wrong side of us and lodge there.  We can also give real gifts to others.  Connect your faith to a conscious need in the life of another.  That is a sure way to get into the season.  You may even make this time of the year far more terrific than tiring.

Bro. Trey