It's beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!!!

We put our Christmas tree up last week. This is the earliest I have ever put up my tree. Tori had a wonderful time helping. She carried every branch in the house, one at a time from our storage building. She had a blast and so did Matt and I. I love Christmas! It is my favorite time of year! Maybe because my birthday is the 16th, Christmas is the 25th, my Anniversary is the 28Th (12 years this year!!), or Matt's birthday is the 31st. I don't know. Or maybe its the lights, the trees, the look on the kids face on Christmas morning. Or the fact that it seems that Christmas brings out the best in all of us. We are more giving. I went to a Pastor's conference last February in Phoenix, Az. It was at Phoenix First Assembly. It was amazing! They have the biggest bus ministry I have ever seen. They bus kids and adults in every week and see lives changed every time! Anyway, every year at Christmas time they throw the biggest Christmas party ever. They bus these kids in and have toys all over the sanctuary. Bikes and all kinds of toys all over. Hanging from the ceiling...just toys everywhere! Last year one of the kids walked in the church and said to the bus pastor..."Is this Heaven?!" Keep in mind, most of these kids come from crack houses. You may think- what does giving kids toys have to with God? Jesus said, when you've done it to the least of these, you've done it to me. When we put aside our selfishness and do something for someone else that really needs it- they will see Christ through us!! So this Christmas, although the economy isn't good and I won't be giving or receiving as much as normal- I'll not complain because I am blessed. Blessed with the most amazing husband and kids that anyone could ever dream of having. The older I get the more I realize that its not all about me, its more and more about him. And, I will try to find someone who needs help and help them this Christmas season. In hopes that they will see the love of Christ through my small sacrifice and receive the greatest gift of all... salvation!!!