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Sometimes, in all of the preparation of Christmas, people push Christ aside. Interesting enough all this preparation consumes more time than the holiday itself.

Due economic issues, people seem to make preparation in a scaled-down fashion. Because of all we hear about the financial state of our nation, the banks and the housing industry, people don’t know where they stand with their jobs, incomes and insurance coverage.

Some questions come to the forefront of my mind:

1. Are we preparing for Christ at all?

2. Do we honor Christ with our lifestyle?

3. Shouldn’t we reflect Christ as we prepare for His birthday?

4. Shouldn’t we live for Christ every day?

The thought of keeping Christ in Christmas intrigued me when, as a child, I saw a banner hanging on a small building set up for bell ringers. It read “Keep Christ in Christmas.” I didn’t know what they meant.

Now, as I watch television and read the newspaper, I notice the commercialism of Christmas. More and more stores are open longer and longer hours to get a lot of our money. On television, I used to hear local businesses as they wish us “Happy Holidays.” I only heard one say “Merry Christmas.”

We prepare for Christ by sharing Christ. In our town there is a nonprofit ministry that works with children in the fourth grade. The ministry requests the schools to grant the children released time from their studies to learn about Jesus. The children are transported to a church near their school and hear Bible stories and watch a Jesus video for children. This ministry has been in existence since 1947. The board and the teachers and helpers have presented Christ to up and coming generations of children for all these years.

We honor Christ with our lifestyles. When we practice the Christian graces of intercessory prayer, devotions, and living for Him, we show His light to a dark, fallen world. Do you have a practice of choosing one devotional book to read through the year?

Do you keep a list of prayer requests with your Bible to use when you pray? Our church prints out a prayer sheet that gets updated twice a week. Does your church have such a tool?

We should reflect Christ on His birthday. Several years ago, my mother brought me a collection of recipes she purchased at a craft sale. In looking thorough the pages, I found the following:

“In all the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas, we may forget we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To help our children place the right importance on the Christmas holiday, we can explain what the birth of this special

Baby means to us. Make a birthday cake for Jesus, a “Jesus Cake.” All little children know the importance of birthdays and birthday cakes. The cake symbolizes His love for us.

Make a round cake. (Chocolate to symbolize our sins)

Cover with white frosting (His purity coves our sins)

Top with a yellow star (A guide to those searching for the new born King)

Put an angel on top (Bearer of the first glad tidings)

Place 12 (Christ our light through12 months of the year) RED (for his shed blood for us) birthday candles on top.

Encircle the cake with evergreens. (To symbolize everlasting life.)

This little activity makes a good devotional for families with small children to use on Christmas day.

We are to live for Christ every day. The life of a believer is one of relationship with Jesus. We need to maintain contact with Him as we would any other friend. Also, we are His representative to those around us who search for comfort and peace as they go through life.

May Jesus' light shine through you this Christmas.

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Inspired