My Gift to you this Christmas, is to share for 12 days How I’ve kept my Joy (over Christmas). I hope you enjoy this, a gift, from my heart to yours. -Laura Grace 
#1 THE LOVE (of Christmas Lights and Food).
When I was a kid, everything about Christmas was not necessarily “Fun.” First off, I was a bad gift wrapper (and still am). I used too much tape, I hated the patience involved with wrapping gifts, and I was terrible at putting tinsel on the tree.
My Dad was kind of a scrooge, talking about commercialism and the evils of Christmas time. My mom was the fun one (At Christmas).
I had disappointments. We all had the Sears catalog called “the dream book.” We Wished for stuff, asked Santa for it, and even wrote him letters.
Let’s face it, for most of us, the dream of Santa bringing us a Pony, an airplane, or a host of other wishes we wished for, just never came true.
One of the secrets I think, is that God was with me to help me see the GOOD about Christmas. The lights, the brightly wrapped packages, and mom making all those special goodies, really did “Minister to me.”
Sure I got disappointed. I remember Christmas music, and how “Hark the Herald Angels are singing” and thinking about “The Little town of Bethlehem” and “Away in a Manger” God used those Christmas songs!
He used them to woo me toward himself. To Get me thinking about him, and his love for me! You know what’s funny? (or not so funny) Is many who complained about Christmas wound up MISSING IT when they were not able to get home.
For many, the wake up call is when “Christmas is no more” for one reason or another. When I was in the Air Force, all I wanted to do was get home for Christmas. (and I did) I rode a bus to get there. (Read about it in part 2.)
What sticks out to you about Christmas? For my dad he still says “bah Humbug” to this day. (Sad, but true) and I refuse to hide that he does that. Why? Because he chose to dwell on some bad childhood memory! I wish he wouldn’t do that but he does. I made a different choice, because I saw what it did to him. (Joyless!).
Have you noticed seeing the good in something increases the good?
And that dwelling on the bad can consume your mind? (And rob you of the good?)
How can we pass on the JOY Of Christmas (and Christ) to others, this season?
Good Question! Stay tuned for part 2 (of 12)
–Laura Grace
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