Christmastide! ...

Let's go back and take a second look at what Jan Dargatz wrote about Christmastide in her wonderful little book 52 Simple Ways to Make Christmas Special...

The grand celebration of Christmastide, the twelve days beginning with Christmas Day. It is during this time that Christians around the world have traditionally "made merry" with joyous abandon. Christmastide is a time for family and friends, for singing and feasting, for sending greetings and hosting parties. It is a time for rejoicing that heaven has struck a path all the way to the very gates of hell and has invited every human being to walk upon it toward everlasting life.

Today is the first day of Christmastide! Celebrate!!! While we contemplate the darkness of the world before Christ and our need of Him in our own lives during Advent, today we celebrate! He has come!!! God sent a Savior!!!

I hope sometime during the day you've taken the opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior with "joyous abandon." What a treasure He is!

We're going to stay together celebrating the Christ of Christmas through Epiphany, January 6th, so please... stay with us for this most festive, joyful part of the season.