Tis the Season...

For the past month or more Christmas carols have been taking over the radio, decorations have been pulled out of storage, and crazy shopping excursions have been and will continue to take place through to the New Year.  Even though these things are exciting and something most of us look forward to, these things are just that, things. The older I get, and the more I pay attention, the more I realize that the real "reason for the season" is being lost in all the advertisements and busy-ness of the season.

The other day I was in the car on my way to a friend's and I heard, what I thought was the 12 days of Christmas. But, as the song started the words were "the 12 pains of Christmas." I continued to listen out of curiosity and the words were somewhat humerous but shocking at the same time. The song made me realize how caught up in the things of Christmas our world really gets. Not even just the things of Christmas but the negative aspects of it. For example, some of the lines to the song are:
"The fifth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
Five months of bills!
Sending Christmas cards
Hangovers
Rigging up the lights
And finding a Christmas tree"
Even though there are down sides to the Christmas season it's sad to me that we tend to focus on complaints and being busy instead of focusing on Christmas. I'm not saying that going shopping and decorating a Christmas tree is wrong, those are 2 things I enjoy doing at Christmas time, but maybe we need to try harder to really think about and recognize why this holiday was founded. I know that sayings like "Jesus is the reason for the season" and "Merry CHRISTmas" are out there during Christmas time, but billboards with phrases aren't near as affective as our actions can be. 
There's nothing wrong with laughing at a funny Christmas song, even the 12 pains of Christmas is entertaining. But, while we listen to goofy carols, go shopping on some of the busiest days of the year, and possibly have to spend time with people we aren't too fond of, lets not forget why we gather together in the first place.


Luke 2:1-20 talks about the birth of Jesus, the Shepherds, and Angels. One of my favorite parts of the story starts in verse 13. It says: 
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace to men on who his favor rests.' 
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven the shepherds said to one another, 
'Let's go the Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' "  
The angels announced Jesus' birth with song and to this day we still proclaim his life with song. 
I only hope that of the songs I sing, I am able encourage people to seek Christ the way the angels did on that silent night. 


Christmas is an especially great time to show the world the love of Christ and share the story of His birth and I hope I can keep myself accountable to do those things not only during this time of year, but throughout the entire year. Even if it is something as simple as holding the door open for somebody at the store with a smile. 


Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends. 
I know I am enjoying every minute of mine. 
                                              "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace..."

Beginning

I have been journaling and writing down thoughts and poems since I can remember. But recently, due to being busy, among other things, I have almost entirely stopped writing. I was talking to a friend about this a few days ago and he encouraged me to start writing again. So, here I am, starting a blog.


I have named this blog "Revelations of Mine" because I am not usually the type that shares the thoughts and ideas I write down, and a revelation is:  

• A surprising and previously unknown fact, esp. one that is made known in a dramatic way. 
• The making known of something that was previously secret or unknown. 
• Used to emphasize the surprising or remarkable quality of someone or something. 

This is not to say that what I am writing is profound or of high quality, but simply that what is written was previously unknown or unexpressed to those reading, and possibly even myself. 

To talk a little bit about my writing history, I have been writing things that actually mean something to me since I was in 7th grade. During my 7th and 8th grade years I only shared what I wrote with one of my friends and once we started high school our friendship stopped. When that friendship stopped so did the sharing of anything I wrote, outside of what was required for school. I didn't share much of anything I wrote again until my freshman year at Rochester College. I met a guy who has a gift and a love for writing and he asked to read some of the things I had written, and so I showed him. That moment, among a few others, is where our relationship really began. But that is an entirely different story for another time. 

After that moment I began writing more and sharing a little more, but, as stated before, until the past few days, I have forgotten that I really do love to write and I think it's time that I begin again. 

So, this is a new beginning. This will be an outlet for my thoughts, ideas, and whatever else I may feel like writing. This is a place for me to express who I am and what I'm learning. And I will do my best to bring glory to God in everything I write.

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us

but to your name be the glory, 

because of your love and faithfulness."

                         -Psalm 115:1