Make Christmas different this year

Before you know it Christmas will have come and gone. Soon everyone will be thinking of their resolution and how 2010 will be different.

Ever wonder how Christmas could be different this year? Well I am going to try something and I invite you to join with me and this experiment. We will look at Christmas in different ways, the book I picked up to help with this is "The 12 Ways of Christmas". So between now and Christmas Eve I will blog about each day. I challenge you to join me and see if we can make this Christmas a little different than the past ones.

Amazingly the first day is Wonder!

When you see children this time of year you cant help but notice that they approach Christmas a little different than us adults. You can see the Wonder that they have in the twinkle in their eyes. Everything from Wondering what Santa will bring them this year, if they made the nice list or not, to wondering how Santa gets to all the homes in just one night? So like a child lets wonder about this season, but instead of Santa lets wonder about Jesus.
Why did Jesus come to earth? What was it like to be Mary or Joesph? How does faith look similar (or different) back then compared to now? How could God love each of us so much that he came to this earth as a child?

So many of us get caught up into the business of Christmas that we never take the time to really enjoy this time of our lives. So spend some time today Wondering!
There were a lot of people that first Christmas who Wondered
Mary wondered how a virgin was going to give birth? Joseph wondered why he and Mary were chosen? Read the following passages to see more wonder...Luke 1:18, 1:34, 2:13-15, 2:19, 2:25-32, 2:33-35, 2:36-38

So now you and I. What would our lives have looked like if we lived 2,000 years ago? What about now? How can Wondering what the season is really about, change us? You'll agree that it isn't about the presents, trees and food. You have heard "The reason for the season". If that is true why do we spend so much time "falling" into what Christmas isn't about?

For this Christmas to be different, you will need to take time today and Wonder like a child about the real reason for the season

Are you an Insane Christian?

It was interesting to see the words "Insane" and "Christian" next to each other.

My favorite definition of insanity is a quote from Albert Einstein..doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different results.

So are you insane? Does today look like yesterday, like last Tuesday or maybe like the Tues after Thanksgiving last year? Most likely your answer is like many of us, yes.

Are you still tired? Job still bother you? Want to find more time to spend with loved ones? Life full of stress? Want to spend more time with an authentic friend? Fell overwhelmed, unimportant or not loved?

How about what is going on around you????
Does injustice still bother you? Relationship issues that maybe you should have had "the conversation"? Need to forgive someone? Need to ask for forgiveness?
Unhappy with your weight? Finances still killing you and controlling your life? Relationship with Christ going well? Spending more time working on your relationship with Him? Praying more, reading the Bible more?

Any of this fell like you? Pick any of the issues above, or add your own, how are you doing? Same as yesterday, last week? Trying to change by doing the same thing? Einstein hit the nail right on the head?

As Christians we are called to live a life of Love. Serving the Lord and loving others as we have been loved. How are you doing there?

Will these next 45 days look the same as last years 45 days after Thanksgiving? Between now and the first full week of January life is just a little different. American consumerism with a side of Santa, presents and hectic business? Then we look back over 2009 and say "That's it, I need to change....2010 will be different!" Will it really be different? Are you going to end the insanity? If so, don't wait until January 1st to start.

Slow down, change your life and don't get pulled into the materialistic society that we live in. Live your life for Christ and love others well! Don't call yourself a Christian if you're alright with being insane. Your life should look different compared to those who don't know Christ!

We impact many people throughout our lives. One study shows that a highly introverted person impacts over 10,000 lives throughout their life time. You are not highly introverted, so how many more than 10,000 will you impact! Better question..."will it be a positive or negative impact?"

You can make a difference. It starts with ending the insanity!