[CHRIST]mas

I was sitting at the stair case during lunch, checking my facebook, as per usual. I was so done with the day by about 10am. Obviously, my day was not about to get any better. I'm scrolling through the statuses, and see: "23 more days until presents!" PRESENTS?! And so my status became: "Can we please put CHRIST back into CHRISTmas?" What happened, guys? The worst part was, I had went to camp with this person years ago. She knows about God. I hate seeing people fall, knowing I can't do anything about it. That's been the heaviest burden on my heart, lately. I see what all my friends are doing, knowing what the consequence is going to be, knowing full well that they're not going to listen to me. It makes me want to cry.
But honestly, guys. Have we not heard enough about the "true meaning of Christmas" yet? Do we have to keep coming back to this? I understand little kids being excited about presents. They're small, they get new toys, what kid doesn't want that?! I always wanted new toys! But as of last year, it just hasn't felt the same anymore. I bought a bunch of presents last year for my friends and family, and I was so excited to watch them open it. To be giving them something that they may have for a long time. I loved it. That was my favorite part about Christmas last year. Giving, not getting. Sure, I always like getting new things, but I didn't look forward to it as much as I used to.
I remember someone saying that everyone loves Jesus around Christmas time. Well duh. Jesus birthday and everything, everyone's cheerful, it looks gorgeous outside (but does not feel gorgeous, i might add), there's twinkly lights everywhere, snowmen. Everyone just seems happier for some reason. Joyful. And I'm not saying that we shouldn't like Christmas, or that those are shallow reasons to like Christmas. I'm just saying, remember what we're celebrating. After Christmas is over, many people couldn't care less about Jesus. That makes me sad. I hate that right after Christmas, is New Years. Perfect reason to get drunk, right? No. Parties do not equal drinking. Want to have real fun? Be yourself and just chill out with your friends. Drinking ruins you. Really.
Another thing I'm sick of: this Santa dude stealing credit for Christmas. He's fake. Not real. Never has been. Never will be. Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you're reading this blog and you still think santa is real, well I really have nothing to say to that...
You always see those blow-up santas on people's lawns. Some fat dude in a red suit whose reindeers can fly, and he delivers presents to every single person in one night. How does he do it?! Hmm, I don't know, maybe it's the fact that it's your parents stashing the presents under the tree, not some fat dude, and it's your parents eating the milk and cookies, not some fat dude. He's not real. It's fun for little kids. But honestly, we need to grow up. If we're still having santa decorations everywhere, and giving him credit for Christmas and talking about him all December, then we've missed the mark. Santa is not real. Jesus is. He was a real person. He's still alive. Guys, if we celebrate a fake person who gives us material things during Christmas rather than Jesus, who gave his life for us, who loves us so much, then we've missed the mark. Have you ever once heard your parents say, "Santa loves you." ? No. Exactly. He doesn't. Because he's not real.
I find this next thing kind of interesting. I made a typo while spelling 'santa'. Can ya guess what I said instead? Satan. That was my typo. Now I'm thinking, did satan create santa so that Jesus wouldn't get celebrated during Christmas? Satan knows that Jesus should be on everyone's minds right now, but instead we're filled with shallow things like presents and santa and decorations.
My request to you right now, is to look past those shallow things and really spend time with Jesus. Not just now, not just during the Christmas season, but for the following week, month, year, decade, life!! You will never stop learning. I can guarantee you that.
Blessings,
Ariel