Happy Birthday Jesus....I'm so Glad it's Christmas....the REAL gift is YOU

I don't know if any of you remember this song...
happy Birthday Jesus
I'm So Glad Its Christmas
all The Tinsel And Lights
and The Presents Are Nice
but The Real Gift Is You.

happy Birthday Jesus
I'm So Glad Its Christmas
all The Carols And Bells
make The Holiday Swell
and it's All About You
happy Birthday Jesus
Jesus I Love You!

I remember hearing this on the radio all the time...I haven't heard it this year but I always think of it when Christmas comes around. It's a short song sung usually by a little kid...but it has such great meaning...Yesterday we celebrated a pretty awesome Holiday. Over the last 30 days we've all decorated our houses...put up our tree's and frantically shopped for gifts for the people who are important to us...but why? What is the significance of putting all these decorations up, only to take them all back down a month later...What is the significance of wrapping all these gifts...spending all this time looking for that perfect gift...only for it to be "over" in fifteen minutes. If it weren't for Christ we wouldn't have this Holiday at all.
I will admit my family did not go without this year...all you have to do is look at my pictures to see that we had plenty. The kids especially got a lot...and I believe everyone in our family got the ONE thing they wanted for Christmas at least...but how many times did we pause in the midst of opening gifts, and telling the kids "Santa" brought this stuff, to really think about what this Holiday is about? When I went to bed Wednesday evening all I could think of was the importance of Christmas day...and I woke up to the thought of what the Holiday was about...Jesus Christ...God in the form of man...but throughout the busy day I didn't stop once to think of this again.
My point isn't to condemn gifts on Christmas...or to have fun with the family and kids...I love my gifts...and I LOVED spending the day with my family--it was very precious to me. My family is very important to me, and spending time with them yesterday meant the world to me...but none of this would have been possible without Christ. I wouldn't be here. My family wouldn't be here. Life would have no purpose...but because of the great love of God coming to earth in the form of man...we have a reason to celebrate! We have perfect reason to enjoy Christmas...to love each other...to give gifts...as long as we remember the ultimate gift of Jesus Christ =)

Do What Moves You

I just finished watching Jamie from To Write Love On Her Arms give an interview on CNN live at CNN.com His interview was short, simple, but moving. One of the things that he said that really captured my interest was "Do what moves you, do what you feel strongly about"--Jamie had this huge job at Hurley for years where he was making six figures, and he gave that job up in order to be the light at the end of a dark tunnel. To help people who are suicidal and who inflict harm on themselves. He gave all that up because he wanted to love people.
I am more than passionate about this cause and this movement. I wish I could show people how strongly I feel about this movement...and all I can do right now really is support them and pray that this movement will continue to take off. This makes the second appearance that Jamie has made on any national TV website or channel...This movement is getting bigger and it is going places.
This movement isn't just about suicide or preventing self harming actions...it's about what we are all called to do. To love. I say this all the time. God is love. The greatest commanded is to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength...and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. LOVE. O my Goodness if we could all just love the way God loves. Of course we are human and we fail greatly...but to at least strive to this love.
This movement is very near and dear to my heart for many reasons that few people really know--and it moves me to tears sometimes to see my friends who have taken the leap to understand why this movement is so important to me...and to join in this cause in helping fight against addictions and depression and all that To Write Love On Her Arms stands for...These friends have followed the step to love...I want to challenge people to really take to time to possibly just go to www.twloha.com and really see what this movement and cause is all about. Just read the story, and take a few minutes to understand that it's not just an "emo" thing or a shirt that I wear or whatever else...it's so much greater.
I want to do what moves me...I want to do what I love...which is why I know when I finish college I'll be doing so much more than I'm striving for with my degree...because God has called me to greater things...to love his people in a way that others might not understand....
I am done now...I just really want to challenge everyone to really do what they're called to do...and to love the way they are called to love.