As a child, we wait for Christmas, don’t we?

And then as we grow up, we’re counting days, too. We see it on funny little signs in stores — thank you, merchants who want our business — and nowadays it pops on Facebook. And then come December, we count the day with family calendars. My youngest daughter used little felt pieces — angels, camels, sheep, the baby Jesus,  to make the Nativity scene by Christmas Day.

But we wait for Christmas in other ways, too. We wait for the “feeling” of Christmas, as if someone behind the scenes has to say “Lights, camera, action!” and then someone can say the lines: “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men!” or “Joy to the world!”

That’s already been said and done — and the heavenly proclamation has never been rescinded.

Christmas is about love. God’s love expressed toward us in the gift of His Son. And yes, we have the opportunity to be gift-givers, too. To shop for presents because there’s fun in that — the giving and receiving. But the reason we exchange gifts, both large and small? Because we care for one another.

Christmas is coming for 2016 … and for that reason, there’s some counting involved. But there’s no need to wait until December 25th to be loving toward one another or to remember God’s love for us.

In Your Words: In what ways do you wait for Christmas? How would you change that this year?

[ctt template=”8″ link=”T4FU9″ via=”yes” ]In Others’ Words: Waiting for Christmas http://ctt.ec/T4FU9+ #InOthersWords #Christmas #quotes @bethvogt[/ctt] [ctt template=”8″ link=”6XJCk” via=”yes” ]”My idea of #Christmas … is very simple: loving http://ctt.ec/6XJCk+ do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” #quotes #BobHope @bethvogt[/ctt]