"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means, God with us."  Matthew 1:23

I had the joy of watching my niece, Abby (age 7), and nephew, Bo (age 3), decorate their Christmas tree this past weekend.  Bo seemed to favor one particular branch while Abby wanted to climb the ladder and put ornaments everywhere!  I encourage you this Christmas to embrace lessons from both of them.

To me Bo represents focus.  While parties, cooking, presents, and all the trimmings of this holiday are wonderful, focus on Jesus will make your Christmas all it is meant to be.

Abby, on the other hand, is the epitome of reaching out.  One person can't do everything, but a single individual can definitely make a difference.  Abby stretched herself as far as she could go, and enjoyed every minute of it.  Though her dad couldn't allow her to climb the ladder yet, she could still accomplish quite a bit.  So can you.  The key is to let your heavenly Father set the limits and give the directions, then make the most of every opportunity He provides.

What does God have for you this Christmas?  We pray as you open your hearts and homes to God's best, He will shine through you and bless you more than you can ask or imagine.  Merry Christmas everyone!