Where Has The Time Gone?

*counts on fingers* Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday...Well, I am 4 days away from Finals Week here at UConn. Wow, it does not feel like Thanksgiving break was just two weeks ago! Did y'all have  a good Thanksgiving? :) I baked an applie pie this year as I did last year. However, this year was the first time making my very own crust from scratch. Yay!

Well, after Finals comes one of my most favorite times of the year! On December 16th at 6:30pm the choir of First Baptist Church of Enfield will perform the Christmas Cantata "Season Of Joy." This is definitely one of my most favorite nights of the entire year! We get so many visitors on that night which means opportunities to spread the good news of the gospel! The choir and children's choir has been hard at work and we are excited to share our joy in this season with everyone!

So, if there's a Christmas cantata being performed...that means it's Christmas time! What's so special about this time of year? I know, I know, kids will answer "PRESENTS!" And, to be honest, I think everyone, including me, can admit that we do enjoy receiving presents from our loved  ones. However, Santa, presents, pretty lights, christmas carols...none of these are the true REAL reason for the season. So, what is? Here's one of my favorite passages in the Bible:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. - Luke 2:1-16

I don't think that I need to explain what, or really WHO, the real reason for the season is...the above tells it all. Remember the real reason for the season! 

God Bless,

Lyss