THERE'S A REASON FOR THE SEASON
So, even though I really hate journals, I feel like I must comment. After seeing/reading about what everyone received for Christmas it left me feeling quite disgusted. At first I did not really know why, but last night it dawned on me. I hope you people realize how selfish and self-centered you sound. What you received for Christmas, is likely more than what 95% of the world has. In no way am I saying that I am not selfish too, but really, do you need half of the stuff that you were given on Christmas? Chances are no. It really makes me sick to think back to when I went to Mexico and saw how the people had NOTHING but a dirt floored shack with one room and a little piece of tin as their roof, and yet were so much more content and happy than we are. Instead of being happy with what we have all we want is more. I cannot even begin to say how terrible this makes me feel. I long to go back to Mexico and be a part of a little village and have noting more than a few shirts and pants. At least then I will know the meaning of true happiness and how to be thankful for what I have. How I wish our country could change. I feel like I left a part of me in that tiny little village, and it would not surprise me to end up going back as a missionary before my time on this earth is up. But back to the main point of this post: Christmas. Do you people even know the true meaning of Christmas??? I hate the way the secular world has twisted and contorted Christmas so much that the birth of Christ is second to "Santa" and getting gifts. Without Jesus Christ, I honestly do not know how terrible and worse off this world would be. Like the old saying goes, "You cannot have Christmas without Christ." This saying is so true and yet how often do we really think of it that way. I know personally, that this Christmas has really been a rude awakening to the REAL meaning of Christmas and what it REALLY is about. Sure, I received a few things for Christmas, more than i probably should have, but it pales in comparison to what other people around me got, yet it is so much more than what the majority of the world got. I feel selfish; plain and simple. I wish i would have received nothing and just been thankful with what I already have, which is more than I need. Next year, I want to go to a soup kitchen or something along those lines and serve those who are less privilaged than myself on Christmas. Mainly, I just want to see th birth of Christ coming back into the foreground, instead of the second-fiddle role it seems to play now. Without the birth of Jesus, this world would be meaningless and full of void. Jesus paid the price for us to live in eternity with God, and I am forever thankful for that. Really, I cannot even begin to fathom how God could send HIS OWN SON, Jesus, to come into this world as a little baby, only to watch his own son die for all mankind on the cross. Even though I do not have any children of my own, I can only imagine how painful that must have been for God to have to watch what the world did to his own Son, who was without blame nor blemish. If you have yet to watch "The Passion" I highly suggest you do. What a moving movie that is. It really makes you stand in awe at the price Jesus paid for the sake of all mankind. He did not have to do what he did, and yet he willfully went and died on the cross for all of our sins. This movie really makes you think about this life and what we are living for. Like the Switchfoot song, "This is Your Life," says, "This is your life, are you who you want to be? This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?" Putting Jesus Christ in your life will make it so much better. I have tried to live this life without God, and trust me it did not work. Once i put God first in my life things started to look up for me and I became such a better person. I do not know where I would be in life if it was not for God and the Christian up-bringing that my mother instilled into my sister and me. I cannot even begin to thank her for taking me to church, even when I did not want to go. To be honest, I feel sorry for all you people who have parents who do not take you to church because you honestly do not know how much you are missing. Fellowship with believers really has helped my life, and I know it can make a difference in your life too. But anyway, please next year remember Christmas is not "Santa" and giving gifts, but Christmas is the virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
God Bless,
Nate
God Bless,
Nate