Black Friday!

Today is the day after Thanksgiving! It means a lot of different things to different people. Some look at it as a day of being able to be off work and relax and eat a lot of wonderful leftovers. Others enjoy it as another day of visiting with relatives. Some put all of the fall decorations away and put up their Christmas tree and lights. And there are still others that count the minutes for the 'Black Friday' sales to begin. They have watching the store ads and scouring the coupons and figuring out which stores open at what time and then mapping out their strategies for driving from store to store and running in to get which special and standing in line. I am all for saving money and I admit that I have gone to some stores because they have had amazing sales on items that family members have asked for for Christmas, but I am not a die-hard black Friday shopper! There are stories told of people that have pick-pocketed others while shopping, shop lifters have been arrested, there are people that have very little patience and run into others with their carts or cut others off with their vehicles.

It is supposed to be the start to a 'holly, jolly season', but there is very little "jolly" in a lot of places. It is sad that many people take more time planning what and how they will buy their gifts than thinking about where they might be spending eternity.

We are all sinners and our hearts are as 'black as sin'. I learned a song when I was just a child:

"My heart was dark with sin, Until the Savior came in;"

 His precious blood I know, Has washed me"

 white as snow"

 And in God's Word I'm told I'll walk the streets of gold;"

 To grow in Christ each day,

  I read my Bible and pray."

As we celebrate the Christmas Season people will be more open to listening to the true "Christmas Story"-how Christ came to earth human-born of a virgin-and after His ministry on earth was completed, He died on the cross for our sins.

Matthew 1:18-21

" Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Take every opportunity that you are given as you live one day at a time and share a gift that won't cost a penny and yet will be the most valuable one they have ever gotten.