Does anyone else love to go to the mailbox this time of year?  I love looking at all the Christmas cards and how families have grown throughout the years.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is all of the wonderful greetings we receive from dear friends and family. 

Of course there are the children in my mind who will always remain between the ages of 1 and 3 years old and every year I live in a state of denial that they are teenagers (or even OLDER) because I feel SO old having cared for them as babies!  It’s quite tempting to want to keep thinking of them as the sweet little children I remember them as.  But just as I have gotten older and MUCH has changed in my life since…they are aging as well.

It’s just as tempting to think of Jesus this time of year as that sweet little baby in the manger and forget the reason why He came.  God the Son left heaven and became flesh to grow up and through His life heal the sick, raise the dead and ultimately die on a cross for the sins of the world raising again the 3rd day…and He is coming again!  It’s tempting this time of year to stop at the manger and just think of Jesus as a baby…but He grew up…just as every child does.  When you read the story of Jesus birth this year..don’t stop there.  Keep reading!  Christmas is just the start!

 For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
   there will be no end.  Isaiah 9:6-7