Jasper Speaks:

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I updated! WOW! It has been busy. We had a marginal good time in Nashville for NYWC. It jsut is pretty much the same every year and I think I may be getting over it. I am searching for a new conference for next year so if you know of one let me know.

Thanksgiving was good and mostly drama free which is also good. We went to my sister Darla's on Thanksgiving day and then traveled to Podunk to be with Kendra's family on Friday and stayed through Sunday.

We have started Christmas shopping. With Kendra staying at home, we are cutting corners a lot. I am so busy preparing for Christmas and post Christmas student events. Yikes! The year has flown by!

My absolute favorite Christmas flick is A Charlie Brown Christmas. Every year I look forward to watching it. It is such a simple story. A boy who feels like no one likes him is on a quest to remind people that Christmas is important. Along the way he is overwhelmed by the commercialization of the holiday and in his frustrations he shouts, “Doesn’t anyone know what Christmas is all about?!?”. His best friend Linus steps out onto the stage and quotes from Luke 2:

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lordcame upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.”

Linus walks off stage and says, “That’s what Christmas is all about!” As I sat watching the cartoon this year, I could hear my mother’s voice in my head shout, “Praise the Lord”. She was impressed every year that the simple, profound, life changing Christmas story was shared in homes across America through this beautiful children’s Christmas program. I always loved A Charlie Brown Christmas but as I have gotten older I have learned to appreciate it more. It is a reminder in a crazy season that the heart of Christmas is still the story of God becoming man. God became one of us so that He might save us. The cradle in the stable is overshadowed by the cross on the hill. The baby, sweet and mild, would one day die for me. He would lay down his life for me, even though I didn’t deserve it. He took the fall and thought of me. The entire act of salvation could no be without Christmas. I love that our media has not yet find a way to silence Linus’ words of truth from God’s love story to us. I hope you take some time and think about how important Christmas is this season.