2017 Home for the Holidays

2017 Home for the Holidays LINCOLN DAILY NEWS November 22, 2017 Page 5 because he observed the joyous spirit of little Cindy Lou Who, who sang a song of joy even though all the tinsel, trees, presents and lights had been stolen away. The holiday spirit was on the inside, not just the outside. And the lonely, miserly, pathetic Grinch was transformed into a joyful celebrant who gave out of kindness rather than stealing out of jealousy. And so we enter the holiday season. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. It is the kickoff holiday (not meant to be a football pun), the one which causes us to reflect on the blessings of the year gone past, and join with family to celebrate each other. We join together in warmth around a table laden with sumptuous foods and desserts, putting down our cell phones and tablets to join in conversation with friends and family, strengthening bonds and sharing life. In this we rejoice because of the relationships we have and reflect that we are still together. And we give thanks to God because of how loving He is, and how He has remembered even us. About thirty days later comes Christmas Eve, a hallowed night when we remember that God so loved the whole world that He sent His only Son. Jesus came into the world as a baby, as one of us. His first home was very humble: a mere stable, his bed a hay-filled manger. Surrounded by the animals and his parents, the shepherds came in from the fields where they lay keeping their flocks, and in the company of the angels were in awe of the miracle of the Messiah. In our homes we surround ourselves with the magic of the season: Christmas movies, Christmas music, twinkling decorations, and presents under the tree. It’s a time for warmth and closeness, for home and family. The presents symbolize our love for one another, and are reminiscent of the gifts the wise men brought to baby Jesus. We read the Christmas story together once again and are entranced by how God included all of us in His blessing. And we too are transformed by the grace and the kindness of this season. Six days after Christmas, we once again have the opportunity to celebrate with one another on the day called “New Year’s.” The theme CONTINUED ===