The Christmas Sweater

A few weeks ago I was in Wal-Mart and decided to look at books to see if anything caught my eye that I might would want to read. There were many selections, one being the Twilight series that everyone is going crazy for. The other that caught my eye was the new book by Glenn Beck, "The Christmas Sweater." I decided on the Beck book. I just felt like it was going to give me something more than the love lives of vampires that Twilight would give.

Glenn Beck is one of my favorite people on television today. The Glenn Beck Program that airs on CNN is one of the better things on television. He interviews a wide range of people in the public eye today. I think what I like best about his program is that he is not afraid to speak about his faith in Christ and we all know in the Hollywood set that is so taboo. Therefore, I knew that even though this book was a short read it would have some meat to it.

This book was a life experience for me. Things that are touched on in this book are places I have been in my life. I know we have all been in those "cornfields" ( you have to read the book to know what I am talking about). There is one quote in the book by one of the characters that I think struck me the most.

"At some point you have to realize that everything happens for a reason. It is up to you to find that reason, learn from it, and let it take you to the place you're supposed to be-not just where you have ended up. You can either complain about how hard your life is, or you can realize that only you are responsible for it. You get to choose:Am I going to be happy or miserable? And nothing will ever change that."

I think sometimes I forget this and I have to remind myself, "You can't do this on your own, no one is meant to do this on their own." We are meant to do it with the help of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

So as we gather with our families today and open our gifts remember the greatest gift was given to us by our loving Father in Heaven. It is the only true gift ever given to all and yet opened by so few. It is the gift of redemption and atonement and it sits largely untouched by so many. We are so busy with our lives during the season that we miss the true meaning of it. It is what that infant, boy, and then perfect man did at the end of His ministry that makes the birth so special.

Without His death, the birth is meaningless

So with this gift that Christ has given us, what will we do with it? Do we open that gift, look at it and say, "Oh, that's nice" and then push it to the side? When your day of judgement comes and you have been one of those that have pushed the gift of Salvation to the side are you prepared to stand at His feet and see Him with a hurt look in His eyes as he asks, "Is that the gift I gave you?" As Glenn Beck says, "Pick up your redemption. Cherish it. Wear it. Share it. It has the power to transform lives. It has transformed mine."

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS!!! MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.