I have been very lax in my blogging lately so I apologize. I don’t vary much on this blog from the topics of job searching, career development, workforce development, but I felt compelled to give you some insight into what I have been thinking lately about Christmas! I hope you can relate.

Even though the real meaning of Christmas has nothing to do with shopping and parties it seems like those are those only two things I do this time of year. Don’t get me wrong I love going to go Christmas parties but the shopping is something I would rather avoid. Is it just me, or does it seem like the older I get the less I like “stuff.” Sure, I like my electronics; iPod, MacBook, Treo, and a maybe a few other toys but that is really about it. My mother keeps asking me what I want for Christmas, and I keep saying, I don’t need anything. I really don’t. Do I want a few things? Sure, but I don’t actually need anything.

I am amazed at the stories I hear from other people about how much money they are spending on Christmas, buying this and buying that. For what? The truth of the matter is most of us will look at all of the “stuff” we are given on Christmas morning and think to ourselves, “I like all this stuff, but I would really like X.” You can fill in the blank about whatever X is. That feeling of dissatisfaction on a day where our stuff is supposed to fill us up can be quite confusing.

Here’s the bottom line:

“Stuff” is not what Christmas is about and it will not satisfy any of us. It is temporary and passing away.

The real meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world Jesus Christ. We can all say Happy Holiday’s all we want but we cannot avoid the fact that the real meaning of Christmas is Jesus and not how much stuff we buy for each other.

This Christmas I encourage you to forget about your stuff and concentrate on the One who is bigger than your stuff. Concentrate on the One who is worth more than all of our “stuff” put together. Remember, Jesus was born so that you could have life on this earth and more importantly eternal life!

Merry Christmas; and I say again, Merry CHRISTmas!

justin