Mommy Musings: Tis the Season...To Shop?

I'm not usually the type to get on a soapbox, but I have something on my mind today. I was driving around earlier this morning, listening to a radio station that plays all Christmas music. And after about the third or fourth commercial between songs I realized something: Not one of those commercials focused on the real reason we have Christmas. Each one said something like "Get into the holiday spirit by shopping at our store" or "Come in for our great deals on exactly what they want for Christmas." Now before I start sounding preachy or like I'm condemning everyone for shopping and spending money during the Christmas season, let me clarify. I am not against going out and buying nice things for family and friends. Just yesterday I bought Bill his Christmas present and I spent a little too much time adding things to my Amazon.com wish list. All this post is meant for is to remind us why we have Christmas in the first place. I feel like it would do the world some good to return their focus to Christ and remember the wonderful things He has done for us and what an amazing occasion His birth was. His birth was so ordinary and so simple, yet so profound. Because of Him we have the opportunity to be with our loved ones again and to be cleansed from the sins and the pains that we experience on this earth, which in my opinion is the greatest gift that anyone can give us.

So I hope that, while we are enjoying the beautiful decorations around town or attending a Christmas party, we will remember that our focus should be on this man:

and not this man: