Cogitating on the commercialization of Christmas.

Christmas has the distinctive identity of being the day God humbled Himself and became in the likeness of man. Many say the greatest gift that was ever given; next to the salvation that was proffered at the Cross.

I suppose, because the Biblical narrative shows the three "wise men" bringing gifts to the baby Jesus, we have all come to see christmas as a time of giving gifts, and so often gifts of greater value.

Many people set store by sending many Christmas cards each year. OK, you send me a card this year, you get put on my list, and next year I gotta send you a card. I don't do Christmas cards, just like I don't do valentines day. I have a real problem with sending someone something only once a year.

Yeah, I take my mother out for dinner on Mother's Day, cuz I know my brother and sister will not, but you know what else? I also take her out to dinner on her birthday.

OK, guess I am getting a little sidetracked here.

I want to spend a moment or two, talking about lists, and Christmas.

There are many who say life is too short, and we should let those people we love know that we love them. I truly do not believe, nor think for one minute, that putting someone on a list shows them how much I love them.

I believe when someone is important to me, I don't need to wait until someone tells me to give them a gift. When I see something that reminds me of someone, and I truly appreciate, or love, that person, I buy it and give it to them.

So, when I get these emails, and snail mails telling me about last minute gifts for the people on my list, I usually just delete them.

And, along that line, just because I give you a gift, for whatever reason, does not necessarily mean you have to give me a gift in return. If you need to reread my priority for gift giving please do so.

And, I think, if you are truly happy about the gift God gave, are you willing to give yourself to God, as a living sacrifice?

To my military mind, when I give myself to God, totally, I find a different spirit within me regarding gift giving.

Hallmark doesn't have a corner on the market, they just borrowed an age old adage: "When you care enough to give the very best".

God gave the very best He had, when He created this world, and when He came into this world in the likeness of man: Immanuel, God with us!