The True Meaning of CHRISTmas

     With CHRISTmas only a few short weeks away it is easy to get caught up in the ''gifting'' part of CHRISTmas and to forget about the true reason for the season.  We tend to spend a lot of time thinking about what we are getting people and if they will like it, or what other people will be getting us.  It is easy to spend all of December thinking about the new video game system, or the new game, or the new iPhone.  If we are not careful we will find ourselves thinking about only worldly things and not godly things.

     In my opinion CHRISTmas is the most important holiday of the year.  CHRISTmas is the time for me to celebrate the birth of my Savior.  That doesn't mean we can't think about gifts or CHRISTmas trees, but we should really focus on the Christ of CHRISTmas.

     Here are some things you can do to help you remember the reason for the season:

You can read the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible (Luke chapters 1 and 2)  aloud with your family.

You can read CHRISTmas books that are about the birth of Christ.

You can celebrate Advent.  My family reads an Advent book each year and it is a great way to help us focus on Christ.

You can also make sure to play music and sing songs that are about Jesus' birth.

I have also decided to capitalize CHRIST every time I write CHRISTmas.

Here are a few fun things my family has done in the past:

We have made CHRISTmas ornaments with the names of Jesus written on them.

We have hung a stocking for Jesus and put inside things we wanted to give Him.

We had a birthday party for Jesus and all the gifts were for babies and we took them to the Crisis Pregnancy Center.

     This CHRISTmas season we should make sure that our hearts are in the right place and that we and our families realize the reason we celebrate CHRISTmas.


''For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.''
                                                               Isaiah 9:6

NACA Soccer Tournament 2012

     Ethan and I were blessed to be able to play in the NACA soccer tournament again this year.

Last year we came in 2nd in Division Two.  This year we came in 4th in Division One! (Our record was 3-2)  So this year our team played better than last year and we could have done a lot better if we would have had our whole team.  5 of our players were either hurt before the tournament or they got hurt during the tournament.  I started every game and played all of them in their entirety except one, while Ethan also got lots of playing time!

I was a little upset when the tournament was over because being a senior it was my last time to ever play soccer at Fort Bluff.  Now I just can't wait for the spring season to start!

Go Patriots!

FALL

                                                  

                                      The leaves are falling
                                      The rakes are calling.


                                                  Fall.

                                 Colder nights and pumpkin lights.

                       
                                                   Fall.

                                  Tasty Halloween treats
                                   and costumed kids in the streets.


                                                  Fall.

                                    My favorite season,
                                     for many a reason.