Our pastor gave a great sermon last week. It has been on my mind all week. She lead us in a sermon about "Cheating Jesus" after all this is his birthday. She asked us to consider giving gifts to Jesus this year. And here is what he has on his list: forgiveness, healing, and love.

So for Christmas I am giving Jesus the forgiveness he has given me that I will extend to someone else. Pain is something we can carry around with us or something that can wake us up to and realize life is slipping by while we sit in our pain and hurt. We may have the right to be hurt and angry. God has been there with us and understands our pain. But he wants us to chose, wallow in the pain and anger or move on.
Next I will give him healing. I have recently learned that, really, I am the only one I can change. I can not force someone else to change their ways but I can change how respond to them. This has allowed me to heal in ways I did not know possible. A mentor that I realize I have moved on from and no longer see eye to eye with is not someone who has hurt me but has taught me what God wanted me to learn and is now a treasured love one. This healing he has offered my heart has helped me love without expectation and disappointment.
Finally, there is the love he has given me that I will share. No matter what I will love those in my life even when I feel it is not returned. I will not let those I love go on without knowing how I feel about them.

So don't cheat Jesus. Celebrate his birthday in style and grace!