Photo by Storyblocks

by Linda Veath

Where was that list? I had looked everywhere and was completely frustrated. How could I get ready for Christmas without my list! I rummaged all around my desk and finally, thank the Lord, found it. Then for the umpteenth time this December, I ran through it to see what was finished and what wasn’t.

  • Christmas cards ready to mail. Check.
  • Cookies baked and plated and ready to deliver. Check.
  • Presents bought but not wrapped. That’s a half-check.
  • Calendar updated with all Christmas parties. Check.

Each checkmark meant that I was nearly ready for Christmas. I could have jumped for joy… So why did I feel as if something was missing?

The answer came when an Advent song started playing on my stereo. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” I bowed my head. O, Lord, forgive me. Jesus was nowhere on my list.

How easily we get caught up in all the activities and excitement of Christmas without including Jesus, the reason we celebrate. None of the things on my list were bad, but without Jesus as part of them, the whole season loses its meaning.

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I decided to look at my list again. Did my Christmas cards and my newsletter share the message of salvation brought to us by Jesus? Could I include cross-shaped cookies on my cookie plates? Were the presents being given only with love and thanksgiving, without expecting anything in return? And did my December activities include Advent and worship services? What about listening to Christmas songs on a Christian radio station (like 99.1 JOY FM in St. Louis)?

Revising my list helped draw me back to the reason for the season, and my perspective improved as I thanked Jesus for bringing salvation to our world, along with His promise to come again. What better reason to include Jesus on my Christmas list?

I smiled as I wrote:

Bring praise and glory to Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord in all my Christmas activities! Check.