I am reading a lot of thoughts and celebrations and who does and does not do one thing or another and I am sure in the weeks to come I will read more about them. I love reading about the way the Lord Jesus touches your heart and leads your family. How awesome it is that we are not cookie cutter homeschools and thus not cookie cutter Christians. How excited Jesus must be as He watches us find ways to Lift Him Higher!

Now I already shared a bit about Santa Claus and our family  the other day, here and I love the gentle way the Lord has led my family to what works for us.

I have so much to share about the Joy of Jesus and how loving Him has changed my life. I have celebrated Christmas without Him and with Him. And the Joy He brings is not in a box with a bow. And Chanukah, boy do I love Chanukah. Anytime we can take time to celebrate and remember the Miracles of God the better. After all isn't that part of the teaching our children as we walk along the way?

Anyday that causes the whole world to stop and consider what they must do with Jesus is a miraculous day. And that is what Christmas is.

The very term Christmas, which many secularists are trying to remove screams "What are you going to do with Christ?" And do they really believe calling it anything other than Christmas will take away the Wonder of te Virgin Birth, the babe in the Manger under a Star lit sky or the God we nailed to the cross for the penalty of our sins? As long as we hold on to Jesus what can man do to us?

So what do I do wth the greeting "Happy Holiday". I say "thank you, I am planning on it !!! " After all the rest of the year they don't even say "have a nice day." So depending on my mood I will add to the reply, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah or if I am feeling very playful and want them to consider the Holy Day a little deeper, I say Merry MESSIAH-mas to you as well. Thus the changing of a name becomes one they cannot ignore and I can marvel in.

So what should we do? How about Greeting One another with a Holy Kiss? I wonder what the Cashier at the department stores would do with that???

Above all in the name of Jesus go out a greet someone with a smile, because it may be the only one they see all day long.