Since we are friends, can I ask a small favor?

Can you do me a favor?  We are still friends right?

It shouldn't take up much of your time. Will you join me in noticing more Christ this Christmas?

I was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade yesterday, a family tradition for years. I noticed the commercials for Black Friday sales were constant.

This is how it goes every Thanksgiving day, the shopping comes to rush us from the dinner table to the din of Christmas. Such is the clamor of the season.  And at our invitation distractions are loud, shiny and jingle oh so merry and bright.

If only we could focus a little more on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. I'm here to help you do just that. That's where the favor comes in.  Last year writing an Advent devotional was only a dream. Yes, I posted a few Advent related thoughts here. But as the month became busier and busier, I stopped my writing because I couldn't handle one more thing.

We tend to do that don't we?  We tend to crowd Christmas with everything but Christ.

We rush into our traditional holiday "yes" details and never consider choosing "no" details because we might miss out on something. We can't handle the load we put on ourselves this time of year. But how often do we stop and slow down? In our rush to do it all, and be it all, and serve at all, and buy it all...we miss Christ and arrive at the Nativity scene depleted, exhausted and emotionally spent.

Advent brings a time to prepare our hearts, our minds, and our souls for rest. We need to notice Emmanuel more this Christmas than ever before. Would you join me in searching for the Christ child this year? Would you be willing to spend a few minutes rediscovering the awe in the miracle birth of Jesus?  Can we read some worn stories and find them anew? Will you make time to notice Jesus bigger this Christmas?

I have Ebook devotional based on four themes of Advent: Anticipation, Attention, Attitude, and Advance. These weeks help you celebrate the promises of the coming season with the comfort and joy that only Christmas brings.

It would mean a lot to me if you joined me in this. Click on the picture above and you can have your very own copy to read all the way up to Christmas day. Take some time to notice God's preparation in the day by day guide. Christmas is most unconventional, and certainly full of miracles, and definitely leaves me in more awe each year. Cherish Christ this Christmas and see the glow of the manager. Come let us adore Him.

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