Christmas is all about anticipation. Jesus was expected, long before he came. Mary, of course was expecting. The shepherds were not expecting anything, but the angels seemed to burst forth with the good news as if they couldn't wait to tell.
And today people look forward to Christmas. For many, this is their favorite time of year, with the decorations, music, family celebrations. Kids look forward to Christmas gifts. Adults look forward to the looks of pure joy from children. A growing number of Christians around the world see Christmas as the time when believers give so generously that the world becomes a better reflection of the love of God.
I always look forward to the Stokesdale Christmas Parade. We have such a great time as a church, scattered among the crowd of parade watchers in downtown. We give away food, coffee, hot chocolate. Our band offers a concert for those who come early for the parade. This year the Stokesdale downtown market will coincide with the parade day, so there will be lots of folks to hear our music before the parade begins.
Then a couple of Crossroads folks will announce the parade entries as they make their way down main street. It is all a fun celebration, and I look forward to it every year. It is a time when we at Crossroads can share God's love with our community in a meaningful way.
It's all about Jesus, and we get to point people to him all day!
Parade time is 2:00, tomorrow, Dec. 12 in downtown Stokesdale. Hope to see you there!
