Even "Merry Christmas" doesn't do it justice

You can say "Merry Christmas". You can insist on "Happy Holidays". But if you argue about it you're missing the point. 


How about this: "Joy-infused, blessed celebration of Jesus to all! May peace, love, hope and grace abound!"


Now there's a seasonal greeting for you! If you're going to insist on making your point, then why settle for anything less than the whole ball of wax? Christ's birth is a celebration worth going over the top for!

So, anyway - two parties in two days doesn't sound like much - unless they're both at your house! Sunday evening was our POGs (Parents of Grads) small-group Christmas fling. You can read about that and see an awesome group photograph as my "The Preacher's Husband" blog.

Then, last night, Rebekah and I hosted the FPCBrandon church staff (plus their significant others). That's 25 people and we were missing our awesome music director, Mark, who has a bad cold, along with his wife, Margie.

And it was another great party! The gift exchange went well because there were several "must have" gifts that got stolen repeatedly. Not mine. I pulled a low number and ended up with some over-perfumed smelly Yankee Candle. I gave away the candle and kept the box - I really like the box!

There were two big winners. The first was this awesome hat (modeled by our executive secretary's husband, Wayne). Then the clear # 1 was a "Precious Moments" nativity scene that changed hands almost every turn. I find it ironic that the Holy Family spent the evening in a cardboard box. Think about it: Displaced... nowhere to stay... cold... probably hungry. Everyone says Christmas is all about Jesus, but there he is again, living in a cardboard box.

This week's Advent emphasis - at least in my reference book of choice - is the Gift of Joy. Personally, I don't think joy comes packaged any more convincingly than in the people we love. For Rebekah and for me - the Preacher's Husband, it's a blessing and a bonus that she has such a team of folk on staff at the church.

So, and I hope I get this list right, I'm saying thanks to our super-cool church staff. Tim, Mark, Joyce, Lynn, Andy, Susan, Don, Steve, Kathy, Dylan...

"Merry Christmas" doesn't do it justice. So let me paraphrase:

• "Joy-infused, blessed celebration of Jesus to all. May peace, love, hope and grace abound."

- DEREK