The Reason.

Since it's the first day of December (weird, right?) I wanted to start off the month with the reason for Christmas.

A few years ago on Christmas Eve I was going to be singing with my sister for a little performance her husband's father does ever Christmas Eve night. While we were waiting to go to the performance that didn't start till about 10:00 pm, I was sitting at their house and Billy (my brother-in-law) decided to pass the time we would watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. Now I know I've seen this movie before, but I'm not sure how much attention I've paid to it, before that night. That year I had been having a hard time with the Christmas season - I think it was in part because Braedon was gone and I was missing him a lot. But simply put I just hadn't felt as close to the Christmas Spirit as I usually felt in other years.

Now I know it may seem silly, but when Linus spoke the passages from Luke and finished with saying "That's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown" it all clicked. I needed to stop thinking so much about me - I wasn't really wrapped up in gifts, but I was wrapped up in my own feelings and in how I felt Christmas should be.

I've never really told Billy or Melissa about this - it didn't seem too important at the time, but each year since then I always think back to that night and that moment and it reminds me to remember my Savior, that he came to this earth for me, that he loves me, that I should not fear, and that I should show charity and service to others.

I will always be thankful to Billy for putting in that movie. I hope one day to own my own copy so that anytime I need that reminder I can put it in and watch it and be reminded of the simple but sweet spirit that comes with Christmas when viewed in the right way.

So with that being said, I want to share with you the verses that Linus says so sweetly and simply at the end of A Charlie Brown Christmas:

⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'

That is what Christmas is all about, and I am grateful for the knowledge and testimony I have of that day.