Tag: Christmas

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holiday

First Sunday of Advent

Single lit Advent Candle
Cartoon of a boy rejoicing because Christmas is coming
Christmas is Coming! ©2006Kevin Spear

I love this time of year because the anticipation is building. True, yesterday, I lamented how Christmas music in some areas has been playing for a month. but this is where the excitement of Christmas becomes real.

This morning, I get to teach the lesson to our elementary kids at Salem church. We will start with the prophecies in Isaiah 9, 53 and Micah 5. In churches across the world, the first candle of Advent will be lit.

In the darkness, a single candle of hope begins. After a few days of Thanksgiving and gratitude for the present, we can focus on hope and anticipation for the future.

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motivation

And Now Comes the Christmas Music!

Cartoon of Scrooge and the ghost of Jacob Marley. Marley says, "You will be visited by three spirits: The Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas present, and Ghost of Christmas Mall Music."

Earlier this month, my wife and I made a trip to celebrate our daughter’s engagement. By “earlier,” I mean it was November 3rd. As we were traveling back, I made a stop at a Jacksonville, Florida gas station. When we entered the store, we heard It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. The Halloween candy was still for sale next to a display of jolly old Saint Nick.

We complain about the Christmas season come earlier and earlier each year. We’ve been doing this for decades. And I’m sorry to say, businesses will keep doing it until it doesn’t work anymore. People tend to take something seasonal and successful and expand it until it loses its meaning. We want more of something good until we have so much of it, it sickens us.

Personally, I didn’t mind the Christmas music and the early decorations. However, I can imagine the clerk wasn’t thrilled about hearing the music for the next two months. We may need to give retail clerks a little extra grace this year. The Christmas merchandising season, along with its soundtrack, came way too early!

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Adobe Photoshop Bible Christmas holiday The Gospels

The Christmas Story in a Speed Drawing

This year, I had the chance to illustrate the Christmas story for a family party. I narrated the story from Luke 2 and Matthew 2 in the Bible. 

May you have a merry Christmas!

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cartoon children cartoons Christmas holiday

Naughty, Nice or Gross?

Cartoon of a boy and girl. The boy asks, "I can't be naughty during Christmas? What about gross? Can I be that?"
When people talk about doing something they know is wrong, they frequently describe it as feeling dirty and want to get clean. Boys, on the other hand, love to play in the mud. They jump at the chance to get messy and gross. If they can get Mom, a sister, or a friend that is a girl to be repulsed by their condition, so much the better!

This Christmas, maybe the best gift would be to let a boy get messy without getting on Santa’s naughty list. There has to be a place in the garage or in the basement you can spread out some paper and let the kids get a little creative and messy this holiday season. Just watch out for glitter. Once that is out of the container, that stuff shows up everywhere!

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cartoon Christmas holiday

Ghost of Christmas Mall Music

I’m a fan of Christmas music. But I’m not a particular fan of Christmas mall music. What’s the difference? First, it doesn’t help much the malls are letting Christmas music creep in earlier each year. They’re playing the same Christmas songs in October now.

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