I sat in the chair as the sweet lady painted my toenails, talking with another lady next to me.  “We have to get pretty for Christmas” she said.  I paid my bill and the lady wished me a Merry Christmas.  We went to get some lunch where the lady behind the counter wished us a Merry Christmas as well.  I looked a the string of lights strewn around the top of the restaurant and listened to the holiday music floating through the air.

There are poinsettias and decorated trees everywhere, images of Santa, reindeer and elves, characters from Peanuts and Star Wars and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation all over neighborhood lawns.  And everything is surrounded by lights.  Tonight we went for a drive to see some crazy light installations that had been advertised as the best in town and we were not disappointed.

Front lawns looked like Disneyland and others were so elaborate that they had music on the radio that went with the pulsating lights.  Fun for sure, as we sat in a long long of cars waiting to see the show, fascinated with the idea of someone spending their time, talent and money on all of those lights.

So what is it about lights that are so fascinating?  At the very least, they are necessary to cut through the darkness.  Lights lead us, they give us direction, they take away our fear of the dark.  And despite all of the other things that people use to decorate, there is always light of some kind.  You see, light is the reason for the season because Jesus IS the light.  He is the light of the world, our light and our salvation.  If we believe in the light, we become children of light.  It is the message of Christmas, the reason why we remember and celebrate the event.  The lights we decorate with should remind us of this.

So on day 3 of break, as we drove around the streets of my town, I was reminded of why and how I should remember the day.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  Merry Christmas!