CHRISTMAS GREETINGS and HOLIDAYS 2007

I really love Christmas. I love the religious significance, but Santa Claus, sleighs, carols, trees, presents, and just the general spirit of kindness that pervades the season. I have never grown up. I still believe. In fact, I look for Santa, I think, as much as I do for Jesus. He is, after all, so pleasant, and seems to "get" the "naughty and nice" thing just like Jesus so I don't have to sort it out. All I got to do is be "nice."

I like that. Besides, he wears red. He's an equal-opportunity "good guy." The cheery color is used in America's, England's, and just about every other country's flag design on the planet -- including the "naughty" ones... aka communist, former commies, and so on.

And then there is baby Jesus. Isn't Santa really just one of the "wise men" bringing gifts to all the little princes and princesses of the world? And isn't each person, (especially a child) who gives gifts being taught the wonderful lessons that thinking about others creates? I think so. So we have this religious history and Santa Claus all thrown in together. And each of us, in a way becomes a "wise man" or wise woman bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. Nice. I can't help but see the magic in Christmas, and in my own mind can't help but see Jesus smiling on the result.

After all, isn't the result all about holidays? And who doesn't like those? We make too much about commercialism destroying the spirit of Christmas. Bring on the Frankincense, myrrh, and aloe vera too! (I get "Old Spice"in my stocking every year.) The clothes, the toys, the jewels... Bring it all on! Didn' t the baby in Bethlehem get treated that way? Why shouldn't His little lambs be treated in the same spirit of giving?

And the word "holiday?" I like that word. It rings of "surrender" to the spirit of the times when we "let go" of the hectic, fast-paced, and awful adult sophistication and just become "child-like." Kind of like getting a ticket to enter Disney World. I think we should have one "holiday" every week. Just to relax and recover.

Oh yeah, we do. It's spelled a bit different though. Sunday in English. Domingo in Spanish. "Holy Day" is where the word is actually derived... "Dia Santo" in Spanish (Sacred Day) -- so that makes sense to have it cut out of the other 6 days -- a "day of rest." Kind of like Christmas. A time of rejuvenation, kindness, relaxing, giving, service, joy, singing choirs, angels, crosses, gifts, family...

I didn't really stop to think that Christmas was really already a weekly deal until I started writing this. Hummm... I like that to0. See what Christmas inspires? Just all the good, none of the bad.

And I still like Santa! Oh, speaking of Santa. I want to be like him when I grow up -- (minus the belly) and in a different sort of way than I want to be like Jesus. (I'll explain later.)

So I'm giving a book away. One chapter every "holy day" (Sunday) until finished. All you got to do is email me at http://www.jmpratt.com/ and request: "FINDING CHRIST, Chapter One." Then if you like it, keep requesting the next chapter. I'm ahead of the game on writing it, so I am sure we can work out giving this away before it gets published.

Once published in 2009 (by a small independent press, by the way) I am using 100% of the proceeds for humanitarian causes... I want to enjoy being Santa for as long as I can. And in the end the best way for me to do that is one holy day and one chapter at a time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2007 and many HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

James

PS: Go to my website and click "Email the Author" on the top menu bar when you request FINDING CHRIST Chapter One. http://www.jmpratt.com/.