I’m ready for Christmas. I haven’t completed all my shopping yet, but I’ve done a lot of it already. I have my lights up on my house. They are very nice. Come and see (3080 Westridge Drive, Blair). Kathy put the tree up already. Actually she put up two trees. There will probably be more. We definitely get carried away sometimes. We’re making plans with the family and all and looking forward to the Church services that lead up to our Christmas Eve services. I love this time of year! Kathy has Christmas music playing 24/7! Well, maybe not that much, but if you walk in our house, the chances are good you’ll hear some of the good ole’ Christmas songs we all know so well. This year we’re focusing on Christmas music and especially the four first Christmas Carols every written. Music is extremely important at this time of year and the airs are filled with the sounds. I’m trying to focus on the true meaning of Christmas this season (as usual) amidst the hype of the “holiday” season.

Speaking of the true meaning of Christmas, There’s something I just don’t get. Why do we sing No “L” every Christmas? Could you imagine a Christmas without the letter “L?” Without “L,” we could not talk about Jesus bringing eterna_ _ife into the wor_d. Wasn’t that the purpose of the virgin birth, the chi_d in the manger, the ange_s on high, the shepherds in the fie_d, and the kings with the gifts? How can we tell people about God’s _ove without the letter “L?” John 3:16 just wouldn’t be the same. “For God so _oved the wor_d that He gave …” Christmas is a celebration of _ove. Because God _oved us and gave, we give to those we _ove. What would Christmas be without _aughter? How could we express our joy when we watch our chi_dren open their presents? The conversation around the dinner tab_e wou_d be so ordinary. We’d lose the joy.

What’s that? Oh, its not No “L” we sing, its Noel. The dictionary entry says: No-el (noh-el) n. (In carols) Christmas. Its just another word for Christmas. Well, in that case, never mind. Merry Noel to you.” (From J. L. Wilson’s Fresh Start Devotionals). Adding to what Wilson says, the wonderful Wikipedia says: “Noel (also spelled Nowell or Noël) (nəʊˈɛl) is an alternative word for Christmas. It first entered the English language in the 14th century. The word comes from Middle English noel, which derives from the Old French word noël and its more common form naël. The English spelling “Noël” is taken directly from modern French, which also derives from the Old French. The ultimate Latin origin is the phrase nātālis (diēs), “(day) of birth”.