Happy Holiday - Merry Christmas

There are lots of folks that will spend a lot of time talking about the political correctness of Christmas. I will not be one of those individuals. Happy Holiday's or Merry Christmas for me as a Christian works just fine either way. Given the fact that Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are so close together in such a short time frame, Happy Holiday's seems appropriate. Merry Christmas is a phrase meaning merry, happy Jesus season. The expanded interpretation of Merry Christmas would include the broad concept and acknowledgment of the advent of the birth of the baby Jesus Christ. Advent is a just a nice word for saying the arrival of the birth of the reigning King of Kings. When greeting your friends this year how about using the phrase "Happy Arrival of Jesus" that expression would no doubt create some interest and maybe even wonder. Greetings are important but understanding the words we use would go a long way in helping to promote the impression we intend to give. As a Christian I really want to help individuals understand the reason for Christmas, it's historical importance and why all of the events and happenings of Christmas occur each and every year. The fundamental meaning and importance of Christmas is the birth of the baby Jesus that happened in the little town of Bethlehem. His mother Mary and His father Joseph, who were responsible citizens had been traveled together to go and pay their taxes when Mary realized that the hour of her child's birth was now. Joseph desiring the best of conditions for his wife to give birth and for his child whom they believed would be a boy they were suppose to name Jesus. While Joseph wanted to find a place appropriate for this type of situation and hour there was not a vacant room to be found in town. Joseph did however find an Inn keeper who was willing to allow them to use his stable stall as it was all he had to offer. I can only imagine the thoughts and conversation that took place when Joseph approached the Inn Keeper inquiring as to vacancy. Maybe the Inn Keeper was busy and didn't come to the reception area very quickly because he knew he had no rooms. Maybe the Inn Keeper was just an employee or per perhaps he owned the Inn. Could be the Inn Keeper was completing his accounting for the day, calculating, rechecking his figures to make sure everything was in order when Joseph asked if there was a room he could rent. The Inn keeper could have been busy and maybe he didn't even look up from his desk, but just said "no sorry I am full". If that had happened I am sure Joseph would have spoken with a greater urgency and maybe even Joseph said, "hey man, listen look here, my wife is pregnant, look at her". Perhaps this caused the Inn Keeper to stop what he was doing and check out the situation. What exactly happened we do not know except this fact. Joseph and Mary took up residence in the barn, where the animals were and if Mary was going to give birth and she would, these stables were now their temporary home. As history records Mary gave birth and as instructed Mary and Joseph named their new-born son Jesus. The importance of this particular birth was that in Jewish custom, tradition, and prophecy the arrival of the birth of the Messiah, the Savior of the World had long been predicted and Jesus was that long-awaited prophecy. The arrival of the Son of God who would come and take away the sins of not only His people, but the sins of the world had arrived. The Jewish people had long wondered when the one they referred to as Immanuel would come and be with them and that hour was now and thus the meaning of Christmas began. Happy Holiday if you want to include everything or Merry Christmas for the birth of Jesus. If you opt for Merry Christmas you should know that a Happy Christian is for everyday, 365 days a year, every year until our hour comes and we met our creator face to face. Happy come meet Jesus day because He loves you and has a plan for your life. You and me were the reason He was born. Until then