It's all about the big day now. It actually
started a few months ago. Stores began offering
pre-holiday sales. People began buying gifts
so they would be finished ahead of time this
year.

I stood in a store with one side of the aisle
filled with summer clearance items and the
other side Halloween. Then I stepped around
the corner and discovered the first sign
of Christmas.

It was August.

"Everyone's waiting for Christmas!" the clerk said to me.

I smiled and continued on about my day.

Those words just haven't let go. It was
like a line from a song that kept repeating
over and over. If I had a piano I could
try and play the notes I hear.

I know from experience that when a word or
phrase stays with me, that tells me God
has a message for me to share.

So, just now I decided to give in and see what happened.

"Everyone's waiting for Christmas."

You might think you know what I'm going to say.

You might be wrong.

You might be thinking I'd dance around some
old memories of mine and share them here with
you.

"Everyone's waiting for Christmas."

By the time you finish reading this you might
even declare you knew all along what I was
going to say.

Sorry. There's no way you could.

Here's what God is telling me.

"Don't wait."

That's it.

You see, life is way too short and
days go flying by. You'll rush right
through Thanksgiving and the chance
to really spend time with family and
friends.

You're already blinded by the glitter
and deafened by the songs that have
begun playing on the radio and in
the stores.

You'll stuff yourself with turkey
while thumbing through the sales inserts
and before the dishes dry, you'll be
out the door. Yes, they've taken Thanksgiving
away and turned it into a longer Black Friday.

You'll miss the breaking of the "wish
bone" and the stories Grandpa has told
every year since you were old enough to
understand.

You'll pass on the homemade pumpkin
pie that Aunt Jane always contributes, by
declaring that you are "counting calories."
In reality you're counting minutes until
the first door buster is available.

Yes, "Everyone's waiting for Christmas,"
but for all the wrong reasons.

You see, the Christ Child came into this
world wrapped in swaddling clothes, not
fancy gift wrap.

He paid full price for your sins with
His life not half price after midnight.

In return we are to give thanks to God
for the bountiful gifts we take for
granted everyday.

"Everyone's waiting for Christmas."

"Don't wait!" Give something of yourself
everyday.

Pause to give thanks at the
dawning of each new day and as you lay
down to sleep each night.

"Everyone's waiting for Christmas..."
There's nothing you can get on sale that
can take the place of you at home with
your family.

This is a rare opportunity of family
and friends gathering to feast on the
bounty that is set before them. This
won't ever happen again exactly the
same way. Each new year brings change.
All will be older, some will be
gone, and there may be new faces to
welcome and new stories to be told.

Don't rush off to be the first in line
at the store.

Instead, stay and be the last one to leave.

Everyone's waiting for Christmas...
Don't wait.
The greatest gift you can give is your time.

"I believe in you!"

Used with permission © 2012 Bob Perks.
"I Wish You Enough!" 2001.
A special thanks to Bob Perks for use of his poetry.
You may visit Bob's site at Bob's Story Site.