Christmas Is....

As Christmas and the New Year draw near, I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank each of you who so faithfully listen to my radio show each morning. Spending those precious hours at the start of each new day with you and in service to you is my passion and my life! I am not the most talented radio personality in the world but I can truly say that I always try to do my job to the very best of my ability, and to gratefully, wisely, and productively use the gifts that God has given me. Each morning before I go on the air I say a prayer for you, my listeners, and ask God to empower me to say and do those things that would be an encouragement to you and to be pleasing in His sight. I am truly blessed to do what I love to do and to serve others in so doing. Thank you all so much for listening to me, praying for me, and showing me so many kindnesses. I hope that God will allow me to continue to serve you and to be his witness on the radio for many years to come. I wish I had the time and resources to send each one of you a personal Christmas card and gift to show my appreciation. Since that is not possible (small market radio annoucers work long hours but don't make a lot of money), I can only send you this sincere message of my gratitude and love. Thank you again, each member of my beloved radio audience for your caring, concern, and support. You are as much a part of my family and my life as are my own biological family members. God bless each of you at Christmas and in the coming year!

As is more and more evident each holiday season, Christmas is extremely overcomercialized. Be that as it may, however, there is nothing wrong with retailers trying to make our dollars and us spending them to give nice gifts to the ones we love, and, hopefully, to those less fortunate. I hope that you all receive the Christmas presents that your hearts most fondly desire and that you will long treasure. Let's all just remember to put this material side of our lives into proper perspective, and do not let it overshadow the most important part of our being, our spiritual lives. Unlike the worldly, material aspect of our lives which is temporary and fleeting, the spiritual side of our lives is the part that has everlasting value. This is the aspect of our lives that we should nourish and cultivate. It is eternal!

Christmas, first and foremost, is about Christ! It is all about Jesus Christ, our Savior, who was born in Bethlehem of a teenaged virgin to live on Earth for some 33 years as God among men, setting an example of sinless love and service to mankind before He, out of love for each of us, died on Calvary's cross to atone for our sins and to deliver the promise of eternal life to all who place their faith and trust in Him. As we renew the tradition of the giving of gifts to those that we love this Christmas, let's remember that the greatest gift that we will ever receive is the blessing of Jesus. To joyfully embrace Jesus and to put Him above all else, especially over our selfish human desires, is to experience what Christmas is all about. This year, really experience Christmas, experience Jesus!

Happy birthday, my precious Jesus! Merry Christmas, my dear listeners and friends!

Love in Christ,
Richard