The power of a holiday...
Mood:  happy
Topic: Hannukkah
This year the 25th of December and the 25th of Kislev coincide. That means Christmas and Hannukkah will begin on the same day.

I think sometimes about the power of a holiday. Occasions like Christmas and Hannukkah bring families together, focus our thoughts on goodness, bring out the best in people. These holidays leave lasting memories-- memories of family, food, story telling, peace and joy.

As Messianics we don't celebrate Christmas, but on the 25th of December we will be celebrating God's goodness and the joy of family along with Christians all over the world. I believe that the Biblical way to win people over is to be kind and open. Instead of criticizing our Christian friends and showering them with tales of paganism and anti-semetic symbolism, let's focus on the things we are sharing on that day. We all give gifts to those we love. We sing songs of worship and lift up prayers for peace and rededication. We gather our family together and take that moment to appreciate all we've been given. We celebrate the season with a meal, with candles and with decorations. As the Christian adage says, "Jesus is the reason for the season." All negativity aside, Hannukkah is a time to thank God for His power and love. The Feast of Dedication is a time to get back in sync on our spiritual journey. We turn ourselves to God and commit to Torah-observance. This is God's day-- not the Jew's day, the Christian's day or the Messianic's day. Let's celebrate God this year, and make some memories we won't soon forget.