Merry Christmas
By Jim Palmer Jr.

My wife started decorating for Christmas this year just minutes after the Thanksgiving Holiday was in the books, which is the signal for me to begin the process of selecting a suitable Christmas tree.  The tree that makes the cut has to be tall and skinny since we have tall ceilings but are limited on floor space.  The tree must also have enough surface area to accommodate the hundreds of handmade ornaments that she has created or collected through the years.  It’s a sight to behold once it’s all put together!

As I pondered about that project and what that all means symbolically and why we do it year after year, it brought me to think about my most treasured blessing, my faith in Jesus Christ.  I thought about His birth those centuries ago and how that event has impacted the world we now live in.  We hustle and bustle around getting ready for that one special day and spend inordinate amounts of time thinking of worldly gifts and of course the food, but I’d bet that most people actually feel the true Spirit of Christmas at some point in that process, which feeling most Christians recognize as the Spirit of the Lord.  The feeling of that Spirit often prompts us to give more freely of our means and time and love.

So what does that have to do with the topic of real estate?  Probably nothing, except that I’m hoping that we can all take some time to take a breather from the frenzied real estate market, relax for a few days and put it all in perspective.  We’ve just seen a national disaster in our country like we’ve never experienced.  There are many who have experienced the loss of family and friends, their homes and even their livelihood.  Those of us who have plenty (and to spare) are most likely feeling much gratitude for favorable circumstances in comparison to such devastating losses. 

It is my hope and prayer that as a nation we can give generously to humanitarian efforts without being compelled by government or peer pressure, that we’ll feel love for others like He loves, regardless of class, race or political affiliation.  In that effort, maybe our race for worldly treasures will slow, even if just for a few moments, as we wisely seek to deliver our gifts to the real King, whose birth we now celebrate.  Merry Christmas!