From the Editor’s Desk – December 2010

♫♪♫ It’s beginning to look a LOT like Christmas ♪♫

Oh yes it is! As I am working at getting this Christmas issue published, it is so fitting to have my Christmas tunes rolling on Pandora.com and glancing outside occasionally to see the snow falling down!

It seems that all of the “speculation” of a colder winter are being made into truth right before my eyes. But that’s okay with me. I rather prefer a cold, snowy winter over a wet, grey one. Of course, let’s reminisce about those sunny cold snowy winter days and encourage the good Lord to bless us with some sun!

I anticipate some fantastic snow families to be created in our new front yard this year! We are SO tickled to be finally into our new house, after a total of 18 loooooooong weeks of waiting to get into our house – we moved on Thanksgiving weekend!!

There was much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, as always, and it was such a relief to know that our house was now our house!!

Christmas is such a fun time, and I always enjoy putting together my “special” Christmas section, found on pages 16-21. Of course, the entire paper is speckled with Christmas fodder, and holds many jokes and articles to keep you entertained while you sip that hot cocoa or mocha by the fire.

Speaking of fires, our new home has a “hearth” with a fireplace. There is a perfect space beside it for a bookshelf filled with my favorite titles and picture albums. My geeky hubby prefers those digital picture albums, but for me, nothing beats going through a printed picture album and smiling and crying at all the memories. Nostalgic. That’s what this time of year does to me.

When I’m decorating, I always take special care when placing our nativity scene. Of course, I realize that “Christmas” is not really celebrated during Jesus Christ’s “real” birthday, but it sure makes for a jolly way to get through the dreary winter months, doesn’t it?

I don’t think He minds. Really, I don’t.

One of my favorite experiences during Christmas is to visit the Kelso Adventist Church on the way out to Lexington for their “Journey to Bethlehem”. It never fails to encourage me and help remind me of the true reason why we give gifts and celebrate Christmas.

We give gifts to others because God first gave His Gift to us in Love. Jesus is mankind’s gift from God, sent to live and die as a human, but to raise from the dead as only God can do. He took our sins upon himself so we wouldn’t have to – and that was His ultimate gift to us.

His gift has allowed us our greatest gift of all – acceptance into Heaven. Not our good deeds, or how many presents we give to others. Nothing we can do will earn us that right – just believing in Him is the key.
Nothing more. It’s really quite simple – and He tends to take over from there, filling you with a peace and joy beyond your recognition, full of His Love. It is truly amazing.

I wish you the merriest and most amazing of Christmases this year, from our Valley Bugler family to yours!

Michelle Myre, Publisher / Editor