Christmas 2011 is almost past. Did you ever have Christmas go by so quickly? Its almost time to take down all the decorations we enjoy so much.

My Mother always had a Christmas tree for us, and she would paper a cardboard box with Christmas wrap, and fill it with fruit. I can 'just' remember the good fragrance it gave. Sort of like an orange with cloves stuck in it I guess.

At Christmastime she always had a fruit cup with dinner, using sliced bananas, oranges, and what ever else. She sprinkled it heavily with sugar, covered it and after a while the sugar and fruit juices would make a sweet & yummy syrup.

Off to Grandma's we would go, opening our little gifts. I never realized the effort, work, and money plus planning that went into a Christmas back then. It surely had its moments of stress for Mom too. Mom always loved Christmas. As a children, my sister & brothers loved it too....for the excitement and gifts!

As a born-again believer, I love Christmastime for it is the celebration of God's gift to the world, our Saviour. My Saviour! And then.... the enjoyment of friends, tree and gifts. And, knowing each Christmas that the sands of time are running swiftly, lets focus on what God is to us. To be with Christ in Heaven, leaves me wordless. What joy that will be. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." We have friends that have had loved ones pass on this Christmas to be with the Lord. May God comfort them, for we know the heartache of missing a loved one. But only, for this lifetime. We shall see them again.