The spirit of Christmas lies within your heart

I've always had the spirit of Christmas in my heart. You see, I've always believed in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. It hasn't always been easy for me to believe. When I was a child, my father wasn't there my mother was an alcoholic. She didn't believe in Christmas or anything that had to do with it.

I can still remember waiting for each Christmas to come year after year to come thinking and hoping that this would be the year that my mother would also believe in Christmas. So that we could put up a holiday tree with all the decorations, and so forth. Maybe have a holiday meal, too. It would have meant the world to me for this to happen, in my house, but every year that would not happen.

I would see all of my friends getting so excited for Christmas to come. Their houses were decorated with beautiful decoration and a tree with lights and ornaments and gifts underneath it I was so happy for them to have all of that stuff. I had to make-believe that I had all of that stuff, and had a wonderful Christmas waiting for me at my house. I would even make-believe that I saw Santa Claus in the sky with his sleigh bells ringing merrily on Christmas Eve. I now know that Christmas is all about the spirit you have within yourself and what is in your heart.

So now I decorate my Christmas tree and my house with my children. We enjoy all the lights on the tree and the holiday meal and open gifts together, too. We also know the real reason of the season is through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

If you have Jesus, you have everything. My children and I attend church every Sunday to worship and praise Jesus Christ at the Salvation Army.

And now there is so many Christmas Angels that hear about children like me that make sure that all little boys and girls get something to celebrate Jesus' life at Christmas time.

Merry Christmas to you and me with peace, hope and job. Love and kindness to all. May the real spirit of Christmas live within you. May your Christmas spirit live within you forever.

Cathy Pierce
Lodi