The True Meaning Of Christmas

The celebration of Christmas has become distorted over the years. December is now a money making month for shops and a flutter of preparation for customers. Christmas has become all about presents and partying. What has happened to the true meaning of Christmas? What has happened to the reason why the Christmas tradition started in the first place? I believe we’ve lost our focus.

To be honest, I love receiving gifts on Christmas Day, having a nice meal and just having fun. We always decorate the house and have a Christmas tree. But for many people this is all Christmas is about. Though all these things are nice, Christmas isn’t about presents, trees, nice food or a fat man dressed in red with a white beard (I strongly dislike Santa! He is not the father of Christmas!). Christmas is supposed to focally be about Jesus Christ.

Christmas was started by early Christians as a celebration of the birth of Jesus. The word “Christmas” actually means “Christ’s mass”, so how can people take Christ out of the celebration? Oh, I guess some people like calling Christmas, Xmas. Actually, that ‘x’ is based on the Greek word for Christ, so I guess they are failing to change the name in a way that completely eliminates Christ from Christmas. However, I don’t like it when people call Christmas “Xmas” as so many people have taken Jesus out of Christmas. When they put that x in instead of Christ, it’s like they’re taking Him out of the celebration too. But when that happens, Christmas loses all its meaning and uniqueness.

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of Jesus Christ’s loving sacrifice He made when He left Heaven for us to come to earth as a baby. The only reason He came to earth was to die for us, so that we could be free from our sins and have eternal life if we choose to believe in Him, and so that we could have a personal relationship with God. Imagine the Son of God leaving Heaven’s glory for a place where there is suffering and sorrow, where He would die a painful death, but where He’d also be raised from the dead. He did this for you and me. This is true love. The true meaning of Christmas is to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and to be thankful for it.

Christmas is a time to spend with family but also a time to celebrate Jesus and worship Him for all that He’s done! I know it’s difficult not to get caught up in everything else that comes with Christmas time but this is something we have to remember.

So I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you do get blessed on that special day! But as you enjoy Christmas and all its excitement, remember what Jesus has done for you. Keep Him central this Christmas and then you’ll find the true meaning of Christmas.

The Game of Tennis

This is a photo of a picture I drew

The small, yellow ball connects with the server’s racket strings and whizzes through the air, over the net and hits the first green block on the court, shooting towards the receiver. The receiver returns the ball to the other side of the net, and the tennis match begins. The ball is played back and forth, each tennis player trying to outplay the other until someone makes a mistake and the first point is over. The game continues until someone wins.

The game of tennis needs well-placed shots, concentration, strategy and the ability to outsmart and outplay your opponent. It’s a competitive and enjoyable game that you can play your whole life. This is a sport I love. This is the game of tennis.

I’ve been playing tennis for about eight years now and started when I was about seven. I’m not brilliant at this game but I love tennis. I get a boost when I’m having a good day and am able to play well. I get a sense of satisfaction when I place a shot well and my opponent can’t return it. Sometimes I just have to smile triumphantly at this. But I don’t often feel like smiling when this happens to me in a match. I hate it when I have a bad day and I don’t like to lose (I try to take it well, though I don’t always succeed, but I never throw a tennis tantrum!). I guess this is because I’m competitive. I don’t think I really want to see what I call my “game face” during a tennis match, though.

However, I love my tennis lessons-when it’s not boiling hot- and tennis is a sport I want to play my whole life. I have to admit that socializing at tennis is a great aspect and perhaps increases my enjoyment of the game. Sometimes, though, talking and playing at the same time is very distracting and I’ll blame those I’m talking to for “making” me miss the ball! ;)

Tennis is not an easy game and needs lots of work and practice, but maybe that’s why I feel satisfaction when I finally get a certain shot right. Though sometimes I have a bad day and get frustrated, especially when people lob the ball really high, and sometimes it’s just too hot (oh, the African sun), I love the game of tennis.

Frodo

The Little Cat Prince

The votes on what poem I should post were equal, so I wrote the number of the poems on pieces of paper, put them in a tin and pulled one piece out. The poem below is the one I got. I wrote this poem in March this year, just after my beloved cat, Frodo, ran away. He never returned and I don't know what happened to him. I still miss Frodo a lot and this poem is written for him. This poem is the first poem written since I started to more "seriously" write poetry. I'm a better writer than poet, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. So here is my poem:


The Little Cat Prince

When I first received you,

You were a tiny, adorable, fluff ball of a kitten

Naughty, cute and playful you were, who

Had everyone smitten

Those pretty eyes of light green

Could melt a heart of stone

That long, fluffy tail was the cutest thing to be seen

And also that little spot on your foot all alone

My Frodo kitty too soon grew

Into a grown up cat, affectionate and sweet

Beautiful and fluffy too;

He could charm anyone for a treat

Among the cats, he was little prince

But then he disappeared one terrible day

And hasn't been seen since.

What has happened to my little golden ray?

Oh Frodo, Frodo, won't you come back home to me?

My sweet kitty, don't you know that I love you?

Don't just disappear, never again for me to see

I search, I call, I cry, but to no avail; what can I now do?

One day you were there

Purring and smiling at me in that catlike way

And the next you were gone, that I can't bear!

Don't leave without my say!

Frodo, Frodo, don't you know that I miss you?

Come home to me where you belong

Return to the person who cared for you, who

Loved and looked after you; for my sweet cat I long

Oh Little Cat Prince return from your wanderings to your awaiting kingdom.