Dec 23, 2013 By Bud Leasure 6 min read

The story goes, in essence, there were two people, a husband and wife, which were traveling a great distance and now had grown very tired.

They decided to pull off of the interstate they were traveling to find a quiet place to rest. Unknowing the town they had arrived in, they found it to be just a small rural community. To their surprise, they found a great festive celebration going on. It was a very happy setting, so they decided to just join in.

It was a small town, somewhat like Hopwood, where I live, sometimes known as a “one-horse town,” until May when the annual wagon train comes through. Don’t misunderstand me, I love Hopwood. It has been my home and stomping ground now going on 68 years. God put me here, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. When you live in a small town, you kind of get acquainted with the people who live there, even though you may not know everyone’s name.

So when the couple, strangers to the town folk, joined into the celebration, a native townsman noticed them and did not recognize them. He decided to ask them what part of town they were from.

“Oh,” they said. “We are not from this area. We do not even know what everyone is celebrating and laughing about. They seemed to be so happy and joyful.”

The inquisitive townsman explained that the celebration was about a war hero of Vietnam, who, after many years, had returned home.

“Oh,” said the couple. “Even though we did not know what the festivity was about, we were so taken in, and for the moment so compelled, we just had to join in and take part.” The townsman then replied, “Well, you really need to meet him. By those who do not know him, he is shown much disrespect, but by those who do, he is loved and cherished. He is our hero!”

Again, this story may be in essence, but to me it is somewhat of a parable, a truth related in story form. The story told is in relationship to Christmas.

To date, this will be my 67th Christmas. I cannot remember every Christmas for sure, but, for sure, every Christmas was special. God has blessed me with eight children and one grandson — my little man, Rocco. Know for certain that I love every one of them.

Jessica Renee’ was born premature. She spends Christmas with Jesus.

Please note, this is not a “Dear John” letter. To the contrary, Jesus Christ is Christmas, and if you are celebrating it without the knowledge of him, it is no more than a formality and a fairy tale, such as Santa Claus. It is not for the sake of “what’s in your wallet?” honey, it’s for the sake of “who is in your heart?” Christ and Christ alone is Christmas.

Like the story, in essence, some people do not seem to know what Christmas is all about, or even what they are celebrating. They are just going along with the crowd because it just seems like it’s the right thing to do, which it is if you know this baby from Bethlehem.

Be sure of this. He is no longer the kid in the cradle, nor is he any longer the crucified criminal of the cross. He is now king of kings and lord of lords. Hebrews 12:2 states: “He is now seated at the right hand of God, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, He now lives in the hearts of those who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. Those of which have been born again spiritually.”

I love Christmas and everything about it — the decorations, the love that goes into the excitement of preparation and everything that Christmas brings about spiritually with the true meaning of the holiday, especially the love it definitely generates.

I believe, without a doubt, Christmas was and is ordained of God in honor of his son, Jesus Christ. I believe it is a time when God wants the whole world to sense his true love and compassion to a morally sick and dying world, lost in sin and destined to destruction. Christmas is a time of love and giving and, if the truth be known, people giving more than they can really afford. Jesus Christ gave us the greatest gift of all, eternal life. And guess what, honey? It’s free.

He gave his life for mine. What a bargain — his blood for my eternal soul, and whosoever will. Jesus Christ is the love of my life. He is the very breath that I breathe. He is all my hopes and dreams, and, honey, they are not temporary, they are eternal promises.

One Christmas I will never forget was the Christmas of 1966.

My sister Bonnie Jean had just died of cancer Nov. 16 of that year. When she died, a part of me died with her. I thought I would die of grief, but, because of Jesus Christ at Calvary, I have an eternal promise — “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” I Corinthians 15:55. We will meet again.

When Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished,” it was the first time, to my knowledge, the devil was called an “it.” He is defeated now, not “shall be,” but now.

You see, Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is Christmas. The father gave us the greatest gift of all, his only begotten son. You do not have to dream of a white Christmas. All you have to do is to ask Jesus Christ into your heart, and he will make it whiter than snow — your whitest Christmas ever, a white Christmas you will never forget — a new life.

Isaiah 1:18: “Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Better than any Black Friday offer, and honey, no crowd to fight.

It isn’t “what is in your wallet?” but “who is in your heart?”

Bud Leasure is a resident of Hopwood.