Oh My Gosh! You can't find the the banana split turbo man that your son is screaming for and if he doesn't get it then all the other kids on the block are going to razz him and make fun of him when he can't shoot plastic flamed bananas from the the superhero's turbo wrist bracelet.

He is going to be so disappointed when the doll he has been pleading with you to get him this Christmas won't be there. He has been begging for it for the last month and all the stores just laugh in your face when you ask them if they have the doll.

What are you going to do? The store owners are all telling you to pray when you ask them how you are going to get your hands on the doll.

So why not do exactly that? Pray for the wisdom and the understanding you will need when you explain to your son that there is a better solution just around the corner and it is sitting on the entrance way table. It's called the Bible.

What a crazy thought, you may be thinking. Your son may think you are weird and want to throw the Bible in your face. But then He will realize the importance of this book and not throw it.

But will a child think that reading the Bible and learning about all the treasures it bestows on those that read it's words, be able to dismiss the toy from his mind and the imagined, or possibly realized ridicule he might get from friends that aren't blessed with a far better gift than they may ever get to know or understand?

That is a question you may ask yourself. It doesn't all come down to getting the latest fad toy that you think all the other parents who also waited till the last minute to get for their kids. There will be other disappointed children. But they will get over it. They will soon enough find some other superhero that will tickle their fancy and who knows, maybe Jesus Christ and all the miracles and blessings that He gave people might just be "The One" your child will grow to love and appreciate.

A tall order you may be thinking, but what is the alternative? You could spend the next 72 hours frantically looking, stressing your way to a possible heart attack. Or you could just sit there and think that there are far better things in this life than looking for a doll that your child will play with all day, and possibly break. And then go on to the next best thing that has graced his latest comic book with ads you frequently see on a lot of the junk e-mail you spend hours every day sifting through.

But what about the fact that this holiday is a time for joyous celebration. I mean, let us not fall short of realizing the point of this holiday. It is not about the superhero. It is not about the hours spent in a store looking for such a doll or whatever fad toy has graced the shelves and the ads on TV. It is about a man who came to this planet to save us from our own shortcomings.

Jesus came and He died for us. He was born to save us. He was born to make us realize that there is hope. There is always hope. No matter how much the rat race has disproved that to a point. No matter how many crimes have graced the newspapers. And no matter how many things there are in this life that don't make sense, Jesus is there for you now to help you pick up the pieces in life, or more like leave them on the ground as fertilizer. Leave those pieces alone and let Jesus save you from your own shortcomings.

Give up and give in. Give in to God. Now when I say give up I mean give up your worldly desires and make God a presence in your life. The best gift you can give your child this Christmas is the wonders of the Bible. Read that child the parables that Jesus told. They are good stories. They are good stories to enrich and edify your child's understanding of the world around them.

Give your child the gift of the Bible. Let him or her savor the words that are printed in it. Teach him/her to understand the Bible and let it also be a learning for yourself along the way. Let God's word be yours and your children's journey. A rewarding journey into a righteous life and one filled with many blessings. Then you and your child will come to learn and know the love that God gives to all every day.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the chance to get to know you better. Help me to frequently seek your word for a better understanding of why I am here on this planet, and help me to take this information and make my child's life a more enriched one. And even if I don't have a child, let me get to know you better. Because no matter who I am and no matter what I have, I know I am special to you Lord. Enlighten me every day, and give me your love and wisdom this week and through this holiday season. I thank you Lord, for all your many blessings. Amen.

Benediction: Now, Lord, Bless us in our daily lives. Help us to smell the roses whenever possible, to shine our light on those less fortunate than us, and lead us in the path we should go. For you are the light that keeps our path well lit. Help us to follow it, until we meet you, in a land where milk and honey abound, a place where our most wonderful dreams are fulfilled. Amen.

Hi, my name is Bryan, a messenger of hope who would love to hear from you. God Bless.

© 2004 Bryan Hill