Christmas Wishes from CSRM's Executive Director: David Waddell

Christmas Wishes
 
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace             Isaiah 9:6
 
One of my favorite Christmas carols is I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. Irving Berlin introduced the song in the movie Holiday Inn. Twelve years later, producers made a movie using White Christmas as a title.  I have always been a sucker for snow. I enjoy playing in it, running through it, and skiing over it. Most years, living in northern Mississippi, I have to live without snow.
 
While growing up, the experience of waking up on a Missouri morning and seeing the yard blanketed with snow was always exciting.  Snow meant a good chance for a cancellation of school.  Snowmen, snowball fights, and snow angels waited for my friends and me. 
 
It is so beautiful to look at a snow-covered yard.  I love the appearance of trees with snow resting on top of its limbs.  Snow seems to have such purity.  No matter what may be underneath snow makes all things look gorgeous. 
 
During the Christmas season, the covering of snow reminds me of the covering God gave me through Jesus Christ. Underneath I am ugly, sinful, disobedient, and rebellious. When evil occurs in our world, we often wondered why bad things happen to good people.  Equally, our thoughts will wonder as well as to why good things happen to bad people. Nothing in my life deserves the gift God gave to me at Christmas.  Yet, it was in my most ugly moment of life that Jesus died for me. 
 
Our sports, recreation, and fitness ministries are full of "ugly, dirty" people. There are people from all lifestyles and from all over the world that join us in our events and activities. God ordained our sports, recreation, and fitness ministries so that we might share His love with people that need Jesus.  Without Christ, there is no hope for these people at all. 
 
We celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas.  Later in His life, He died to cover me with purity.  The real joy of Christmas is that in Christ it can always be a white Christmas.  No matter how ugly we are, He makes us as white as snow!  So, I am dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know.  Share Christ with someone and give him or her the opportunity to have God's purity create a blizzard covering in life. It will lead to the best white Christmas ever!
 
We at CSRM wish to share the joy of Christmas with the thousands of local churches, ministries, and Christians around the world that we work with and influence. Whether you serve Christ as a coach, administrator, craft teacher, fitness instructor, puppet leader, official, scorekeeper, camp leader, or party planner; CSRM thanks you for using leisure services as a tool for sharing the love of Christ with others.