2 Peter 3:1c I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

Peter is talking about remembering the Word here and a pure mind is required to remember pure things.

Each Christmas season my memories are stirred about a past that wasn’t so pure and the older I get my memories seem to be less clear.

In my sugar plum dreams I am alone. I have no memory of my siblings at all. I honestly do not remember anything about their Christmas, what they looked like, what they got for Christmas, or any joy that might have been theirs to celebrate.

That makes me feel selfish. I was a child and as a child I probably only cared about myself. We were poor so we didn’t have much of a tradition of sharing or at least I don’t remember there being those examples in my life.

Generosity of heart needs to be exampled to children. It is not natural. If you grew up in poverty generosity of heart might be very difficult to recognize. It might show up by doing rather than giving. The nuances of generosity of the heart are easily lost on a child if they are not included in efforts of doing.

Growing up in Maine one of the opportunities made available to us was in shoveling snow. Our neighbor was an old widow woman who could not shovel her drive or walk herself. It was done for her by the generosity of the heart. That was a teachable moment for me that did not happen but should have.

There are many needful moments in the lives of those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Food, money, or physical labor done without generosity of the heart leave Jesus out of the picture.

1 Corinthians 16:14 (ESV) Let all that you do be done in love.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publications 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

It is this season again. We go thru it every year. Is the purpose of this season what God proposed or what man invented?

God set forth in the Old Testament a series of festivals and tabernacles to be celebrated at certain times. Those traditions are meant for a chosen people who are called by name.

Try as I might to remember anything Jesus told us to celebrate with joy I am hard put to place a time to them, even in the one thing in which He asked to be remembered.

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

As often as you do this is not specific and we have turned it into ritual giving it a name, a place and a time to celebrate that man has determined to be appropriate.

We say grace when we eat because Jesus always blessed the breaking of bread together. That was every time, no specific time but intentional within His character.

Luke 19:43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

The enemy can only do that if you do not celebrate every day with joy and in remembrance of Christ who gave your life.

There is no season to love except now.