Denis Waitley tells of a mother who took her 5-year-old son Christmas shopping at the mall. After many hours, the boy was worn out, so she took him to see Santa Claus, thinking that would help. He was pushed forward to sit in Santa’s lap.

Santa asked, “What would you like for Christmas?”

The boy said, “I would like to get down.”

Sometimes December gets so hectic we feel like that little boy. We want to get down. We want to rest from the frantic pace.

We need to learn from the shepherds, who left their flocks in the field and “came with haste” to see the Christ child (Luke 2:16). We need to learn from the wise men, who saw His star in the east and kept their focus on Christ and their goal to “come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).

So how can we set aside the distractions and keep our focus on Christ this Christmas? Let me encourage you have courage to say “No” to some things so that you will have time to say “Yes” to the best things: worship of Christ, sharing God’s love with others, and spending time with your family. If you don’t have enough time to go to church or relax with your family this month, then maybe it’s time to eliminate some unnecessary activities from your schedule.

If you don’t have enough money left to give to share the gospel of Jesus with those who have never heard or to share assistance with those less fortunate, then maybe it’s time to eliminate some presents you don’t need so you can give to those who do need to know Christ and His love.

This Christmas, let’s not let a Christ-less culture tell us how to celebrate the birth of Christ. Let’s say, “I would like to get down.”

(Copyright 2011 by Bob Rogers. Email: brogers@fbcrincon.com. Read this column each Friday in the Herald. Read old “Holy Humor” columns by visiting www.fbcrincon.com and clicking on “Holy Humor.”)