A Clean Slate

On this last day of 2008.... have you had time to reflect on the past year?

The fantastic, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

A new year represents a new beginning.

Who doesn't need that?!

When I look at my life as a follower of Christ I see so much imperfection.

I always feel somewhat comforted by the words of the great Apostle Paul in Romans 7:

Romans 7:21-24 (NIV) 21 "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am!"

Even this "Super Christ Follower" had his struggles!

I can so identify with him.

But there's great hope!

Once we realize where we stand, we recognize we need a Savior.

To go to heaven I need to be sinless.

I can't be.

But Jesus lived that perfect life.

Took the punishment for my sins on the cross.

Stood in my place.

God is both loving and just.

I deserve wrath for my sins.

Jesus said... "I'll endure the wrath for him."

"Father, give him my righteousness in your eyes."

Do we still sin?

Yes.

But we hate it.

We fight it.. daily.

Just like Paul.

But there's joy in the midst of the battle.

Here's what Paul says next:

Romans 7:24-25 (NIV) ...... Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!....

Romans 8:1-2 (NIV) 1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

The blood that paid for my sins yesterday pays for them today.

And tomorrow.

Last year and this coming year.

Jesus rose from the grave as proof that God accepted His sacrifice for me... and for you too.

Accept Christ as your Savior.

Fight sin in the power of the Holy Spirit.

But when the failures come, take heart.

Desire to be obedient to God with everything you've got.

It's what you want to be even if it's not what you are today.

That's the true test.

And remember Jesus is all about new beginnings.

Moment by moment.

Day by day.

He offers a clean slate.

For now.

Forever.

Time To Ponder

Happy Tuesday!

Have you had a chance to do any reading yet this holiday season?

I not only finished the book "Unpacking Forgiveness", I also spent some time chatting with the author, pastor Chris Brauns.

What a great conversation we had!

You'll be able to hear highlights next Monday & Tuesday on our Total Impact segment at 6:25pm Pacific time.

As I told Chris, This is the best book on forgiveness I've ever read.

And I've read a lot of them.

Forgiveness is simple.

And yet so complex.

If you read only one book this year (aside from the Bible of course) I recommend this one.

It'll do you a world of good!

I'll be posting Chris' segments on the blog here next week if you miss them on the air.

Speaking of reading, another Total Impact guest has written some awesome thoughts on one of my favorite passages of Scripture:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

A big tip of the hat to Ray Pritchard who writes:

Trust
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart." The word "trust" in Hebrew means "to lean with the full body," "to lay upon," "to rest the full weight upon." In our thinking the word trust means to rely upon or to have confidence in. But the Hebrew word is stronger. It has the idea of stretching yourself out upon a bed or resting on a hard surface. The word means to put your full weight on something. To trust in the Lord is to rest your whole weight upon him–to depend on him completely.

Lean
"Lean not on your own understanding." To "lean" means to rest upon something for partial support. Leaning is what you do when you walk with a cane or hold on to a walker because you are unsteady. This word is used for leaning against a tree or a stone cliff. You lean on something when you are not strong enough to stand alone.

Understanding
"Lean not on your own understanding." "Understanding" refers to the mental processes by which you analyze a problem, break it down into its smaller parts, and then make a decision about what you are going to do.
When you take the word "lean" and bring in the idea of "understanding," then add the negative, the meaning is something like this: "Use all your mental powers, but do not lean on them for total support." Don't trust in your own ability to figure out your life. Lean instead on the Lord! Rest your weight on Him!

Acknowledge
"In all your ways acknowledge him." This word deserves extra consideration because the word "acknowledge" can be hard to understand. In the Hebrew this word is an imperative–a command. You could translate this by saying, "In all your ways know him." The Hebrew word means to know deeply and intimately.

Direct
"He will make your paths straight." That brings me to the fifth word, which in the King James Version is translated, "He shall direct your paths." That isn't bad. But I think the ESV translation is a little better: "he will make straight your paths."

Here is God's message to you from Proverbs 3:5-6. If you will know God in every area of your life, he will take personal responsibility to make your way smooth and straight.
He will remove the obstacles if they need to be removed. He will fill in the potholes if they need to be filled. He will redirect the detour so that what seemed to be a dead-end turns out to be the shortest way to reach your destination.

All you have to do is trust in the Lord. Lay yourself completely on him for full support. Don't lean for support on your own human understanding. In all your ways know God intimately.
He will take the path of your life that seems to go up and down and around and sometimes seems to curve backwards, and He will make your way straight.
That's the promise of Almighty God to you."

Awesome insights as we prepare to dive into a new year, don't you think?
See ya on the radio,
Kurt

Dog Gone Funny!

Greetings... and wow... I sure hope you enjoyed your Christmas holiday!
We sure did.
And yes... even though the gift that keeps on giving (my cold) continues to hang on, I'm still in a festive mood.

To all of our listeners in Utah, this video will be old news, quite literally!
But I just couldn't resist posting it on the blog.
If I were still in TV news, this is the kind of story I would attack with gusto.
Throwing me this story would be like throwing a dog a bone.
Click "play" to see what I mean!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Greg Laurie's 4 Stages Of Christmas

I just ran across this new Christmas cartoon by pastor/evangelist Greg Laurie.

It made me laugh.

Out loud.

Does this mean I identify with the scenario a bit too much....?!

Turns Out The Mall Isn't Just Bad For Our Financial Health...

Okay.

I realize that at this time of the year you have to be careful.

People have their Grinch Radar set on "super sensitive".




And there's a Scrooge Alert going out every second somewhere on the planet.


Bah.

Humbug.

I ran across this piece posted on MSN Health today.

Keep in mind, I LOVE mall food.

But it turns out that it's the gift that keeps on giving.

Click here to see the rundown of the 20 Worst Mall Foods in America:
http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100229099&GT1=31036

Enjoy.

Or should I say... bon appetit?!

All I Want For Christmas is...My Voice Back!

Happy Monday.
Today, I am but a whisper of myself.
That's because despite my best efforts and positive outlook, I have received an early Christmas present from my two boys.
A Cold.
The Flu.
Shame on you!

When my oldest first fell victim, I was washing my hands all the time, enforcing the sanitary wipe rule, and trying to breathe only sparingly while he was in the room.

I was doing well.

And then my third grader got it.
That's when true paranoia set in.
The two freak snow storms and freezing temperatures didn't help either.

By Saturday morning, the gift had arrived.
Minus the wrapping.
But with love.

The weekend was pretty rough.
And the main reason why I so dread this thing is because I always lose my voice.
Not good for a guy who makes a living talking.

And so I'll be off the air today.
Rats!
But then again, maybe God wants me to stop talking right now and listen more.
Maybe that's a Christmas present I can give someone else.

Man In The Shadows

I keep thinking about Joseph.

He's the man in the shadows when it comes to the Christmas story.

On the fringes of the most spectacular event in human history.

But I admire him so much.

He took on the role of Jesus' earthly father while many people whispered behind his back.

"The boy isn't his, you know".

"How can he accept a child that's not his own?"

"Rumor is Mary had a fling. Why did he still marry her?"

"Mary came up with some crazy story about an angel visiting her..... does he really believe this tall tale?"

But of course God knew what He was doing.

And He was showing us that adoptive parents matter.

A lot.

If you have a few minutes click on the link below to read an awesome article on Joseph.

Especially if you're an adoptive parent.

http://www.crosswalk.com/11596478/

See ya on the radio,

Kurt

A Most Unusual Snow Day

Wow.

I guess I was wrong.

It really is possible for kids in Las Vegas to get a Snow Day.

No school.

No kidding.

But the strange thing for us is that at our house, we didn't see any snow at all.

Rain yes.

Snow no.

It all depended on where you were yesterday.

During the show, when the snow really started coming down, it was a blast to chat with folks all over the valley.

Since we're playing all Christmas music right now, SOS provided the soundtrack for many.

But for the record, I only played "Let It Snow" once.

Even though it was requested countless times!

Such an unusual event in Las Vegas should be celebrated.

My boys will always remember that one December in 2008 when it was an officially declared school district approved Snow Day.

And they didn't even see one flake.

Only in Vegas.

A Lean Christmas?

This Christmas many of us are facing extremely tight budgets.

For those who have lost their jobs, it's much worse than that.

It's all about survival.

As trite as it sounds.... this really is an opportunity for God to become even more real in our lives.

As we see him provide, how our faith grows!

Do we really believe that He'll come through?

And could there be a tremendous blessing in store for us this Christmas if we just have eyes to see it?

I found a wonderful article that blessed me so much on crosswalk.com.

Click on this link to read it: http://www.crosswalk.com/11596466/

Be encouraged!

See ya on the radio,

Kurt

Upside Down In A Field

Today I'm thinking about the shepherds and their role in the Christmas story:

Luke 2:8-17 (ESV) 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

Why were the shepherds chosen for to receive the greatest birth announcement in human history?
Why not a king?
A high priest?
The rich?
The famous?
The influential?

In fact, this question takes on added meaning when we realize how shepherds were regarded at the time of Jesus' birth.
It was NOT cool to be a shepherd.
They were looked down on.
Bottom rung of the social ladder.
Sometimes even despised.
And yet they were chosen for a snapshot of glory.

"It's a boy, and He's the Messiah!"

Author Randy Alcorn states it well:

"What an affront to the religious leaders who were so conspicuously absent from the Divine mailing list. Even from birth, Christ moved among the lowly. It was the sinners, not the self-righteous, he came to save (Mark 2:17).
The proud religionists of Christ's day have faded into obscurity, but the shepherd figure is still honored by Christ followers worldwide".

In fact, Jesus calls Himself the "good shepherd":

John 10:11 (ESV) "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

The coming of Jesus turned everything upside down.
It's still the same today.

Snow

From the moment my third grader heard about it, he was convinced.

"It'll be a Snow Day, tomorrow Dad. No school!"

It took me back to when I was the kid saying the same exact thing.

One big difference, however.

I lived in Indiana.

Nicolas was born and raised here in Southern Nevada.

A desert rat desperate to see snow AT HIS HOUSE!

Not in the mountains.

At home.

After all, they don't cancel school when it snows in the mountains.

Early this morning, while it was still dark, I looked out the window fully expecting to see snow on the ground.

Nothin'.

I turn on the news.

Oh it's snowing all right.

About 5 miles up the road.

Being the obnoxious Dad I am, I wake Nicolas up.

"Wake up... we're snowed in and school is canceled!!"

He bolts upright in bed.

His eyes are about to pop out of his head.

Some serious optical poptitude going on.

He hops up and looks out the window.

Nothin'.

"Dad!!!!!"

My heart melts.

We turn on the TV and I try to convince him the snow is on the way.

He's not buying it.

As I dropped him off at school, a cold rain mocked us.

A cold rain is a poor replacement for snow.

No matter how old you are.

Just about a half an hour ago, my wife called and said the snow flakes were falling at our house.

Snow loading up the palm trees.

HUGE flakes.

In a few minutes I'll be calling my wife as she arrives to pick up Nicolas from school.

I hope when he comes out he'll see even BIGGER flakes.

Catch a few on his tongue.

And I'll remind him that things in life don't always turn out the way we expect.

Sometimes they turn out better.

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style

Okay... so we're deep into the Christmas season.
Have you lost your focus yet?
Even with the best of intentions... it can happen.

I want to share a piece from Sharon Jaynes here on the blog today.
Sharon has been a guest on our Total Impact segment before, and I love her take on life.
Reading this really helps!
Enjoy.

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style ©By Sharon Jaynes-Proverbs 31 Ministries

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

The Right Thing Isn't Always Easy To Do

I don't know when I first got the idea that obeying God would mean a smooth road ahead.
Have you ever fallen into that trap?
It's taken me quite a long time to see it as a trap, in fact.

The more I spend time reading God's Word, the Bible, the more I see how God works.
Not that I have Him figured out.
Or that I can predict what He will do next.
Far from it!
But I do see reality mixed with the supernatural.
Where faith meets real life.

Many times doing what God calls us to do is exceptionally hard.
Jesus said...
John 16:33 ".... In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Even Jesus..the Holy, perfect Son of God... faced major trouble when He came to this earth.
They tortured Him and nailed Him to the Cross.
If I'm truly a Christ follower why should I expect a smoother road than He had?

The more closely I follow, the more the journey should resemble His.
And so in an imperfect, stumbling way I do follow.

Tradition indicates all of the disciples were killed for their faith, with the exception of John.
But he was severely tortured.

The apostle Paul faced beatings, stonings, whippings, time in rancid jails, etc.
There was a lot of "etc." in his life.

Church history clearly shows us that those who attempt to live Godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

I'm not looking for persecution.
But it's inevitable.
How much better to understand this before the heat gets turned up.

Maybe you have a choice to make today.
You can choose God's way, or another option.
Either way it's not going to be easy.

But the question is... which choice will please the Lord the most?
He'll honor your desire to do the right thing for the right reason.
You'll have peace in the storm.
His Presence in the darkness.
And His blessing when "this too shall pass".

Nick Saint Premieres This Week

Tomorrow at Canyon Ridge Christian Church here in Las Vegas, a musical for the whole family begins its run: Nick Saint.


It's a family show filled with good music and much Christmas Spirit.

The good folks at Canyon Ridge are hoping this production will bless many people.

Especially those who don't know Jesus Christ.

The show will appeal to anyone.

It's a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family to church without inviting them to.. well.... church.

A wholesome, non-threatening atmosphere and a chance to enjoy live theatre.

Maybe they'll drop their guard a bit and eventually attend a worship service in the days around Christmas.

God can work in many ways.

Remember those mysterious ways we talk so much about?!

There are 4 performances: Thursday at 7pm, Friday at 7pm, and Sunday at 3 & 7pm.
Tickets are $14.

But if you have kids.. come early.

They've got a Christmas carnival set up outside of the auditorium.

And hey.. every child is a winner!!!

For a look at the heart of the production join us for our Total Impact segment tonight.

It airs at 6:25pm Pacific time.

Rory Johnston, the writer of musical, is our guest.

He also happens to be the Creative Arts Director at Canyon Ridge.

You can listen online at: http://www.sosradio.net/


Also, check out the show's official website: http://www.nicksaintmusical.com/

This is not only a lot of fun, but a tangible way to begin "planting seeds" in someone's life.

Someone who may be searching for some-thing this Christmas season.

A gift that lasts forever.

Angels: I'm No Longer Unaware

Angels play a big part in the Christmas story.

Mary is visited by Gabriel, and he explains how she will give birth to the Savior.

A birth so fantastic there will never be another one like it.

Ever.

An angel appears to Joseph and gives him a heads up on this amazing plan of God.

The shepherds encounter angels while watching their flock.

Angels are God's messengers.

His servants.

And they're everywhere.

Truth is, I don't think much about them.

And my guess is they're not all that offended.

After all, their job is to bring glory to God.

Not themselves.

But remembering their work on behalf of us... the followers of Christ.. is something I can get better at.

As I set up the Nativity Set this year.

As I attend that church play.

As I decorate.

Glory be to God.

And a special "thank you" to any angels in the room right now.

You are appreciated.

Exodus 23:20 (ESV) 20 "Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared."

The Detour

Well, we finally did it this weekend.
Our family Christmas tree is up!
All we have to do is finish decorating it.
As I mentioned last week on the show, our intention was to have it up the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Didn't happen.
Life DID happen.
Too much stuff to bore you with the details, but have you ever been there?

You've got your "To Do List" all ready to go.
It looks nice.
You worked hard on it.
It's literature, for goodness sake!
That's when I think God is trying to teach me patience.
"I don't have time right now to learn how to be patient!"
God smiles.
Occasionally I do too.

As we were getting the Christmas tree out of it's box in the garage, and going through all of the ornaments... we discovered treasures from Christmas' past.
My wife found an old "Dancing Santa" for instance.
It kind of looks like this one:

He dances to "Jingle Bell Rock".
Or.... he once did.
Would he still be able to bust a move?
We plugged him in.
Hit the power switch. The music starts.

Two of our dachshunds start barking at him.

We wait for Santa to swing his hips.
But.. he's lost his swing.
His hips move right.. and stay there.
We wait.
And wait.
But because we lack patience ( remember?!) we try to help him out.
Maybe He's just rusty.
Get the W-D 40!

The song plays.
It doesn't work.
But it's hilarious.
Laughter at Santa's expense.
We wanted him to bust a move.
He actually busted a hip.
Life happens.
And every now and then you realize a detour can be more fun than the trip you had planned.

From Bitter To Sweet

Exodus 15:22-25 (ESV) 22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them..

These verses keep popping up in my mind.
I mentioned them on the show yesterday, and they're sticking with me.
Has something like that ever happened to you?
I figure God wants me to "camp out" on them a little bit.

Isn't it amazing that just 3 days after God rescued the Israelites from certain death by parting the Red Sea here they are complaining.
It's like they totally forgot the experience of a lifetime.
That the God who delivered them before would deliver them again.

You know what this sounds like?
It sounds like me.
God delivers me.
I thank Him.
Another crisis comes.
I forget (or choose not to remember) how he helped me before.
Will He REALLY come through THIS TIME?
Oh me of little faith.

The truth is God tests our trust in Him through need AND abundance.
Have you noticed how that works in your life as a Christian?
It sure isn't easy.
But hopefully, our "faith muscles" are being exercised.
That's the only way they'll ever get stronger.

If you're in need right now... the "water" in your life is bitter.. remember this is a test of trust.
When the time is right, God will replace the bitter with the sweet.
And my guess is that you won't be the same person anymore.
That's the whole idea.

Celebrate Christmas Without a Bible

Interesting title for today's blog entry, isn't it?

Operation Bare Your Bookshelf is up and running.

The goal is to provide Bibles for our brothers and sisters in Christ who don't have one.

Christian Resources International is the ministry that is spearheading the initiative.

Fred Palmerton is the executive director of CRI.

He told The Christian Post today......."If American Christians were willing to keep one family Bible and send the rest of their Bibles overseas...millions more people would be exposed to the life changing effects of God's Word."

Can you believe there are entire churches in some parts of the world where there isn't even ONE Bible?

Not one in the church building, if they have a building.

Not one in any of the homes.

The pastors don't even have one copy.

A famine of God's Word in the land.

Can you imagine trying to live the Christian life without a Bible?

It convicts me.

They would give almost anything for just one.

And I let my copy.....or copies... gather dust on the shelf.

If you would like to donate some of your extra Bibles, there's an easy way to do it through CRI.

Click on this link to find out more: http://cribooks.homestead.com/bareyourbookshelf.html

Let's light the path of our fellow believers half a world away.

May they no longer walk in darkness when we have the ability to help light up their path.

One Bible at a time.

Psalms 119:105 (ESV) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

God Is In Control Of.......Everything.

There are so many truths about the Christian faith I need to be reminded of on a daily basis.

I guess that's because truth leaks.

Think about it for a second.

Our spiritual life is a balloon.

We fill it with helium and it flies high.

For awhile, anyway.

Days pass and before long you know what happens.

That very same balloon isn't soaring.

In fact it may be an inch off the ground, if that.

To rise again it needs to be FILLED again.

With the right stuff.

Same thing for us as followers of Christ.

One of the most comforting things to think about is God's sovereignty.

He's in control.

All the time.

No exceptions.

No regrets.

He is... the King.

On His throne.

Holy and just, absolutely.

Good and kind and loving and merciful.... Yep. All of that too.

The story that most illustrates this for me out of the Bible involves Joesph.

You can read the story for yourself starting in Genesis 37.

It will encourage you no matter where you are in life.

But especially if you're in a dark and confusing time.

Recently I was speaking with with author/bible teacher Steve Farrar about Joesph's story and how it applies to us today.

He talks a lot about it in a new book, "God Built".

If you have some time, check out Steve's visit to our Total Impact segment.

And be filled up with God's great truth.

You'll be soaring again soon.

Steve Farrar Part 1: http://www.box.net/shared/j9t4mtuh5t

Steve Farrar Part 2: http://www.box.net/shared/28lzxuvvbo

Mark Hall vs.Bart Millard:Heavyweight Challenge?

Tis the season for.... watching your weight.
I watch mine all right.
I watch it go up with every Christmas treat I eat.
Of course it's cumulative.
Candy in late October, Turkey and the fixins on Thanksgiving, THEN the Christmas delicacies, man oh man.
Isn't self-denial a trait we as Christians should strive for?
Never easy, is it?

Just ask Mark Hall....

and Bart Millard.

Mark is the lead singer for the band Casting Crowns, and Bart is the frontman for MercyMe.
They've thrown down the gauntlet.

Who can lose the most weight by the Dove Awards this spring.
The video says it all.
And Oh Yeah.... I think these guys might need our prayers, too.

Cyber Monday!

So... how was your Thanksgiving weekend?
Lots of turkey?
Lots of bargains if you were brave enough to head out early on Black Friday?
For me it was.... lots of turkey.
My blood doesn't run cold enough to brave Black Friday.
But if yours does.... or did... I send along my admiration.

I prefer Cyber Monday.
The name isn't as ominous.
It's really not even very catchy.
In fact, it sounds kind of dorky.

But before you call in the Geek Squad, think about some of the cash you can save today online.
Here are some websites to get you started:

1. Cyber Monday, http://www.cybermonday.com/: This site aggregates the latest online bargains from more than 500 merchants. It even highlights the best hourly savings online.

2. Gotta Deal,: http://www.gottadeal.com/ It works like a spy site for shopping bargains. It has an e-mail service that sends out the day's best deals.

3. Deals on the Web, http://www.dealsontheweb.com/ : Just what its name says, but the site specializes in technology and home electronics.

4. : http://www.overstock.com/ It works with brand-name companies and helps clear out overstocked items at clearance prices.

You can Google Cyber Monday and find many others.
Or simply check some of your favorite retail websites, both large and small.
Make sure you also check out your favorite Christian websites because they too might have some great deals!

All of this is fun, no doubt.
But we need to remind each other throughout the Christmas season what Christmas is really all about.
To us a Savior is born.
Jesus came into the world to take the punishment for our sins.
We have peace with God.
Eternal life in Heaven.
That's the only Christmas gift that really matters, isn't it?
And it lasts forever.