It's not easy to get ready for Christmas. For one thing there is so much to do. For many of us this is the busiest time of the year. It is also the most nerve-wracking, particularly if you are a person who does not enjoy shopping.

I read a statistic with which many men in our congregation will relate.

The Mall of America published a poll recently that states that 31 percent of men believe they have a better chance of winning the Heisman trophy than finding the right holiday gifts for their wives. Only 18 percent of women feel the same sense of doom about shopping for their spouses. (1)

That means that a third of the men here this morning are under real pressure.

It isn't easy getting ready for Christmas. That is why each year about this time we hear the voice of John the Baptist callin…