Christmas is upon us here in South Central Iowa and for many people, the Christmas Spirit can be embraced in a variety of ways.

For some, the holiday season may mean shopping for gifts in the month of November, baking a bunch of goodies, enjoying family time, putting up the coveted tree at home, caroling, putting a few dollars in the red kettle, watching favorite holiday flicks, sending out a card to family and friends, and looking at lights.

However, for some Christmas might not be filled with the holiday spirit. Some may be overcome with grief from the loss of a loved one, going through a divorce, dealing with health issues, battling addiction or homelessness, struggling financially, and are just trying to navigate through life this time of year. 

The gospel of Luke in the Bible tells the story of a young virgin woman named Mary who made a  journey with her husband Joseph to a town called Bethlehem for a census and where she would give birth to a savior. Her conditions to give birth to the one known as the Messiah Jesus were less than ideal, as the baby was born in a stable which many Bible scholars would describe as a cave. 

For some, this story may be very familiar and one heard every year and for some it may not be as familiar or even believed. These days sometimes community is all someone has, whether they have embraced the Christmas spirit this year or not. Here in small town Iowa, some may cherish an unwavering sense of community, which for many, is what Christmas spirit is about.