“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

By now many are sick of Christmas music, as it seems it has been with us since Halloween. I, on the other hand, am not.

I love Christmas: its music, the time of giving and thanking God for our Lord and Savior. By now you have lived through the bitter cold of Christmas weekend and hopefully are staying warm! I was blessed with an early Christmas with 2 children and their husbands and 7 grandchildren the week before Christmas. It was a joyous time with family. Christmas week saw us in Texas with brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

I hope you got to enjoy the Walk Thru Bethlehem put on by Russellville First Baptist Church. I was blessed to play a part in it.

If not, I understand Joel Davis is planning a bigger and better one for next Christmas! I’ll participate in it again, “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.”

I believe this was a truly inspired production. This walk helps us to understand the great gift God has given us in sacrificing His Son to redeem our souls.

During the walk you experienced the many trials Mary and Joseph endured to fulfill the prophecy of Christ’s birth: the long walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem; harassment form Roman soldiers; and evil Roman officials, such as census takers and tax collectors, cheating the travelers to enrich themselves.

In the synagogue religious leaders taught the hundreds of laws that had to be observed to gain entry into heaven upon your death.

As the journey continued, the hope of salvation was drawing nearer – but first were more people wanting to sell items and very little welcoming spirit, as all rooms were full, and another traveler was a burden. Finally a stable was found to accommodate the weary travelers, and Mary gave birth to our Savior in a manger.

This is the reason for the season; this is why we give gifts to loved ones; this is the reason I love Christmas music long after most are sick of it!

Mueller is a resident of Russellville and a regular guest columnist for the Franklin County Times.