My Favorite Christmas Gift

  Christmas is such a wondrous time of year.  There is so much to do and prepare for, celebrations to attend and activities to participate in.  Finally we reach the day when we are all sitting around the Christmas tree and get to open our gifts.

I was at a Christmas celebration at a friend’s house and one of the activities included naming favorite Christmas gifts we’d received over the years.  Some mentioned a grand material gift they’d received; while others were more non-material; more abstract gifts.  

`Being with family’ was one gift which often was shared, as was grand children; or even the gift of a wonderful home church and friends.  Children in the room mentioned a dog they’d received or a long awaited horse.  Health made the list, as did the feelings of joy and peace.

That first Christmas long ago makes me wonder what Mary might have listed as her favorite gift.  Granted the celebration of Christmas hadn’t even yet been begun; but imagine what she would have considered her favorite gift the year after Jesus’ birth, or the second or third year later.

It must have been emotional for her to know that she carried God’s Son.  In the song ‘Mary Did You Know’ there’s a line that says, “When you kissed your baby boy, you kissed the face of God”.  That singular line can make me weep.  Can you imagine the awe of cuddling her baby as she kissed his tiny head or cheek and looked into those baby eyes?

As a mom, I remember when my children were tiny babes, being overwhelmed with love as I looked into their tiny faces.  And when they smiled at me, I melted.  Can you see Mary’s heart doing cartwheels as Jesus looked at her and smiled?  Consider the gifts Mary must have been grateful for.  She was given the gift of raising Jesus on this Earth.  What a responsibility, as all parents have, but what an exclusive, exquisite joy--this was God's Son!    

       As I reflect on this Christmas, I am in awe of the gift God gave us in the Messiah, Baby Jesus in the manger.  We were given the gift of Salvation through him and then he was the gift of Sacrifice only 33 years later on the cross, for each one of us.  This truly is the greatest gift of all.

      Jesus is the reason for the season!

      Merry Christmas, everyone!    

A Meaningful Life

  I read a story about a little girl whose parents were alcoholics and right after she turned three years old, she was taken, for her safety and put in an orphanage.  About a year later, she and her little brother who was also there, were adopted by a Christian couple who made sure they had an education, were introduced to Jesus and grew into the faith.

Stories like this happen often in our world.  It’s sad when a child is born into an environment so unhealthy.  It’s equally sad when a couple want children so badly but are unable to have them naturally.  What a gift, on both sides when an adoption can be made.

We sometimes have no control over our circumstances.  Life happens and we must change course in an instant.  It can be the loss of a loved one, a freak accident that leaves us disabled, financial ruin, a weather related disaster and these are only a few!  We live in a fallen world and ‘stuff happens.’

The little girl I mentioned in the beginning, has little memory of her biological parents, but appreciates and adores her adoptive ones.  She felt a little like Biblical Joseph because he was ‘adopted’ by the Pharaoh after a time and God used him in amazing ways.  She has now started college and wants to honor God with her life so she can glorify God and His Kingdom, even though currently, she isn’t sure how this will be defined.

It’s hard to wait for God to fulfill His purpose for us.  Joseph waited 13 years before the promise he was given by God was fulfilled; Abraham waited 25 years after God’s promise of a son; and Isaac had to wait 20 years before he had children!  David waited many years before he became king.  And there are others who also had to wait on God’s timing.  As I write this, I am stricken with guilt because I am impatient for things to happen after only a few years!

We all have a purpose.  Sometimes we struggle to determine what that is.  We get impatient for answers, while our expectations run all over the place.  We give up and say, ‘I have no purpose!’  ‘There is nothing I do well’!   It isn’t always about doing something grand, but ‘blooming right where we are.’  As Believers our lives are a testimony.  

Your life may be impacting someone on a daily basis, just because of how you live.  Your journey then, can be helpful —or detrimental— to the faith, depending on your walk with God.  There’s a song with the lyrics something like  ‘your walk talk is as important as your talk talk’.  There is so much truth in that!

My mind drifts to the Jesus.  Many generations waited for the Messiah.  Waiting is hard, but there is always a purpose.  Jesus came to set the world free, yet many who were alive at the time, totally missed it.  They had other expectations.  The last thing they expected was a tiny baby.  They wanted a grand warrior who would up-end their political scene at the time.  

There are those who still miss the Messiah.  We are getting ready to celebrate Christmas; the birth of the Christ Child.  His walk on earth was real, steady, truthful, pure, sinless, and life changing.

Our lives should mirror that of Jesus!  We are human, and will make mistakes and are not sin free.  While Jesus was human, he was still all God!  His life made a daily difference.  Our life purpose needs to be, to the best of our Christian ability, life changing to those around us.

Photo Credit:  https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/messiah-in-the-manger

Singing About the Greatest Gift of All

        I love worship!  Now when I say that, understand I honestly enjoy the entire service.  It really is about worship—-in all it’s forms.  There is music, the sermon and prayer; and in some services there is more.

Prayer time is amazing because the pastor very eloquently says a prayer which covers the congregation, lifts up prayer requests and more, all with a thankful heart.  While he is praying I can remain quiet, listen and choose to agree with his words and in silence add my own thoughts.

When the sermon begins I pull out my journal, pen, and have my Bible open so I can read along and take lots of notes.  When I think about the words on those pages as ‘God’s Love Letters' to ME, I can get overwhelmed.  I love learning what those words are saying in the big scope of things through the voice of the pastor’s interpretation, from what God has told him to share; but also what He is saying to me!  

Now all that said, there is something about the music that reaches the depths of my soul. I love it when the entire congregation sings and sounds like they believe the words they are saying.  For me when you sing the words of those beautiful songs, you are communing with God.  It truly is my favorite time in the service.

I admit the music is changing and while Contemporary Christian music usually has amazing lyrics; often with words right from scripture, I’m more of a Southern Gospel kind of gal and miss the traditional songs which have been sung for many decades.  (But that’s for another blog!)

When it comes to Christmas music, I bubble over with an excited joy which is hard to describe!  I love this celebratory music which describes the birth of our Lord.  I never tire of it.  I could listen to it year ‘round and have been guilty of putting my Christmas music on in the middle of summer.   I enjoy it so much, I’ve told my family at my funeral (weird right) I want at least one Christmas song to be sung by the congregation.  I’m not positive which one, but currently I’m leaning toward Joy To The World!  

This music fills my heart with such joy and anticipation, while  incorporating the traditions of generations, the Biblical story of Christ’s birth and celebratory awareness of the season.

What seems sad to me, however, is how few Christmas songs we sing!  I smile as I write that because I know there is more to worship than the music.  But tell me how you feel when a chorus of multigenerational voices come together, in a variety of harmonies and sing with great gusto about the greatest gift we could ever receive!  The world received Jesus over 2000 years ago.  He is life giving and life changing and that is absolutely worth signing about!  

#Worship  #WorshipSongs  #Sing  #ChristmasMusic  #ChristmasCarols  #ChristmasSongs

Photo Credit:  picture of christmas music