This time of year, it seems everyone is trying to tell me what Christmas is "all about."
"Christmas is all about family."
"...all about giving."
"...all about counting our blessings."
"...all about peace on earth."
There are a lot of wonderful things we associate with Christmas. All of them are good things to celebrate, but they are all fleeting.
What happens when my house burns? When I lose my job? When my family member dies? When someone I love is spending Christmas in a combat zone?
If the fleeting things are my only focus, then circumstances like illness, death, poverty, and war can rob me of my reasons for celebration. Unless I am celebrating the REALITY of Christmas, life can unleash its harshest attacks on me at Christmas by robbing me of the transitory things I celebrate.
The reality of Christmas is JESUS, and God's love that sent Him to us. Christmas is a celebration of the irreversible fact that Jesus was born on earth, died on the cross, and arose from the dead to save us!
He has already accomplished all of that!
It has already taken place!
There is NO WAY we can be robbed of it!
If we are celebrating the reality of Christmas, then,
"...(neither) trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword...neither death or life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35,38-39, NIV)
We can say with the prophet Habakkuk,
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, NIV)
For all time, Christmas is here! Jesus is here!
We are redeemed!
HE IS RISEN!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Thursday, December 08, 2005
FISH!
OK, now for an explanation of my comment about fish....
My daughter's church youth group is going to an out-of-state conference after Christmas. To raise money for expense, they held a fish fry. (You pay a set fee for all the fried fish you can eat, along with sides and optional dessert.) I was heading out to help set up for the evening--starting with breading raw fish fillets. So that was the source of the cryptic post. Ooooh, big mystery! ;)
My daughter's church youth group is going to an out-of-state conference after Christmas. To raise money for expense, they held a fish fry. (You pay a set fee for all the fried fish you can eat, along with sides and optional dessert.) I was heading out to help set up for the evening--starting with breading raw fish fillets. So that was the source of the cryptic post. Ooooh, big mystery! ;)
Friday, December 02, 2005
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Monday, November 14, 2005
Gentleman in training
"Post something twice a week..." -- Am I embarrassed!
I want to share something that happened the other day, just because it made me smile.
Two friends and I were walking into a fast food restaurant this past weekend. Just ahead of us were a little guy, maybe seven or eight, and his dad. The father opened the door and as his son walked in, Dad bent down and whispered something in his little boy's ear. The son nodded and walked into the store, while Dad held the door for the three of us. I assumed he had told his son to go on ahead while he held the door for the ladies. I was ALMOST right...
It soon became evident that what Dad had said was something like, "I'll hold THIS door for the ladies while you go open the other one for them." The little gentleman walked to the inner door of the restaurant, opened it, and stepped back out of the way as we entered. We all thanked him as we walked past--how could we not appreciate such a gentleman?
As I passed the dad later at the counter, I whispered, "Good job on the door-holding training!"
So here's to all the moms and dads out there who are working so hard to teach their little ladies and gentlemen about the common courtesies! I'm proud of all of you! You're helping to reinforce the fabric of civilization. Keep up the good work!
I want to share something that happened the other day, just because it made me smile.
Two friends and I were walking into a fast food restaurant this past weekend. Just ahead of us were a little guy, maybe seven or eight, and his dad. The father opened the door and as his son walked in, Dad bent down and whispered something in his little boy's ear. The son nodded and walked into the store, while Dad held the door for the three of us. I assumed he had told his son to go on ahead while he held the door for the ladies. I was ALMOST right...
It soon became evident that what Dad had said was something like, "I'll hold THIS door for the ladies while you go open the other one for them." The little gentleman walked to the inner door of the restaurant, opened it, and stepped back out of the way as we entered. We all thanked him as we walked past--how could we not appreciate such a gentleman?
As I passed the dad later at the counter, I whispered, "Good job on the door-holding training!"
So here's to all the moms and dads out there who are working so hard to teach their little ladies and gentlemen about the common courtesies! I'm proud of all of you! You're helping to reinforce the fabric of civilization. Keep up the good work!
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