Christmas is a Time To Treasure

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart,” (Luke 2:15-19 NIV).

Most of all, Christmas is a time to treasure. Christmas is a time to reflect on our blessings and to give thanks to God; a time to celebrate quiet family time, perhaps by reading the Christmas story in the light of your tree. It is the feeling you have when you tuck your trusting little ones into bed at night. It is remembering wonderful times together and the loved ones who are no longer with us. Christmas is a time to give selflessly and loving completely.

Christmas is a time to treasure all these things and ponder them in your heart. Christmas is a time to take all the good things in life and locking them in your heart, never to be forgotten.

The time of anticipation is nearly over. Christmas is one week away. It is time to be ready. Ready to feel the joy. Ready to hear the music. Ready to treasure the moments of Christmas’ past.

Father God, thank You for this season of remembering and treasuring all these things in our hearts. Thank You for sending Your Son to earth as a baby that everyone could love. We treasure the Christmas story as the beginning of His life with us. Show us what we need to do this season to be ready to hold the Christ Child in our hearts. Praying in the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Joy of Christmas Music

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:13-14 NIV). 

Wouldn't you love to experience that? Or as The Message puts it:

"At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: "Glory to God in the heavenly heights. Peace to all men and women on earth who please him." (Luke 2:13-14 The Message)

It gives me goose bumps to imagine how beautiful that would be. I have been enjoying Life 107.1 as they have been playing all Christmas music since December 1st. My car ia always on that station and I have Alexa turn it on in my kitchen. It fills my heart with joy!

One of my favorite Christmas memories is hearing my Dad sing "O Holy Night" at our church Christmas Eve candlelight service. For many years it was a tradition at Bethel Grove Church. "O Holy Night" was written by French poet Placide Cappeau in 1847 and set to music by French composer Adolphe Adam (1847) with the most famous English translation by American critic John Sullivan Dwight in 1855. The carol first debuted at a Christmas Eve Mass in France.

O Holy Night

The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior's birth  Long lay the world in sin and error pining  "Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices. O night divine, O night when Christ was born. O night, O night, O Holy night, O night divine!  Truly He taught us to love one another;  His law is love and His Gospel is Peace. Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother. And in His name, all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we. Let all within us Praise His Holy name. Christ is the Lore' O praise His name forever! His power and glory evermore proclaim. His power and glory evermore proclaim.

Music touches hearts with its beauty. Whatever your favorite Christmas song is, turn up the volume and enjoy the beautiful sounds of the season.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for creating music that fills the air around us. Perhaps music was first sung by Your angels. How I would love to hear Your angels sing! Thank You for sending Your Son to earth as an infant who saved us all. Help us prepare our hearts to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas in the days ahead. We praise You and love You, praying in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

Good News of Great Joy

 There is nothing quite like the look on the face of a child who opens a gift he has been longing for. One favorite family story that is retold nearly every Christmas happened when my brother-in-law was just a tike. After opening a special present this little boy shouted out, "Just what me always wanted!"

The eyes of children seem to hold special magic at Christmas. The excitement they feel can't be contained. It spills over into bouncing and jumping and hugging. There is true joy. Though there is joy in getting something you love, there is even greater joy in finding that perfect gift that you know is just right. 

Christmas joy is the cooing and smiles of a baby resting in your arms. Christmas joy flows on the face of a grandparent when the family gathers together. There is Christmas joy when that independent college-aged son or daughter comes home for holiday break. It is receiving a card from a friend you haven't heard from in a few years.

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger," (Luke 2:10-12 NIV).

This Christmas, the words of the song, "Mary Did You Know" have really touched my heart. The song as performed by Pentatonix is especially beautiful.

"Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would calm the storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would calm the storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again. The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb (Lamb) Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb? That sleeping child you're holding is the great I am?"

Oh, God, thank You for creating the beautiful Christmas story that we share again and again, generation to generation. Thank You for sending Your Son to earth as a baby that changed the trajectory of the sinful world. Heavenly Father, the joy of the birth of Your Son fills our hearts this Christmas and every Christmas. Your gift to us shows Your Great Love for us all. We pray in the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Anticipation of Joy

It is hard to wait, especially when you are little. When our boys were young we had an advent calendar for them. They could open a new door each day to help count down the days until Christmas. We also had a hanging with buttons tied to a ribbon with yarn. They could remove a button every day beginning December first and when they were gone, it was Christmas Day. Another year my mother prepared little packages given on the days before Christmas to make the waiting a little easier for the boys.

Even as adults, we often find our expectations inflating with each approaching day. We hope for the perfect Christmas and often rush around trying to do more: bake more, send more Christmas cards, buy more gifts, clean more throughly... so everything will be just right when the anticipated day arrives.

Instead of trying to make all the "things" better, we can fill our hearts with joy by anticipating the arrival of our Savior! That is true joy. As with the arrival of any baby, there is such overwhelming joy! I can't even imagine the joy of Mary as she looked upon her Holy baby, the Son of God, in physical form.

""Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of Most High," (Luke 1:28-32a NIV).

I wonder if the angel's words came back to Mary as she rested, after giving birth to the Kingly Child. Anticipation of the life of a Savior was before her. 

The author of Hebrews described Jesus as the, "Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven," (Hebrews 1:3 NIV).

Lord God, we bow down in humble adoration of Your Son Jesus. We know the story of His life, yet we enjoy remembering the way you brought Jesus into the world. We pause to anticipate the joy of the Coming Savior. Thank You, God, for sending Your Only Son to bring Salvation to a sinful world. We pray in the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen.

Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

(Latin hymn translated by John M. Neale, 1851,  Thomas Helmore, 1854.) Based on one of the earliest forms of music known - the Chant or Plain Song.

This beautiful hymn calls us to remember the meaning of the Christmas season...the arrival of Jesus' first coming and expectation of Christ's second coming still ahead. Rejoice! We can sing these words over and over during the Advent season. 

At our house, the Christmas decorations are mostly in place now. It is kind of a hodgepodge of things collected over the past 52 years. Somewhere along the way, I gathered several creches and three of them are on display. My decorations aren't something you would see in "House Beautiful," rather they are meaningful only to me. There is a lot of blue because I love that color: blue lights on the tree, blue bows on the light fixtures next to the fireplace, a blue scarf on a pudgy little snowman, (made by granddaughter Piper years ago), and a blue tablecloth. 

The creches are the focal point of Christmas for me. I hope to remind anyone who comes, that Jesus is number one in my Christmas.

"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you," (Luke 1:26-28 NIV).

Heavenly Father God, Thank You for this season of preparation for the birth of Your Son, and His arrival as a human baby on this earth- that You alone created. Thank You for the Christmas lights that remind us of  Jesus' arrival as Emmanuel, the Light of the World. Thank You for sending Him to be born a baby in Bethlehem, as foretold hundreds of years before. We Rejoice! Amen.

We give God the Glory. 

Our Hope is Light

The turkey is cooked and nearly gone. The wreaths of gold and brown have been taken down and replaced with red and green. The outdoor lights are glowing and the artificial Christmas trees are up and decorated. The flurry of Black Friday is replaced by Cyber Monday. Calendars have turned to December. The nativity scenes are in place and the lawns (in Iowa, at least) are coated with a plentiful blanket of snow. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Or not.

Christmas can be a difficult season. I think of those who have lost a loved one since last Christmas, especially. The "firsts" are hard. It is challenging to see everyone else in such a joyful mood when inside your heart is breaking. 

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel," (Isaiah 7:14 NIV).  

God's promise is hope. 

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned," (Isaiah 9:2 NIV).

Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah proclaimed hope was coming. A virgin will conceive! A Son will be born, coming in the physical presence of baby Jesus. A child will be our Deliverer. The Messiah. Immanuel.

Mighty God, we enter this season with hope. Even when our hearts are breaking, we see Your Light coming. We have hope. Fill us with Your Great Light and lift our spirits as we anticipate the coming of baby Jesus, once again. Remind us of what is truly important this Christmas: Your Son. We pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

With Thanksgiving

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,"     (Philippians 4:4-7 NIV).

Thank you, God, for the sunshine before the storm. Thank you, God for the leaves that blew away yesterday. Thank you, God, for a warm home and a refrigerator full of food to prepare. Thank you, God, for good health for our family. Thank you, God, that I am able to prepare a meal, (and an extra day since our family gathers tomorrow). Thank you, God, for our two sons who make us so proud. Thank you, God, for eight beautiful grandchildren who delight us in every way. Thank you, God, for our extended family. Thank you, God, for friends who touch our hearts.

Lord, may You be with each and every one today, blessing them with wellness and safety. You have given us so much to enjoy! May we never forget the sacrifice of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, our greatest Thanksgiving of all. With humble and thankful hearts, we worship and adore You, Amen.