Christmas Vacation!

Today Christmas vacation from school begins! It's Saturday. We are going take the kids to a U-Cut tree farm. Finish putting up the lights outside. And have lots of fun.
This woman absolutely loves all of the trappings of the Christmas season. The lights, trees, decorations, shopping, wrapping, baking, giving. Sharing with family, friends and neighbors. Yes, we even went to see Santa.
Before you get your engines started take a breath and listen.
If you have read my previous posts you know that I contemplate the gifts of Christmas that never grow old. God's gift of salvation can never be ignored. My children have been taught as soon as they could begin to understand what the roots of Christmas are. For my husband and I the most important part being that God gave his most precious gift through his son Jesus Christ. The gift of salvation. I still believe that Christmas is the beginning of Easter.
We have taught our children that Santa was a historical figure who saw people in need and gave what he had to ease their suffering. Through time others have taken up his mission to ease the suffering of others and in a sense become Saint Nicholas to those they bless. The beauty of this ministry being you can be Santa all year long! All of our children are givers. Even our youngest. The essence of Santa lives in our home.
That is why I love all the secular celebration of Christmas. It is another opportunity to give. I can talk about salvation in a gentle way. The lights represent the star that lead the Wise Men. The tree. Well, for me the tree holds memories of our family. How far we have come in life. The trials we have faced and God has lead us through. The baking and candy making remind me of God's provision.The gifts represent God's greatest gift.  
I love this time of year! 

My Friend

My friend sent me a text today that kind of blew me out of the water. Why on earth was she yelling at me? (She used all caps) What had I done? Said? How? Our last conversation had been fun and relaxed. I enjoy her company and she says she enjoys mine. So why was she upset with me???
When I was younger I know how I would have reacted. It would not have been pretty. I would have been highly offended. Probably would have taken the silent route. Probably would have lost a friend. Thank you Lord for putting other women in my life who have taught me to stop and listen. Hear what isn't being said.
Every day I pray for my kids on our way to school. One thing I ask God for is to put Graciousness in their hearts and on their lips. This has brought many conversations about what Graciousness looks like. For instance, today I really don't feel well, head achy, run down, eyes hurt, kind of not feel good. We were almost done for the day and the kids were bombarding me with questions, I wants, etc and I finally said, "Guys, I really need you to be gracious with me tonight." Their response? "How can we do that, Mama?"  A whole new area of thought and action opened up for them. How to be gracious with someone who isn't feeling well.
My sister/friend needed for me to be gracious towards her. She was very upset and needed prayer and a friend who wouldn't budge. She needed grace.
Our Father God gives us as much grace as we need. He gives it fully and without strings attached. On our part there is never a worry that His grace won't be there. Regardless of how I might yell at him, his grace always dictates that he treat me with love and forgiveness and correction when needed. He will always be there.


One of my favorite old hymns.
Grace Greater Than All Our Sin

Emotions

I had lunch today with a friend who is very dear to my heart. She has been going through some really tough times the last few years. We talked at length about recent events and how God had shown up for her at some really crucial points. At one point she asked, "Why did God give us so many emotions?!" And I want to chime in, "Good question God, why?"
I know the spiritual teaching that Man was made in the image of God. That a man alone could not contain the whole reflection, and so was not complete, so God created woman to reflect the caring, compassionate, emotional attributes of God. When the two come together as man and wife the picture is complete, as it were. If the world was as God meant it to be and not in the corrupt state that it is a man and a woman would compliment each other and function in every way as the perfect reflection of their Maker. BUT, that is not the way it is.
As women we seem to have an unfair blessing in the area of emotions. Overly endowed, maybe?
No, I don't think so. As women we have the privilege of expressing emotion for our families, friends, co-workers, society at large. Our tears heal, express sorrow and love. Our laughter heals and expresses our joy. Our embarrassment crosses fences. Our anger brings change.  Our sadness brings reflection. Our love. Our love does all of the above and so much more. Our love brings life.
Now don't get me wrong. Men have emotions also. For the most part their emotions don't seem to be so close to the surface. Our emotions can make us fragile and a caring man will help his wife keep her balance by sharing his perspective. Women also rely on their friends to help them keep their emotional balance by sharing differing views and experiences on any given situation. As women we recognize when a friend is dealing with too much emotion. She may be depressed, withdrawn, cranky, teary, easily upset. Her reactions to her world may be overly intense. Her friends come to her out of love and concern. Hopefully bringing God's Word as a Light to guide her way. She may need the help of a medical professional to help bring her life back into balance. Nothing to be ashamed of. Something to be shared when the time is right. You are not the only woman whose emotions have gotten out of balance. There were women before you and women who will come after you who experience that emotional tip. Your willingness to share your experience when you are healed and stable again, when you are ready, will guide and relieve that woman who thinks she is the only one who ever got into this situation. Emotions are for sharing and learning.
To think that God entrusted women with His emotions is awe inspiring. What faith He has in us!
Lord, may I be a worthy vessel to reflect you to the people in my life.

     

God's Choice

My number two all time favorite Christmas song is: Joseph's Song by Michael Card. The song comes from Joseph's point of view after he accepts that he is to parent the Son of God. An unimaginable responsibility. I think that Joseph gets overlooked when we talk about the Christmas story. We recognize that Joseph did the right thing by honoring his commitment to Mary. And we like to tell the part about the angel who had to convince him to do the right thing. But have you really thought about him? What made him God's Choice to be the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus? 
Matthew tells us that Joseph was a righteous man. Righteous meaning morally upright, virtuous, a godly person. He was also a man of integrity and compassion. When he learned that Mary was pregnant, not by him, he thought he would put her away privately. He was unwilling to make a public spectacle of her. Granted her supposed shame didn't reflect favorably on himself either. He could very well have been laughed at or lost status in the community, but he was concerned about her. 
He was a spiritual man. While he was trying to figure out what was the best way to handle Mary's pregnancy an angel of the Lord comes to him in a dream. The angel reassures him that Mary has done nothing wrong, and that her pregnancy is of the Holy Spirit. The angel even tells him what he should name the child. Even telling him that the child would be a son. (No ultrasound needed here!) Joseph was so sensitive to spiritual things that the angel came two more times to speak to him in his dreams. Once to tell him to take his son and wife to Egypt to escape Herod and again to come back to Israel after Herod's death.
He was obedient to the laws and customs of the land. He took Mary and went to be counted on the census roles of his ancestral hometown. After Jesus was born he took him to the Temple to be presented to the Lord. 
Joseph took Mary and Jesus home.  For twelve years he was father to the Son of God. Luke tells us that "the child grew and waxed strong (in spirit) filled with wisdom and God's grace was upon him".  Joseph and Mary went yearly to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. A shadow of things to come. We don't hear anything more about Joseph after Jesus turns twelve. The last mention is when they had gone to Jerusalem for Passover and Jesus stays in the Temple, teaching and conversing with the men there. His parents travel a full day thinking he is with friends or family, not knowing he has stayed behind. They realize he is missing and look for him among their family and friends. Not finding him there they go back to the last place the knew him to be.They search for three days. As a last resort they go to the Temple. There he is. Teaching, discussing, explaining with wisdom beyond his years. I can only imagine how frantic Joseph was. He was responsible for this heavenly child! Mary had to be beside herself with worry. Three days they have looked for him! Finally, with relief they all return home.  And that is the last time we hear about Joseph directly in connection with Jesus. 
We know that Joseph and Mary had children of their own. Matthew 13:53 confirms this. This is also where we learn that Joseph was a carpenter, that Jesus had brothers and sisters. 
What a man Joseph must have been to be God's Choice. To be the earthly father of the One who would restore mankind to fellowship with God. I've often thought that when our young women are looking for the man who will be their life's companion, they should use Joseph as the measuring stick to hold any potential young men up against. 


What a man Joseph was. What a husband. What a father. God's Choice! 

Mother and Son

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary did you know?". The writer wonders if Mary knew the full scope of the miracle child she would give birth to. Did she know he would be a healer? That he would have power over nature. That he would restore relationships. That his life and death would galvanize a nation to seek a new way of finding God. He would give them a new way of interpreting the Holy Scriptures. A new way of leading by serving. What did she know?


She knew that he was a miracle from God.
She knew that she was to name him Jesus.
She knew that he would be great.
She knew that he would be called "Son of the Highest".     
She knew that he was to be given the throne of David his father.
She knew that he would reign over the house of Jacob for the ages.
She knew that his kingdom would not end.


All of this Gabriel the angel told her. This is all the angel Gabriel told her. He didn't tell her about the miracles her son would do. He didn't tell her of the political unrest that would follow him. Even cause his death. He didn't tell her how long her son would live. Or how horrible his death would be.


When each of my children was born I was in awe of the miracle of birth and life. I was in awe of each little life. My oldest son was four months old his first Christmas. I remember that as I rocked him and fed him I wondered what his life would be like. Where would he go? What would he do? Could I raise him in such a way that he would make a difference in this world. These same questions I had pondered with the girls but this time was a little different. 


As we rocked and listened to Christmas songs I thought of Mary. Had she experienced the same questions? Probably. At what point did she realize just how special her son was? Did things come easily for him? I imagined her saying something like: "Jesus, please go pick up your Father's tools." and him answering: "Which Father? Remember Mama, I am the One who created the world. My tools are the words I speak." Her response: "Stop teasing me and go help your father Joseph!"
At what point did she know him as God? 


She believed from the beginning. She accepted Gabriel's proclamation over her and the child to be. At the wedding of Cana she proves her faith in him, by telling the servants to do whatever he told them to do. I love his gentle chiding of her. "Woman, it's not my time yet". Still she tells the servants to obey him. That's a mother's love and faith for you.


I think of my own sons. I know what their gifts and talents are. I know what their potential is. And I believe they can and will do great things for God and mankind. There have been times I have told others "not to worry my son will take care of it". Whatever "it" is. Fully believing that he could and would take care of the "it". There have also been times when he has chided me for not asking him if he felt that he could do whatever I had obligated him to do. I relate to the mother/son exchange between Mary and Jesus at that wedding. The love and faith.


What a unique and marvelous place to be. Halfway between the Old Testament promise of a Saviour and the New Testament fulfillment of those promises. Mary, what a wonder you were. Mary, we still recognize and proclaim: "Blessed are you among women!"




Luke 1: 30 - 38
 ³⁰And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God;

 ³¹and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

 ³²*He* shall be great, and shall be called Son of [the] Highest; and [the] Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father;

 ³³and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for the ages, and of his kingdom there shall not be an end.

 ³⁴But Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man?

 ³⁵And the angel answering said to her, [The] Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and power of [the] Highest overshadow thee, wherefore the holy thing also which shall be born shall be called Son of God.

 ³⁶And behold, Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her that was called barren:

 ³⁷for nothing shall be impossible with God.

 ³⁸And Mary said, Behold the bondmaid of [the] Lord; be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.