Socking It To The Poor -- Bruce Atchison

How sad it is that the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has developed into a greed fest. Though people attend Christmas Eve services, their minds are filled with the excitement of getting and giving presents. Some folks contribute to The Salvation Army or a similar charity but the poor and disenfranchised are often an afterthought in the hectic schedule of the holiday season.

Though I had turned my back on God during the early nineties, I still felt that I should do something to help street people in need of some holiday cheer. At a discount stor, I bought as many woolen socks as I could afford. Then I took a shopping bag full of them down to the Salvation Army a few mornings before Christmas.

"I'd like to donate these to you folks to help the street people," I explained to a skeptical man at their distribution depot. "Since I don't celebrate Christmas anymore, I thought I'd help them out in a practical way."

The Salvation Army clerk opened the bag and stared in astonishment at all the brand new winter socks. "This is amazing," he exclaimed in wonder. "People usually come here to get something, not to give."

"Well, I figure that these people need something like this more than my well-off friends so I decided to buy these socks for them."

"Thanks for bringing these in to us," he said as he smiled and shook my hand. "Thats wonderful of you to do this."

I strolled out of the front door, finally feeling I'd done something noble for my fellow man.

Whoever said that Jesus was the only person who never gets presents on his birthday these days got it right in most cases. It all seems so pointless to give gifts to those who will just give you something back. Like Christ said about banquets, it's better to invite those who are too poor to invite you back again. Far too many folks are wound up in partying, visiting, and banqueting at this time of year. Why not invite somebody who has nobody to be with at this time of year to supper or lunch? Why not help out at a ministry to the street people? Remember too that there are people in need all year round, not just at this season.

Heaven's Delight! - Lynn Dove

My mother had a Danish expression for the feeling that surrounds us on Christmas Eve but for the life of me I couldn't remember how to spell the word, until my cousin from Denmark sent me the correct spelling.

"Hyggeaften"

I asked my mother once what the word meant but she just said, "English words can't describe it adequately."

 "Aften" means evening or night, but "Hygge" means: peaceful, calm, serene, homey, silent, glowing, harmonious, joyful, affable, warm, genial, sedate, placid, expectant, delightful, still, tranquil...well, I guess Mom was right...you can't pinpoint the words to adequately describe this danish word or the feelings "hygge" evokes.

Christmas Eve. "Hyggeaften"...the pictures from my childhood comfort me like a soft warm blanket. Picture a warm, crackling fire in the fire place. The soft glow of candlelight, the twinkling of lights on the Christmas tree. The warmth of a cup of cocoa. My cat, softly purring, curled up on my lap. Subdued sounds of Christmas carols playing in the background. My mother knitting beside me, my father smoking his pipe and silently watching the fire dance in the hearth. The feeling of safety and belonging and love. It's Christmas Eve.

It doesn't matter where I am in the world, Christmas Eve for me will always be "Hyggeaften". It's an emotion, more than a word. It is peace on earth, good will to all men and its origin began in Bethlehem when baby Jesus was born.

It is silent night. People then had no idea what was about to happen on that silent night. The sound of a baby's first cry would be no more astonishing to hear than a cow lowing or the mewling of a lamb, but the angels in heaven certainly knew the significance of that baby's arrival because they immediately appeared in the night sky and sang, to the shock and wonderment of their shepherd audience, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

This special event had been planned from the beginning of time, and the angels were finally able to proclaim that the Christ Child was born! Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace! Immanuel, God with us! Imagine the joy from heaven! At last, heaven's darling sent to dwell amongst us.

Joy to the World, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room...let heaven and nature sing! Heaven's excitement, our delight!

But on a hill far away, there is a cross silhouetted against the night sky. The angels know it's part of God's plan, but still they sing, not in spite of it but because of it.

Come to Bethlehem and see, Christ Whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

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Lynn Dove calls herself a Christ-follower, a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a teacher and a writer (in that order). She is the author of award winning books: The Wounded Trilogy.  Her blog, Journey Thoughts won a Canadian Christian Writing Award - 2011.  She has also had essays published in "Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith" and "Chicken Soup for the Soul - Parenthood" (March 2013).  Readers may connect with Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog: Journey Thoughts 


 

Joseph - The Overlooked Character in the Nativity Story - Sulo Moorthy

Mary, Baby Jesus, angels, shepherds, the Star and the manger mostly stole the spotlight in the Nativity scene while Joseph moved about as a shadowy figure in the picture. We haven't heard of any carol sung about him or a song equivalent to " Mary , do you know your Baby boy," that asked Joseph what he thought about bringing up the Christ Child as his own baby boy.

What a tremendous responsibility and high expectation were placed upon his shoulders,yet no one bothered to write a song pondering about Joseph's situations. I hadn't given much thought to him either until my pastor focused his entire sermon on Joseph on last Sunday.

Joseph was no ordinary man as we assume him to be. According to Gospel of Mathew 1:19, he was a righteous man, meaning he stood right with God. Because he stood right with God, he had the wisdom to do the right thing at the right time.

Any other man in his shoes would have dragged Mary to a public place to be stoned to death no sooner he heard about her pregnancy from Mary's own mouth. But Joseph chose not to do that. That showed how much he must have loved and trusted Mary enough to not to disgrace her publicly. He could have easily cleared his name and protected his reputation by condemning Mary with adultery.

If Joseph chose to marry the pregnant Mary, his community would definitely spit on his face for impregnating a virgin before marriage. No one would have bought Mary's story of angel appearing to her and she becoming pregnant by the power of Holy Spirit. Joseph was sure of facing the scorn of his parents as well as Mary's parents. His also faced the risk of losing his business customers and his livelihood for the sake of his support for Mary. From every angle Joseph must have foreseen the humiliation and rejection from his people.

Gone were the nights, which he spent on dreaming of the wonderful life he was going to have with Mary and the dream house he was planning to build. All those dreams must have got shattered when Mary broke the news of her pregnancy to him. Now, he had to come up with another plan to get out of the marriage without dragging Mary's reputation in the mud. So, he decided to divorce her quietly,

His new plan didn't work either, for an angel of the Lord interrupted his sleep in a dream and told him what he need to do next. It wasn't what Joseph planned to do. Yet, he was willing to change his plans and act according to God's plans. No wonder God chose no other man, but Joseph to bring up His only begotten Son down here on earth. Joseph was a righteous and obedient man of God, a perfect role model for Jesus to grow up under his roof.

The Bible also records that Joseph had no union with his wife Mary until she gave birth to God's Son Jesus. Yes, Joseph honored Mary's hallowed call on her life and let go of his husband right. He put Mary's purity and comfort before his need and pleasure. No husband would want to make that decision on his wedding day. Yet, Joseph did. By doing so, he stood taller than any other man in honor. No wonder, God chose no other man, but Joseph to be the earthly father to love and bring up baby Jesus to manhood.

When the call came to him in a dream to take his wife and baby to Egypt, Joseph raised no question. Later, when he was commanded to go back home, he acted at once. His trust in God must had been so strong and steadfast, he showed no hesitance whenever God asked him to do something. It's no surprise that the eyes of the Lord which are on the righteous chose Joseph to be the perfect father to bring up Jesus on earth.

Mary, the highly favored one was called the blessed one among women, and Joseph was called the righteous man. Both had a high calling in their lives to raise God's Son in a loving and healthy environment and both did their part well in raising boy Jesus to become what His heavenly Father intended Him to be.

What a great couple, what a strong marriage and what a holy family to remember during this Christmas season! Yes, no one wrote or sang a song, " Joseph, did you know that the Baby in the manger would one day raise the dead and make the blind see?" Yet, that doesn't diminish the important role Joseph played in the greatest story ever told on earth-the birth of Jesus.

(Published in Precious Moments on 12/23/2010)

Beyond Our Pain by Brenda J Wood

I never know what will bring on memories and tears. I start into church thinking today is a good day. Someone says hello and I dissolve into tears. A song plays on the car radio and I have to pull over because I can’t see to drive.

A part of me is gone. I am not who I was. I was a We for fifty years and now I am a Me. I’ve lost part of myself. I feel like a birch tree, bark slowly being peeled away, limbs being ripped off one by one. My better half is gone.

I feel off balance, abnormal even. Empty space surrounds me. It is the absence of my Beloved.

I slowly adjust. A large socket wrench twists at my being, turning me into a different person with excruciating slowness. And why not? Husbands and wives are one flesh. That is why recovery time is so long, so hard and so difficult. How would you feel if someone ripped off your arm or your leg, leaving a gaping hole where it once was attached?

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman', for she was taken out of man.” Genesis 2:23 - 24 NIV

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Much of our human comfort comes from those who have been through the same things. In my case it is other widows, simply because they too have had gaping, open wounds in their innermost selves.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  Luke 10:34 (NIV)
 

And our spiritual comfort comes from the Christ…..who also experienced wounds.

He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed."  1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

Prayer:  Lord God, give us courage to reach beyond our own pain to encourage another. Amen.


~ Brenda J Wood