How Well Do You Know the Christmas Story? by Lynn Dove

This might be a great Christmas activity to do on Christmas Eve. Before putting the little ones to bed, gather them around and read the Christmas Story together, AFTER you have taken this fun quiz.

The complete quiz is posted on my Journey Thoughts blog, but here are a few questions to whet your appetite:

1.  How did Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem?

• camel
• donkey
• walked
• Volkswagen
• Joseph walked, Mary rode a donkey
• Who knows?

Answer:   Who knows?  The Bible does not say anything about a donkey.  Luke 2:4 simply tells us that Joseph and Mary went from Nazareth to Galilee.  Many biblical scholars think that because of their economic status they probably both walked but that is just speculation.

2.  What did the innkeeper tell Mary and Joseph?

• There is no room at the inn
• I have a stable you can use
• Come back after the Christmas rush
• None of the above

Answer:  None of the above.  The Bible does not say any words spoken by the inn keeper.  In fact, Luke does not even mention an inn keeper, merely an inn and the fact that there was no room.  (Luke 2:7).  To get really specific, there is also no mention of a stable.

3.   Jesus was delivered in a:

• stable
• manger
• cave
• barn
• unknown

Answer:  Unknown.  Just like no words being recorded by the innkeeper, there is no mention where Mary delivered Jesus.  Matthew says Jesus was born in Bethlehem and Luke 2:7 says Mary gave birth to Him and laid him in a manger.

4.  A manger is a:

• stable for domestic animals
• wooden hay storage bin
• feeding trough
• barn

Answer:  A feeding trough for animals.  Perhaps it was this fact alone that has brought about the popular assumption that Jesus was born in a stable or barn because of a manger being close at hand to put the Baby in.  Using deductive reasoning, culture has also determined that if there is a feeding trough, there must also be animals nearby.  Countless Nativity or crèche scenes depict that as fact.  It is merely speculation and assumption.  Scripture doesn’t back up those theories in any way.

5.  According to the Bible, which animals were present at Jesus’ birth?

• cows, sheep, goats
• cows, donkeys, sheep
• miscellaneous barnyard animals
• lions, tigers and bears
• we don’t know

Answer:  We don’t know.  There is no mention of animals of any kind around Jesus after His birth.  Refer to my explanation #4.

6.  Who saw the star in the east?

• shepherds
• Mary and Joseph
• Magi (aka Wise Men)
• both shepherds and Magi
• none of the above

Answer:  The Magi.  The star is only mentioned in conjunction with the Magi.  They told Herod they had seen the star.  (Matthew 2:2)

7.  Where did the Magi find Jesus?

• in the manger
• in the stable
• in an inn
• in a house

Answer:  Sorry to wreck your Nativity scenes, but the Magi were not present the night Jesus was born.  Scriptural evidence shows Jesus could have been as old as two by the time they arrived.  If that is true then Jesus, Mary, and Joseph would have been staying in a house.  (Matthew 2:11)

The complete quiz can be found at this link: http://lynndove.com/2013/12/04/a-christmas-quiz/

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

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),  Devotional Stories for Wives: 101 Daily Devotions to Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire You (Sept. 2013) O Canada The Wonders of Winter: 101 Stories about Bad Weather, Good Times, and Great Sports (Nov. 2013) and Miracles Happen: 101 Inspirational Stories about Hope, Answered Prayers, and Divine Intervention (Feb. 14).  She was most recently awarded Literary Classics International Book Awards - Seal of Approval and Silver Medal in Young Adult Faith-based fiction for her book Love the Wounded.  Readers may connect with Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog: Journey Thoughts

Receiving God's Love at Christmas by Terrie Lynne

As I sat quietly on the pew in the balcony, my eyes were captivated by the candlelit lanterns that were dimly glowing along the aisles of the sanctuary. My ears were tuned to the sound of the piano softly playing Christmas carols in the background, but my mind was still busy thinking about the preparations yet to complete for the Christmas gathering with my family the next morning. It was Christmas Eve and it was time to set everything aside and focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet even though I knew in my heart that I should relax and enjoy this moment, my mind still could not join in with the rest of my senses.

My son as a child in his Christmas outfit

Then the moment came when a little boy walked in front of me dressed in black pants and red vest with a white shirt and a little black tie. I smiled at him as he proudly walked on by. Seeing that little boy brought back memories of a time when I dressed my own small son just like that for Christmas. My eyes suddenly filled with tears and the door to my heart swung wide open, receiving the love from my Heavenly Father, who was there waiting all along for me to open my heart to Him. He knew that it would take the simplicity of an innocent child to bring me back, not only into the present reality of that special evening, but into His presence.

Yes, it was Christmas and time to celebrate and remember that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that who ever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. The wonderful news of peace on earth, good will to men!

photos compliments of family photo album and photopin.com

Christmas-My Childhood Memories - Sulo Moorthy

“There is nothing sadder in the world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.” ~ Erma Bombeck

I grew up in a neighborhood where Christians were in the minority. Yet Christmas brought so much joy not only to us Christians but also to those who lived around us.
 
Christmas preparation started early in October at our home, when my mother along with my two older sisters and I went shopping for clothing and cake ingredients. Exchanging gifts at Christmas time was not a custom for us then. However, wearing pretty new clothes to church on Christmas morning, making the traditional Christmas fruit cake, and having a feast-like Christmas lunch with family and neighbors were part of the celebration.

The dark and moist fruit cake my mom made at Christmas was called Rich Cake, because almost all the ingredients that went into the cake were imported from either Britain or Australia and that surely cost a lot of money. At that time, we didn't have a cake mixer to beat the batter, or a food processor to chop the large amount of dried fruits or even an oven to bake the cake. Yet that didn't stop my mom from making the cake.

Along with my two older sisters, she spent long hours chopping the fruits and soaking them for days in brandy and golden syrup and beating the cake batter in a huge enamel basin with a wooden spoon. She then poured the batter into large baking trays and sent them to the bakery to be baked a month ahead. Once the cake was brought back from the bakery, no one was allowed to see, touch or taste the cake until the Christmas morning. It was stored securely in barrel-like steel containers away from ants and the family’s sight. As a child, I wasn’t fond of the fruit cake, and so it didn’t bother me much. My favorite was my mom's fluffy raisin and cashew nut cake.

We didn't have Christmas lights blinking on our rooftops or a decorated Christmas tree in our living room. Instead red, yellow and green ribbons of crepe paper hung across our front porch and living room with clusters of huge colorful balloons pinned at every corner. From the middle of December, Christmas carolers from our home church and nearby churches would start marching down our lane at night with lighted candle in one hand and tambourines in the other and making a joyful sound to wake up any dozing soul. Our Hindu neighbors neither complained nor showed any displeasure on hearing the carol singing even on late nights. Respect for each other's faith gave no ground to feud over such matters.

On Christmas morning, we would wake up to the sound of firecrackers blasting in our backyard and far across our streets. My ears, in the mean time would be perked up to hear another kind of sound-the jingling of keys on my father’s wardrobe in the next room. No sooner I heard my father calling out my name, I’d jump out of bed and run towards his room wondering what toy Dad would be holding in his hand this time. As always Dad would be waiting for me with a huge smile and a gift in his hand. A beautiful doll with blue eyes and golden locks, a winding toy-monkey beating a drum or a shaggy dog barking , a toy- train or tea set were some of the Christmas gifts I received at that age. My mom and older siblings got mostly clothing from my dad. Being the youngest, I was privileged to receive a toy as well as a frilly taffeta or an organdy dress.

Until we returned from church that morning, we were not allowed to eat anything. But when we returned, we would find all kinds of Christmas goodies and cakes laid out neatly on plates on the table with bunches of a variety of bananas.

Kaakka, an old Muslim man, who worked at my father’s office usually came in to help my mom prepare the Christmas lunch. Kaakka resembled the genie popped out of the Aladdin’s lamp. His broad toothless smile and gentle manners charmed anyone who came across him. In no time, he’d get ready to prepare his famous ghee rice and goat curry in two huge barrel like containers over open hearth in at our backyard The aroma of cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and other spices in the curry and rice wafting in the air would soon bring the neighbors around to celebrate the Christmas meal with us. Invitation was not needed for anyone to drop in, and whoever came never left without eating on that day.

Apart from our neighbors, those who usually worked in our yard- fixing fences, plucking coconuts, sweeping the yard or chopping firewood would also come with their children to enjoy the Christmas meal and to take some food back home. As my parents presented new clothing and money to the workers after the meal, I enjoyed giving out candies, balloons and firecrackers to their children.

I may have born in a Buddhist country and grew up in a Hindu neighborhood, but the joy of Christmas experienced during my childhood was truly extraordinary. I didn't have the pleasure of sitting on Santa's lap to take a photo or have a pile of wrapped up gifts under the Christmas tree as my children did, but I had everything what Christmas is all about- love, laughter and sharing.


Posted last year in my personal blog-Precious Moments

My Peace I Give You - Linda Aleta Tame

My Peace I Give You


There's a big difference between peace and chaos, isn't there? At least we think there is.  But during the Christmas season, it seems we must skillfully balance between the two, and sometimes the boundary is blurred.

We sing Joy to the World, or Peace on Earth while we scurry through department stores in the shopping frenzy of the holidays.  We make lists, plan menus, coordinate schedules, organize concerts and attend Christmas parties.  We bake shortbread with cherries in the middle, make caramel corn, wrap gifts with colorful paper and shiny bows, stuff stockings and constantly hunt for the Scotch Tape or the pen we had in our hands just moments ago.  We purchase trees (or assemble them), hang lights, decorate with tinsel, and prepare beds for overnight guests.  Oh, and we eat...oh yes, we eat!  It's all so wonderful, isn't it?

"It doesn't have to be perfect," we say, but in some ways we believe it does have to be perfect.  It's Christmas.  Oh, we can handle it if the cat pulls the tree over, or if the kids guess what their gifts are.  It's okay if we forget the coleslaw in the fridge during Christmas dinner, if we forget to chill the cranberries, or even if we forget to turn the oven on to bake the turkey.  These things we can laugh about, if not now, then later.

Some things though, are just simply not okay.  It's not okay if we're offended, if we slam doors, if we have melt-downs or start ugly crying.  It's not okay if our words are hurtful, or if we pout in our bedrooms.  It's also not okay if we frantically throw on our coats and go walking while gritting our teeth in the cold, alone, especially if we forgot our mitts.  "These things must not happen," we say, but we know it's possible when twenty-nine family members get together, when the house is full of noise and activity.  That's when anxiety threatens to destroy whatever peace on earth we thought we had.

Maybe the walk in the cold, or a little time alone to process the chaos (pouting?) is not such a terrible thing.  Sometimes it's exactly what we need to remember the reason we're going about all this activity.  Maybe we need to remember that His peace is not the same as the peace we expect in the world.  In fact, His peace takes into consideration that we're human beings.  There will be occasions that are difficult, there will be hurt feelings, doors will slam.  We can do our best, but we can't control everything, nor should we want to.

Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, experienced birth and death in the midst of chaos, yet He left us with peace, and continues to give us peace.  It's the kind of peace that reigns in our hearts.  If our hearts are anxious, we need to take time to remember that He IS our peace.  We can't always change the circumstances, but we can walk through anything by receiving His gracious provision.  

May you be filled with joy and be comforted by His peace this season!

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Photo Compliments of Sharon Webb.