- Do you think of all the gifts you have to buy and give to all the people you know??
- Is it all the lights we see??
- Is it all the food we get to eat or that we even have to make??
- Is it all the shouts of "Merry Christmas" we hear from the people around us??
- Is it a rush to get all the cookies baked...all the shopping done..all the gifts wrapped??
- Does it get our blood pressure up or is it a hectic time??
Christmas is SO much more then all this. Yes even tho there is nothing wrong to bake cookies..give gifts etc.
Christmas for me this year has been very different. I had a lot of fun in baking and giving out plates of cookies. But it has also been a lot more then that. MY mind was often drawn to "worship" my King because of what ALL He has done for me. Yes it needs to come from me ALL Year..not just at Christmas.How do I look at the people that are around me? Do I look at them and see all the "bad " things about them. Or can I look at them and see them with a compassion for them and a love that Jesus has for them. There is a song by Brandon Heath that I heard over Christmas time that really "hit' me this year.
I wonder if you've heard the story
Of little fame and lesser glory
The night the keeper of the innkeeper
The little town of Bethlehem
Encountered Joseph and his Mary
About to birth the Savior of the world
His wife said go and see who's knocking
He ran down to the gate unlocked it
The moment he heard Mary's cry
He couldn't look them in the eye
Denied them and went back to bed
When his wife asked who was there
He said I don't know
Just a girl
Just a couple gypsies begging at the door
Told them we don't have room for anymore
And closed the door
It was just a girl
He tried to sleep and wasn't able
He snuck out to the dirty stable
The two had found for covering
And later in her suffering
The keeper knelt outside the barn
And in the light of that great star
He prayed what have I done
He's just a babe
Just minutes old there trembling in the hay
I could have found a room for them to stay
I'm so ashamed
He's just a babe
There was no robe
There was no crown
The shepherds stood
On royal ground
The keeper wept
For what he'd done
He turned away
God's own Son
Just a King
Just a million angels crowding in to see
Jesus there among humanity
Just a babe
Just minutes old there trembling in the hay
Staring at his mother in the face
She's just a girl
Just a girl
Does she even know that she just changed the world
Does she even know that He will save the world
Does Mary know that He will save the world
She's just a girl
Just a girl
Just a girl
Of little fame and lesser glory
The night the keeper of the innkeeper
The little town of Bethlehem
Encountered Joseph and his Mary
About to birth the Savior of the world
His wife said go and see who's knocking
He ran down to the gate unlocked it
The moment he heard Mary's cry
He couldn't look them in the eye
Denied them and went back to bed
When his wife asked who was there
He said I don't know
Just a girl
Just a couple gypsies begging at the door
Told them we don't have room for anymore
And closed the door
It was just a girl
He tried to sleep and wasn't able
He snuck out to the dirty stable
The two had found for covering
And later in her suffering
The keeper knelt outside the barn
And in the light of that great star
He prayed what have I done
He's just a babe
Just minutes old there trembling in the hay
I could have found a room for them to stay
I'm so ashamed
He's just a babe
There was no robe
There was no crown
The shepherds stood
On royal ground
The keeper wept
For what he'd done
He turned away
God's own Son
Just a King
Just a million angels crowding in to see
Jesus there among humanity
Just a babe
Just minutes old there trembling in the hay
Staring at his mother in the face
She's just a girl
Just a girl
Does she even know that she just changed the world
Does she even know that He will save the world
Does Mary know that He will save the world
She's just a girl
Just a girl
Just a girl
There are a lot of people who are very sad over Christmas.
Maybe they can not buy gifts...
No family....
No warm place to live in...
No food.....
The list could go on and on...The question I ask myself is..What difference can I make in their life??
FAMILY....
Something I have taken for "granted" for way to many years...
Family to me is a "safe" place, where we can be real.Where we choose to love each other for who they are. Where we can agree to disagree and still love.
Here are a few of my highlights from being with family on Thanksgiving and Christmas:
- Sharing memories
- Lots of Laughter
- Crying together
- Praying
- Singing
- Games and even putting a puzzle together ( Or I should say at least trying:) )
- Reading books
- Warmth of a fire
- Challenging "disagreements"
I am so blessed and thankful for the family God has given me. A lot of people in this world do not know what "family" is....
CLOSURE
Is the 3rd word that has been a lot on my mind during Christmas.
Closure from what ??
I am so amazed how God has lead me this past year. While I was home for 2 1/2 weeks I felt God giving me "closure" in different ways...
I would not trade what all I have learned in my "short" time in life for anything else in this world. Yes some of it has been very painful ....put with that has come a healing that only can come from God.
And I know I am committing to a 2 year term here in the City...and I need to and want to put my heart into this 100% and in order for me to do that ..there are things back home that I need to let go....
God has closed a chapter in my life..so it is with awe and a feeling of reverence, anticipation, and of excitement to see what God is going to do with this new chapter in life.
It is only because of God....
