Do your cups overfloweth? Mine do. I walked into the kitchen this afternoon and there they were–overflowing on the counter—fast food cups, Solo cups, juice cups and coffee cups—over a dozen of them. My eyes tried to count as my hands went to work, and the voice in my head vented with questions like, “Why can’t anyone seem to find the dishwasher?” “How many more nano seconds does it take to drop a cup in the trash rather than…
No room. It’s a sad thought, really, but one that makes a lot of sense. In a busy time of census taking, inns were full and rooms were hard to come by. Still, no one knew that this woman they were ushering out was about to give birth to Jesus, the Son of God, the One who would change the world and bring about hope for a better tomorrow. Even today, it’s easy to get so busy over the…
Bethlehem, a small town a few miles southwest of Jerusalem, had seen busier times before the birth of Jesus occurred. Because history describes it as an ancient caravanning route, quite a mix of cultures could probably be found there at any given time. In Old Testament times, it became the burial place for Jacob’s favored wife Rachel, and the living place for Naomi and Ruth, and later King David. Many years passed, and due to Caesar Augustus’ decree that…
Joy… it comes naturally when hopes are fulfilled. The wise men, who had seen the star and set out to find the reason for it – the Christ child baby – had fulfilled their purpose and had reason to rejoice. Their long journey ended in great joy. But what about when it doesn’t? What about when hopes don’t seem to be fulfilled, and journeys don’t seem to end happily? After all, some Christmas seasons are just much harder than others. Finances…
On researching the wise men’s gift choices, it was discovered that all three gifts carried a special meaning. Gold was a symbol of royalty. Frankincense was a rare commodity burned on the Altar of Incense, where God’s people offered up prayers to Heaven, and represented worship. Myrrh was a rare perfume used most commonly for burials, included as bodies were wrapped to prevent the smell of decay. This treasured gift seems to represent that Jesus was born to die.…
Candy canes are a cute festive touch to decorating and gift packaging, but just like many other Christmas related items, they can also hold a special meaning. Legend states that many years ago, a candy maker in Indiana created the candy cane as a way to share the true meaning of Christmas. Here are some of the symbols that resulted: Its shape… It is a “J” for Jesus or a shepherd’s staff, depending on which way the candy cane…
I wonder how much Mary did know as she looked down at her sleeping newborn baby. Yes, the angel had come to her in private, making her aware of the miraculous story that would unfold through her womb, immediately encouraging her not to be afraid, and empowering her with strength and love for this unique boy child. But actually raising this boy as his mother, parenting him through the different developmental stages until manhood, and being alone in a…