Joy in the Journey

Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Matthew 2:10 (KJV) For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government of the world will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government there will be no end. Isaiah 9:6-7a Whatever translation you read, whatever verse is your favorite, (the ones above are three of mine) this is the season of exceeding great joy, of gospel (good news) and of light. Jesus came and He's coming back! Some people struggle with the hustle and hurry of preparing for Christmas. Some thrive on the energy. Some of us are surrounded by noise, children, extended family and friends. Some are barely able to control their grief or are drowning in sadness, loneliness. Which ever side of the spectrum you...

When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Luke 2:10 (This was written two years ago but is so precious I had to repost it. Abram is now almost four and is now showing his little sister Margaret "Christmas everywhere.". He still finds Christmas, and pretty much all of life, “amazing.” I wish more people had his attitude and his humor.) Our heavenly Father, from whom all blessings flow (James 1:17) has blessed my husband and me with ten precious grandchildren. It might be a bit biased to say that they are the sweetest, cutest kids ever but that doesn’t mean it’s not true. Just the other day our youngest grandson Abram came to see us. It was his first time at our house since the arrival of the Christmas decorations. Walking in to our living room he stopped and said, “Grammy, it’s Christmas everywhere!” His voice was filled with the awe and wonder. As he moved through the house and saw more and more decorations he repeated his sentiment aga...

  “ Let every heart prepare Him room...” Joy To The World While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn,a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7 What happens at your house when someone special comes to stay? Do you do a little extra cleaning and primping? I do and I'm sure that hotels are no different. Mr. and Mrs. Ordinary are checking in today. Okay, we're ready. The room is clean. But what happens when King Someone and Queen Super Special check in? Is the room clean, like amazingly, sparkling clean? Good. Now let's add a vase of flowers and some snacks. Maybe some nice new fluffy pillows? Oh yes, when it's “somebody” checking in, the preparation amps up considerably, I'm sure. Here in Luke 2 we see that the King of kings is about to be born. The God of the entire universe! Whoa! What is that prep like? Well, it ...

  “ Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother and in his name all oppression shall cease.” O Holy Night If my people called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 It's Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas, what the secular world refers to as “the Christmas season.” During this time radio stations of all varieties, stores and many other public venues play Christmas music. The song I quoted above, “O Holy Night” has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. As often happens for me, the other day, I truly heard the lyric above, “chains shall he break for the slave is our brother and in his name all oppression shall cease.” In his name. We live in a time of finger pointing, “hate speech”, an obsession with tolerance and bullying. There are people in this world, far too many o...