PHOTO CAPTION: Last year’s cookie baking was done in between a dance rehearsal and a myriad of other Christmas activities. Even so, the results were delicious.
Merry Christmas!
This year we didn’t even do our cookie baking. December crept up on me and things just sort of happened, so a few things fell by the wayside this year. I guess there is always next year.
Christmastime is here and I hope this finds you done with your shopping, baking, cleaning, cooking, decorating and whatever else you may have had on your list, because unless you plan on staying up all night, there is no more time to prepare. I hope Christmas brings you time to enjoy your family, friends and simply reflect on the Christmas story. My wish is that you have a very Merry Christmas and that you feel loved in the midst of it.
As much as we all may plan and prepare, Christmas doesn’t always go according to our plans, but Christmas comes anyway and God is with us. I remember one Christmas when our family car broke down and had to have major work done costing more than we had budgeted for our monthly expenses. Christmas wasn’t quite what we planned that year, yet the kids still had presents under the tree and we enjoyed our time together. I also remember one year when my family went to a tree farm we hadn’t been to before. We cut down our tree, took it home, put it up and decorated. It was beautiful until the next day when tons of tiny spiders hatched out and were crawling all over the tree. We hadn’t realized that the spider eggs were there until they hatched in the nice warmth of our home. We had to take the tree down, take it outside, spray it down and then bring it back in after we were sure all the spiders were off, then redecorate. That wasn’t in our family plans that year for sure! Let’s just say that Christmas isn’t always picture perfect.
The first Christmas wasn’t picture perfect either. You may have a beautiful nativity set perfectly displayed on a table or shelf in your home. The scene pictured by most nativity sets is often serene, peaceful and beautiful, not much like the first Christmas. Mary was a young woman, a teenager when the angel came to bring her the news that she would be with child from the Holy Spirit. Somehow, I don’t think that is what Mary had planned for her life. She was engaged to be married to Joseph. She may have thought they would be married, settle in Nazareth, someday have children and life would continue much as it would for any young woman of her day. She certainly hadn’t planned on becoming pregnant before she was married. She was troubled by the angel’s words. Yet she received God’s assignment willingly.
Later in Mary’s pregnancy, she and Joseph were required to go to Bethlehem because of a census. Did they know when they started out for Bethlehem that Jesus would be born there or were they hoping to make it to Bethlehem, register, and travel back to Nazareth before the baby was born? Did they know that all the inns would be full in Bethlehem? Somehow, I don’t think Mary and Joseph planned to birth Jesus in a stable and yet that is what happened and God was with them in the midst of the unexpected events in their lives. God was working out His plan.
How thankful I am that Christmas is not about perfection, rather it’s about a God who loved us enough to enter our world. He sent His only Son as a baby to be Immanuel, God with us. That is worth celebrating! No matter what else may be going on in our lives, we can celebrate Jesus. Jesus, born in a humble stable came to be with us and to live as we live. He came for humble shepherds and for wise men. He came for Mary and Joseph and He looked down through the centuries to see you and me, so He came. He came because He loved.
He came to redeem us, to give His life for us. He is our Savior, our rescuer and our forever friend. So when the unexpected happens, when we are unprepared for what life brings our way; we can choose to look up knowing we are not alone. God is very near. He wants to walk with us just as He walked with Mary and Joseph on that first Christmas night. Like Mary and Joseph, we can respond to God’s call, His assignment, with a resounding, “Yes!” Then we can trust Him with the details. He will work out His amazing plan in our lives. You see, when we welcome Him, God is there in every moment. In the mundane moments and the unexpected; in the picture perfect and those moments that are not so perfect, God is there. Rejoice, Christmas is here!
PARENT PRAYER:
God,
Again I just want to say, “Thank you!” for the incredible gift of your Son, Jesus. You loved and so you gave. Jesus, you loved too and so you came. You came humbly not to be served, but to serve. You came not to receive, but to give. You gave everything for us because you loved us. It’s hard for me to understand the depth of your love and yet I am thankful. Lord, remind me that Christmas is a time to celebrate your gift of love and to share your love with others. Like the first Christmas long ago, my celebration may not be picture perfect, but I know that you are with me. I know that you walk with me and I know that you love me just as I am. Oh that your love may shine through me towards others especially my family. Thank you for walking with me everyday. Thank you for being my Savior and friend. Amen
Kid’s Section
STORY: Jesus Is Born – Luke 2
The story this week is a review. You may wish to use a child friendly Nativity set to help you review the Christmas story with your child.
Let’s see if we can remember what we’ve been learning about this month.
Who brought good news to Mary and Joseph before Jesus was born? (An angel.) What was the good news? (Mary was going to have a very special baby. Pretend to rock a baby.) What would the baby’s name be? (Jesus and He would be God’s one and only Son.)
Where did Mary & Joseph go before Jesus was born? (On a long trip to Bethlehem.) Joseph walked and Mary rode a donkey. (Clip clop, clip clop!) When they got to Bethlehem, they were very tired. (Yawn) They looked for a place to rest, but all the inns were full. Where did they stay? (In a stable, a place where animals sleep.) Jesus was born in a stable and He slept in a manger.
What did the angel tell the shepherds? (“Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news, a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord.”) The angel told the shepherds about baby Jesus. After the angels left the shepherds, they went to see Jesus. They found baby Jesus in the manger just like the angel said they would. They were very happy and excited.
What did they do after they saw baby Jesus? (Told everyone the good news. They shared God’s love with everyone. Cup hands by mouth and say, “Jesus is born!”)
God loved us (Hands on heart.) so much that He gave us Jesus. (Hands out as though giving a gift.) We can thank God for sending Jesus to earth and we can thank Jesus for coming. Jesus came to be our Savior and forever friend.
What can you do? I can remember that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday and I can love and welcome Jesus.
MEMORIZE: Luke 2:11 NIRV – (Hold hands like holding a book.)
… A Savior – (Cross arms and then swing outwards.)
Has been born – (Rock a baby.)
To you. – (Extend hands outward.)
He is Christ the Lord – (Point upwards.)
A savior is someone who rescues and helps us.
KNOW: Jesus is God’s best gift.
“God so loved that He gave …”
TALK ABOUT: Birthdays
ASK: Who loves you? God loves me. Why did Jesus come to earth? He came to be my Savior and forever friend.
AND DO… I can praise and thank God for Jesus.
FUN IDEA FOR THIS WEEK:
* Bake a birthday cake together and sing to Jesus. No time to bake? Buy one and let your child put on the candles or bake cupcakes. This can be done after Christmas. Some cultures celebrate Christmas until January 12th.
* Don’t forget to make some time this week to read the Christmas story with your child. There are a lot of Children’s Bibles that are simple and fun to read from as well as many Christmas story books that share the simple story of Jesus birth.
PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for loving me and giving me your best gift, Jesus. Happy Birthday, Jesus. I love you. Amen
Faith Steps and More 