"Is Christmas a day, a season or a way of life? Can you change the way you prioritize it?
Lord, help me keep a Christmas heart-
A heart that holds the season dear..."
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Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Calvary-The First Christmas Tree
"I recently had a strange sort of a thought. I don't know where it could have come from, except from God, because I don't think I could have come up with this alone. Here it is: the very first Christmas tree was the Cross of Calvary.
As I pondered the idea, I realized how much sense it made. If we call the day 'Christmas' or 'Christ-mass,' a mass celebrating His birth as the start of a sacrifice, then the very first Mass was the day of His sacrifice, the Crucifixion. Which would make the cross to which He was nailed the tree of the first Christ-mass."
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As I pondered the idea, I realized how much sense it made. If we call the day 'Christmas' or 'Christ-mass,' a mass celebrating His birth as the start of a sacrifice, then the very first Mass was the day of His sacrifice, the Crucifixion. Which would make the cross to which He was nailed the tree of the first Christ-mass."
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Sunday, November 14, 2010
An Elijah Christmas - Devotions from the Road of Life
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. 1 Kings 17: 13-16, King James Version
"One of my favorite Christmas memories comes from the late 1970s. Back then, times were tough and money was tight-a lot like things are today. My husband, my son and I didn’t have a lot, but we had enough to get by, even if there was nothing left over afterward. Christmas was a lot of fun anyway, because I always started planning on December 26 for the next year."
Click here for more of this Christmas memoir.
"One of my favorite Christmas memories comes from the late 1970s. Back then, times were tough and money was tight-a lot like things are today. My husband, my son and I didn’t have a lot, but we had enough to get by, even if there was nothing left over afterward. Christmas was a lot of fun anyway, because I always started planning on December 26 for the next year."
Click here for more of this Christmas memoir.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Is It Your Best? (Number 16 in a series)
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us…” Romans 12:6 (KJV)
As I wound my way into town, a Christmas CD played in the car – an instrumental version of “The Little Drummer Boy.” I sang along with the melody, and a mental image of the little boy popped into my head. A child, wanting so desperately to give a gift to the Child yet fearing he had nothing good enough to offer.
I thought about his dilemma and his creative solution. All he had was a musical gift, to play the drum. The gift he gave was to play the best he could. And he earned a smile from the Christ Child.
The traditional story got me to thinking: do I give my best, or do I settle for less? Any gift I give shouldn’t just be Good. It should be the Best I can do. There is no job too large or small, no offering too unimportant to undeserving of the best I can do. My best effort, my best heart, my best attention to detail.
When I was growing up in Grace Baptist Church in New Orleans, I belonged to the Girls’ Auxiliary. One of the songs we sang, practically an anthem for us, was entitled “Give of Your Best to the Master.” If I close my eyes for a moment, I can still hear those young voices enjoining each other to do our best for Jesus, just as the drummer boy did.
Each of us has strengths and weaknesses, and there are some things in which we excel while other tasks may seem heartbreakingly difficult. Jesus does not demand that we do everything perfectly, but asks us to use the gifts He has given us to do our best at whatever we undertake.
It’s a lesson to remember, not only at Christmas, but all year round!
Dear Jesus, You are God’s Best and He sent you for me. Help me to remember always to give You my best in return.
© 2008 Mary Beth Magee
As I wound my way into town, a Christmas CD played in the car – an instrumental version of “The Little Drummer Boy.” I sang along with the melody, and a mental image of the little boy popped into my head. A child, wanting so desperately to give a gift to the Child yet fearing he had nothing good enough to offer.
I thought about his dilemma and his creative solution. All he had was a musical gift, to play the drum. The gift he gave was to play the best he could. And he earned a smile from the Christ Child.
The traditional story got me to thinking: do I give my best, or do I settle for less? Any gift I give shouldn’t just be Good. It should be the Best I can do. There is no job too large or small, no offering too unimportant to undeserving of the best I can do. My best effort, my best heart, my best attention to detail.
When I was growing up in Grace Baptist Church in New Orleans, I belonged to the Girls’ Auxiliary. One of the songs we sang, practically an anthem for us, was entitled “Give of Your Best to the Master.” If I close my eyes for a moment, I can still hear those young voices enjoining each other to do our best for Jesus, just as the drummer boy did.
Each of us has strengths and weaknesses, and there are some things in which we excel while other tasks may seem heartbreakingly difficult. Jesus does not demand that we do everything perfectly, but asks us to use the gifts He has given us to do our best at whatever we undertake.
It’s a lesson to remember, not only at Christmas, but all year round!
Dear Jesus, You are God’s Best and He sent you for me. Help me to remember always to give You my best in return.
© 2008 Mary Beth Magee
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Reason for the Season
While this isn't exactly a devotional, I wanted to share with you a reminder of the heart of this season.
I took this photo of a display put up by one of my sister's neighbors. Each time I pass the home, I can't help but smile at the truth of the sign. Jesus truly is the Reason for the Season.
In this hectic, activity-filled, over-scheduled season, I invite you to revisit the Nativity Story (start at Luke 1 and continue through chapter 2) for a breath of fresh air amid the commercial smog. We don't celebrate because of the invention of department stores - we celebrate the King.
May your holiday season be blessed richly!
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