The Absence of Pride in the Christmas Story

 I mentioned that I have enjoyed meditating on the Christmas story a verse or two at a time.

I have noted through the past 3 weeks the incredible humility throughout the story.

Bethlehem ... A small town often looked down upon

Mary ... Acknowledging her own lack of worthiness

God in flesh as an infant

The shame placed on Joseph and Mary which they faced their whole life

Joseph's humble submission to God's plan

The humility of the wise man before the child, Jesus

The humble stable

The lowly shepherds as first guests

God chose humble characters.

He honors humility.

He lived humility before us in the person of Christ (Philippians 2)

The "perfect," family Christmas pictures are pouring in on Christmas cards.

The internet is filled with beautiful homes decorated for the holidays.

There are tables decked with glorious, festive meals.

It can be easy to feel a need to compete,

Or a need to promote ones self,

Or feelings of unworthiness.

When you feel like you are lacking,

When you feel the desire to find something to boast about,

Just remember that you have unique gifts and abilities.

Use them to God's glory and humbly do your best in the other areas.

God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.

In Case You Are Free

One thing we have enjoyed doing this season
is planning a Christmas Eve service at our church.
I learned a little bit of PowerPoint to prepare the carols.
We are decorating tonight with fresh greenery and LED candles galore.
Hopefully, there will even be some crockpot potpourri with a pleasant Christmas smell.

It will be a simple service,
no fancy choirs,
no orchestras,
but there will be Scripture readings,
lots of familiar carols,
and a Bible message.

While most of my readers are in the Eastern time zone,
if you are still up at 7 Pacific (10 Eastern),
you could join us for our service.
It would be a pleasant background for your last minute wrapping or cooking.
It would be a way to prepare your heart for Christmas morning if you have not already had a service
and you are not in great need of sleep.
One of my favorite preachers will be bringing the message
and some of my Sunday School students will sing and play duets.

And here's the link. 

Timing is Everything

 This post has been in my mind since Thanksgiving,
but I can finally sit, breathe, and actually write it ...
and give it a Christmas twist.

Timing is everything,
especially if it is God's timing.

But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman,
made under the law,
Galatians 4:4

The birth of Jesus seems anything but perfect.
Poverty, stables, shepherds, death plots.
But God knew what He was doing.
He sent His Son at the perfect time.

A year and a half ago,

we uprooted and crossed the country 
knowing that it was what God would have us to do.
But just because we knew it was God's plan did not mean that it was without struggle.

It came with human struggle.
We missed friends in NC.
We were far from our family in the east.
We were "useful" for 6 months of the year
and seemed to wander for the other 6 months.
We were in a liberal state during riots and protests.

The struggle was human.
Because God had told us to go
we should have let His peace reign.
He provided a home,
in a pleasant neighborhood close to town,
with a job not 10 minutes from home,
with "flexible" hours,
and He had made it all happen.

But He, in His grace, chose to show us His perfect timing this fall.
He moved us at the perfect time.
In October, we found out that this was the time we were needed.
Our family in Oregon was now in need of care,
not just a little care, but possibly end of life care.
Cancer and heart disease had struck and hit hard.

God moved us before Covid.
He got us settled before we were thrust into a new world of medical appointments.
There were no months of warning,
there was no time to prepare for a move,
there was no time to quarantine when we were immediately needed.
God knew that.
God set it up.
He could see what we could not.

And now you know where I have been,
and you will excuse any long absence.
For a little while at least, the medical appointments have slowed down.
We are enjoying a simplified Christmas season - 
one that had to cut a lot of the pleasant, but "fluff," elements of the celebration
in favor of our most focused Christmas ever (I think.)
I have enjoyed writing 3 verses of the Christmas story or Christmas prophecy each morning and really dwelling on small pieces instead of the whole story.
I have been more thankful for God (and His timing)
and am, at least for now, remembering to trust His way as best.