God's Revealing Party

Do not be afraid, Mary,  you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. Luke 1:30b-31 NIV

Opening something pink or blue in front of friends and family has become a new reason to celebrate. I believe they are called revealing parties. Excited expectant parents share the good news of whether they are having a boy or a girl.

As I approach Christmas, I remember 23 years ago when we were expecting our first child. My doctor didn't routinely do ultrasounds. In fact, believe it or not, he didn't even have an ultrasound machine in his office. So all through my pregnancy it was anybodies guess as to what I was having, but deep down I knew he was a boy.

Hundreds of years earlier when women didn't even go to the doctor for monthly examinations, God held his own revealing party. God sent his messenger down to let a young lady know she was going to have a son. Not just any son, but the son of God.

People had been waiting hundreds of years for this promised child to be born. They knew He was coming they just didn't know when. God had it timed out into His perfect plan.

Mary did indeed give birth to a son. Sure it wasn't in the cleanest of places and she didn't have a doctor around, but somehow she and Joseph managed to bring our Savior into the world. She didn't have the luxury of resting in a hospital, she didn't even get much time to recover. Soon shepherds were visiting her and this precious baby.

In a couple days we will get to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Some of us will spend time with family, some with friends, and a few of us may even celebrate in the hospital. No matter who we're with, I hope that we take the time to remember the real reason for the day.

Merry Christmas!

Out of the Fog

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. Psalm 40:2 NIV

Fog enveloped my house, the street was barely visible. In fact, my back yard even had fog in it which is a rarity. Our little dog was barely visible as she traipsed around the backyard. I was grateful I didn't have to be out on the roads driving early.

There are times when I've felt fogged in. I wonder why things aren't progressing they way I like. Or someone  in the family keeps getting sick and it seems like the illness just won't leave our house. Day care business drops to just barely enough money to pay the bills. Life is stuck.

Fog this time of year can even be harder to penetrate. There are things we'd like to be doing, but are unable to do. The traditions we once had have to be put aside. Someone we love won't be with us to celebrate.

How do we get out of this fog? "Remember allow extra time and use your low beams," the news-reporters remind us .

Sometimes the only way to get out of the fog is to allow the time to get through whatever is holding you back, and use the light of the one who can get us through all things. He can pull us out and give us a firm place to stand.

Does It Matter?

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:30 NIV

Have you ever wondered if what you do matters? This past month has been rather challenging and I've questioned myself: Am I making a difference? Do people care about what I share? Are the children in my ministry getting it?

Over Thanksgiving, I was presented with a challenge. I was told that what I do is not my calling but an obligation. Funny, but I don't see it that way at all. God has given me a gift of working with children and I believe He has also given me a gift of writing. Sure the children can drive me up the wall, and I write run-on sentences, but in my heart I know this is what God has called me to do.

Another challenged I have faced is people wanting to take away, something that I believe is important. I've prayed about it, and I don't see God wanting to take this ministry away. We may shake things up a bit, but I believe there is joy of serving God in this ministry even when the turn out is low.

After all the challenges life brought about, my heavenly Father sent me a message. Isn't it funny how He can send you the message you need just when you need it. Funny thing is I had this box with my order in it for two months, I had even opened the box to get the book out so I could get the lessons for next month. It wasn't until I finally removed every thing from this box when I received the message I needed.

God knew I needed to hear that "what you do matters". The nights serving at church. The time taken to write this blog. Writing books. Texting or talking to friends. So whether I only make a difference in one person's life or hundreds it's important that whatever I do it's all done for the glory of God.

Must Get Out There and Shop

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV

The ads went out. The sales were on. The stores were ready to take my money, after all Christmas is coming.

I must confess something, some of you might think I went "Bah Humbug", but I didn't go shopping on Black Friday. I didn't go out on Thanksgiving either. I stayed in bed and then relaxed at the campground with my family.

Why is it the retailers really push us shopping? I know they need to make money. This time of year brings in the biggest profits for them. Which to my enlightenment, I discovered Black Friday became known as Black Friday because it's the time of the year the stores begin to show a profit. Instead of being in the red now they are in the black.

Do you feel like you need to get everybody you know a Christmas gift? Do you believe your children need the latest gizmo's and gadgets? Are you worried that you didn't get the right gift?

This verse struck me today. Paul was writing the Corinthians about their giving to God here, but today the message to me was different. It came as a comfort.

Last year money was really tight. In fact, we found a way to make most of our Christmas gifts. Sure we felt bad not giving more, but our hearts were in the right place. Once again money is tight, but I am comforted by the fact that I can decide what is right in my heart to give and then present the gift cheerfully.

I shouldn't feel like I have to compete with what everybody else is giving. I shouldn't feel reluctant to give a gift. Especially if I didn't pay a bill in order to get that gift. I should figure out what I can afford and be happy to give what I can.

Each present I give will have had some thought go into it, and in my heart I know it will be just the right gift. After all, God gave us just the right gift in a stable in Bethlehem.