Devotional Thoughts
“Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east at its rising and have come to worship Him. [Num. 24:17; Jer. 23.5; Zec. 9:9.] (Matthew 2:2 Amplified Bible).” 
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
What did Mary know?
“And Mary said:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
because He has looked with favor
on the humble condition of His slave.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed,
because the Mighty One
has done great things for me,
and His name is holy.
His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.
He has done a mighty deed with His arm;
He has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts;
He has toppled the mighty from their thrones
and exalted the lowly.
He has satisfied the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
mindful of His mercy,
just as He spoke to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants forever (Luke 2:46-55 HCS).”
Mary knew God, her Savior.
Christmas joy is not on sale.
We will not find it at the mall, super stores, or favorite .com sites.
I surmise it would be a best seller the first season that manufacturers released it to distributors. Even our traditional Christmas greeting of ‘Merry Christmas’ carries a wish for joy…
In Santa hype, advertisers depict him as merry, jovial, and jolly. Joy, deep joy is a gift from the Lord. In this season of gift giving, Jesus hopes we will receive the year-round gift of unequivocal joy.
“I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete (John 15:11 HCS).”
Our joy feeds on faith in our Savior and His promises. The angels delivered news of great joy!
“Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people; today a Savior who is Messiah the Lord was born for you in the city of David (Luke 2:10b-11 HCS).”
{Image:Tea for Two & Two for Tea}
You decide, winter wonderland or wasteland?
It depends on your point of view; barely daylight and there is a foot-deep fresh blanket of snow. Children beg mom to turn on the news in hopes that their school is closed. She feels a bad head ache coming on. Dad dresses in layer upon layer of winter clothing before shoveling out the driveway.
Forty-seven years ago on December 30, I married my Louisiana Rebel in Syracuse, NY 32 below zero temperatures, amid mountains of snow. Boasting, a few weeks later he moved me south saying that it hardly ever snows in Mississippi. One morning, to our surprise we woke to a Mississippi Delta winter wonderland. Six inches fell from southern skies.
I anticipate a heavenly wonderland!
“But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJ).”
NEWBORN BABIES
BRING OUT MY MATERNAL INSTINCTS.
{Image by David Woodall}
Did it begin with baby dolls dressed in flannel gowns & matching booties or starched dresses under the Christmas tree ? The new doll smell drifted up to my nose as I quickly named them. I played mommy; the make-believe feeding, dressing, and rocking baby dolls came naturally.
Each year Mom & Dad added childcare essentials, placing dolls in toy baby strollers, cribs or high chairs under our Christmas tree. They were too big to wrap but that afforded me the added pleasure of seeing them at first glance. Mom lovingly displayed my dolls under drooping light-decked branches.
Playing dolls prepared me for real-life babysitting jobs. I was caring for newborns by the early age of eleven, quickly bonding with the bundles of joy. Infants were dependent on me and gave unconditional love. Holding a contented baby in my arms made the hours of clock watching worthwhile.
Baby Jesus grew to sacrificial lamb, willingly giving His life that we might receive everlasting life. Christmas led down the path to Calvary. We open Christmas packages in both celebration of His birth and resurrection. Grieving followers discovered His open and empty tomb. Jesus lives and waits to wrap us in His blanket of grace.
“But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6 NAS).”
Preschool age children love to get their hands in Play-Doh and cookie dough. They roll it, pound it and squash it too.
Mommy ads to their fun when she puts cookie cutter molds into their tiny hands; youngsters now have the excitement of creating favorite shapes.
The tikes laugh with glee when they see animals, Christmas trees, stars or snowmen.
As mothers or grandmothers, we guard our hearts and minds. We must not conform to the molds of our godless society.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2 KJV).”
The Creator places no cookie cutter into our feeble hands; He writes His word upon our hearts and watches to see its transforming power in our walk with Him.
