I had never really thought of it before, but no other holiday in the year has so many light bulbs, so much glitter, and such as array of trinkets and baubles. The more tinsel, the better, for many of us. I have boxes of the stuff that I haul out,even though they must all be put away only weeks later.
But I had never before considered why we desire Christmas to sparkle so.
It’s A Party For Jesus
I think, now, it is because we want to throw a party.
One that joins God in celebrating the birth of His Son, just as the angels had rejoiced in the heavens on that night.
Everyone loves a party, and plenty are ready to join in the festivities even if they have no idea who it is honoring. While those who love and know the honored one love the chance to exalt, give their accolades, and show their love publicly. Christmas is quite a bit like that.
Advent, The Days Leading To The Event
For me, this is what makes Advent season so vital in the celebration of Christ’s birth.
When we light the candles and re-read the scriptures foretelling the Messiah, or remember how the promise of a Savior was first given and then kept alive for centuries, we are re-acquainting ourselves with the one we honor at the party.
As we take time to think about Jesus as the Light of the World, all the many lighted houses, our Christmas decor, all of it takes on meaning. When we consider the gift of the greatest treasure of Heaven arriving in that humble stable, all the gifts that we give each other are echoing the gladness of that moment for God the Father in Heaven and for us on the earth.
The entire party really comes alive for us, because of the love that is there in all of God’s family, among all His sons and daughters.
[box type=”shadow”]Let the celebration begin.[/box]
Make A Wish
Many of the bible stories show how much God loves to grant wishes of the heart. He even prompts some of them, just so he can surprise us with the answers.
At times we don’t even know what it is that our deepest wishes hope for, but God always does.
He knows our hearts. And some of the clues are among the lights and tinsel.
We wish for light in a very dark world.
We wish for true and lasting peace that brings justice and equity.
We wish for happiness for all of God’s creatures.
We wish for a reason to have joy and celebration.
God anticipated those wishes, and sent His Son. It is all wrapped up within that one gift.
Now, I’m really in the mood to decorate and celebrate…. You?
Scripture for Today
Gen. 12:1-
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.â€[b]
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him;and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.†So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
Carols
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Little Drummer Boy James Pierpont. publ.1857 Come they told me pa rum pum pum pum A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum Our finest gifts we bring pa rum pum pum pum To lay before the King pa rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum So to honor Him pa rum pum pum pum, when we come. Little Baby pa rum pum pum pum I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum I have no gift to bring pa rum pum pum pum That's fit to give our King pa rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum Shall I play for you! pa rum pum pum on my drum. Mary nodded pa rum pum pum pum The ox and lamb kept time pa rum pum pum pum I played my drum for Him pa rum pum pum I played my best for Him pa rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum Then He smiled at me pa rum pum pum pum me and my drum.
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[one_half_last]
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I can’t wait for my grandkids to arrive this Christmas. One thing I want to do is make little ornaments together, for them to take home.
Here are the teddy bear ornament instructions I want us to do together.
