In the Christmas story there was “no room at the Inn” for the Holy Family. Demands and prior reservations had crowded the rooms to full capacity. Jesus was born in the shelter of the animal stable, Â and his bed was normally the feeding trough which held hay. It wasn’t that the Innkeeper did not wish…
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A Good Kingdom
It Starts with a Good King A place where justice rules, where mercy abounds, freedom rings, and each citizen matters, these are only part of the list of a good Kingdom’s attributes. It is a place of safety, and peace rests there. Sounding like a dream, or an idealistic utopian theory. Many may doubt a…
Sensing a New Direction
Thankful for Senses We were created with senses, those abilities to feel and understand the world around us and how to make our way forward in it. With our physical senses we bother experience joy and suffer pain, and with our inner senses, as well. Are we thankful for both or do we want everyday…
Candle of Joy 2016
Joy and laughter, gladness, and mirth are the high notes of today.This Sunday marks the ascent of the heart towards what we usually think of as the “Christmas season”. The first weeks view of the times of the history and prophetic words of the Old Testament had notes of repentance. In them we saw that…
Thankful for our Warts
Not the literal physical warts, but the aspects of your abilities, strengths and weaknesses, circumstances that don’t fit with an image of success. Let’s Look at Moses He was Born in a nation of slaves Supposed to die Separated from his family Didn’t fit in either the world of his origin, nor his adopted world…
When Blessings Seem Like Burdens
In the Christmas rush, the giving might seem like burden. All the things to do, buying and wrapping presents, dealing with crowds of others all trying to do the same thing. Children who are too tired to cooperate, they are your “little blessings”, but there are times they try your patience. Relatives you love, but…
Candle Of Joy
(The Pink Candle) This week just seems to bubble with joy. It is getting so close to Christmas that so long as we don’t panic about the progress of preparations we should have plenty stoke our sense of gladness and joy. If you would look for the word in Strong’s Concordance, a definition given brings…
Red Ribbon
One of the Jesse tree ornaments is a simple, tied, red string or ribbon. It stands for the sign that Rahab was to signal to the Israelites that her household should be spared when they attacked Jericho. Not only was she spared, but she became one of the ancestors of the Royal house of David…
Spice And Everything Nice
Where do we get spices when we are thinking of Christmas, and the Christ child? Oh, I remember! The wise men brought special gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They came from afar in the East, and that is where many of our spices come from even today. So it is no surprise that gingerbread cookies…
Look At The Stars
hy are stars one of the symbols of Christmas? Stars are one way God sends a message to those who have hearts of faith. The wise men followed a special star that led them to the place where Christ was born. We sing about that star in some of our Christmas carols. Photo credit: earl53…
