The Greatest Gift -- Unwrapping The Full Love Story of Christmas (Book Review)

A few weeks ago, I entered a book giveaway that Caryn Jenkins Christensen was hosting over at her blog, State of the Heart Living. Not long after entering, I had the joy of learning I was the winner of the copy of author Ann Voskamp’s latest book, ‘The Greatest Gift – Unwrapping The Full Love Story of Christmas.’ I was so excited!

After hearing I'd won, a friend of mine suggested I consider writing a review of the book.  And so I did.

In this Advent devotional book, those familiar with Ann Voskamp's writing (from her One Thousand Gifts book, small group study and devotional and her blog, 'A Holy Experience'), will find that, as usual, she paints stunningly beautiful and breathtaking word portraits, dipping into both vibrant and muted color palettes, and using brush strokes that are as bold as they are delicate; as broad as they are intricately detailed.  All blending together perfectly to point us to and present us with the Greatest Gift:  Jesus Christ, the masterpiece of the Master Himself. God, swaddled in fragile flesh; the newborn King and Savior of the world, lying in the muck of a dirty feeding trough for barnyard animals.

Each devotional narrative is carefully woven with a sincere love for and pure awe of Jesus, and Ann writes in such a way that will touch your heart, no matter what you were or who you are now; where you’ve been or what your life’s circumstances are presently. The chapters are not so wordy that you feel they drag on endlessly, nor so short that you come away feeling empty and unsatisfied. 

For me, this book has the feel of her personally taking us, her readers, by the hand and inviting us to come walk with her to the humble foot of the manger, and to join her in gazing in childlike delight and wonder upon the sweet face of the infant Savior.

At the beginning of every chapter, you’ll find a picture of a Jesse Tree ornament (if you’ve never heard of a Jesse Tree or its ornaments, go here to learn what it's all about) with a Scripture verse underneath.  

Next comes a passage of Scripture -- Today’s Reading-- relevant to that chapter’s devotional content.

The devotional narrative follows, and then, at the end of each chapter, Ann issues a daily challenge entitled, ‘Unwrapping More of His Love In This World.’  Below are a few examples:

• write down something for which you need to repent 
• surprise someone with a simple gift of love – a homemade treat, a card or a handwritten letter
• serve someone who cannot help themselves                  

After this comes an inspiring quote, and in the section called ‘A Moment For Reflection,’  Ann includes some deep questions for you to consider which will help personalize what you've just read. You can answer them in the book itself or if you’d rather, write them in a separate journal.

Ann writes in the beginning of ‘The Greatest Gift:’

“Anticipate Christ…and celebrate Christmas, His coming.”

While this book is categorized as an Advent/Christmas devotional, I'd like to suggest that the anticipation, preparation and celebration that is associated with both Advent and Christmas need not be a once-a-year event for us. 

In fact, I would go so far to say that ANY time of the year, when you believe that God is in the process of preparing you for SOMETHING new, different and necessary in your life, this devotional book will be a welcome companion to reach for and bring along for the journey.

I read A LOT of books. Whenever I’m in the midst of one that is meaningful and has a great impact on me, I tend to carry it with me wherever I go during the course of a day.

And that is exactly what I did with Ann Voskamp’s ‘The Greatest Gift.’ 

I absolutely loved this book, would highly recommend it as the very next book on your reading list, or one to buy as a gift for someone else, and I look forward to reading through it again.

Many thanks to Caryn Jenkins Christensen, for choosing this book for her giveaway, and to Ann Voskamp for writing it!

An Advent Transformation

'The angel Gabriel from Heaven came,

His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
"All hail", said he, "Thou lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady", Gloria!' ~ 'Gabriel's Message' 

'Mary Is Visited By The Angel Gabriel,' by Walter Rane

Hello, my friends. It has been some months since I've posted anything here on my blog. Close to three months, to be exact. 

I'd had every good and sincere intention of quickly posting the promised 'sister' piece to my last post, 'Ministry Minded.' The majority of it is written, with the appropriate pictures and labels in place.

But here in the Draft portion of my blog it sits. Unfinished. Incomplete. Waiting. Because there was/is something missing. Something important. Something vital. Not in the post itself.

No. Something important, something vital is missing in me. Way deep inside. 

And because of this, I've been going through a transformation of sorts. It's been a slow and painful process, one that, truth be told, is quite irritating. One that I'm finding extremely difficult to embrace or accept. One that requires a willingness to obey (sadly, I don't always have that), AND truckloads of patience (oops...don't always have that either). 

One that leaves me drained and uninspired most days.

I feel like a butterfly just wanting to escape from my lonely, stifling cocoon, only to realize it's not time yet for me to emerge. God's hand keeps pulling me back in. 

Because He and I both know there is a need for Him to do so much more work in me.

courtesy of Koiné

Work that becomes more consistent, more intense and more painful with each passing day, as I journey through this particular season of preparation AND transformation known as Advent. 

However, in the suffocating starkness and silence of this cocoon, where the desire and inspiration to write often seems to have altogether disappeared, I felt God gently nudge me to share this very short, yet hauntingly beautiful song called 'Gabriel's Message.' I hope it will bless you as you listen to it.

I've never heard this song before. As I listen to it over and over -- these words that echo Scripture and set to music -- I'm struck by the thought that THIS...this song about the meeting between Mary and the angel Gabriel...can be taken as a story about another woman's Advent. Her time of preparation and transformation. Mary's set of circumstances are NOTHING like mine. And yet -- through this song, I find I can relate so well to her just now. This young woman on the cusp of change.

'Blessed Art Thou Among Women,' by Walter Rane

Mary's world was about to be forever and totally transformed by this strange, frightening, and unbelievably astounding news the angel Gabriel was set to deliver from Almighty God. She had no idea what this odd message from God would truly be preparing her for nor what it would ultimately require of her:

'"For known a blessed mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee;
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold
Most highly favored lady," Gloria!'

And yet, Mary's response shows her acceptance and willingness to obey; with words and heart attitudes that I would do well to echo in my own set of circumstances:

'Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said;
My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name"
Most highly favored lady, Gloria, Gloria!'

Meekness. Humility. Willingness. Acceptance. Obedience. Oh yeah -- all of THOSE vital, important things.

Maybe you are going through similar experiences. Maybe this Advent season is truly one of preparation and transformation for you. I'd love to hear from you, and perhaps we could pray for one another.

May the love, grace, mercy and peace of Christ abound in our hearts and lives this Advent and Christmas season, and in the coming new year, as He continues His great work in each one of us, however difficult, painful and time consuming it may be.

Tender Blessings,
Pam

(all lyrics used are from 'Gabriel's Message,' an original Basque Christmas folk carol, paraphrased into English by Sabine Baring-Gould with musical arrangement by Edgar Pettman; from Sting's 'If On A Winter's Night' CD )

A Very Merry and Blessed Christmas!

"For unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." ~ Luke 2:11-12

In The Hands of the Father, by Roger Loveless 

In the coming days, I will be spending time with my family, as well as much needed time with the Lord for contemplation and prayer about some deeply personal matters.  So I want to take this time to wish everyone here a joyous and blessed Christmas, and a very happy and healthy New Year! Thank you all, dear faithful readers, for your treasured support, encouragement and prayers this past year. I will covet them all the more in the coming year!  

Grace and peace to you, my brothers and sisters.

Unwrapping Some More

"...I will transform the Valley of Trouble into a Gateway of Hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did when I freed her from her captivity...." ~ Hosea 2:15, NLT

Today, I am both excited AND delighted to showcase and introduce you all to my sweet friend-- and now, fellow blogger over at Journeying On.... -- Jessica!  I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jessica since she was about 8 or 9 years old, when her mom and I first met at church and became friends. I've watched her grow from childhood into young womanhood. She is a person who fiercely and sincerely loves and lives for Jesus.

I’ve read many of Jessica's writings on the Notes section of her Facebook page; writings she's transferred over to and which make up her Wordpress blog.  I've been encouraged, inspired, touched and convicted by her words, her thoughtful insights and the hard lessons learned. Her words have often made me laugh out loud, or caused me to sit at my computer with tears streaming down my face. While she is young enough to be my daughter, Jess has the wisdom of someone much older, which I believe is due in part to her particular life journey, a passage which was not without its difficulties and dark times. 

But, thanks be to God, through the intervention of her devoted and loving family, the compassion and care from some amazing and dedicated folks at Mercy Ministries, and the powerful prayers of the faithful in Christ, Jessica has experienced restoration and strengthening in her relationship with Jesus, finding freedom from that which kept her in bondage for so long. At the top of her Journeying On blog, she very appropriately references the verse of Scripture from Hosea 2:15.

Hosea 2, by Rebecca Brognan (from John The Baptist Artwork series)

While the specifics of her experiences and trials may not be the same as yours, it is my wish, (and I'm sure it's Jessica's as well), that as you read this and other posts on her blog, you will be able to identify with her struggles, her feelings of unworthiness, helplessness and hopelessness, YET ALL THE WHILE coming to see and know the transforming power of the love, grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, His continual pursuit of you and His constant presence in your life.

So now, without any further ramblings from me, I invite you to come along with Jessica on her journey, with the following blog post I’m so privileged to share – 'Unwrapping Some More': 

As it gets closer to Christmas, I am reminded of my favorite Christmas ever; Christmas at Mercy Ministries, where I was loved in a way like never before and blessed with gifts beyond what I could really comprehend. I remember the few days I had visiting my home, where I could really think about all those gifts I received. I couldn't believe it. I'm so unworthy, I thought to myself, I don't deserve this. Any of this. I don't really 'need' any of that stuff. They shouldn't waste their time and money on me. I don't deserve nice things, I'm not worth it.

But that was the point. They were showing us (the residents; 'Mercy girls') how Christ loved us.....continue reading here

The Great Christmas War

As usual, I'm the gal with more questions than answers. So here I am with some questions. Questions some may not care for. If you believe you fall into that category, feel free to stop reading here.

Questions like: Why are we, as Christians, so angry and mean when people wish us Happy Holidays? Why are we so over-the-top insistent that others MUST respond in kind to our well wishes of "Merry Christmas!?" All this War on Christmas stuff has seriously begun to just drive me bonkers. 

Why do we expect people who don't know, don't love, don't care about and aren't interested in living their lives for Jesus the rest of the year, to suddenly ACT like they do during this time of year?  Let's be honest: When we ourselves wish people at stores, in restaurants, at the bank, at our workplace or schools, in our neighborhoods a "Merry Christmas"....are we really talking about Christ's birthday (incidentally, the exact, honest-to-goodness date NO ONE really knows), are we really wishing them a truly joy-filled celebration of this special, holy day, or are we merely referring to the commercialized, Santa-driven, Ho-Ho-Ho-holiday? 

C'mon now -- is THIS what Jesus meant by commanding us to share the 'Good News' with everyone? I doubt it.

We boycott stores who make their employees use the generic 'Happy Holidays' greeting, or who use it in their advertising, and encourage everyone in our like-minded little circle to do the same (ahhh, now THERE'S a loving, Christ-like thing to do). We slap those not quite so subtle, self-righteous bumper stickers onto the backs of our vehicles, letting every traveler behind us know that WE say 'Merry Christmas,' and if we offend you, well....too bad. 

We sing songs with titles like 'Love Came Down At Christmas,' yet we're showing anything BUT love to those who do not, and, in the case of those whose jobs policy clearly states so, CANNOT wish us, the curmudgeonly consumer, a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Where's the love of Christ here, folks? 

Growing up in the '60s, I remember going Christmas shopping with my mom and dad (because, yes, we celebrated Christmas), and having the salesclerks and cashiers wish them either a 'Merry Christmas' or 'Seasons Greetings.'  I never recalled my mother getting offended and leaving the store in a huff, or dashing off angry letters to the editor or to local congressmen.

And while I'm on the subject -- I'm just wondering here....why am I not reading anything from the Jewish community about how they are up in arms because people are wishing them 'Happy Holidays?' Where are the 'WE say Happy Channukah!' bumper stickers and buttons? 

Again -- these are merely the somewhat crazy musings that go through my oft overcrowded head on any given day. I'm, as they say, 'just sayin.'  

Perhaps -- and this is just a humble suggestion -- the better thing for us to do during this most wonderful time of the year, as people who want the world to know that we live for and love Jesus Christ, is to stop worrying about people's choice of wording and just treat others with the love of Jesus:

• Smile and strike up a conversation with the bored-looking teen with multiple tattoos and body piercings and tri-colored hair, standing behind the register. It won't cost you a thing and you might be pleasantly surprised 

• Offer to bring a hot cup of coffee or tea to the frozen looking Salvation Army volunteer who has been standing outside, ringing their bell in the cold for hours

• Look the tired and overwhelmed salesclerk in the eyes and ask them how they're doing -- and then really wait around for them to answer

• Let someone go ahead of you in line, especially if they have more items than they have hands

• When eating out, be sure to ask your waiter or waitress their name, if they don't tell you at the get-go; engage in actual conversation with them, not just the usual, "more coffee, please," and "you can bring the check now." And DO leave a generous tip, whether or not you believe they're in line for a 'Server of the Year' award. A bit of grace goes a long way. Make them look forward to having you come back, especially if you're a regular

• If you're the shy and silent type, anonymously pay for that fellow diner patron who sits at the counter, alone

• Smile and offer sincere thanks those who serve you and your family: from gas station attendants to Fed Ex delivery people; from your children's teachers to the guy down the street who shovels the snow off your sidewalk, free of charge and without your ever having to ask

I'm convinced if we slowed down, took the time and gave it some thought, we could come up with many more simple, yet sweet ideas for gift giving -- the gift of Christ's love to someone who we aren't sure has ever experienced it, through the Christmas season and beyond.

And for heaven's sake -- if you feel THAT irritated when someone wishes you 'Happy Holidays,' ask them what holiday they celebrate. If they say Christmas, say, "Hey, me, too!" If they say something else, wish them a Happy Whateveritis.  It takes less than ten seconds (believe me, I know -- I've tried it and timed it). And don't take it personally if their response is less than merry or jolly. Once, I asked my doctor's receptionist what she celebrated. She glared at me and responded, "I don't celebrate ANYTHING." So I told her, "Well, Faith -- then have a wonderful day!"  Faith's face softened a bit as she replied, "Thanks," and turned away.  

In the Great Christmas War, love, mercy, grace and humility can be our strongest 'weapons.' 

'Every Knee Shall Bow,' by Gaye Frances Willard

How do you feel about this and where do you stand on this topic? I'd love to hear from you.

Christmas Eve, 2AM/Heavy snow is falling down/And the streets clothed in white/Echo songs that were sung by candlelight/We're alive/we can breathe/But do we really care for this world in need?/There's a choice we must make each and every day.....~ When Love Came Down, by Point of Grace

Worship Song Sunday -- Here With Us, by Joy Williams

'This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His One and Only Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.' ~ 1 John 4:9-10

A very Merry Christmas to all of my precious friends here!! 

Christ is come -- let all creation sing!  May you have a wonderful, joyful and blessed day, spending time with the family and friends our Lord has gifted you with; worshiping our King, Jesus; celebrating His birth and the fact that He came for us. He loves us. He is here with us. 


'Birth of The King,' by Michael Dudash



O Come Let Us Adore Him!

We are one day away from Christmas!  It is, without a doubt, my favorite holiday.  When I was a child, I would be so excited, I couldn't WAIT for Christmas to finally arrive!  Now that I'm somewhat (cough cough) older, I still feel the same way -- but for entirely different reasons.  Over the years, my perspective of this wonderful season has been radically changed.

Christmas Eve -- such a beautiful, special night. A precious, holy night. There's an overwhelming feeling of anticipation that I find almost tangible, as if the whole world is collectively holding its breath.  And waiting.......

Tonight, some people may still be in the process of traveling back home or heading over the river and through the woods to someone else's house.  Some may pull out and don their holiday finery to head out to dinner with loved ones or friends, while some may just stay at home, order a pizza and finish up wrapping those few, final gifts.  Others may invite family, friends and neighbors over to their homes for a joyous open house celebration, or perhaps there are people gathering together to share a big family dinner as my family did, back in the day.

Thinking back to my childhood, I can remember my dad, my mom and myself bundling up and driving over to my Italian grandmother's house on Christmas Eve and finding it filled with all of my mom's relatives, for the 'festa dei sette pesci': The Dinner of the Seven Fishes (yes, fishes -- okay, so it's not grammatically correct, but that's what it's called, so please just go with it).   Everything that my grandmother and my aunt, who lived with her, put out on the table to eat was so incredibly delicious and entirely homemade -- a result of days of almost round-the-clock preparation and cooking (and all of which I totally did not appreciate until I reached my twenties). 

Christmas Eve, my cousins and I were allowed to open ONE GIFT each.  And how we were oh-so-breathless with anticipation, hardly able to sit still at the 'kids table' while we waited and waited and WAITED some more for the grown-ups to finish up with dinner, then dessert and coffee and brandy and their seemingly ENDLESS adult chit-chat, so we could tear into that one gift.

There was also (and still is for me) a very sweet, hushed reverance and holiness about Christmas Eve, as we'd all silently (well, as silently as a rowdy Italian family like mine with a bunch of little kids hyped up on Coca Cola and hot chocolate can be) make our way out from my grandmother's house to the church up the street for a beautiful, joy-filled, candlelit midnight service, stopping in awe to look at and admire the near life-size Nativity scene outside on the church lawn, with the spotlight shining on Baby Jesus.  Once inside, such singing that went on of all of those wonderful carols! I'd loved listening as my mom, who had the most beautiful singing voice, would harmonize along with everyone else. Such a wonderful, magical night!

However, last year I heard something on TV about Christmas Eve that just about gave me an extreme case of agita (and for all you non-Italian bloggy friends, that means a feeling of agitation or anxiety).  I had heard that the media was hailing Christmas Eve as 'the new Black Friday,' which honestly just made me cringe, because it's yet another bullet shot straight through the heart to kill off the true meaning of Christmas.

And what exactly IS the true meaning of Christmas?  Literally, if you take apart the word, you have:

"Christ" - obviously, that's the One and Only Jesus Christ, LORD and Savior, Who came into this world as one of us, leaving behind all His glory and honor in the Kingdom of Heaven to dwell with, love on, rescue and redeem us.

"Mas" - an Olde World English term referring to a celebration or a festival.

Translation:  it's a celebration of Christ...Christmas!!!

So...it's NOT supposed to be all about door buster deals on iPads, iPods and LCD HD TV's at stores open as late as possible on Christmas Eve (with some actually opening again on Christmas Day);  it's not supposed to be all about frenzied crowds of procrastinating shoppers stampeding like wildebeests through stores for those last minute, drastically reduced in price (and oh-so-thoughtful and heartfelt) gifts;  it's NOT supposed to be all about a jolly, white haird and bearded, overweight gentleman in a wooly red suit who hangs out with elves and flies a sleigh attached to 8 (supposedly) tiny reindeer, nor is it supposed to be about dashing through the mall JUST to stand in a 20 minute line to buy gift cards or get those tons of purchases professionally wrapped.   It's not supposed to be all about 24 hour holiday movie marathons (as entertaining as they can be).  It's not supposed to be all about the perfectly decorated house or tree, the perfect outfit or the perfect dinner!!!!

But it IS supposed to be all about the Perfect Child -- Jesus -- born some 2,000 years ago to the humblest of parents in the humblest of places and circumstances: for us. All for us.

Jesus.  Oh Jesus, You ARE our Perfect Gift.  Are we too stressed out, distracted and drained to receive You?  Will we sprint through our already overloaded lists and daily agendas AGAIN this year, find we are running late as usual, swoop up our families and make a mad dash out the door to church for Christmas Eve services, flinging our exhausted bodies into our seats with our minds still spinning?  I must sadly and shamefully admit that I've lost count over the years of how many times I'd fallen prey to doing all those things.

Or...will we instead make a decision to pare down our lists to bare bones necessities to simplify our day and take some time out to quietly make room in our hearts, our minds, our souls to receive the greatest and best, most perfect gift of all? 

Can we join together tonight to joyfully, peacefully make our way over to the foot of that crude, dirty manger; to humbly kneel and to gently draw close....holding our breath in wonderous anticipation of the sweet beauty we will see....to gaze in awe upon and give our worship to our precious newborn King, Jesus?

Jesus, the Christ.  He alone is the Ultimate Gift.

O come!  Let us adore Him!


It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small,
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky

Hallelujah, hallelujah!
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah!
Son of God, Servant King
Here with us
You're here with us

Jesus the Christ, born in Bethlehem
A baby born to save, to save the souls of man~ Here With Us, by Joy Williams

No Gift To Bring

December 25th is just around the corner, and if you're a procrastinator extraordinaire with regards to shopping for gifts, I'm sure your adrenalin is beginning to pump and percolate right about now.  Crunch time has begun.

The other day on the news, they ran a story about how all those folks who left their homes well before dawn, braved the Black Friday crowds and bought several shopping cartloads of mega sale stuff were now returning most or all of it, because they are now finding themselves heavily strapped for cash.  

With a floundering economy and so many people out of work, I'm not surprised.

Even for those of us who did not rush out en masse late on Thanksgiving night or early on Black Friday morn to join the Shop 'Til You Drop crowd, it can still be a challenging time.   Because after all, Christmas is, we're reminded over and over via endless TV ads and Hallmark Christmas movies, 'the season of giving.'

But what if, like me, your bank account has nothing more than a fistful of dollars and some lonely tumbleweeds rolling around in it?

What if, like The Little Drummer Boy, you feel you have no gift to bring?

Nothing could be further from the truth. 

I know this may perhaps sound unequivocally trite and completely lame, but you DO have something to give.  And it will basically cost you nothing.

Give someone your smile.  Have you ever had someone smile at you, totally out of the blue, be it a friend, neighbor, coworker or just some random person on the street, in a store or in a doctor's office? Didn't it just make your day, especially if your day was headed down the toilet and on the fast track to Nowhere? Having someone catch my eye (proving I wasn't invisible after all) and flash me a thousand watt smile makes me feel special, noticed, and well....happy.  And I've seen people walking towards me with some pretty harsh and stoney faces suddenly transformed into such pleasant and approachable looking folks, just by sharing my smile with them. 

Give someone a hug.  All of the above applies to this act as well. God gave you two, good arms.  Use them to lovingly surround someone in need of comfort and joy and healing.  Yes, there are some out there who are hostile to forms of physical demonstrations like this.  Tread lightly, go with what the Holy Spirit inside of you leads you to do.

Give someone a ride.  While I'm well aware that gas is uber-expensive and being a taxi driver/chauffeur may not be your thing, if God has provided you with a reliable vehicle, why not consider using it to give a lift to someone who may need one to school, a store, church, a youth group event or to the doctor's office?  It might not seem like much to you, but believe me, it means a lot.

Give someone the benefits of your time or your talents.  We all have people in our lives who are going through a rough, lonely or a sad time.  Why not invite them over for some tea or coffee and some cookies, or some popcorn and a rented movie? (Redbox movies cost a mere $1 if you bring them back by the next day) Don't fret over the condition of your house with its vast dust bunny collection -- no doubt they have a collection of their own. Or if these folks are unable to leave their homes for whatever reason, why not bring those things over to their place?  

Can you style hair or manicure nails? Do you enjoy playing with children?  Do you love animals?  Do you have a talent for decorating?  Offer to do someone's hair or nails for free; babysit somebody's kids while they Christmas shop or go out for a date night and don't charge them; walk someone's dog(s) for them once or twice a week for a month or so, free of charge; or offer to decorate a friend's or family member's Christmas tree.  I did that for my husband's older sister, who was in a lot of pain that year and couldn't move much.  She gave me free reign to decorate their tree AND their living room with all of their Christmas decorations.  She was so grateful and I had SUCH a blast!!!  We both came away blessed.

Give someone encouragement.  Often during the Christmas season, people may experience what is referred to as 'the holiday blues,' due to health or financial problems, loneliness or the overly high expectation to have 'the perfect family Christmas' like the ones shown on so many Christmas movies. If you have the gift of encouragement, share it with someone who needs to be uplifted, through a phone call, a card with a sincere, positive message from YOU, or an offer to come and pray for them.  The New Living Translation for Ephesians 4:29 says: "Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."  And The Message version of the same verse says it this way: "Say only what helps, each word a gift."  Indeed.

Below is a picture of a lovingly handmade, handwritten Christmas card I received today from my sweet friend, Laura.  Laura's mom, Janette, was a dear friend, sister-in-Christ and Bible study buddy, whom I had the wonderful pleasure of praying for and with, and serving alongside of at our church's now defunct book and gift shop.  Janette, whom I wrote about in my blog post, 'It Takes A Strong Woman,'  is now in the arms of her loving Jesus, after succumbing to cancer last year.  Laura, a freshman at a college in Pennsylvania, and I have kept in touch through facebook and sometimes, like today, through snail mail.  She's young enough to be my daughter, but she has a way about her that is wise, understanding and compassionate  beyond her years, and she has been SUCH an encouragement to me.

These are all simple gifts that again, basically cost you nothing.  Except for maybe a bit of your time, effort, talent and heart.

No gift to bring?  In the song, 'The Little Drummer Boy' after admitting to being a poor boy with no gift to bring, the tiny drummer realizes that he DOES have something to offer the newborn King -- the gift of music.  A gift that God blessed him with. He played his best for the infant Jesus and he was rewarded with a smile from Him.  While yes, this is a fictional character and account from a Christmas carol, may it cause us to look within our hearts while using Holy Spirit supplied wisdom, discernment and imagination to find a gift that we can bring that will delight both Jesus and those special people in our lives.

And a loving thought sends us out to find
Something special for someone on our mind
And we think of friends and family
As we hang our gifts on the Christmas tree

It's the thought that counts when the thought is love
It's the thought that counts when you're thinking of
How the money flows in vast amounts
When the thought is love it's the thought that counts

And a loving thought sent a snow white lamb
To a little town known as Bethlehem
And the little lamb thought of you and me
As He hung His gift on the Christmas tree

It's the thought that counts when the thought is love
It's the thought that counts when you're thinking of
How the money flows in vast amounts
It's the thought that counts when the thought is love

Think of the precious gift He gave
Think of the life He thought to save ~ ‘It’s The Thought,’ by Twila Paris

Sounds of the Season: How Many Kings, by downhere

Here's another Christmas song I'd like to share.  A song that I've come to love over the past several years, sung by the group downhere (yes, they do spell it with a small 'd'), a Christian band from Canada.

The lyrics from the chorus, which I've included below, just blow me away:

How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only One did that for me.

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?  No one I know of. 

No one but God, my Abba, gave up His Son, Jesus.

All for me.

All for you.

Such a great love! And for us!

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.~ 1 John 4:10 (NLT)

We love, because He first loved us.~ 1John 4:19 (NASB)

Think on these things, these truths, as you listen to and enjoy this beautiful Christmas song.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

And [Isaiah] said, Hear then, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary and try the patience of men, but will you weary and try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us]. ~ Isaiah 7:13-14, AMP

December is upon us and, as Bing Crosby croons in the classic song, ‘it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas/everywhere you go!’

Over this year's Thanksgiving weekend, our New Jersey area experienced some beautiful weather with unusually high, almost summer-like temps. As I sat outside on my front steps, I watched as many of my neighbors were unloading their vehicles stuffed with all their ‘booty’ from Black Friday sales, or decorating the outsides of their homes or heading out to local tree farms to find and bring back the perfect Christmas tree, all in frantic preparation and anticipation of ‘the big day.’

But there’s another kind of preparation that we need to consider as we head into the Christmas season -- the preparation of ourselves. Because in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is this other, sometimes forgotten season. The season of Advent.

Advent, which comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning 'coming,' is a time of hushed and hopeful expectancy and preparation among the church body for the birth of the Christ child. It is a time to prepare our hearts, minds and souls for the greatest gift ever --Immanuel. God With Us.

I’ve been observing, with great delight, the young couple who recently moved in next door to us, as they ready their new home for the birth of their son. The past few weeks have been a flurry of moving, cleaning, painting, rearranging, decorating and baby furniture purchases. Purging what is unnecessary and replacing it with only what is necessary, making room for their new baby. They are preparing their home, with great joy, to be a clean, fresh and loving place to welcome their infant son into.

Can we do any less in the preparation of our own hearts, minds and souls to welcome Jesus as we move through this holy season of expectation and anticipation of our Savior’s birth?

In all the hustle and bustle and insanity that is way too often associated with the coming Christmas season and which can sometimes threaten to push us over the edge, please don’t lose sight of what and of Who is most important.

Instead, may I invite you to take some time in the coming days to cleanse and prepare your own heart, purging what is unnecessary and replacing it with ONLY what is necessary? May I invite you to joyfully make room in your own heart for Jesus and to welcome Him there?Take time to fix your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, focusing on Him as the True Reason for the season. And rejoice! Because of Jesus, this is to be a season of hope, love and comfort and joy! And it is ours. So rejoice!!

O come, O come Emmanuel
And ransome captive Israel;
Who mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Sounds of the Season: Born In Bethlehem - by Third Day

Today is the first of December, and cold weather and the always possible threats of monstrous snowstorms aside, this is truly my favorite time of the year.

As we step into the beginning of this Advent and Christmas season, I would like to take some time on my blog this month to share the gift of Christmas music with all of you.

I love music. I have a picture frame in my bedroom which reads:

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

Indeed it does!

The songs I’ve chosen include old favorites of mine and new tunes I’ve just recently discovered. Some of the songs and artists you may know, and some you might not. And, with my heartfelt apologies, some of the videos aren’t the best.

But really in these instances, it's more about what you're hearing than what you're seeing.  Because as you listen to each song, I'd like to challenge you to close your eyes and allow the message within the music wash over you to saturate and refresh your weary soul. It’s my wish that the words and music will lift your spirits, bring you peace, comfort and joy and cause you to take some quiet moments afterwards to meditate on the innocence, the sweetness and the beauty of this season -- the season when we focus on Messiah, in the form of a tiny, helpless babe, born to a humble couple in a small town called Bethlehem.

'It's Mysterious And Wonderful' - Sharing A Blog Post from 'Created For Blessing!"

As we enter into the beautiful season of Advent, once again, I've been led to share something that Curt Leininger, my friend and pastor of Cornerstone Christian Church up in Wyckoff, NJ, posted yesterday on his blog, Created For Blessing (http://www.createdforblessing.com/) 

His post is entitled, 'It's Mysterious and Wonderful.'  Whether it's a long, deep and detailed post, or like this one, short, sweet and simplistic, Curt ALWAYS has something powerful and so good to say about the amazing love of our Lord.  And as he told me, good things are meant to be shared.  So I'm delighted to share this with all of you (thanks a million, Curt)!!

A video, called 'The Christmas Story' goes along with this post.  I hope the children's joyful and endearing innocence and enthusiasm as they act out the story of the birth of our Savior will make you smile and touch your heart, as it did to me.  Enjoy!
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'It's Mysterious and Wonderful.'

It’s mysterious. It raises a lot of questions. It incites wonder. But, the gentle and loving approach of God stepping into our world as a human being is changing my life, and I hope it continues to change your own life. Smile, laugh, cry, and allow this Advent to be a time of anticipation and joy. This is good news for all people. And, so is the gift of your own life as you follow Jesus into the mystery, questions, and wonder.