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The Light of Christmas always overcomes…

Dec23

We are living in dark times. But at Christmas time we have the golden opportunity to share and reflect the Light of Christmas. Satan’s plan is to steal, kill, and destroy. But remember his evil is done in the dark. Thankfully, it is the Light of Christmas that overcomes such darkness.

That is why God gave us His word, the Bible. God’s word shines the Light on the darkness of our sins. The more we embrace the truths of Scripture, the brighter Christ light in us will shine.

As we go about our Christmas celebrations remember this. The enemy will do whatever it takes to gain a foothold in your Celebrations. So personal examination is in order. What does the spotlight of our Christmas celebration reveal? Let’s take an inventory and see what we come up with. Does our understanding of God’s word expose fiery darts lurking in the darkness?

May we never be afraid to shine the Light upon our own darkness. Because it is that Light that will expose the darkness in our lives. Our lives will become fuller when the darkness is exposed and the Light is allowed to shine.

Remember, the purveyor of darkness is still attempting to steal, kill, and destroy the Light in our day. Just like he did when Christ first came into this world. But there is Hope for the Light will always overcome the darkness

My Discovery? …Choosing My Weapons

Dec16
Ephesians 6:16

I mentioned in my previous post that I discovered in mid-life something transformational regarding prayer. This discovery involves connecting the point of our petition with something concerning that prayer from God’s word, the Bible.

Please allow me to give you a personal example. I’m 77 years of age. My husband and I have been empty nesters for some years. Our children now live in distance places. And as life progresses and the grans get older, coming home for Christmas isn’t as doable as it once was. Honestly readers, as a result, Christmas has lost some of its glitter for me. Not in the message, of course, but in accumulation of family memories.

As the scenes have changed, I have learned to draw upon God’s comforting words to dispel the fiery dart of loneliness. There’s a verse I learned as a child, This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NKJV. This verse came to my mind as a weapon in combating the enemy’s attacks. I pondered this verse and it shaped my prayer. “Dear LORD, This day, this time, although not what I would choose for myself, is the day you have made for me. And since You have made it, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Framing my Christmas with this truth helped me maintain a more positive perspective. Therefore, EVERY TIME the sadness approaches I head it off with this verse. And the fiery dart is extinguished. The enemy’s weapon does not prevail. Instead, I defeat the temptation to think self-centered thoughts and began a nose dive into depression. I am at peace with what God planned for me. I am open to enjoying the Christmas God has prepared for me.

And the benefits or blessings by praying this prayer, is that my heart is open to the blessings available to me. Time not crowded with preparations for a big family gathering opens up new possibilities. Thus I am reading an Advent devotional which is powerful in fixing my focus on the true meaning of Christmas. As I focus more on the Christ child and less on myself, the sadness that stands in the wings is depleted.

So by lifting my shield of faith, God supplies me with just the right weapon to defeat the enemy’s attacks. Just when I need them, I’m reminded of Truths such as Psalm 118:24 & Ephesians 6:16. These words are the weapons that will undo and thwart the enemy’s plans. By spending time with God daily and His word, I am informed as to the particular weapon I need to choose.

Is giving God a portion of each day, by spending it with Him in prayer and His word, lacking? If so, imagine a warrior going into the battle without their weapons! Defeat is certain isn’t it! Which will be the outcome for anyone entering the battle fray without the proper weapons.

What is the Magic of Christmas?

Dec31

As my family has grown older, the celebrations reflect changes. This year took on a whole new change. None of our kids came to our house. Each celebrated Christmas in their own homes with their children and did not travel to Nammy’s house. We spent a quiet and comfortable day just my husband and I. There were things about this transition that I didn’t mind so much. The children didn’t have to juggle their schedules to make possible the lengthy travel and expense of travel. That had to be a relief for them. It’s stressful to say the least. And I wasn’t concerned about their traveling hours and hours to get here or the expense of flying for them.

So this year is a transition year. No stockings were hung by the fireplace. That’s a first. No Christmas menu, only my husband and I here to consume whatever we felt like preparing. Quiet sounds mixed with the sounds of tv Christmas movies drifted through our house.

But this is where the magic of Christmas enters. Because we don’t have family here, no stockings, no Christmas dinner and/or traditional snack foods, and the house is not filled with the laughter and teasing that fills up the house when they are all here. Wouldn’t this be a prime time for the enemy to show up? And he would, if it weren’t for the magic of Christmas.

For you see, the change of circumstances forces us to experience Christmas in a brand new way. We have to replace the old way of celebrating and find a new way to celebrate. Dwelling upon the genuine Christmas story of Jesus’ birth calls forth an awareness of just how much God loves us and what He was willing to go through in order to save us from our sins.

This year, in order not to be pulled down by what we don’t have this Christmas, God made a way for us to be lifted up by what we do have. We have a Savior who sacrificed His heavenly home to come to earth and make a way for us to join Him there when this life is over. Can we even begin to imagine that?

So, changes happen! And while our Christmas celebration looks completely different than before, when we focus on what we still have, the magic begins to happen. And that is the magic of Christmas-the gift of Peace!

The thief who would steal Christmas…

Dec13

When Christ was born, Satan orchestrated his plan to destroy God’s Son. And although he failed, he hasn’t given up trying nor will he ever. Two thousand years later, his tactics may have changed but his goal remains the same. To steal any chance mankind may have to know about Christ, especially at Christmas.

I’m writing this to help us become aware of the deliberate plan of this thief to steal Christmas from not only those of us who believe in the birth of Christ but those who do not. With the party atmosphere prevalent wherever Christmas is celebrated, is it any wonder Christ gets left out of His own birthday celebration. And without Christ, the sadness and heartbreak experienced this time of the year by so many is even more accentuated.

Bringing it down to a personal level, the idea of celebrating Christmas this year has lost some of its luster. The loss of beloved friends and family members over the past year works to dampen my celebration. Added to that, two of our four children and their families won’t be able to make it home for Christmas. We are not even sure when the other two children and their families will be able to gather here at the farm. Likely my husband and I will spend Christmas alone. I’ll hang up the twenty stockings but only eleven will be stuffed with Christmas goodies and trinkets.

So as you can see, the thief who would steal Christmas from me is doing a thorough job of it. But I realize that dwelling on the negatives will give him just the ammunition he needs. While my circumstances surrounding Christmas 2023 may not lend themselves to joyous celebrations, they must not be allowed to give the thief opportunity to steal my joy. Not just for me but for anyone who looses sight of the Truth of Christmas.

Therefore, shifting my focus to the greatest gift ever given to mankind and to me personally, will be my default response when the thief strikes. And just as his plans were thwarted by God when Christ was born, so will his present day attempts at Christmas thievery fail.

Not the gift that was expected…

Dec24
EXPECTED GIFTS

Has that ever happened to you? I am in the midst of a learning experience that is transforming how I perceive the gifts God is giving me. The gift I was expecting has not arrived and apparently is not going to. I have spent days trying to reconcile myself to this realization. As time passes, God has to drag me by my heels on this journey that I’m coming (slowly) to realize has been intended to reshape and mold a new image of what I perceive as God’s gift. (I don’t always cooperate like I should!) The gift I find myself struggling to receive is vastly different from the gift I was expecting.

The gift of faith, the gift of patience, the gift of forgiveness, the gift of mastering how to not fret, the gift of resting in my LORD, the gift of having God’s perspective on the situation, the gift of trusting God to provide what I need when I need it, the gift of perseverance in doing things God’s way, the gift of learning how to focus on other’s needs over my own, the gift of learning not to judge, the gift of peace.

During Christmas my mind ponders what it must have been like for the Jewish people to receive the gift of the Messiah. Just think with me for a minute, It had been hundreds of years since their Savior had been prophesied. And over the span of that time, perhaps their expectations of their Messiah was shaped more by what they wanted to see rather than what the Bible revealed.

The Bible foretold of coming King as in Jeremiah 23:5

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ESV

And Micah 5:2 Described a ruler

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.ESV

Isaiah 9:7 Foretold of a time of unending peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. ESV

The Jewish people it seems were always under oppression; from without and as well as from within. It must have been hard to hold on to the hope that someday things would be better for them. I feel verses that described their Messiah as a poor and suffering servant, like the following verses in Isaiah, would attract less of their attention.

Isaiah 53:7 AND Isaiah 53:3

UNEXPECTED GIFT

Time and oppression, must have created a longing for their Messiah to come and set everything right for His people. They would be all too willing to join in the fight for that victory. I think I can understand why it was so difficult for many to picture that a baby, born in a lowly manger, to a virgin no less, was their conquering ruler, king, Messiah!

 

Not the gift they, or we, could imagine but a gift that far exceeded any of their, or our, expectations.

The Gift of Serving…

Dec15

While caring for elderly parents, life gets put on somewhat of a hold for the caregivers. With their parent’s passing, a caregiver may feel a sense of release from the demanding requirements of caregiving as life returns to a more normal pace. Yet, all of this mixed in with feelings of venturing into life without that parent’s sustaining presence can be a rough and challenging road. 

Mother was an anchor for me. Caring for her opened a volume of opportunities that affirmed my faith in God. Though there were some really tough moments, especially toward the end, with every situation, I gained a closer understanding of what it meant to serve God. For through the years He taught me that in serving my mom, I was serving Him. To be honest, I failed more times than I care to admit. So let’s just say, over time I grew in awareness of what God was expecting from me as I cared for Mother. And that’s important. 

Our first Thanksgiving without Mother and now with Christmas approaching presents a void to be dealt with. Everywhere I look I am reminded of her. I stand on my front porch and crowning the nearby hill stands the house that she lived and died in. The place where I said my final goodbye. And all throughout my house and yard, are physical reminders of her loving care. Her life and the impact she had on mine, is now a store of memories. But I’m learning it is those very reflections that will fill the void . 

As I sort through all the abundance of memories, I have so much to be grateful for. For something beautiful happened in those final days that will continue to be my focus and sustain me. 

I have watched as my children and grandchildren spent time with their grandmother and great grandmother. I listened as my children taught their children about what honoring Granma looked like and meant. The impressions they made took their source from what God had to say about honoring our mother and our father. 

They learned that it wasn’t always convenient or easy to care for a parent. They were taught that sacrifices had to be made to their choices of how to use their time and in making their schedules. And all along they were bolstered by the earlier memories of Grandmother’s spunky and loving ways in caring for them. I could not be more grateful that my children and grandchildren were able to form a perspective of caring that was shaped by what they learned as family pulled together to take care of Granma. 

And as we gather for the holidays, those memories are a sustaining source of thankfulness and joy. His promise that one day we will be reunited because we have accepted God’s gift of Jesus, replenishes me daily. 

Because God has overcome this world, we are the recipients of gifts more valuable than anything we could possibly find under our Christmas tree. And for me, this particular lessons on showing my love through serving those I love is a gift I pray I will continue to unwrap. 

A Most Unusual Birthday

Nov30

Author’s Note: A few years ago, A Most Unusual Birthday, was published in a collection of Christmas stories by Essence Publishing. With a few minor changes, I am posting it here. I hope you will enjoy this slant on celebrating Christ’s birthday.

By Janet Lane

Bobby trembled with excitement! Today was his birthday! For days, he had anticipated the celebration his family would make of his special day.  He especially looked forward to the birthday tradition he and his three older sisters had of having their own way all day. 

If Bobby wanted to have his sisters wait on him hand and foot, or get them to do his chores, he could get away with it on this one day only. Bobby knew he had to be reasonable when he made a demand, though–his sister’s birthdays would roll around in a few months, and if he made them do anything that would warrant a payback, he would definitely suffer when his sisters next celebrated their birthdays!

Bobby had been planning what he would get his sisters to do for him. Cleaning his room was at the top of the list, as that was a chore he wasn’t particularly fond of. As a matter of fact, Bobby had several chores in mind that he was most willing to turn over to his sisters for a day.

However, this birthday was proving to be very different from any he’d ever celebrated with his family before. For instance, his mother started preparing for it earlier than usual–a whole month in advance. Bobby watched, with confusion and curiosity, as she busily decorated almost every room in their house. She strategically placed “Happy Birthday” banners throughout the house. She even put a banner on their front porch and added lights!

Bobby’s dad was behaving just as strangely as his mom. Where he found them, Bobby didn’t know, but his dad had bought several CDs all about birthdays, and was playing them in his house, in his truck, in Mom’s car–anywhere there was a CD player. In the evenings after supper, the family gathered around the DVD player to watch videos all about–you guessed it–birthday celebrations.

Well, the day of his birthday finally arrived. Bobby comforted himself with the thought that all the strange happenings leading up to his birthday would soon make sense. He sniffed the air for the familiar aroma of the breakfast pancakes Mom always fixed on the morning of her children’s birthdays. He strained for the sound of his family’s footsteps and muffled giggles, as they ascended the stairs to wake him. Though he was wide awake, he customarily feigned sleepiness, to encourage the efforts of his family to awaken him with their boisterous rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song. Mom, predictably, would capture these moments on her phone’s camera to preserve every moment of the celebration.

Arriving in the kitchen, Bobby would expect to find on his plate a tall stock of pancakes decorated with a single, lighted candle. He would make a wish, blow out the candle, and open just one of his birthday gifts. Later, there would be a festive birthday party where he would open the rest of his presents. 

Usually, his grandparents joined them around the table to enjoy a dinner of Bobby’s favorite foods and a delightfully decorated birthday cake. And Bobby knew that Mom would not fail to hang the birthday flag in his honor from the front porch, so that all who passed their house would know someone within was celebrating a birthday.

Bobby forced himself to lay quiet and still, with his eyes closed, waiting for the familiar birthday sounds to begin. But nothing happened! Curiosity drove him out of his bed, in search of an explanation. After all, the preparations for his birthday had been very unusual, and Bobby figured his family had planned an unusual celebration for his special day, as well.

But Bobby was not at all prepared for what he saw when he turned the corner and entered the doorway of the living room. There his mom, dad, and his three sisters were surrounded by opened presents. They were still in their pajamas. Mom, of course, was videoing the whole thing.

Bobby, unable to contain himself another moment, rushed to the middle of the room. With bitter tears, he pleaded, “What is going on here? I don’t understand! Why are you opening presents? It’s my birthday! Where are mygifts?”

As Bobby lay sobbing in a crumpled heap on the floor, his family gathered around him and began singing, “Happy Birthday.” Bobby placed his hands over his ears, trying to shut out the painful insensitivity of his family’s singing. Then amid all this confusion, he heard his youngest sister, Rachel, say, “Wake up, Bobby, wake up! It’s your birthday, Silly! Wake up!”

Next, he thought he heard his oldest sister, Dorie, suggest, “Let’s sing the birthday song again, only louder. Maybe that will wake him up.”

Kathy, his middle sister, responded to Dorie’s suggestion by pouncing on her little brother, as he lay crumpled in a heap on his bed. Dorie and Rachel joined forces with Kathy, and Mom–of course–didn’t miss getting a moment of this family fund on video!

As Dad gathered his sleepy son into his arms, Bobby realized he had been dreaming–no, he’d had a nightmare! Then Bobby heard the welcomed and familiar words of his father. “Bobby, wake up son. It’s your birthday! Mom has your pancake breakfast waiting for you, and everyone is ready for you to blow out your candle!”

Bobby rubbed his tearful, sleepy eyes as he gave each member of his family an enthusiastic and grateful bear hug. What a tremendous relief! He had not been left out of his own birthday celebrations after all!

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to remain sensitive to our Savior,

whose birthday we honor, and not be guilty of leaving Christ out of his own

birthday celebration.