Celebrating the Real Christmas Story 12/26

I am still celebrating the Real Christmas Story.  Today, I am celebrating the Shepherds, because technically, they show up after Jesus was born.  If I understand this right, the Shepherds were the lower class.  The bottom of the SES - socio economic scale.  No status.  A hard, but lowly job that took long hours, but it didn't pay well at all:  Caring for someone else's sheep. 

I understand that God demonstrates his love for the poor, by going to the shepherds FIRST with this grand, good news of a royal birth.  And grandly HE does this, with a single Angel and the classic Angelic Line:  Do not be afraid.  and then, POW, a whole angel army to sing the good news!  To shepherds at night on a hillside. 

^{Luke 2:8} That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and they became very frightened. ¹⁰ The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people. ¹¹ Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord. ¹² This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.”
¹³ Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel, praising God and saying:

¹⁴ “Give glory to God in heaven,
    and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God.

Celebrating the Real Christmas Story 12/25

Today, I am celebrating the REAL Christmas story.

IMMANUEL.  God with us.  That the God of all Heaven and Earth had compassion on us and joined us in our world.

Immanuel.  God with us.  The Real Christmas Story.

Celebrate.

^{Matthew 1:22} All this happened to bring about what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will be pregnant. She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel,”^[f] which means “God is with us.”

Celebrating the Real Christmas Story 12/24

Today, I'm celebrating the real Christmas Story.  I'm celebrating God's provision.  That HE is good and that He always provides. 

^{Isaiah 9:6} A child has been born to us;
    God has given a son to us.
    He will be responsible for leading the people.
His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God,
    Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Power and peace will be in his kingdom
    and will continue to grow forever.
He will rule as king on David’s throne
    and over David’s kingdom.
He will make it strong
    by ruling with justice and goodness
    from now on and forever.
The Lord All-Powerful will do this
    because of his strong love for his people.

Mother and Daughter

From 1990 until 2004, I did a lunch time program at Pearland HS and when it open, at the 9th Grade Center as well.  It was called Pizza@ Lunch.  We sold pizza - cheap! and I provided various programs.  My favorite was to have a 3 youth pastor panel and open it up to questions from the students. 

From 2007 until 2013, I work with on campus Christian Clubs. 

Yesterday, I had a first.  I notice the girl - the daughter - and I remembered:  She went to the Club at JH East.  I didn't remember her name, so I didn't say anything. 

Then, I ran into Mom who said:  I remember you from the HS.  I use to go to the Christian program there.
Me:  Really?  Pizza@ Lunch?
Her:  Oh, yes!  Good times!
Me:  Thank you for saying something!  I appreciate it.

Then, I watch Mom and Daughter get in a vehicle and drive away.  And it hits me.  Wow!  I've done this long enough to minister to both Mother and Daughter!

Celebrating the REAL Christmas Story 12/23

Today, I am celebrating the Real Christmas Story.  Today, I am celebrating the swaddling clothes.  The dictionary tells me that these are narrow strips of cloth that are used to swaddle young infants.  The intellectual part of me understands that this swaddling is a prediction of his death and the clothes that used to wrap Him in then.  The former juvenile delinquent chaplain can only come up with a line from the Best Christmas Pageant ever:  Tied up and thrown in a feeding trough!  Where was Child Welfare?

I am still reflecting on the humble beginnings of the King of Kings.  I feel more ready to celebrate Christmas than I ever have!  How about you?  Are you ready to celebrate, really celebrate:  Emanuel, God with us?

^{Luke 2:12} This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.”

Celebrating the Real Christmas Story 12/22

Today, I am celebrating the real Christmas Story.  I am celebrating the manger:  The feeding trough the first time mother laid her newborn in when there was no crib in the stable.  In our day and age, it is the drawer unprepared mothers use to put their newborns in.  An unlikely bed for new born King!

There are some unlikely things in my life, as a daughter of the King.  Both of my own doing and those done to me by others, I find my self in a cow trough - up, off the ground and out of the manure, but in the most unlikely places! 

^{Luke 2:7} and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough.

Celebrating the REAL Christmas Story 12/20

Today, I am celebrating the REAL Christmas Story.  Today, I am celebrating the fact that the INN was full.  Therefore, Jesus was born in a barn - probably a cave.  It was a spot for storing animals.  While some us have been born at home,  very few of us have been born in a barn.  It was an unusual birth spot for the King of Kings.  Not in elegance or riches.  Not with the finest of medical care.  A barn.  The ultimate in contradictions:  King of Kings born in a barn with animals. 

Luke 2:7b Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough.