Category: Fundamentals

Contained in the text below is an edited version of a devotional written last year for an Advent booklet published by our church.

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:10-12 (NIV)

‘Tis the season to be busy…

There are gifts to gather, cards to create, trees to trim, food to fix, and family and friends to fuss over.

More than once, when asked what part of the season I like most, I have often replied “When it’s over”. I don’t believe I am alone with that sentiment. The holiday season can be overwhelming. For that reason, I have always savored that part of the Christmas season which begins with the Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve and continues on to the first day of the New Year.

Immediately upon taking my seat in our church for the Candlelight Service, calm prevails.  I am now able to cast aside the hustle and stress of the previous weeks and days, and replace that with thoughts of the simple blessings of friends and family, and the blessing of God’s gift to us, the birth of Jesus Christ. In the solemn serenity of our sanctuary, softened by candlelight, and our choir singing carols, the gifts stuffed in stockings are now replaced in my mind by the gift of God’s love and the peace through Christ that God gave to us.

In Matthew 2:12 we are told the following about the Wise Men…”They returned to their country by another route.”  The Wise Men had followed a star to Bethlehem. They had seen Mary and the Baby Jesus, but, having been warned in a dream about Herod, they took a different road back home.

In the winter quiet that follows Christmas, I have the time to reflect on the road I’m following in my personal journey of faith and ask the question, “Do I need to take a different road”? I just prepared with great vigor to celebrate the season of this thing that has happened (Luke 2:15). Now, with the gifts exchanged, and the tree put away, there is time to examine how I will make that journey for the coming year with Christ at my side and His Word to guide me. Will I make that examination with the same vigor given to celebrate the season?

Through the clamor that can accompany the Christmas season we see many displays of the love taught to us by Christ. We have witnessed gifts to charities and a helping hand extended to the sick, the needy, and to our brave wounded veterans. Is that the road I follow and lend my hand to those truly worthy endeavors? Or, do I follow a road of a renewed commitment to prayer and to the study of His Word in the Bible? Do I reach out to our church for a new direction in faith through fellowship? Now that I am retired, there is many a path before me.

In the calm hush that follows the Christmas rush, I am always reassured that God listens to us. Even in this busy season when we seek peace, we know that God gives us peace through Jesus Christ if we follow him.  I now ask God which route I should take as I prepare for a New Year, and I remain confident that he will listen and send me down the right road.  The road a Wise Man would surely follow…

 

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God”. 1 Luke: 35

When our two boys were very small we had a handmade wall hanging on which was sewn a Christmas tree.  The Christmas tree had 24 pockets and each pocket contained a symbol of the Christmas season such as a star or a reindeer that could be pulled from a pocket and pinned to the tree. Every year on the first day of December the tree was brought from storage and our boys fought over who would get to pull the first surprise from that day’s pocket. They alternated every day thereafter, and neither boy would dare miss a turn on his day as the designated “puller”.  It was a delight to witness the fun.  

Some of the most cherished aspects of the Christmas season are the traditions which seem to begin as simple events, repeated a second time, then enhanced and repeated once more.  In a relatively short number of years, an event that was created to entertain or amuse or simply pass some time until gifts were exchanged becomes a treasured tradition.

One year someone in my wife’s family gave everyone a well intentioned gift of some packaged baked biscuits that were so hard they were inedible. Most of the family members politely thanked the giver and then quietly sent the gift out with the spent wrapping paper. Unnoticed was one member of the family who saved his package of biscuits. The next year he re-wrapped them and placed them under the tree at the family gathering, waiting to be opened by an in-law who was clueless. Needless to say, we howled with laughter when the gift was opened and a new tradition was thus born. For many years thereafter some unsuspecting family member received that same package of rock hard biscuits as it was gifted from one person to another. This tradition ended when the biscuits were sent to my son who was serving with the Army in Kosovo. Legend has it that they were gifted to a very grateful goat.

The one tradition that I remember most fondly however, was maintained by my mother-in-law, a devoted Christian and probably one of the most joyful people I have ever known. Every year as the family gathered to celebrate Christmas, “Grandmother La-La” would assemble all of the grandchildren and, before a piece of candy was eaten, or a stocking was emptied, or even a pigtail was pulled, she would have them sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus as she held their tiny hands and joyfully smiled at her flock as only a proud grandmother can. She would then thoughtfully and thoroughly explain to the little ones (and remind the rest of us) that the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, was the real reason for the season.

Over the years new traditions sprang up in our family and a few were outgrown, but I always felt that a birthday song for our new-born Savior was one of the most sincere and loving ways to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas. Now that we are scattered far and wide at this time of the year it is difficult to repeat this tradition, but it is one that I’m certain they still remember.

Happy Birthday Jesus…Traditions come and go, but may we remind ourselves daily that you are a gift from God to all us.

May the blessings of the season be upon each of you. We’re Easin’ Along for now.

We have a bi-coastal family. One of our sons lives in Southern California and our other son lives on the South Carolina coast.  Both are great places to visit. Nevertheless, trying to get everyone together is not easy and, understandably, doesn’t happen often enough for two doting grandparents of four grandchildren, ages three through seven.

For that reason, Helen (adorable wife and doting grandmother) insists that everyone gather at least one time a year so that all the cousins can renew their relationships and enjoy a little bonding time. We call it Cousin’s Week and we celebrated this blessed event last week.  It was truly a treasured experience.

Cousins week was enhanced greatly when some dear friends offered us the use of their fabulous home on one of our nearby lakes. Their generosity was overwhelming and made our time together even more memorable. We were certain that the children had a great time when they each said they wanted to come back for two weeks next year. I hope that our generous hosts consider their wishes to be a compliment of the highest order.

We did all of the usual things that families do on vacation like swimming, working puzzles, playing games, eating great meals, and enjoying each other’s company. Other family members, including the children’s great-grandparents came for a day visit which made great memories for all.

During our time on the lake we gave each child a disposable camera and asked them to   take whatever pictures they wanted. It was a hoot watching them snap away, and soon each camera had all 27 exposures taken.

For this week’s post of Easin’ Along I have used only the pictures that the children took. Most pictures are quite good and I want to give them full credit.  An occasional thumb came between the camera and the subject, but that only made for better art. One or two could have used a little more light but, again, they had a blast.

I have posted many of the pictures taken by the young at heart among us on the gallery page which is listed below this post on the home page of Easin’ Along.  Readers can also go to the gallery page by clicking here.

Our week ended all too quickly, but everyone made some wonderful memories. This was just another blessed step for Helen and me as we’re Easin’ Along on our slow walk through the Golden Years.

Thanks for letting us share it with you.