December 14

December 14

“God’s Greatest Gifts,” by Betty Porter

All of my life I have loved Christmas and everything about this wonderful holiday. As a child, born during the great depression, Christmas meant getting rare treats such as candy, nuts and oranges - and toys.

As an Adult, I loved being able to give my children (and now my grandchildren) lots of gifts at Christmas, and to help them enjoy the magic of this holiday. Certainly I taught them why we celebrate this day.

As the years have passed, and I have matured in my faith, I see Christmas and gifts in an entirely different context. First , God has given me the gift of life. More importantly He has made it possible for me to know Jesus as my personal Savior, and whose earthly birth is why we celebrate Christmas.

From Jesus, and His teachings, I have the opportunity to give more important gifts to those less fortunate.

He has given me a compassionate heart to help those living with a mental illness by way of a support group. Nami – National Alliance on Mental Illness. He has taught me to be a peace maker in times of trouble. He has given me empathy for others through lessons in life that I have learned through His love and direction. He has taught me to pray for His will, and to trust Him with the answer. He has given me the gift of good health so that I can continue to work at a job that I love.

As I look back on my life, I am amazed at how God shows His love and protection for me and my loved ones. Indeed, God’s greatest gifts to me, and each of you, is sending Jesus to us. Jesus is the true gift of Christmas.

Dearest God,

Thank you for sending Jesus to us, and for His teachings, so that we know how to live a Christian life.

In Jesus name, Amen

December 13

December 13

“Memories of Christmases Past,” by Susan Helman

“And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which 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 2:10-12

As a child I always loved hearing Christmas carols and joining in in the singing of them. My early memories of Christmas include spending Christmas Eve with my mother’s family at my grandparents’ home on Oak Street, enjoying the company of not only my immediate family, but also my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We would enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner, and there would be gifts for the children. Just a few years into our marriage, Larry and I and our son, Troy, moved to Oak Street, a short distance from Memorial, and at some time thereafter began attending Memorial. On Christmas Eve we would go to our traditional family get-together hosted by one of the relatives or us, then as 11:00 P.M. would draw near, Larry, Troy and I would go to Memorial for the beautiful Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Just as the singing of Christmas carols as a child always made me feel full of the spirit of Christmas, walking into the sanctuary and soaking up the wonderful atmosphere of the feeling of Christmas was always very special to me, and I am very much looking forward to attending the service again this year.

Dear God, thank you for sending us your son, Jesus Christ, for family and friends, and please help us to remember always the true meaning of Christmas. Amen.

December 12

December 12

“The Sounds of Christmas,” by Karrin Frost

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. I love the lights, decorations and even the weather (the more snow the better as far as I’m concerned). And then there’s the music – the sounds of Christmas are everywhere you turn. I never realized what a powerful message music could bring until I was a sophomore in college and participated in a performance of The Messiah, an event that is held annually during the holiday season. The emotional impact of standing with 1000 other students to sing “hallelujah” was unforgettable. To this day, the music of Christmas brings special feelings to me. I can better understand the wonder and joy of the birth of Jesus through these songs. I hear it in my daughter’s voice and see it in her face, as well. The birth of Jesus was a wonderful gift. By sharing our music we can also share that gift with others in a way all can understand.

Dear God,

As we celebrate the birth of your Son Jesus Christ, let us truly listen to the music and experience the season in a new way. Let us feel the joy of Christ’s birth, the wonder of those who saw the star, and let us share the joy with those around us.

Verse: Psalms 98:4

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

December 11, 3rd Sunday of Advent

December 11, 3^rd Sunday of Advent

“Giving of Self,” by Karen Perry

When I was young I had many colds and earaches, especially around the holidays. I was sad one year because of being home sick the last weekend before Christmas. My parents tried their best to “entertain” me, but I soon became bored. We were in our living room watching TV (which was a new past time) and admiring our Christmas decorations and tree, when we heard voices outside singing carols. I can still picture that scene of looking out our front windows and seeing a crowd from our church youth group caroling in the snow. I felt so special that they came to my house and sang for me.

They even asked for a favorite carol to sing and that made it even more special. They didn’t stay at our house very long, but the impression they made did last a long time. It really made that holiday season special. I recovered in time to have a wonderful Christmas with family, but experiencing the care and concern of this group of carolers made me realize how important the “giving” of self is especially during the holiday season. When we do this we always receive more of a blessing than we can imagine by celebrating Christ’s birth and sharing his message.

Dear Lord, may we give the gift of ourselves all year to further your kingdom and honor your Son. Amen.

December 10

December 10

“Traditions,” by Lynn Biggs

We have several family traditions during the holiday season. The busyness of the holiday season is always present, but it’s the family traditions we continue every year that make the holiday season so special.

We have always had a traditional “search for the perfect live Christmas tree” experience. We traipse up and down the rows of trees, and Joe braves the branches to cut down the “perfect” tree. Last year, Joe and I tried to talk the kids into buying an artificial tree. “No” was the resounding word we heard in response to our idea.

A couple of days before Christmas, the kids and I make dozens of cut out sugar cookies. Over the years, it has become a fun day filled with music, laughter, and creativity. This past year, the kids finally admitted that the cookies never really taste that good. It’s the fun we have while making them that matters.

Christmas Eve dinner and attending the Christmas Eve service has also been a family tradition. We eat the same thing every year, and we attend Memorial’s traditional service. The service always helps us to reflect on the importance of Christ in our lives.

One of our devotional questions is, “How do you experience Christ in the ‘busyness’ of the Advent/Christmas season?” Time spent with family, the memories created, and the traditions followed all prepare us for renewing our commitment to Christ and celebrating the Holy season. Our commitment to Christ is ever present in the way we interpret Christmas and make family memories.

Let us pray, “Heavenly Father, thank you for the comfort of family traditions. Let us remember to take time during this busy season to celebrate each other and the gifts You have bestowed upon us. Amen.”

December 9

December 9

“When Do We Feel Christ In Our Lives?” by Linda McNichols

As I ponder the times that I have felt the true meaning of Christmas and/or feel the spirit of Christ in my life, thoughts drift to memories of family and friends, present and past. Each year I think of my Sunday School teacher Wendell Sims who taught us to always show our love and respect for Jesus Christ by writing out “Christmas” and not use an X in place of his name, ie: Xmas, because he is worthy of so much more than being “crossed out”. Wendell taught that group of feisty kids many things but this one will never fade!

As a mother of three and grandmother of four precious children, I cannot help but equate the anticipation of each of their births with the anticipation we feel leading up to Christmas. In each case there was excitement, mystery, and certainly a state of awe as the unborn child was being nurtured and prepared inside the womb. The whole process is such a miracle! The culmination of nine months’ anticipation draws congratulatory wishes from relatives and friends near and far. The opportunity to witness the birth of a child, or to hold and care for a new baby must surely be one of our greatest blessings from God as we are offered some insight of the “wonder and awe” that was felt on the first Christmas with the birth of Christ.

Our “newest” family member is Lydia Jane Szabo, born on August 20th to our daughter Janie and husband John Szabo. Undoubtedly Miss Lydia is the most popular family member in recent days, although it is not an easy task to steal her away from her parents! This week our precious little one started daycare and Mommy started back to work at Rose Hulman. The daily reports from daycare have been “glowing”….she is sleeping a lot, is enamored with watching the “big kids” at play, etc. Janie says Lydia hasn’t slept quite as well at night, although she reports to me “Lydia’s bed is right beside ours and I can just reach over to touch her.” Janie goes on “ she was wiggling and fussing and woke me up, so I rolled over to check on her and when I looked down at her she just smiled a really big smile!”.

Christ is with us. May you feel the warmth of “his” big smile this Christmas!

Prayer: Lord, help us have the strength and compassion to understand that you will be with us in good times and in bad. May we be mindful to serve as you have shown through Christs’ example in a loving and gentle manner, carrying the warmth of your love within us to share with others.

December 8

"A Special Meaning of Christmas," by Buddy and Pam Coard

No one really knows what day the birth of Jesus occurred, but in 336 AD the Western Church of Rome selected December 25^th to celebrate this very special day. The time around Christmas has always been a very special time for my family. Seventeen years ago, Christmas became even more special with the birth of our daughter Emily on December 22. The date of our daughter’s birthday is the same day that Mary most likely started her 65 mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Both my wife and I remember the time of waiting for the birth of our daughter as a time of hopes, dreams, and anticipation similar to Mary and Joseph eagerly awaiting the birth of Jesus. Fourteen years ago with all of the great celebration of Christmas and the birth of our daughter we celebrated the birth of our son Fletcher born on December 27. The celebration of all three births makes the Christmas season more special as we celebrate the birth of our daughter 3 days prior to Christmas and celebrate the joyful birth of our son 2 days after Christmas. With our son, just like the birth of Jesus, there is a celebration of the future and a connection to the past because he carries forward the traditions of our family. With the birth of both of our children around the glorious day of the birth of Christ, the celebration of Christmas is very special to our family.

As the angels said to the sheppards in the field shortly after the birth of Jesus, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will towards men”. Let us remember these words as the time of Christmas draws near. Thank you Heavenly Father for the gifts that you have provided us in your son Jesus and for all of our children. Amen.