Advent Day 25: Ring out the old

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Advent Day 24: Thankful

On this Christmas Eve, let's all take a moment to consider what we're thankful for instead of daydream about what we're going to receive tomorrow. I am thankful for my year in Jordan, my new home in Colorado, the hard lessons God is teaching me, being able to spend this Christmas with my family and a year ahead that is full of opportunities. Go a step further and share it what you are thankful for with others. In this way the spirit of thankfulness will quickly permeate to celebrators of Christmas everywhere. So during our one more sleep till Christmas, let us dream about our blessings instead of sugar plums. While 2014 is coming to a close, let's prepare for 2015 with thankful hearts.

(video credit to Muppets Christmas Carol & youtube)

Advent Day 23: In Need of a Good Laugh

Today is Christmas Eve Eve, the start of the red level holiday stress. You're probably running on the fumes of holiday cheer and just enough socially acceptable hostility to elbow your way through the crowds to snatch up that last item on your shopping list. If you've completed your list, then chances are you've been baking like Betty Crocker on speed, prepping the house for an invasion of relatives and friends, or stressing out about your travel plans. In short, we're all very busy. So I thought today we could use some good laughs. Thanks to my main distraction from reality, Pinterest, I found 10 holiday inspired jokes and puns that I thought were good enough to share with everyone (links to the respective website homes of each pic underneath). So, here they are:

First for my fellow lovers of the cult classic Mean Girls

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicamisener/where-is-glen-coco-now?sub=2092013_990217#.fegeDMavY

I giggle every time I read this ironic Christmas card

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jobarrow/21-amazing-christmas-cards-youll-wish-youd-sent?sub=3539687_4440855#.mm1L2lbKY

The gingerbread "house" for Star Wars lovers (I'm looking at you Seth)

http://www.overthebigmoon.com/top-12-clever-twists-to-traditional-gingerbread-houses/

The ultra-cynical definition of Christmas

http://www.mooreaseal.com/

This one of Santa trying to save Frosty's life



One of the greatest yuletide puns I've ever seen

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/someone-used-a-cardboard-cutout-of-the-rock-to-make-some-rea?sub=2871688_2221770#.jaaDemXxw

The symbol of just how disappointing it is to spend Christmas in Texas

http://www.buzzfeed.com/javiermoreno/words-that-have-a-totally-different-meaning-in-texas?sub=3283694_3020620#.tf1O3PmVl

For my fellow Walking Dead fans

http://www.fishbiscuitdesigns.com/products/santas-helper-t-shirt

And lastly, let's not forget the birthday boy

http://skreened.com/xmasupinhere/we-gonna-party-like-it-s-my-birthday-jesus

I hope this made your season a little brighter. 

Advent Day 22: Messangers

Angels served the Lord in various ways throughout the scriptures. They prepared the way for God's people (Exodus 23:20), called forth leaders to deliver the people when they were oppressed (Judges 6 & 13), delivered provisions to the persecuted (1 Kings 19:5-8) and acted as agents of God's wrath (Genesis 19, 2 Kings 19). In every circumstance, the main purpose of the appearance of an angel on earth was for one reason: to deliver an awesome message from God. The Lord utilized various measures to grab the attention of his people throughout history. He preformed great and wondrous signs before the people of Israel and he also came in a still small voice to Elijah. The instances where God sent forth an angel to do his bidding were socking and could not be ignored. It's hard to ignore divine intervention when it's tapping you on the shoulder (see Elijah in 1 Kings 19).

 

Angelic beings exist for one reason: to minister to and glorify God forever. In the instances in scripture that offer us a glimpse into God's throne room, we see how the spirits before the Lord are consumed with his majesty and can only cry out "Holy!" (Isaiah 6) Outside of heaven, angelic revelation is not a frequent occurrence and therefore should grab our attention whenever we come across such a passage in the Bible. In the Christmas story angelic messengers appear four different times: to Zechariah (Luke 1:5-25), to Mary (Luke 1:26-38), to Joseph (Matthew 1:20-24 & 2:13), to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-20). Whats more, the host of angels that appeared to the shepherds in Luke 2 was the first and only such host to have appeared to men outside the heavenly realm. The greatest message of the Lord required a great number of angels to herald it! Can you imagine it? The angels in heaven were so excited about the coming of Christ that a multitude of them couldn't help but show themselves to lowly shepherds in order to use their song of praise to the Lord as a sign of the great and wonderful miracle that had happened.


Luke 2:8-15
"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!' When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.'”

Advent Day 21: Home for the Holidays

There's not going to be a big post today because I just traveled 26 hours cross-country. It's good to be home for the holidays though. Enjoy the song.

Advent Day 20: First Born

The role of the firstborn son is one that we don't necessarily understand because our culture does not hold to the traditions surrounding birth order. Culturally the firstborn son of a family carried the honor of the family, inherited the property, cared for his widowed mother and single/widowed sisters, presented the sacrifices to the priests and presided over any family disputes. In short, the firstborn son was trained up to take over his father's patriarchal position in the family. It is no surprise then that firstborn sons were held to a higher standard both in family life and in religious life. Mary and Joseph were careful to uphold this standard with Jesus.

Luke 2:22-24
"And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, 'Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord') and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, 'a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.'”

The consecration of the firstborn came about when the Lord claimed Israel and consequently the firstborns therein as His own during the Passover.

Exodus 4:22-23
"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, "Let my son go that he may serve me." If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

Exodus 13:1-2
"The Lord said to Moses, 'Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.'”

Later, God chose the tribe of Levi to be his priests out of the whole of Israel. Thus the firstborns were consecrated as those who would mediate between the people of Israel and the Lord.

Numbers 3:11-13
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.'”

Understanding now the role of the firstborn not only in family life but in maintaining the family's relationship with the Lord, we can more fully understand Jesus' role not only as Mary's firstborn but as the firstborn of all creation.

Romans 8:29-30
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

Colossians 1:15-20"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Tonight I'm on the road heading home to Pennsylvania from Colorado. Yep that's a 22 hour drive optimistically. I'll be home for Christmas this year...in about 20 hours. I had no idea Kansas was so big.

Advent Day 19: Christmas is Weird

We've talked about Christmas traditions and how their unchanging nature gives us comfort. One of the things about traditions though is that very few people stop to ask why they exist. Here are 5 Christmas traditions that are so strange that we have to ask why:


1) Christmas Pickle
Pickle ornaments have been around since the 1880's but the story surrounding the origin of the pickle is unclear. It is believed by some that it began in Germany. Families would place a pickle, later a pickle ornament, in their Christmas tree and the first child to find the pickle would receive a special present. However, very few Germans believe this origin story to be accurate. Another story features a starving POW of the American Civil War. He begged his captors for a pickle before he died. He was given one and found the strength to hold on until the end of the war. After returning to his family he made it a tradition to place a pickle in the Christmas tree as a reminder of what got him through the war. Again not much weight is given to this myth but the pickle tradition lives on none the less.

2) Mistletoe
We all know about the plant that is hung over a doorway that prompts couples to kiss underneath it. Creepy right? Why do people do this?
Originally Mistletoe was held in high respect by the Druids. They would hang it in their houses to bring luck and keep evil spirits away. In Norse mythology it was a sign of love and friendship. This is where the tradition of kissing under a sprig of this plant came from. Brought to England by invaders, Mistletoe became customary in homes across the country during the winter holidays and later, with the spreading of Christianity, it joined the Christmas decor. 


3) Yule Log
A favorite of anyone with a fireplace, the yule log is another Nordic tradition that has lasted through the ages. In the beginning, an entire tree was burned during the Winter Solstice. The remains of the log from the previous year was used to light the new tree. The tree was burned over twelve days later playing into the creation of the 12 Days of Christmas. It seems each European country prefers their own species of tree and burning rituals The ashes of the burned up log are to be kept and spread in flower beds to ensure healthy plants. It is very unlucky to throw out the ashes when the twelve days are up. 

4) Wreaths
Hundreds of doors around the country have circles of evergreen sprigs, holly, burlap or other various Christmas ornaments hanging on them. Why? Who was it who looked at their Christmas tree and thought "No, there is not enough evergreen in my house. I need more!"?
Wreaths also came out of the Winter Solstice-Christmas cross over as Europe was Christianized. Evergreen was paired with candles to celebrate the anticipation of Spring and the rebirth of nature, while the circle shape was to represent eternity. Nowadays it represents a welcoming and generous atmosphere.

5) Advent Wreath/Candles
This is one tradition that I am more familiar with. The Advent Wreath tradition began during the time of the Reformation and is used to symbolize the coming of Jesus. The four candles are placed in a circle and each represents a virtue that Christ brings: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. One candle is lit each Sunday in the month leading up to Christmas. At the center of the wreath is the Christ candle that is lit on Christmas Eve. 

I hope this has solved some of your Christmas mysteries.

Advent Day 18: A Different Dozen

Recently I attended a Christmas party where myself and the other attendees were split into teams and told to go out and find representations of the 12 Days of Christmas. This got me thinking...what if I did the same thing with the internet?

So here it is, the 12 Days of Christmas according to me and the Internet

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

12 Drummers Drumming

11 Pipers Pipping

10 Lords a-Leaping

9 Ladies Dancing

8 Maids a-Milking

7 Swans a-Swimming

6 Geese a-Laying

5 Golden Rings

4 Calling Birds

3 French Hens

2 Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

So there you have it

Advent Day 17: Poetic Description of the Manger Scene

The Holy Night 
by Elisabeth Barrett Browning

We sate among the stalls at Bethlehem;
The dumb kine from their fodder turning them,
Softened their horned faces
To almost human gazes
Toward the newly Born:
The simple shepherds from the star-lit brooks
Brought their visionary looks,
As yet in their astonished hearing rung
The strange sweet angel-tongue:
The magi of the East, in sandals worn,
Knelt reverent, sweeping round,
With long pale beards, their gifts upon the ground,
The incense, myrrh, and gold
These baby hands were impotent to hold:
So let all earthlies and celestials wait
Upon thy royal state.
Sleep, sleep, my kingly One!

Advent Day 16: Born to Die

On Day 15 we met Simeon who was waiting diligently for the Christ. Luke tells us about Simeon's joy at seeing the Messiah and the blessings he bestowed on the child and his parents. But then Simeon turned his attention to Mary in particular and gave an oracle that was anything but comforting

Luke 2:34-35
"And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.'"

What must the new mother have been thinking in this moment? Often it is not something out of place that takes us aback but the stark laying out of truth that causes us to pause in shock. Mary was given no illusions about how her son's life would progress. Tragedy loomed in the future. Surely she had known the prophecies concerning the Messiah and she had the assurance of the words of the angel in Luke 1:30-33. This opposition to which Simeon alluded would touch Mary's life in such an intense way, "and a sword will pierce through your own soul also". I cannot imagine a more accurate description of what Mary must have went through watching Jesus not only be opposed but condemned and crucified.  

So many times we focus on Christ's title of Prince of Peace that we forget the other side of the coin. Jesus came as a 'sign that is opposed'. The Prince stepped into hostile territory, which remains hostile to this day, to bring a message that would either be wholly accepted or wholly rejected. Surely this type of radical message would bring suffering to the one who carried it. The image of Christ as the suffering servant as described in Isaiah 3 was never separated from his identity, even as a new born baby. He was born to die.

Advent Day 15: A Kept Promise

We all know the joy that comes with obtaining something that we have waited so long for. The Bible contains 39 books in which people were waiting for Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament prophecies were spoken and people looked for the fulfillment of these promises from God for a Savior. In Luke's gospel we see two people in particular who were waiting and diligently anticipating the arrival of the Christ. Anna had been praying and serving at the temple for most of her life. She, like all of Israel, was waiting to see the promises of God fulfilled in the sending of the Savior. Simeon's promise from the Lord was more personal, promising him that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. This anticipation of seeing the promises of God come to fruition completely consumed the lives of these two people. Both had worshipful, thanksgiving filled responses to seeing this chapter of God's plan for salvation unfold.

Luke 2:24-32 & 36-38
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 'Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel'...And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem."

All throughout scripture God is praised for being a keeper of his word.

Numbers 23:19
"God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?"

Joshua 21:45
"Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass."

Jeremiah 33:14-16
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’"

2 Corinthians 1:20-22
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."

So let our prayers be fierce and sincere. Let us not be afraid to take God at his word and to expectantly watch for what he has promised to us. Keep an eye on the horizon and do not be surprised by what we see there but rather let our responses be acts of worship just like Simeon's and Anna's were.

Advent Day 14: Constance, Change and Constantly Changing

People have split opinions on change: sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. Change is the only constant in life it seems. Certain things though seem to never change. We have our habits, our traditions, our unique ways of doing life. The holidays are where the bulk of our traditions are conserved.  At the apex of this conservation is Christmas. Everyone who celebrates Christmas has Christmas traditions.

I can tell you nearly everything that my family will do starting on Christmas Eve through the end of Christmas Day. Christmas Eve afternoon everyone will bring down their church clothes to be ironed. My mom will make lasagna for dinner. I'll try to get ready before dinner so I'm out of everyone's way. There will be seven of us staying in my parents' house for Christmas and mirror space is limited. My great-uncle (Buncle) and grandmother will come over for dinner. We'll eat and get around then head over to church so we can grab a full pew. My sister and her kids as well as my aunt, uncle and cousins will all file in with us. After church, we'll drive around town (weather permitting) and check out the local light displays.

On Christmas morning, my mom will usually wake up first, though this year the baby might give her a run for her money. Someone will start a pot of coffee and usually around 8:30 everyone will shuffle into the living room. I'll call Buncle to come over and in the mean time everyone will open their stockings. Next are the gifts from Buncle, who has arrived by this point, and his sister, Aunt Sally. After this any and all gifts are fair game. Once all the presents are unwrapped and the floor is covered with wrapping paper, Dad will start on breakfast and Mom will bring around Christmas cookies. Christmas breakfast is comprised of venison sausage patties on English muffins. Even though by this point everyone's had at least one cup of coffee, some of us leave to visit our local Sheetz for their free coffee on Christmas day. The rest of the afternoon is spent hanging out at the house, prepping for dinner and watching A Christmas Story which is on a 24 hour loop. By the time dinner time hits the house is packed with family and some brave visitors. Everyone eats and eats, and then its present time for the last time this day. Lastly the pies and desserts are divided up along with the last batch of coffee. Visitors will stay until the party starts winding down.

That's been, more or less, my Christmas every year since I can remember. Except last year. Last year was the first year I spent the holidays away from home. This was my first opportunity to miss all these traditions that made up how I spent my Christmas. In the past year I've changed continents, time-zones, cultures and states. Change seems to sweep through my life regularly now and it makes me appreciate these traditions all the more. It seems the adage is true "The more things change, the more they stay the same".

Advent Day 13: Gloria In Excelses

The Christmas album Glory in the Highest by Shane and Shane is one of my favorites. They take old classics and put them to a new beat, or they use the originals as jumping off points to create new worshipful songs. The title song Glory in the Highest is one example of the latter. They take the theme of the carol Angels We Have Heard On High and tie it into the purpose of Advent. Unfortunately I could not find a good recording of this song on YouTube but here are the lyrics. I encourage you to find the song on your own.


Holy One
Light of the world, Jesus

The Holy One of Israel
The One foretold He came
Deliverer of Israel
The One foretold He came

Born of man
He became the lowest
To show us

Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest

The Chosen One of Israel
The One foretold He came
We all like sheep have gone astray
We turned to our own way
But still He came

Born of man
He became the lowest
To show us

Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest
3x

Glory in the highest
(Holy One)
Glory in the highest
(Light of the world)
Glory in the highest
(Jesus)

Advent Day 12: So What Is It?

Advent: noun the arrival of a person, thing or event

We get caught up in all the Advent things: Advent season, Advent devotionals, Advent candles, Advent conspiracy...In the end we forget just what Advent is. Unfortunately this happens time and again with words that we throw around in our theological and Christian jargon. Salvation, sanctification, justification, propitiation, eschatology, etc. We have a roundabout understanding of their meaning but when asked for a straightforward definition we stammer out unsatisfactory answers. In reality all these words have simple definitions but we rarely get down to the bare bones meaning. More than this though, each of these words plays into the definition of the others. Advent is no different.

Advent leads to Emmanuel, this arrival leads to God with us.

This is the season of the coming, the arrival. We celebrate the days leading up to the first step of the culmination of the salvation story: the incarnation of the Christ.

Hebrews 1:1-4

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs."

Hebrews 2:9-11a
"But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source..."

PS The book Hebrews should be on your Advent reading list.

Advent Day 11: Light em up

We all know about the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. It lights up the center of New York City accompanied by the Rocketts, musical artists and an elaborate lighting ceremony. However, at a measly 74 feet tall, this tree barely makes it into the top 10 tallest trees in the country. The top 5 trees can be found in seemingly random spots throughout the US.

5) Toledo Zoo's Christmas Tree
     85 feet
     Boasting 35,000 energy-efficient LED lights, this massive Norway spruce takes an entire crew one week to decorate.

4) Americana at Brand and the Grove at Farmers Market, Los Angeles CA
100 feet each
     There are quite a few trees that boast heights of 100 feet but I chose to list these two because they are within close proximity of each other and somehow are nearly identical in size. The Americana holds 15,000 lights and 10,000 ornaments. The Grove hosts a lighting ceremony much like the Rockefeller's featuring musical artists, Santa Claus and a snow flurry.

  

3) Outlets at Anthem, Arizona
     110 feet
     The Anthem's tree lights up under three miles' worth of LED lights. In addition, it is bedecked with 6,000 ornaments.
         

2) Ferndale California
     150 feet
     The Victorian Village stays true to its traditions and Christmas time is no different. This neighborhood has celebrated a Christmas tree decorating since 1934.

1) Coeur d'Alene Resort Idaho
    161 feet
     This obscure resort in Idaho takes home the crown. The star on top of the tree itself is 10 feet tall. This paired with the 40,000 LED lights makes this gargantuan tree the center of the resort's annual Christmas light show.



And then there's my Christmas tree...

but I love my little Charlie Brown tree.

Advent Day 10: We Knew He Was Coming

Isaiah 25:7-9

And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Advent Day 9: A Lovely Carol

A Christmas Carol 
by Christina Georgina Rossetti

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart

Advent Day 8: Mystery Men from the East

Of all the characters who we meet in the Christmas story there are none perhaps who are so mysterious and adventitious as the wise men. They are given little introduction nor explanation. After they leave the side of the Christ child they return to oblivion and are never mentioned in scripture again. Many questions surround these men but the one that is first on my list is this: What exactly called them? Identified as men from the East, these scholars are immediately presented as non-Israelites. They might have studied the Hebrew scriptures somewhat and could have known that they people of Israel were expecting a Messiah to deliver them. Even if they did know this prophecy within the Jewish faith, why would they care? Moreover, why would they spend a small fortune to travel across the desert with costly gifts for a king who was not theirs? 

Ok, let's assume that they did come across the Messianic prophecies and saw fit to honor its fulfillment; what then prompted them to follow a star to find this heralded king? Whatever the cause, they had faith in their hearts that this star shinning brighter than all the others in heaven would bring them to their desired destination. "And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." (Matthew 2:9b-10)

This is all well and good, but then the wise men depart from the scene never to be heard of again. What was the purpose of their trek? Were their lives changed by completing this journey?

Not all of our questions about these emissaries from the east but this is what we know from their cameo appearance: the coming of the Christ was expected not just by Israel but by all people. Like it says in the Christmas carol "Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices..." The whole world was waiting expectantly for a savior to come. In this light, it is not surprising at all that these men, strangers to everyone else involved in this story, would show up at the house of the infant Messiah. More than this, they knew his worth before they set eyes on him as evidenced by the expensive gifts they bought in preparation of meeting him. God has chosen to reveal himself in surprising and mysterious ways all throughout history; it is no marvel then that he would have revealed himself to and called these men just as he has called everyone else.

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.' When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 

“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, 'Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.' After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way."

Matthew 2:1-12

Advent Day 7: An Offering

Well, we all knew I'd slip up sooner or later. My apologies for this post being a day late. Last night I was distracted by a man being eaten, willingly, by a snake.

Today a song. This is a new Christmas song. The band Casting Crowns revamped their song 'Offering' for the Christmas season. Consider the lyrics and think about the gift you are giving Christ on the day that we celebrate his birth. Notice also how the lyrics change from 'We bring an offering' to 'We are an offering'. This song is also a good one for Christmas because it combines the humanness of Christ in his coming as a baby with his divinity. 

Over the skies of Bethlehem appeared a star
While angels sand to lowly shepherds
Three wisemen seeking truth
Hoping to find the Child from Heaven
They bow before the humble Prince of peace

We bring an offering of worship to our King
No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing
Jesus, may You receive the honor that You're due
O Lord, I bring an offering to You

The sun cannot compare to the glory of Your love
There is no shadow in Your presence
No mortal man would dare to stand before Your throne
Before the Holy One of Heaven
It's only through Your mercy, Lord I come

I bring an offering of worship to my King
No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing
Jesus, may You receive the honor that You're due
O Lord, I bring an offering to You

We bring an offering to You
We are an offering to You
An offering of praise we sing
An offering to You

We are an offering to You, Jesus
An offering of praise we sing
An offering to You
We are an offering, oh Lord

We are an offering of worship to our King
No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing
Jesus, may You receive the honor that You're due
O Lord, we bring an offering to You
O Lord, we bring an offering

They traveled from afar
Falling on their knees
It's only by Your blood

Advent Day 6: Chasing Santa

It seems like there is a 5K race every weekend here in Colorado Springs. Today though was the last race for 2014: Chasing Santa 5K. Instead of your typical race T shirt, participants receive full Santa suits complete with white beard. Stephen, Michelle and I immediately signed up once we found the race online. This morning we set out for the race in the balmy 35 degree weather to meet up with some friends and join the fray of red suited runners. Being that this was my first race ever I just wanted to finish somewhere other than dead last. 39.40 minutes was my final time. Afterwards we celebrated with 5 Guys Burgers and naps. Now I'm just waiting for the weather to warm back up before I commit anymore time to race training.

Pre race selfie 

Post race selfie

Advent Day 5: Easy Holiday Decor

One of my favorite things about the holidays is decorating. But decorating on a budget can be a challenge. Like most ladies my age, I peruse Pinterest to find new affordable craft ideas. That is where I found jar winter-scapes. These are a great idea for anyone pinching pennies and looking for an easy yet impressive craft. 

Start with a glass jar. I saved sauce and sauerkraut jars. I wish I would have saved the lids to go with them. If you are going to attempt this yourself I highly recommend saving the lids. Lids will make it easier to store your creations afterwards. To remove the label from the empty jar I let soaked it in hot soapy dish water while I did dishes. If the labels do not easily peel off afterwards, try scrubbing the jar with the dish rag. This should take off the label and the glue. 

Interior 

For the inside of your jar you'll need trees. I found variety packs of trees at Michael's for $2-3. Trees with more decorations will cost a little more.

Whatever else you want to add to the inside is up to you. I found wrapped presents, sleighs, a black bear and a church. Again all of my tiny decorations at Michael's and I did not spend more than $3 on an item.

Snow

For my snow I used crushed stone (not crystal meth). Other people have used Epson salts, cotton balls or sand. 

Coverings

To cover the tops of my jars (after foolishly throwing out my lids) I used red burlap and snowflake burlap ribbon from Michael's.

 To Secure

To fasten your trees to the inside of the jars you will need a hot glue gun and adult supervision. Any another type of crafting glue would suffice if you don't have a glue gun. 

Step 1 Trees
To start, visualize how you want your jar to look. Once you glue down the trees there's no going back. When you have a picture in your mind, start gluing down your trees. If your jar opening is too small for your hands to fit in, use tongs to lower the trees in and hold them in place until the glue is dry. Any other big ornaments, such as my church, that will stand above the snow can be glued down now also.

 Step 1 complete

Step 2 Snow

Pour in enough snow to cover the base of the trees. I have yet to find a way to glue down the snow. I'm sure there's a spray adhesive out there that would do the trick. If anyone finds one please let me know.

Step Three Additions 

Since the snow is not glued down there is no point in gluing anything to it. There are ways to secure certain ornaments though. The presents came individually and I glued them together into a pyramid. The black bear I secured to the tree. For lowering and re-positioning additional ornaments into the jars I used a fork. Because these pieces are not secured they will move when jostled, so place them on secure shelves out of the reach of little ones.

Step 4 Covering

To top off your jars, you can paint or decorate the lids however you want. If you didn't think ahead, like me, you'll need to get creative. Here I cut squares of burlap to cover the opening of the jar and tied a ribbon around each one. To make this more secure, glue down the burlap and then cover the glue line with ribbon.

Finished!

Now you can give your jars as gifts or keep them as part of your Christmas decor. Add any ornaments you can find that will fit in the jars to create whatever scene you want.