Birthday Bash?????

An important letter from an anonymous writer....

Dear Friends,

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated.

During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting close and closer.

It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago.

At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration.

I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts.

But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation.

The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face and I wanted to be with them and share their table.

In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me. Since I wasn't invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking; there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a grand time. To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying "Santa Claus, Santa Claus" as if the party was in his honor!

At midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and do you know no one hugged me. Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me.

What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one? I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left.

Every year it gets worse. People only remember the gifts, the parties, to eat and drink, and nobody remembers me. I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life. I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you. Today, I only want that you believe this with all your heart.

I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party. I'm still making the final arrangements.

Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book.

Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party. Those who don't answer the invite will be left outside. Be prepared because when all is ready you will be part of my great party.

See you soon. I love you!

Jesus

' Twas the Night Before Jesus

‘Twas the night before Jesus came
And all through the house,
Not a creature was praying,
Not one n the house.

Their Bibles were lying on the shelf without care,
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.
The children were dressing to craw into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.

And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap,
Was watching the late show, while I took a nap.
When out of the east there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.

Away to the window, I flew like a flash.
I tore back the shutters and threw back the sash.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But angels proclaming that Jesus was here.

With a light like the sun, sending forth a bright ray,
I knew in a moment, this must be the day.
The light of His face made me cover my head.
It was Jesus returning, just like He said.

And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him, in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life, which He held in His hand,
Was written the name of every saved man.

He spoke not a word as
He searched for my name.
And when He said, "It’s not here,"
I hung my head in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love,
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With all those who were ready, He rose without a sound,
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late.
I’d waited too long, thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rode out of sight.
If only I’d been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem, the meaning is clear,
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There’s only one life and when comes the last call,
We’ll find that the Bible was right after all.

-- Author Unknown

A Little Humor during Christmas

A little humor is helpful during the Christmas season as so many are ready to remove CHRIST from CHRISTMAS. Without Jesus we wouldn't have Christmas vacation (Winter Holidays seems the pc name) or a day off work if Christmas happens to fall on Mon -- Friday.

Enjoy this website and peruse a bit! http://www21.brinkster.com/Haptoon/101.htm

Christmas Day

Christmas is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus. There's interesting history behind December 25 being the actual date of Jesus' birth. As a Christian, the exact date is a non-issue. As an adoptive mom, I know that the exact date of the birth of my son is not critical, but the fact that he was born is. I feel the same about Christmas.

A little history --

Christmas, for Western Christians, was first celebrated on December 25 in A.D. 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire's favored religion. As a theologian said in 320, "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."

http://touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=16-10-012-v

St Ambrose of Milan

I read a short devotional in the morning from Portals of Prayer. It's a devotional from the Lutheran perspective. Many of the devotionals in the stores don't add the Lutheran theological understanding of important topics. Many of the devotionals are evangelical in nature which involves making a decision for Christ. Lutherans believe that God is the one who gives faith by means of the Holy Spirit, the Word and the Sacrament.

The devotional this morning was about St. Ambrose. I never heard of him, but evidently he is an important historical person. St Ambrose was a bishop in Milan in the fourth-century. He was very concerned about the identity of Jesus. There were some who were teaching that Jesus is only a man, created by God and adopted by God to be His Son. St Ambrose was influential in the conversion of St. Augustine.

Christmas Nails

Last year I made Christmas Nails for friends and family. I am making Christmas Nails again this year because there are more people I want to give to. The reason for Christmas is Jesus. The Christmas Nail is a vivid reminder of what God's Gift to man really was and it. I saw a similar ornament, but decided it would be more meaningful if I created my own. So I brought large spikes at the hardware stores for about 15¢ each and tied a small message with a red ribbon on each spike. The Christmas Nail is designed to sit quietly in the tree as a reminder. It would something you could leave out year round as a powerful reminder.

This is the poem that I"ve seen on commerical Christmas Nails:

The Christmas Nail Poem
This is the Christmas Nail.
It is to be hung on a sturdy branch,
a branch near the trunk,
a branch that will hold such a spike
without being noticed by well-wishers dropping
by to admire one’s tinseled tree.
The nail is known only to the home that hangs it.
Understood only by the heart that knows its significance.
It is hung with the thought...
that the Christmas tree
but foreshadows the Christ-tree which only He could
decorate for us, ornamented with nails as this.

Powerful Words

These are some of my favorite Advent Hymns. A funny thing happened to me. I was raised in a church that had an organ and we sang mostly hymns. I NEVER realized how powerful the words of the hymns were until I began attending a church that uses a wide range of music with many kinds of musical instruments.

I look up to a large screen for the words with my head lifted high and my hands raised in worship, rather than burying my head in a hymnal. I sing terrible, but I sing with all my heart as I sing praises to my Lord and Savior. Now...when I sing a hymn, I get it!

Have a listen and sing along! (use the Back button on your browser to return to the blog.)

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Unknown author in the 12th Century, translated by John M. Neale (1818-1866)
Tune, French Processional, 15th Century
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/c/ocomocom.htm

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,T
hat mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Come, Though Long Expected Jesus
Charles Wesley (1707 - 1788)
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/m/comtlong.htm

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal SpiritRule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.


Fling Wide the Doors
Georg Weissel (1642) Text
Jo­hann­es A. Frey­ling­haus­en (1704) Tune
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/w/fwdtdoor.htm

Fling wide the door, unbar the gate;
The King of glory comes in state;
The Lord of lords and King of kings,
The Savior of the world who brings
His great salvation to the earth.
So raise a shout of holy mirthAnd praise our God and Lord,
Creator, Spirit Word

He is the rock of our belief,
The heart of mercy’s gentle self.
His kingly crown is holiness;
His scepter is his loveliness;
He brings our sorrows to an end.
Now gladly praise our king and friend,
And worship him with song,
For saving us from wrong.

O, happy towns and blessed lands
That live by their true king’s commands,
And blessed be the hearts he rules,
The humble places where he dwells.
He is the rightful Son of bliss
Who fills our lives and makes us his,
Creator of the world,
Our only strength for good.

Come, Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ;
Our hearts are open wide in trust.
Oh, show us now your lovely grace,
Upon our sorrows shine your face,
And let your Holy Spirit guide
Our journey in your grace so wide.
We praise your holy name,
From age to age the same.

Birthday Invitation

I received this poem from a friend about the upcoming Birthday Celebration.....

A Strange Birthday Celebration

By J.E. Greenlee

If the following story were not true, it would surely be unbelievable. It is true, however, as you yourself will agree when you have read it.

There once was a great king. His love for his people knew no limits. Although the kingdom was very large, the king knew every person by name. Everything the people of the kingdom had was a gift freely given by the king.

So, to show their love and appreciation to the king for all he had done for them, the people decided to have a great celebration to honor his birthday. Everyone agreed it was a marvelous idea. Preparations for the celebration were very elaborate. No expense was spared by the people. They adorned their homes with lights, decorations, and expensive ornaments. There were parties, dinners, and celebrations throughout the kingdom.

All the people brought gifts for their friends and family. Many of the gifts which the people gave each other were quite expensive, involving considerable indebtedness. In fact, the people spent more on the birthday celebration than they spent at any other time of the year.

Many who were not citizens of the kingdom, who did not even personally know the king, joined in the celebration. Their celebration of the king’s birth was marked by excessive drinking. Since they did not know the king intimately, they invented a good natured, fat fellow in a red suit. He laughed a lot, but never said anything. But that didn’t matter because they were too busy celebrating to listen anyhow.

The day set for the birthday celebration drew near. The gifts which the people had brought for each other were piled high. The decorations were beautiful. Huge amounts of food were prepared in all the homes and banquet halls.

The king watched eagerly during all the preparation. A number of people mentioned him and spoke of what a great king he was. The king waited each day expecting at any time to hear from the people about his role in the celebration. Weeks in advance, he prepared his house to receive the many who would be coming with their gifts for him.

The great day of celebrating his birth finally arrived, and some of his people did come bringing gifts and thanking him for his goodness to them. But to his dismay most of the citizens never came to his house at all the day of the celebration. And the gifts brought to the king by those few who came were very meager when compared to the gifts they had given themselves.

For the most part the people said they had been so busy with all the celebrations and personal plans that they had forgotten about the king. Several said they had though of him, but really could not work it into their schedules or budgets to come to see him, or bring him a gift. A few were known to be quite put out when it was suggested that going to the king’s house or remembering him with a gift was important.

Those who did come to his house and who brought their loving gifts were welcomed and blessed by the king. He told them again of his great love for each of them. And each received from the king a priceless gift. But when they had gone and he was alone again the king fell to thinking of the vast numbers of his people who had forgotten and forsaken him. How could they have forgotten? Had he not loved them all? How could so many of his beloved people who had found the time for shopping and feasting and partying and decorating and all sorts of celebrations – how could they possibly be so thoughtless, so ungrateful or selfish? Did they not know that he, too, had feelings? Was not the purpose of the birthday celebration originally planned to honor him?

When the king was alone, pondering these questions, he felt the tears well up in his eyes. And in his loneliness, he wept.

One thought brought some hope and consolation. Even though they had forgotten him, he had not forgotten them.

Keeping the Focus

The Christmas season is here. We've decorated the house. The Advent Calendar is on the wall. Advent is a time to prepare our hearts for Christmas. As a Lutheran I have always loved Advent. There are so many wonderful traditions. As I taught the 5/6 year olds at our homeschool co-op I discovered that most of the children don't celebrate Advent. Many of the children belong to non-denominational churches who don't celebrate Advent. I feel very blessed to have Advent as part of my faith tradition and I love passing it on.

We have a wooden Advent calendar. At the top is the Nativity scene and on the bottom are small doors with wooden ornaments inside. Each day Alex opens a door and places an ornament in the Nativity scene. We start on December 1st even though Advent starts tomorrow -- 4th Sunday before Christmas. The ornament is a star.

400 Years of Silence

The Old Testament ends with the book of Malachi. The last verse of Malachi 4:5-6....

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." (NIV)

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he shall turn and reconcile the hearts of the [estranged] fathers to the [ungodly] children, and the hearts of the [rebellious] children to [the piety of] their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance of the ungodly], lest I come and smite the land with a curse and a ban of utter destruction." (Amplified)

Malachi reveals how the people of God offered blemished sacrifices, dishonored God, violated the covenant with Levi, broke committments with God. Zechariah offers more insight in Zechariah 7:11-13 about the people of God who didn't pay attention, wouldn't listen, turned their backs and harden their hearts.

Finally God stop listening for 400 long years. All around were Gentile, Roman and Greek religions with multiple gods. The one true God was silent. There is complete silence between the Old and New Testament.

In the fullness of time, God spoke again .....

Why a Blog

I've been a lifelong Lutheran. I was raised in a Christian home and have been an active member of a Lutheran Church for my entire life. However in the last 8 or 9 years my desire to learn more about what I believe and to live out my faith more deliberately has increased dramatically. I've been wanting to write my story of how faith has impacted my life. A blog seems like a good place to start.

Advent is a perfect time to start writing down my thoughts. As a Lutheran, Advent is a season in the church year that is celebrated in a multitude of ways. I'm reading through a devotional called Preparing My Heart for Advent by Ann Marie Stewart. You are supposed to start on November 1, but I'm only 3 weeks late!

I love Advent. It brings back memories of being a child with our homemade Advent wreath that had evergreen boughs. The evergreen boughs came from the Christmas trees that were cut at our Christmas Tree Farm in Ada, MI many years ago. Sometimes we did devotions and sometimes we didn't...that's the reality of big family. We had an Advent calendar on the refrigerator with little windows. There was always a large Advent Wreath at church with the pink and purple candles.

But what is Advent? Advent is the four weeks before Christmas. It's a time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

http://www.adventdevotions.net/