Uncontainable Joy

 

 

“Quit pushing!” cried a waiting choir member.

“Hey!  You’re stepping on my robe,” exclaimed another.

“Keep it down; I can’t hear what’s happening,” complained a third while the smallest of the singers jumped up and down attempting to see over the group as she piped, “I want to see. Let me see; let me see!”

Another songstress whined “I was supposed to be first. You cut in front of me,” as she nudged an unsuspecting choir member out of her spot causing several other members to tumble together and affecting the yelp, “Watch out! You’re crowding me!”

“Everyone be quiet!” the eldest in the group finally demanded. “We’re going to miss our cue! Do you really want to mess this one up?”

A hush fell over the choir.

The Herald Angel was nearing the end of his message to the shepherds and finally, the waiting choir’s time had come. As the words “and lying in a manger” were spoken by the heavenly messenger, the host of angels spilled out of heaven and filled the night sky with glorious light and majestic praises. Songs of Joy filled the air as the heavenly host finally sang the song of the ages, the song they had waited so long to sing – “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14 KJV)

“And suddenly…”

Can you imagine what the heavenly choir must have felt on the night of Jesus’ birth? Can you imagine their anticipation as they waited for the moment when they were to appear before the shepherds? I envision the heavenly choir standing above the earth as if on a ledge, leaning forward on one another and crouching down toward earth so far that they are almost falling over the edge as they wait anxiously to hear those last five words spoken by the Angel of the Lord to the shepherds. These angels may not have been pushing and shoving each other to be the first one out of heaven that night but there’s no doubt in my mind that they could not contain the Good News of Great Joy. The choir of angels simply could not help but burst through the heavens to share this Joy with the world.

“And they went with haste…”

Have you ever been that excited? Have you ever been bursting at the seams to share good news with a friend or loved one? Have you ever been just as anxious to share the Good News of Great Joy? The same Joy of which the angels sang, the same Joy that spilled out onto the shepherds, filled them up and moved them to run with haste to find the Baby Jesus is the same Joy available to you and me –

And this Joy came to us wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

May HIS JOY fill your life today and always.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

 

 Scriptures taken from Luke 2:8-20

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A Year of Smiles – Day 359: The SMILES of Christmas

Christmas SMILE #25 (Reason to SMILE #359): THE MIRACLES

He became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 (ESV)

The miracle of God With Us began with Christ’s advent to earth as a baby but it is not constrained to one day in the past. The miracle of God With Us is experienced every day in the life of the Christian. From the moment of salvation, Christ fills us with his Spirit and continually fills us with his character, his forgiveness, his love, his grace and his mercy.

Have you experienced the miracle of Christ’s birth in your life? If not, there’s no better day than today.

Does it really matter for me that Christ was born if Christ is not born now in my life and my time?

– Author Unknown

May we always remember the miracles of Christmas – Christ’s coming to earth as a baby, to our lives as Savior and Lord and again to earth one day as our Victorious King.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

A Year of Smiles – Day 357: The SMILES of Christmas

Christmas SMILE #23 (Reason to SMILE #357): THE TRADITIONS

Every Family has their own special traditions at Christmas. Some open presents on Christmas Eve; some open them on Christmas Day. Some eat a huge meal on Christmas Day while others eat their celebratory meal on the night before. Some families participate in religious activities such as candle light services and communion while others spend the holidays in the quiet of their homes surrounded by family and close friends. Though many traditions are specific to the season such as the tree, the stockings and the presents, other traditions are as unique as the different families that observe them.

For as long as I can remember, my family has gathered together on Christmas Eve to begin our celebration of the Savior’s birth. For many years now, we have gathered at the house of my oldest brother. My sister-in-law prepares a delicious meal of salad, lasagna and garlic bread but before the main course, there’s always the yummy appetizers of shrimp, crackers and cheese, black-eyed pea salsa and tortilla chips, pickles wrapped in cream cheese and corned beef (De-li-cious!), cookies and all sorts of goodies. I don’t know how any of us have room for dinner!

After dinner, we gather together in the living room to exchange gifts. Before the presents are passed around, however, my dad opens the Word of God to read the account of Jesus’ birth from Luke 2. Some years, he has his grandchildren read the scriptures. Others, he reads the verses himself. Whoever reads, the goal is to remind us of the reason for our celebration – the gift of God’s Son to the world. This precious time of reflection on the meaning of Christmas ends with a prayer of thanksgiving and praise for God’s great love for us.

Our Christmas Eve continues with a few games and more of those yummy goodies that began the evening. It is time I hold dear, a time I cherish, a time that replenishes my store of SMILES and the cheer in my heart. It is a time of Christmas tradition that I pray will continue for many more years to come.

A Year of Smiles – Day 353: The SMILES of Christmas

Christmas SMILE #19 (Reason to SMILE #353): THE UNCONTAINABLE JOY

“Quit pushing!” cried a waiting choir member.

“Hey!  You’re stepping on my robe,” exclaimed another.

“Keep it down; I can’t hear what’s happening,” complained a third while the smallest of the singers jumped up and down attempting to see over the group as she piped, “I want to see. Let me see; let me see!”

Another songstress whined “I was supposed to be first. You cut in front of me,” as she nudged an unsuspecting choir member out of her spot causing several other members to tumble together and affecting the yelp, “Watch out! You’re crowding me!”

“Everyone be quiet!” the eldest in the group finally demanded. “We’re going to miss our cue! Do you really want to mess this one up?”

A hush fell over the choir. The Herald Angel was nearing the end of his message to the shepherds and finally, the waiting choir’s time had come. As the words “and lying in a manger” were spoken by the heavenly messenger, the host of angels spilled out of heaven and filled the night sky with glorious light and majestic praises. Songs of Joy filled the air as the heavenly host finally sang the song of the ages, the song they had waited so long to sing – “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14 KJV)

“And suddenly…”

Can you imagine what the heavenly choir must have felt on the night of Jesus’ birth? Can you imagine their anticipation as they waited for the moment when they were to appear before the shepherds? I envision the heavenly choir standing above the earth as if on a ledge, leaning forward on one another and crouching down toward earth so far that they are almost falling over the edge as they wait anxiously to hear those last five words spoken by the Angel of the Lord to the shepherds. These angels may not have been pushing and shoving each other to be the first one out of heaven that night but there’s no doubt in my mind that they could not contain the Good News of Great Joy. The choir of angels simply could not help but burst through the heavens to share this Joy with the world.

“And they went with haste…”

Have you ever been that excited? Have you ever been bursting at the seams to share good news with a friend or loved one? Have you ever been just as anxious to share the Good News of Great Joy? The same Joy of which the angels sang, the same Joy that spilled out onto the shepherds, filled them up and moved them to run with haste to find the Baby Jesus is the same Joy that inhabits the life of every Christian. Yet, we hesitate to share this Joy. We slink back and wait for someone else to step forward and spread the Good News. We bottle up a Joy that was intended to be shared and soon, that Joy is lost or forgotten.

“When they had seen Him, they spread the word…”

Do you remember that moment when you first heard the name of Jesus, when you met your Savior and He changed your life forever? Has it been a while? That’s ok. I’ll wait for you to think back for a moment….

Do you have it now?

Ah, yes, there it is. Joy! It’s a remarkable feeling, isn’t it?  It makes you want to jump up and shout, to SMILE and even do a little dance, for Jesus came to save you, to cleanse you of your sins, to provide an eternity with Him. You can’t sit still now, can you? Then what are you waiting for? There are people all around who are longing for just a taste of that Joy. They need to hear of the Good News of our Savior’s birth. They need to know that God loves them.  They need to see your SMILE. Won’t you share this Great Joy today?

 Scriptures taken from Luke 2:8-20

A Year of Smiles – Day 352: The SMILES of Christmas

Christmas SMILE #18 (Reason to SMILE #352): THE QUIET REFLECTIONS

Can you imagine what Mary, the mother of Jesus, was thinking on the night she gave birth to Jesus? What an awesome privilege was bestowed upon this “highly-favored” woman yet this privilege was surrounded by controversy and uncertainty. The impossibility of a virgin birth, a secret plan of divorce and a government edict to displace an entire nation threatened the promise delivered to Mary by God’s angel. How strong and courageous this young girl must have been to proclaim in the midst of all the chaos, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 (ESV)

By the time of Jesus’ birth, Mary had plenty of new experiences to reflect upon and as she watched her newborn baby lying in the feeding trough, Mary may have had these thoughts:

There he is, lying in a manger. What a beautiful baby boy. The angel hadn’t said anything about being here in this place. Oh, God, are you sure? Listen to him. Oh, I wish there was some other place to spend the night. Well, the hardest part is over now. We can all get some rest. Joseph has been so strong through all of this. He’s going to be a good father. Look at him. He’s just standing there looking at the baby. I wish there was more light but when the morning comes, there will be plenty of time to see our precious son. Oh, I am so tired. Maybe the baby will sleep a while now. I have to get some rest. At least no one knows us here in Bethlehem and we won’t have any visitors tonight.

Dear God, thank you for a healthy birth and a beautiful baby boy. I’m still struggling with all your angel has told us but He’s so perfect! Jesus is the perfect name for our son. Thank you, God! And, oh yes, God, if you will, help these animals around us keep quiet through the night so Jesus won’t be disturbed and I can get some sleep. Amen.

– written by Rev. Charles S. Jones (my dad!)

Check out his music on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/JesusSinger10/videos

Boy, was Mary in for a surprise! For soon she would be visited by an excited group of shepherds anxious to see their Savior. And you can be sure that these shepherds were shouting praises and singing the song of the angels which was just heard in their fields, “Glory to God in the highest!” It was a visit to be added to Mary’s collection of priceless treasures – all her thoughts of wondrous revelations and miracles which she “pondered in her heart” (Luke 2:19 ESV), I’m sure, for a lifetime.

We all have special memories of Christmas that we hold dear in our hearts. Each recollection of loved ones no longer with us, time spent with family and friends and excitement of little children who are no longer little brings warmth to our spirits and a SMILE to our faces – though often accompanied by a bittersweet tear or two. These memories are priceless treasures worth more than any present found under the Christmas tree.

Of all our wonderful reflections at Christmas, though, none can uplift the spirits more than remembering the reason for our Joy. The birth of Jesus and His presence in our lives makes every moment of every Christmas and every moment of every day worth experiencing. And when our quiet reflections of Christmas begin with Jesus, enjoying the rest of our priceless memories will be so much sweeter.

A Year of Smiles – Day 349: The SMILES of Christmas

Christmas SMILE #15 (Reason to SMILE #349): THE SEASON OF GIVING

What do you want for Christmas?

That tends to be the question we hear this time of year, especially when talking with children. It’s part of the whole season. I love to hear little children rattle off their Christmas lists. Their eyes sparkle. Their faces glow and their bodies wiggle with excitement. Mom and dad, on the other hand, may not share in their child’s excitement as the list tends to go on and on and on.

Children always have an answer to “What do you want for Christmas?”. In fact, most people can come up with something. However, when my husband asks this question of me, I never seem to be able to answer. I’m not sure why. It could be because I don’t want him spending any money on me. I’d rather we spend our money on the boys. But I have no problem spending our money on gifts for him (which drives him crazy, by the way) so money can’t be my excuse.

Maybe I can’t answer because I’m not a decision maker. Of all the wonderful things in the world, it’s possible I simply can’t choose. If you take into consideration my problem with choosing what I want to eat in restaurants, it seems quite clear that my decision making skills could be the issue. There are too many yummy foods offered. How can I choose just one? How about one of everything! 😉 That’s it! Maybe I want it all for Christmas.

Nah, that can’t be it. I don’t want everything.

I believe the reason I can’t tell my husband what I want for Christmas is I just don’t think about it. I’m busy trying to figure out what I’m going to give to everyone else! To me, giving is a huge chunk of the Christmas fun. Searching for the perfect gift for those I hold dear and packaging those gifts in brightly colored paper and bows is a joy. And nothing compares to seeing the SMILES on each recipient’s face or the tears in their eyes as they open their special gifts.

Shouldn’t giving be our focus at Christmas, anyway? After all, a gift is the reason for our celebration. In a manger more that two thousand years ago, a baby was God’s gift to the world – a baby that would give His own life to save yours and mine. That is why we give. We give because we have been given so much more than we deserve. We give because God gave to us.

What are you GIVING for Christmas?

Me? Well, at the moment, I’m giving the gift of salsa! 🙂

A Year of Smiles – Day 337: The SMILES of Christmas

Christmas SMILE #3 (Reason to SMILE #337): THE PAGEANTS

One of the craziest times of the year in children’s ministry is Christmas. The kids are antsy, ready for a break from school. They’re on a constant sugar high as a result of all the school, family and church parties. And their excitement level is through the roof as their days begin to fill with parades, breakfasts with Santa and all the festivities that lead up to the Big Day.

It’s a magical time of year. 😉

In the midst of all that chaos is the annual Christmas play. I once thought making a trip to the mall at Christmastime was the best way to kill a person’s Christmas spirit. Well, I gotta tell ya. Fighting the crowds at the mall is a walk in the park compared to corralling a group of hyperactive kiddos and keeping their attention long enough to learn at least one verse of a Christmas carol – just one, a short one. Five minutes. It’s all I ask!

Though frustrations abound, there’s nothing like seeing the finished product. Practices may have been crazy. Dress rehearsal may have made you rethink your calling. But seeing that rambunctious group of children standing proudly on stage, singing so sweetly and bringing SMILES to everyone’s faces is worth every hair-pulling moment of Christmas pageant practice.

The next time you enjoy a children’s Christmas program, don’t forget to show your appreciation for the director and other volunteers who worked patiently with those kids. By the night of the performance, these folks are tired and they could use a great, big dose of encouragement. Give hugs. Give SMILES. And maybe give a gift card for a day at the spa – no kids allowed! 😉

 

Uncontainable Joy

“Quit pushing!” cried a waiting choir member.

“Hey!  You’re stepping on my robe,” exclaimed another.

“Keep it down; I can’t hear what’s happening,” complained a third while the smallest of the singers jumped up and down attempting to see over the group as she piped, “I want to see.  Let me see; let me see!”

Another songstress whined “I was supposed to be first.  You cut in front of me,” as she nudged an unsuspecting choir member out of her spot causing several other members to tumble together and affecting the yelp, “Watch out!  You’re crowding me!”

“Everyone be quiet!” the eldest in the group finally demanded. “We’re going to miss our cue!  Do you really want to mess this one up?”

A hush fell over the choir.  The Herald Angel was nearing the end of his message to the shepherds and finally, the waiting choir’s time had come.  As the words “and lying in a manger” were spoken by the heavenly messenger, the host of angels spilled out of heaven and filled the night sky with glorious light and majestic praises.  Songs of Joy filled the air as the heavenly host finally sang the song of the ages, the song they had waited so long to sing – “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14 KJV)

“And suddenly…”

Can you imagine what the heavenly choir must have felt on the night of Jesus’ birth?  Can you imagine their anticipation as they waited for the moment when they were to appear before the shepherds?  I envision the heavenly choir standing above the earth as if on a ledge, leaning forward on one another and crouching down toward earth so far that they are almost falling over the edge as they wait anxiously to hear those last five words spoken by the Angel of the Lord to the shepherds.  These angels may not have been pushing and shoving each other to be the first one out of heaven that night but there’s no doubt in my mind that they could not contain the Good News of Great Joy.  The choir of angels simply could not help but burst through the heavens to share this Joy with the world.

“And they went with haste…”

Have you ever been that excited?  Have you ever been bursting at the seams to share good news with a friend or loved one?  Have you ever been just as anxious to share the Good News of Great Joy?  The same Joy of which the angels sang, the same Joy that spilled out onto the shepherds, filled them up and moved them to run with haste to find the Baby Jesus is the same Joy that inhabits the life of every Christian.  Yet, we hesitate to share this Joy.  We slink back and wait for someone else to step forward and spread the Good News.  We bottle up a Joy that was intended to be shared and soon, that Joy is lost or forgotten.

“When they had seen Him, they spread the word…”

Do you remember that moment when you first heard the name of Jesus, when you met your Savior and He changed your life forever?  Has it been a while?  That’s ok.  I’ll wait for you to think back for a moment….  Do you have it now?  Ah, yes, there it is.  Joy!  It’s a remarkable feeling, isn’t it?  It makes you want to jump up and shout and even do a little dance for Jesus came to save you, to cleanse you of your sins, to provide an eternity with Him.  You can’t sit still now, can you?  Then what are you waiting for?  There are people all around who are longing for just a taste of that Joy.  They need to hear of the Good News of our Savior’s birth.  They need to know that God loves them.  Won’t you share this Great Joy today?  

 

Scriptures taken from Luke 2:8-20