Friday, December 17, 2010
What Christmas is All About
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:8-11
One of my favorite Christmas television specials of all-time is A Charlie Brown Christmas. In the cartoon, Charlie Brown wrestles with the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of a world that seems overloaded with commercialism. First appearing in 1965, the issues Charlie Brown grapples with ring just as true today as they did over 40 years ago.
In one scene, Charlie Brown is so frustrated, he yells, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” To answer, Charlie’s friend Linus steps out onto the auditorium stage and recites the Christmas story straight from the Gospel of Luke. It seems so simple. Yet today, many people celebrate the holiday for a lot of reasons, and some have nothing to do with the birth of Christ, like family traditions, a day off from work, a time of gift-giving, Santa Claus, parties, and so on. Commercialism and materialism is a part of the fabric of Christmas celebrations in our society. It’s easy to forget that “Jesus is the reason for the season.”
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be
all glory given;
Son of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ, the Lord.
(from O Come, All Ye Faithful)
Make this one of your best Christmases by choosing to make the birth of Jesus the primary motivation for your celebrations.
Merry Christmas and God Bless!!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Becoming a Pearl
Becoming a Pearl
By Kelly McFadden
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4
It takes an oyster somewhere between three and six years to produce a perfect pearl. The process begins with a small piece of sand or other irritant entering the oyster. The oyster then coats it with layers of nacre which, after years of this process, we come to know as a pearl, like we see on necklaces in jewelry stores.
Like the sand in an oyster, God uses a little irritation in our life to create beauty. A friend once told me that she never prayed for her children to be happy. For if they were always happy, she said, how would they ever develop character and experience personal growth?
Going through trying times is not pleasant, and James does not tell us to pretend we are happy in the midst of it, but to consider it an opportunity for joy. God gives us a promise that we can “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3b-4). It is through the hurt, pain and ugliness that, oftentimes, God creates beauty in each of us. Without the irritation, God cannot create in us a beautiful final product.
It is said that not all oysters produce perfect pearls naturally. In every three tons of oysters, you are likely to find only three or four that make a perfect pearl. When we embrace the struggle or irritation in our lives, God uses it to make us into something beautiful. When we run from or ignore our pain it is hard for us to learn from it and see God’s hand in it. Embracing the rough times and trusting God will ultimately help you become all God is training you to be.
By Kelly McFadden
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4
It takes an oyster somewhere between three and six years to produce a perfect pearl. The process begins with a small piece of sand or other irritant entering the oyster. The oyster then coats it with layers of nacre which, after years of this process, we come to know as a pearl, like we see on necklaces in jewelry stores.
Like the sand in an oyster, God uses a little irritation in our life to create beauty. A friend once told me that she never prayed for her children to be happy. For if they were always happy, she said, how would they ever develop character and experience personal growth?
Going through trying times is not pleasant, and James does not tell us to pretend we are happy in the midst of it, but to consider it an opportunity for joy. God gives us a promise that we can “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3b-4). It is through the hurt, pain and ugliness that, oftentimes, God creates beauty in each of us. Without the irritation, God cannot create in us a beautiful final product.
It is said that not all oysters produce perfect pearls naturally. In every three tons of oysters, you are likely to find only three or four that make a perfect pearl. When we embrace the struggle or irritation in our lives, God uses it to make us into something beautiful. When we run from or ignore our pain it is hard for us to learn from it and see God’s hand in it. Embracing the rough times and trusting God will ultimately help you become all God is training you to be.
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