It's almost Christmas and I'd like to say thank you. Thank you to those of you who take time to read and check out this blog. A special thank you to those of you who encourage me via comments on the site, Facebook, in person, and by phone. It is a wonderful thing to see God work and be part of His grand plan to grow, encourage and change us!
There is a basket of packaged goodies by our door this season for those who provide services to our family week after week, month after month (find recipe here). When countered by "Bah-humbug! Rzzle dzzle phzzle pop" attitudes, I am reminded that Christmas is a time to say, "I see you. I love you. You are important to me."
That's what God did at Christmas. In sending Jesus to earth, God incarnate, He effectively said, "I see you. You are important to me and I love you."
When the angels appeared to Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, they communicated His message: "I see your desperate need. I know your finite, trapped, earthly existence; the pain and loss, the agony and emptiness. I'm here to help." And He is the only one who could help; the only one who could bring peace, joy, satisfaction, and significance. And He did. At great cost (see sidebar).
How simple, then, for us to extend ourselves with a thoughtful gesture, a kind word, a small gift or expression of thanks that says, "I see you and I love you." It's an outpouring of gratitude to the One who saw me, who left all that was His to give of Himself for me--thirty three years and an eternity's worth.
Now if I can just stand in line at the store without being impatient....
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:1-5, 14, 16-17 NKJV)
There is a basket of packaged goodies by our door this season for those who provide services to our family week after week, month after month (find recipe here). When countered by "Bah-humbug! Rzzle dzzle phzzle pop" attitudes, I am reminded that Christmas is a time to say, "I see you. I love you. You are important to me."
That's what God did at Christmas. In sending Jesus to earth, God incarnate, He effectively said, "I see you. You are important to me and I love you."
When the angels appeared to Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, they communicated His message: "I see your desperate need. I know your finite, trapped, earthly existence; the pain and loss, the agony and emptiness. I'm here to help." And He is the only one who could help; the only one who could bring peace, joy, satisfaction, and significance. And He did. At great cost (see sidebar).
How simple, then, for us to extend ourselves with a thoughtful gesture, a kind word, a small gift or expression of thanks that says, "I see you and I love you." It's an outpouring of gratitude to the One who saw me, who left all that was His to give of Himself for me--thirty three years and an eternity's worth.
Now if I can just stand in line at the store without being impatient....
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:1-5, 14, 16-17 NKJV)
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