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Ah yes, you're probably wondering what's the deal with today's blog title. Well, fortunately you're not about to be visited by Dickens' melancholy character. Today we are going to reminisce on years gone by in my neck of the woods. I have all sorts of memories that brighten my spirits (no pun intended) when those ornaments go up! 1) Grandma's house! It certainly was not Christmas until we all got together at my grandparents' house. I had two sets though so we had to spread them out a little. My paternal grandparents celebrated on Christmas Eve and the maternal side opened their doors on Christmas Day. Gift wrapping went everywhere those two days. If my sister and I were real good, we may have even gotten an early gift; perhaps a day or two before the big day. 2) Good grief all the food. I mean, we're Baptists though so we know how to eat. As far as I can remember, Christmas Eve was all about the barbecue. Someone would volunteer to drive up to Landis to pick up a gigantic bag full of it from a vintage restaurant called Gary's (I highly recommend their Brunswick stew). Come Christmas morning, dad is always in the kitchen making breakfast; I generally make a beeline for the coffee but a warm cinnamon roll and a small bowl of grits? Yes please. Then of course the main meal is eaten when the entire family arrives; extra ham anyone? Don't forget to use the plastic cups; we don't like to wash THAT many dishes on the holidays! Who can relate? 3) If you're anything like my family, you probably enjoy the tradition of watching certain shows and movies. A Christmas Carol (and their Hallmark versions; thanks mom), A Charlie Brown Christmas, and A Christmas Story (can't have Christmas until poor little Ralphie gets his tongue frozen on the pole). Mom enjoys her annual It's A Wonderful Life movie. 4) We also celebrate what Christmas is really all about; the birth of Jesus. My job while decorating is setting up our nativity scene. Within the past couple years, my niece and nephew use their imagination and add little dinosaurs to the picture! It's honestly pretty funny. Speaking of nativity scenes, nearly every church I've been to has always put on a Christmas program. While I was in the children's choir growing up, we anticipated program day because we usually got something special from our director; treat bags were always great! What are some of your favorite Christmas memories? Feel free to share!!! Keep an eye out on the Facebook page. I'm going to share some interesting information about why Christian households have manger scenes.
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Above image courtesy of the volunteer photographers for Pixabay.
Scripture Reference - Luke 1:20-38 If we were to study the life of Mary the mother of Jesus, we would see a beautiful portrait of obedience and humility. There are a couple of things we should notice about her, and perhaps we should consider emulating her example in the coming year. First, we see that she was from a humble background. She didn't live in a big fancy palace. She wasn't the daughter of some noble prince or politician. Quite the opposite actually. Mary lived in Nazareth, possibly in a one or two-room house. The lesson we learn from this is that most of the time, God doesn't choose high and mighty people. He chooses the lowly and humble. Consider the fact that Mary was from whose family? David! What did David do before he became king? He was a mere shepherd! Second, she was a virgin. Oh how unbelievers love to pick at this verse. They love to scoff and doubt, but as we see later, the angel says that with God all things are possible. When God chooses someone for a task, He wants us totally and completely dedicated to Him. Sure we will sin. Sure we will mess up. But He wants us to strive to be pure for Him. SIDE NUGGET: The angel told Mary that Elizabeth, her elderly cousin, was already with child. This is a reminder that God can perform miracles over and over again. Perhaps Mary just needed that extra encouragement. The last thing we notice about Mary is her unyielding obedience. She said yes to God. To put it in modern terms (if you are in the King James Version), she is saying, "I might be a nobody to the world, but I'm going to do what God says!" And that's what we need to do. We need to go by God's Word and follow His direction. Is there anything else you may notice about Mary? Are there any other key lessons you've learned from other parts of the Christmas story? Share! Above image courtesy of the volunteer photographers for Pixabay
Well, it's that time of the year again. As a blogger, I find it tough to find things to write about during the holiday season. I'm not a cook, so I can't share recipes. Shopping for gifts isn't my forte, so I probably shouldn't give you advice on the perfect gifts for the family. So what's my plan? I'm going to give you a list of great ideas for your blog so you don't miss out on holiday writing! 1) If you follow the Christian faith, why not give some insight into what you've learned from God's Word about the birth of Jesus? (This is a hint as to what's coming up next week!) 2) Perhaps you could share your favorite holiday traditions? Your least favorites too! Make it funny! 3) What about all the Christmas mishaps you've probably had? People love to be entertained. 4) A top five favorites list of Christmas songs/carols and why. 5) Your own holiday blogging ideas list. 6) Write about your favorite presents that you received when you were little. 7) Maybe you're like me and you don't really do a whole lot of cooking, but you do enjoy the eating part. Share a holiday family recipe. 8) Put together a photo collage of Christmas/holiday aesthetics. 9) Do some research and find out how other cultures celebrate Christmas. Write about it! Make sure you use your references wisely and always credit! 10) New Year's resolutions. Do you have one? Blog about it! Feel free to add to the list!
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This time of the year, it's always important to remember that while gifts and decorations are wonderful things, we should also be focusing on the birth of Jesus. Recently, I came across two CDs in my collection that will help you and your loved ones enjoy the holidays and still stay Christ-centered. Casting Crowns is one of my over-all favorite Christian bands. They bring worship to a completely different level, and they keep the Christmas spirit alive and simple with their album entitled Peace On Earth. Upbeat and joyful, they put a whole new meaning to celebrating the first advent of Jesus.
Another album for all of the Christmas-tune lovers out there will surely put a smile on your face. Third Day's Christmas Offering selection definitely did not come from your grandma's old church hymnbook. While they are the same songs, the band gave their own spin. You can almost feel the happy atmosphere as they sing the praises of a new-born King.
Don't forget to check out other Christmas deals from Christianbook.com. There are gifts for every member of your family and your friends! |
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