Last night, Elaine and I watched a Christmas special featuring the Mormon Tabernacle choir. The choir reminded me of what the Bible spoke of as a Heavenly Host that appeared to the shepherds, singing and praising God on high. I thought how wonderful it would be to experience what they did exactly the same way. To witness the sky light up and to be visisted by actual, real Angels sent by the Lord. How wonderful it must have been when they found their way to where the Christchild lay in the manger and to be able to experience first hand that He was sent as the Savior of the world.
I suppose one of the best ways we can celebrate His birth is to try and put ourselves there 2000 years ago. Try to imagine the excitement, the beauty and the shear reality of the scene. For me, Christmas is being there. It is stepping back in time and feeling the burden being lifted as those Angels tell us the Messiah has come!
This year, I invite you to celebrate with me. Put yourself there and revel in the awe, the majesty and the wonderful promise He has made to us all. As we lead up to Chrismas day, 2009, remember the Angel's words, "Fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy."
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Shopping At Christmas
I got up early yesterday and got an early start on shopping. It seems I always wait til the last minute to Christmas shop, partly because I always dred the crowds and I really don't enjoy going to malls.
I'm such a skeptic too. I noticed that the cashiers and sales people in the department stores were all displaying smiles that to me seemed artificial. And all the shoppers appeared stressed to me. There must have been a couple thousand shoppers in the mall and about 90 percent of them had no packages in their hands. It seemed as though they were all trying to make up their minds what to buy but couldn't quite get there......me included.
My wife had given me a list of things she'd like to have for Christmas and you would think I would have no problems finding everything on it. I came to realize it wasn't the list itself but trying to make each item I purchased special, just for her, was the chore. You know, the outfit had to be her color, the slippers had to be her style, the jewelry had to be her brand....
By the time the day was done, I had walked what seemed like a hundred miles. I did find all I was looking for and came out with a different frame of mind. As I was driving home, I wondered at the choice of gifts the wise men brought to Jesus when they visited him. How did they choose what to give? What thoughts went into choosing and did they worry about whether it would be pleasing to Him or Mary or Joseph? I had found myself worrying about whether the gifts I give will be pleasing to the recipient when in fact, my wife will be pleased no matter what I give her, even if every item given is not on the list.
Shopping is a lot easier if you just remember what our Lord said...."It is more blessed to give than to receive."
I'm such a skeptic too. I noticed that the cashiers and sales people in the department stores were all displaying smiles that to me seemed artificial. And all the shoppers appeared stressed to me. There must have been a couple thousand shoppers in the mall and about 90 percent of them had no packages in their hands. It seemed as though they were all trying to make up their minds what to buy but couldn't quite get there......me included.
My wife had given me a list of things she'd like to have for Christmas and you would think I would have no problems finding everything on it. I came to realize it wasn't the list itself but trying to make each item I purchased special, just for her, was the chore. You know, the outfit had to be her color, the slippers had to be her style, the jewelry had to be her brand....
By the time the day was done, I had walked what seemed like a hundred miles. I did find all I was looking for and came out with a different frame of mind. As I was driving home, I wondered at the choice of gifts the wise men brought to Jesus when they visited him. How did they choose what to give? What thoughts went into choosing and did they worry about whether it would be pleasing to Him or Mary or Joseph? I had found myself worrying about whether the gifts I give will be pleasing to the recipient when in fact, my wife will be pleased no matter what I give her, even if every item given is not on the list.
Shopping is a lot easier if you just remember what our Lord said...."It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Let It Go
As I approach my retirement date (January 22, 2010), I have a lot of loose ends at work to get tied up. One of them happens to be going through my files and discarding anything that isn't needed to be left behind to future folks doing my job. This morning, as I was going through these files, I came to one that was rather large. It housed expense vouchers that I had completed for various business trips over the years.
I found myself reading some of the business reasons for trips to various places like Dayton Ohio, Rochester New York, Bristol Tennessee and began remembering the details of those trips. Some dated all the way back to 1988!
You see, I have always had this paranoid thought in my head that one day the company may want to audit my vouchers and by hanging on to them, I would have a way to defend myself. I began thinking about what Jesus said according to the Gospel of Matthew....Chapter 6, verse 31: "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Over all the years of my career, I always had the fear that "big brother was watching". And now, as I throw away these files, it seems like I kept them all for nothing. As I think about our Lord and Savior, I now am striving to let go of a part of my life that has ruled me for 36 years....I'm finally letting go of "work worry". Yes, I am a little apprehensive about the days to come, only because I do not at this time know what they may bring. But I do know one thing...I will go wherever He may lead me.
I found myself reading some of the business reasons for trips to various places like Dayton Ohio, Rochester New York, Bristol Tennessee and began remembering the details of those trips. Some dated all the way back to 1988!
You see, I have always had this paranoid thought in my head that one day the company may want to audit my vouchers and by hanging on to them, I would have a way to defend myself. I began thinking about what Jesus said according to the Gospel of Matthew....Chapter 6, verse 31: "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Over all the years of my career, I always had the fear that "big brother was watching". And now, as I throw away these files, it seems like I kept them all for nothing. As I think about our Lord and Savior, I now am striving to let go of a part of my life that has ruled me for 36 years....I'm finally letting go of "work worry". Yes, I am a little apprehensive about the days to come, only because I do not at this time know what they may bring. But I do know one thing...I will go wherever He may lead me.
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