Gifts That Keep on Giving: Happy New Year

No matter how you look at it, gifts are a fun part of the Christmas season. To me, a gift represents love, whether I give it or receive it. It says, “I was thinking of you. I thought you might enjoy this (item).”

Christmas celebrates Jesus’ birthday, and in His honor, many charitable works are done. After all, He taught his disciples that feeding the hungry, clothing those in need, visiting the sick, and those in prison were all ways of honoring Him, though they might not realize it (Matthew 25:32-46).

I always enjoy reading about the wise men in Matthew chapter two. Their gifts were expensive but there was a gift given to us that cost even more. Not only was it one-of-a-kind, but it was also free. It could never be earned or purchased.

Let’s do a little Q and A: This gift is explained in John 3:16-21:

Who gave this gift? God.

Why did He give it? He loved the world He created, and sin had corrupted it.

What was the gift? A Redeemer, His one and only Son.

Why did He give it? To save the world, not condemn it.

Who can receive it? Anyone who chooses to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus.

Gift-giving does not end with Christmas. 

Jesus is God’s gift that keeps on giving. One of His special gifts is peace.

He said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

I haven’t seen any long-lasting peace coming from our world, have you? Not one-on-one, and certainly not in any public setting.

I still say, “Happy New Year” because of Jesus’ offer of personal peace.

Do you want it? 

OK, just believe, ask, receive . . . and . . . remember to say, “Thank you, Jesus.”

 

Increase Your Christmas Joy

 

Christmas comes one day a year. When I was growing up, the big draw was two weeks out of school. Where I lived, that definitely meant lots of snow.

It also meant participation in the annual Sunday School program. Recitations and songs were followed by goodie bags for the kids. That was one Christmas tradition I was glad to outgrow---hard (unwrapped) Christmas candy sold in bulk!

I was an adult before I learned of a tradition called Advent. Advent means coming. My more liturgical friends had been celebrating Christmas with devotionals and candles starting the first Sunday after Thanksgiving.

I actually felt like I’d been cheated of something special; however, as an adult, I could change my ways.

Have you seen an Advent wreath? It’s a circle holding four candles around the outside edge, one for each Sunday of Advent. In the center is the Jesus candle. Traditional colors are four pink and one purple; however, any color can be used.

Still being in a non-liturgical church, I introduced Advent in Wednesday night services. The response was very positive. I chose four white candles for the outside, and a larger red one for the Jesus candle in the middle. I circled the candles with evergreens.

Each week celebrated a one-word theme. Words like Love or Hope or Light. Our ceremony had four simple steps: (1) A member read a scripture, (2) lit the candle of the week, (3) the congregation sang a song, and (4) a member closed with a devotional prayer.

Suggestions were available for those who wished to continue the theme in their daily devotionals.

Advent is personal and does not require a group setting. At home, I no longer light the candles but remain loyal to devotionals. 

This year I’m reading Why the Nativity? by Dr. David Jeremiah (Tyndale House Publ., 2006). It’s from my collection of Christmas books, many of which I have given away over the years.

I mentioned Advent to my sister-in-law this year. She asked what it was so I sent her a devotional. She said, “I found an Advent wreath at Hobby Lobby and we’re enjoying Advent devotionals for the first time ever.”

It’s never too late to increase your Christmas joy!

My Favorite Three-Letter Word

When it comes to movies, I enjoy good dialogue. Now and then someone will be trying to explain something when they are interrupted by the listener saying, “I hear a ‘but’ coming.”

Even if the speaker is saying something positive, the listener believes something negative is coming. They’re usually right.

Communication, including self-talk, should balance positives and negatives. Remember the days of high school speech class? I do.

Some critique was expected, but the major rule was this: A positive comment must be made before a negative comment can be given. A few positive words always softened the blow of the inevitable “but.”

I think the purpose of this three-letter word is to bring balance. There are always two sides to an issue. Life is full of both positives and negatives.

We can precede a positive thought with a negative one, or we can reverse it . . . start with the positive, followed by a negative.

Here’s an example. Which would you choose to make your point?

1)      I’m so glad you’re my daughter, but I’d like to see you take more interest in your appearance.

2)      I’d like to see you take more interest in your appearance, but I’m so glad you’re my daughter.

I love reading Proverbs. It’s filled with my favorite three-letter word. This creates comparisons which cause me to think. However, even the New Testament gets into the balancing act.

A good example is 1 Peter 1:24, 25. The writer quotes from Isaiah where man is compared to grass that withers and flowers in the grass that fade away.

Sounds like a downer, doesn’t it? Don’t give up. Read on:  . . . “but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now that’s encouraging for a couple of reasons: 1) I can find personal long-lasting hope in God’s Word, and 2) When trying to encourage someone else, I have more than my well-meaning words to share.

God’s Word endures forever. Grab it and hang on . . . there’s no expiration date!

 

Heavenly Passwords

Each morning I open a brief You Version devotional app on my cell phone. I have been inspired to hear Christians from all around the world.

One day this week a minister in Calcutta, India shared inspirational thoughts about Psalm 100:4-5:

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

I was intrigued when he said, "Thanksgiving and praise are heavenly passwords." He further drew me in with his word definitions.

"Thanksgiving,” he said, “is thanking God for what He has done. Praise is expressing words of adoration for who God is.”  

As I listened to this devotional, I pictured some of the gated communities I have visited. Gates opened only after I entered a code or password.

Thanksgiving passwords get us into God's presence. Once inside, we can move on into a more personal setting with praise, followed by prayers and petitions.

My goddaughter had once been a missionary in India. I knew she would enjoy hearing this pastor.

She did, but her take on passwords was different from mine. Being younger than me and totally at home in the computer world, she pictured computer passwords.

That made sense to me, too. I remembered a teacher in one of my college classes holding up a thick address book one day. “These are my passwords,” she said, “I won’t get anywhere without them.”

The psalmist said God’s truth endures through all generations. In Psalm 100 we learn the importance of passwords and, young or old, we get the point.

Have you ever noticed how happy people are when we remember to say, “Thank you?” Or have you ever tried to tell someone what you really like about them?

Giving thanks and praise builds relationships . . . not just with people, but with God, too. 

It doesn’t happen automatically, however. Give it some thought. 

The Fruit of Thanksgiving

The fourth Thursday of November is almost here. A lot of people have made plans for this holiday. You've probably been part of such conversations yourself. 

Thanksgiving Day is a fun public holiday. People talk about the traditional turkey and dressing dinner, along with things like sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie.

I’d be surprised, however, if you’ve heard much about fruit for Thanksgiving. It’s a specialized individual item, but sharing it with others multiplies its pleasure. That’s why I’m encouraging you to include fruit this year.

Some of you think I’m talking about fruit salad. I’m not. I’m talking about what the scriptures call “the fruit of our lips, giving thanks” (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV). The question is how and when will you bring it out?

Hopefully, you won’t do what I did. I once served a beautiful well-planned dinner. The accolades of my guests made me feel great.

All that changed later when I opened the refrigerator door. Staring me in the face was a big bowl of fruit salad. Fruit is not known for its longevity, and it would have been so much fun to share. Timeliness is important.

The challenge this year is to purposely include some fruit. Remember, the fruit of your lips is giving thanks to God. This is open to all people regardless of age, social standing, or financial limitations.

Decide how you and your guests can share the encouragement of the fruit of your lips this year.

Need a starter phrase? Just say, “I’m thankful for (name it).” People can share fruit at the table or away from it. It’s Thanksgiving Day, remember?      

Candles and Flashlights

Last week I was watching TV when suddenly the lights went off. I had not been without electricity for years. Two things surprised me---the stifling feeling of complete darkness and the overwhelming silence.

I sat in my recliner, considering the situation. I thought I can see why people in solitary confinement might go crazy after a while. But a few minutes later I started to think now what shall I do?

First, I turned on my cell phone flashlight. God bless the person who designed that option. I used it to retrieve the flashlight on my desk, then I located the special candle created in a jar, plus some matches in my kitchen.

The furnace was off, so I bundled up in a blanket. Then I thought my cell phone works---I’ll make some calls. I even received a couple of calls, though they were surprised to learn I was sitting in the dark.

Later on, the flashlight helped me read. When that became tiring, I decided to rest. I figured the lights would come on eventually. If not, at least I could count on daylight.

The darkness was a wake-up call. But about ninety minutes later the lights came on as suddenly as they had gone off. The first thing I did was turn on the furnace. Then I located a flashlight in each room.

My stifling darkness had been alleviated by light in various forms and different sizes. I was thankful for each of them.

Light comes into our world in different ways, too. The psalmist David declared, “The LORD is my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27:1).

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world (John 8:12 NKJV). He further declared that His followers were to let His light shine through them in good works, not for their glory, but to the glory of God (Matthew 5:16).

Don’t say, “I’m only a small candle.” Don’t even think I’m only a flashlight. Just shine! Follow Jesus and do good. Even a tiny light pushes away the darkness and brings hope around it.        

 

 

The Promise of "T"

Moving from the Midwest to the Southwest was a big challenge.  One reason was that I was moving with six weeks left in my Junior year of high school.

Another reason was riding to school on a metropolitan bus. I had always walked to school, even being able to get home for lunch! I was very unhappy with the cafeteria on my huge new campus.

I had one bright spot in my day: Mom and her tea. I looked forward to getting off the city bus at our corner, walking into the house, and joining mom at the kitchen table. While we talked about my day, I learned to relax with tea, too.

Mom had a lovely smile and a calm demeanor. Proverbs 15:30 says, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart . . .” That was mom for me.

It wasn’t that we always talked for a long time. It was just that she made my day seem worthwhile. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” I felt like a dot in the sea of education and city life, but at home, I mattered. Mom took time for me.

“T” means TIME, not TEA! Which human being does not need some exclusive time to be encouraged or made to feel appreciated?

I’m sure you’ve heard debates on quality time vs. quantity time, but to me, that’s not the issue. I think we should simply do WHAT we can, WHERE we can, WHEN we can, with WHOMEVER we can.

Be thoughtful - - - get creative! “T” could include talking, texting, treats, trails, teamwork, or even time for tea! Once COVID releases its social barriers, trips or tickets might be a choice.  

In your world, this very day, you'll find a person---young, old, or in between---who could benefit from some of your special “T”. No one else can do it like you!