Grains of Sand

I recently searched local church websites looking for Christmas Eve services. Feeling a little like I was playing the role of the Grinch, I wanted to find services that didn't involve some kind of performance with children, or for them. An odd thing to do when all the world knows that Christmas is for kids, right? Please don't misunderstand. I was the little girl in the red velvet dress who recited her parts in every Christmas pageant. I loved it—and I still enjoy seeing the kids participate in their Christmas programs. But, if memory serves, our Kids' Christmas programs were never on Christmas Eve. That moment was dedicated to THE Kid—the Holy Child. That was my goal in my website search—find a traditional Christmas Eve service whose focus is strictly on one Child rather than on the cuteness of other children. Because Christmas is about one Child. " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and on...

Pixabay A flurry of discordant sound announced the arrival of several sections of the bell choir. “Move it, you three. You’re late and we haven’t got much time,” chimed the Bell Master from his place on the bottom rung of the carillon. “Nag, nag, nag,” whispered the D flat to his buddy, C, as they climbed into their places on the top level. “What’s the hurry, anyway? Clang’s got his clapper in a knot for sure this morning.” “Morning? It’s still dark outside,” protested the F major, breathlessly hauling himself up behind the others. The smaller bells finally got themselves into place, just as Clang struck the note that indicated readiness and silence in the ranks. He looked around, carefully checking to make sure no one was missing. Worse than a faulty note was no note at all. “Where’s Tinkle?” he boomed from his assigned spot. Tinkle was the littlest bell of all. Her spot was high up at the top of the carillon. Like an evil wind brushing through the tower, the r...

Pixaby The stage of the universe was set. The orchestra, watching for that first movement of the Conductor’s baton, raised celestial instruments and prepared to play. The score was laid out before them; whole notes and half, quarter notes, rests and full stops, the opus to end them all awaited the Creator’s pleasure. The Maestro raised His arm and then, with His hand marking a gentle downbeat, the music began. The curtains of time rolled back and the sweet Singer of songs stepped forward to take His place on the platform called life. The notes rose to caress the faces of leaves and petals, to brush the hummingbird’s wings and still her frantic flight. They tickled the whiskers of a tiger, tugged the tail of a monkey, and embraced the two jewels of creation as they sat engrossed in conversation with a turtle. The human pair paused, lifting innocent heads to breathe in the sweet smell of the Maker’s passage, to delight in the gentle timbre of His voice singing in the w...

Pixabay It's not the first time I've heard it, but never before from my brother. He remarked recently that he enjoys the first snowfall of the winter. "Firsts" are special—first birthdays, first anniversaries, first ______________. You fill in the blank. Mary's first baby was special too, but perhaps for different reasons than most first babies. She knew Who He was. Most moms have an idea of who they want their babies to become. They are ambitious for their kids whether they are "firsts" or not. But Mary really KNEW. The angel told her: " You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end " (Luke1:31-33). To Joseph, the surprise of Mary's pregnancy and all of its implications, came with a similar mess...

Pixabay " This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine,      Let it shine!     Let it shine!     Let it shine!  Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let is shine,     Let it shine!     Let it shine!     Let it shine! Won't let Satan blow it out, I'm gonna let it shine. Won't let Satan blow it out, I'm gonna let it shine,     Let it shine!     Let it shine!     Let it shine! Let it shine til Jesus comes, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine til Jesus comes, I'm gonna let it shine,      Let it shine!      Let it shine!      Let it shine! " (Avis Burgeson Christiansen)   Remember that song? Even the smallest light makes a difference in a dark world. Light is o...

Pixabay Yesterday, during our worship service, we lit the first candle in the Advent Wealth. It represents the prophets who announced the coming of the Messiah long before the event actually happened. As I was finishing up my reading of the Book of Romans this morning, I came across this verse written by Paul: " The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope " (Romans 15:12). It's Paul's paraphrase of Isaiah 11:1 which says: " A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord " (11:1-3a). In his letter to the Romans, Paul wanted to remind the Gentiles of the privilege that was theirs to be part of God's family because of Jesus Christ. Before he quote...

The trouble with Hebrews—though “trouble” is perhaps not the right word—is that each chapter is so rich in material that it is difficult to choose what to focus on, and impossible in a blog post to cover it all! To extract just a little piece seems tantamount to desecration. So I urge you to become a student of the Word yourself and read the rest of the chapter so that you can feel the richness of the teaching. The tendency today is for people to look for a word FROM God rather than learn from what He has already given—the Word OF God. There is no further revelation other than what the Scriptures give us. Don’t be fooled by cheap imitations. Hebrews 2:8b, 9 (ESV) says: “ Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace...

huffingtonpost.com (Google Images) Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple in Jerusalem to complete the requirements demanded by the law. In Mary’s arms rested her baby, Jesus, so named following the instructions of the angel (Luke 1:31). Because he was their firstborn the parents had to be prepared to “redeem” their son for the price of five shekels (Numbers 18:16). An offering was also to be made and because Joseph was not a rich man, his offering was that in keeping with his economic status—“ a pair of doves or two young pigeons ” (Luke 2:24). But the pomp and ceremony of these presentations were not the highlights of this special day. Here, in the most sacred of all Jewish places, the parents of Jesus were to meet two extraordinary people through whom the future of their son would be further revealed. The first was Simeon, “ who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel ” (Luke 2:25. Alfred Edersheim comments that Simeon had three characteristics of t...