by Sharon O | Dec 30, 2011 | Uncategorized
I don’t know how the wise men continued for two long years.
With camels and gifts plodding along at a slow pace reminding each other why they were following a star.
It couldn’t have been easy.
This picture shows what it might have been for them upon seeing the chosen child.
Realizing their journey was finally over and this really was the precious one.
I wonder
would our joy be very similar as the wise men and
I also wonder
what gifts would we be committed to bring
in our own long journey to see him.
Gifts of faith
Gifts of belief
Gifts of thanks
Gifts of gratitude.
Something valuable and precious from our heart to his.
Gifts for the Savior.
A Savior
who grew into a man
and
who gave us
His ultimate gift.
HIS LIFE and LOVE for us.
It was part of the plan
For God so Loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son
so that who so ever believes in him should not perish
but have ever lasting life.
John 3:16
The plan was for us from the very beginning.
It was not an accident or unplanned birth.
This baby was chosen years before he actually arrived.
A baby was born for all mankind to receive a gift for a life time.
The choice is ours to make whether we will accept it.
by Sharon O | Dec 27, 2011 | Uncategorized
Matthew 2:9-11 says:
“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
The story of the wise men is often not as accurate as it should be.
In most nativity sets we have them visiting Mary and Joseph and the baby in the manger and gazing at the newborn baby in wonderment. In reality scholars have written that the wise men didn’t find him for two years.
It was a long journey for them and since a camel can only walk 20 miles a day they had to pace themselves and go slow.
There was no fast way to get there.
Over mountains and valleys the quest stayed the same for them.
They wanted to meet the ‘Holy Child’.
It was difficult and often in the midst of many chaotic days.
As the journey continued for the wise men
I believe each time someone came to Mary and Joseph and
confirmed that this child,
their baby was the chosen one
they held him a bit closer and wondered what it would all mean.
It is written that Mary pondered each word and kept them in her heart.
The journey was long for each of them.
Starting with Mary riding on the donkey
as they headed into a place called Bethlehem with Joseph
leading and walking alongside her.
Then the shepherds had their own journey to the place of his birth.
Then the wise men kept at their pace for a very long time to see ‘the Child’ and bring their gifts to him.
The journey to Jesus is often a challenging one.
Even for us.
I wonder if we are willing to take the first step.
by Sharon O | Dec 25, 2011 | Uncategorized
A mother and child
bonding like no other
A mother and child
entering in to a new way of living
A mother and child
forever
will be known in history
A story of love
redemption
rejoicing
renewal
A special love
given to each of us.
God SO loved the world that he gave his son
so we could have life.
Oh come let us adore him
Christ the Lord.
by Sharon O | Dec 24, 2011 | Uncategorized
I would imagine even Santa would worship the newborn baby
of Joseph and Mary.
I think it is appropriate to put both Santa and Jesus
out within the season of Christmas.
So many people say it is either one or the other.
I say you can have both they do not discount
each the other.
In fact I think Santa teaches the gift of giving
just as Jesus did.
Our children knew the difference growing up.
The only thing I say as a grandma
I won’t stand in line any more with the children waiting
to see Santa.
I love to see their faces but
we have done that only to have the child
change their mind after standing and waiting
for a LONG time with grandma and grandpa.
It was frustrating for everyone including Santa.
That is a job for mom’s and dad’s.
