by Sharon O | Dec 31, 2019 | Uncategorized
The end of an era and a new year is ahead of us.
2019 will come to a close, I will most likely be sleeping at 12:00 am.
We rarely stay up late and party till the last moments.
It’s just not our style. I may have a glass of wine to ring in the new year.
That is acceptable and ok.
It will be a new year for us; in our new little home that we moved into in April of this year.
It was a fast good move, one we have not really regretted.
We find ourselves liking the single story tiny home feel.
I know it was for a purpose and we had a lot of peace in the decision.
It always felt like it was for a reason but I couldn’t figure out ‘how or why’.
I do know now.
I also lost my sister Mary in June. Of all the years to lose her after battling her ‘demons’ for many years.
Her health was struggling and it really was time for her to leave.
We have some health challenges ahead of us and we will push through those with great determination.
We trust in this process and we trust in the God who gives us strength through it all.
The year 2020 will bring new lessons to learn and new experiences to feel.
It will be good. It will be hard and challenging but nothing happens without a reason.
And I believe He gives us strength to match the challenges given.
I am sure we will be ok.
The end of an era is not a negative it is a good start for us.
I am trusting and I am believing for good things.
The end of an era and a new year is ahead of us.
May we step into it with open arms and receiving hearts.
by Sharon O | Dec 19, 2019 | Uncategorized
The birth of Jesus was well orchestrated with many different characters.
Each had a role given to them for the specific purpose with in the story.
Beginning with Mary, and the Angel Gabriel, then Joseph, Elizabeth (and even baby John), and Zechariah.
Then we find, the Shepherds out in the field and more angels greeting them with song and Gabriel again.
Then we find Simeon and Anna in the temple, who had waited many years for this very special moment.
Then we also add in Herod who was an angry man tricking the Wisemen.
Then we add the Wisemen who traveled to see Mary and Joseph.
I think I would also add the donkey; who went with Mary and Joseph and helped with the journey.
Remembering that the donkey brought her to his birth, the donkey also brought him later to his death.
Scripture had to be fulfilled.
Each character had to do their part; not too different than in the story of his death.
Each one played a role, and each one was needed.
There were many others in the verses that I read, but these were the key players who formed the beautiful story.
As we sing, Oh little town of Bethlehem; we visualize ‘our picture’ based on Christmas cards of nativity scenes.
We love to sing silent night, Holy Night, All is calm… all is bright.
But really it wasn’t.
Yes it was a Holy night, but it was dim and probably not well lighted with anything but a lantern.
I love the Song, Sweet little Jesus boy, for it says, “We didn’t know who you were.”
I believe that to be true. No one expected a Savior to come the way HE did.
Even Mary might not have fully understood the baby she gave birth to, was the Holy One.
Too much to take in, too much to think on.
I think a lot about Mary, so young and alone maybe only having Joseph with her.
I think of Joseph with a huge responsibility put upon Him; because God saw that HE could do it and He knew his heart was right.
We hear very little about him after Jesus was born. I wonder so much about him.
I am sure he stayed with Mary and they had other children; but did they ever talk about this
special Holy Birth?
The birth of Jesus was well orchestrated with many different characters.
May we read with a new awareness of all that it took, for this baby to bring Hope to a very dark world.
by Sharon O | Dec 16, 2019 | Uncategorized
The wise men were the next ones to arrive on the scene with Mary and Joseph.
We often see the manger story with them near the manger; where Mary had the baby, that is actually not accurate.
In Matthew 2 we find a different kind of story.
vs 2: About that time (when Jesus was born) some wise men (or maji) from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star (or star in the east) as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was the whole land.
He called a meeting leading priest and teachers of the law and asked,
“Where is this Messiah supposed to be born?”
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: vs 6b “a ruler will come from you O Bethlehem, who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.”
“Then Herod told the wise men to go to Bethlehem and search for him, come back and tell me so I can worship him too.”
vs 9: After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star in the east guided them to Bethlehem.
It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
When they saw the star they were filled with joy!
They entered the house [notice it is not a manger scene] and saw the child with Mary his mother, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gold, frankincense and myrrh.
When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
vs 13: After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.
“Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said, “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother and stayed there until Herod’s death.
[I don’t know how long that was for them but it was very important for them to stay away as long as possible.]
The wise men were the next ones in the story, to complete the cast of characters surrounding the birth of Jesus.
by Sharon O | Dec 14, 2019 | Uncategorized
The prophecy of Anna the prophet came right after the meeting with Simeon.
Anna was a prophet who lived in the same Temple Mary and Joseph went to when they dedicated Jesus.
It tells us in Luke 2:36 that she was very old, similar to Simeon.
Most likely she knew him as they were in the same setting for a very long time.
She was a widow for eighty four years and lived in the Temple and never left there after her husband died.
The word said she had been married seven years before he died.
She worshipped and prayed day and night worshipping God with fasting and prayer.
She came near the room where Simeon was talking to Mary and Joseph and we are told she began to praise and worship God.
I often wonder how would she know this was the child, the baby Jesus? The one they waited for.
Did he look different? was there an aura around him or maybe a deep confirmation in her heart about him?
She talked about the child to every one around her who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
Not long after that Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth in Galilee where Jesus grew filled with wisdom and God’s favor was on him.
[I find it fascinating that both Simeon and Anna were able to SEE and meet Mary and Joseph and fulfill parts of the story.
God uses ordinary people to set the stage and allows us to see and feel the great anticipation for the coming Messiah.
I often wonder if Mary and Joseph ever truly ‘got it’…
the word said Mary hid it in her heart and thought about them often.
That would be a very amazing amount of remembering for her.
Could she really know deep in her heart that her baby was the Messiah, the Savior who would come to save the world?]
The prophecy of Anna continued to set the stage for many other scenes to come as the story unfolds.
by Sharon O | Dec 12, 2019 | Uncategorized
Jesus was presented in the temple eight days after he was born, and he was circumcised as was the custom and given the proper name.
The name Jesus, the name given to him by the angel even before he was conceived.
His parents took him to the temple for a purification offering in Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord.
The law required a first child who was a son to be dedicated to the Lord.
Luke 2:25
At the time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon.
He was an old man who had waited his entire life for the Messiah to come rescue Israel.
The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.
So when Mary and Joseph came to present baby Jesus, Simeon was there.
He took the baby in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.
I have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all people.
He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Jesus parents were amazed at what was being said about him.
Then Simeon blessed them and he said to Mary,
“This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others.
He has been sent as a sign from God but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
[Can you even imagine the moment Simeon saw the baby? With great anticipation and confirmation in his spirit, this is the ONE.
Have you ever anxiously waited for something and when it finally happened your JOY was complete?
I believe Simeon was like that. Now I have seen him. Now I can release myself and leave this world knowing that I saw HIM.
Just as it was promised to me.]
Jesus was presented in the temple to fulfill more of the prophecy surrounding his birth.
