Santa's Helper

Merry Christmas Eve! This is always my favorite part of Christmas because I love the anticipation. In fact, I think I like anticipating events and remembering them almost more than the events themselves. Probably because nothing quite ever lives up to the anticipation, nothing that is until we reach our heavenly home.

So, if you made it here today, I am assuming that you had a little time on your hands and maybe you have a few more minutes to check out the Shepherd's Press blog. There is a fantastic article on our words with our children using the analogy of being Santa's helper. And if you are here after Christmas, really, this article is for 365 days of the year. Not just for Christmas. So whatever day of the year it is, take some time to hear the wisdom .

And, have yourself a merry little Christmas!

©2000 Denise Van Patten

All I Want for Christmas

The Thorn

I stood a mendicant of God

before His royal throne

And begged Him for a priceless gift,

which I could call my own.

I took the gift from out His hand,

but as I would depart,

I cried "But, Lord, this is a thorn

and it has pierced my heart.

This is a strange, a hurtful gift

that Thou hast given me."

He said, "My child, I give good gifts

and give my best to thee."

I took it home and though at first,

the cruel thorn hurt sore;

As long years passed I learned at last

to love it more and more.

I learned He never gives a thorn

without this added grace,

He takes the thorn to pin aside...

the veil which hides His face.

Martha Snell Nicholson

Being Merry

Our friend, worship pastor, and Hannah's piano teacher is also the director for Sonoma County Chamber Singers, thus we have been making every effort to attend his concerts. Last Friday night was a grand kick-off for December. Starting with a processional of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," this musical feast contained several Latin pieces, the "Ave Maria," a beautiful rendition of the "Magnificat," and some rousing pieces about "Good Ale" and "Figgy Pudding." But the lyrics that caught my heart were from "A Virgin Unspotted" by the early American composer, William Billings.

"Then let us be merry, put sorrow away
Our Savior, Christ Jesus, was born on this day."

These days are a fight for joy, a continual conversation with myself reminding me of the glorious God and His grace all around me. It's learning to take delight in every moment, knowing that moment was part of God's bigger design for my life, whether it is

• the sight of stark black limbs and bright orange fruit of a persimmon tree against a foggy morning walk
• the sound of bickering brothers
• the smell of cinnamon and cloves and yeasty yummies baking
• the comforting touch of a hug
• the heartache of facing a sin that I've forgotten is no longer my master

Being merry occurs when I choose, by God's grace, to take each moment as a gift, knowing Christ was the ultimate gift, living the life I couldn't, dying a death I won't need to, and conquering sin and offering me free salvation.

Today, I will put sorrow away.

The Christmas Bookshelf

from Anna at Joy in Every Step "For the last few Christmas' we have gone through The Advent Jesse Tree by Dean Meador Lambert. We have a tree and set of ornaments that go along with the devotions in this book. I will be sharing more about it on my blog next week." Please do go meet Anna and her three adorable little girls. She was my inspiration for getting back into blogging and for favorite Christmas things.

This is the book that I am reading to the kids in the afternoons. I love it! The kids love it! Honestly, it could be read at any time of year because it is an analogy of salvation, wonderful gospel reading, and yet there is something special about reading it now. Starr Meade does a tremendous job of ending chapters with cliffhangers and so we are always left hungering for the next episode. This is not an advent book, but it certainly leads to the Christ of Christmas. As for ages, as an adult I am really enjoying trying to understand the analogy, my teens, 16 and 14 in a few weeks, are also eager to have it read and do not find it too simple, my very young 10 year old son is entranced and I think the story might be helping him understand the gospel. I do not think it is a book for much younger than eight years. But, it's a good read, so add it to the collection, read it, and decide for yourself.

Contemplating Christmas

My much anticipated Advent book arrived late last week. I was so excited! Fortunately, there are only 22 readings so I wasn't really behind. So what is this little Christmas wonder? Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus edited by Nancy Guthrie. The readings are a compilation of "works and sermons" by men of proven character such as George Whitefield, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and Augustine. Yet it also includes some of today's men who are faithfully bringing us the gospel: John Piper, Ligon Duncan, Randy Alcorn, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, just to name a few. There are many more and even Joni Earackson Tada makes an appearance (which is good because I have read through her A Christmas Longing for the last two years). I love the variety. Martin Luther's chapter, "The Maiden Mary" was a delightful introduction to the man himself. He is very witty and, for a 16th century author, very concise and readable.
I've tried to incorporate some type of Advent book into my December Bible reading over the last few years, but have found truly meaty ones few and far between. This one not so, as these thoughts from George Whitefield's chapter, "Contemplating Christmas," demonstrate, "And as, my brethren, the time for keeping this festival is approaching, let us consider our duty in the true observation thereof, of the right way for the glory of God, and the good of immortal souls, to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ; an event which ought to be had in eternal remembrance" (12).
Whitefield then describes four ways of how we can best celebrate Christmas:

• Read the Bible, "...to read that the King of kings and the Lord of lords came from his throne and took upon him the form of the meanest of his servants; and what great things he underwent" (12).
• Pray, "...these things call for prayer...do be earnest with God, that you may have an interest in this Redeemer, and that you may put on his righteousness..." (12).
• Declare, or spend time in profitable conversation. Instead of talking about your clothes, parties, end of year bonuses or lack thereof, "let it be the wonders of redeeming love. O tell, tell to each other what great things the Lord has done for your souls" (13).
• "Have a particular regard to your behavior...for indeed the eyes of all are upon you" (13). "Use the good things of this life with moderation...instead of running into excess, let that money which you might expend to pamper your own bodies, be given to feed the poor..." (13). Now is when they "commonly require relief" and as "Christ was always willing to relieve the distressed...can you better commemorate the birth of your King, your Savior..." (14)

Whitefield ends the chapter with this plea, "...be found in the ways of God; let us not disturb our dear Redeemer by any irregular proceedings; and let me beseech you to strive love, honor, and obey him, more than ever you have done yet; let not the devil engross your time, and that dear Savior who came into the world on your accounts have so little" (14).

What soul food this is! Not only good for contemplating Christmas, but truth for contemplating everyday.

A Christmas Prayer

O God,
Take me in spirit to the wathcful shepherds, and enlarge my mind;
Let me hear good tidings of great joy, and hearing,

believe,

rejoice,

praise,

adore,

my conscience bathed in an ocean of repose,

my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father;

Place me with

ox,

ass,

camel,

goat,

to look with them upon my Redeemer's face

and

in Him account myself delivered from sin;

Let me with Simeon clasp the new-born child to my heart,

embrace Him with undying faith,

exulting that

He is mine

and

I am His.

In Him Thou has given me so much that heaven can give no more

The Valley of Vision

All Decked Out

It's Christmas! Can't you tell. I know, I know, you're wondering why I can't manage to decorate our home but I can get to the blog. Well, there's not rock grit all over the computer that continually has to be vacuumed. So, I'm making effort where I can.
We did something even more decadent today for reading time. Not having been to the grocery store for several days, and being somewhat short on time, but seriously desiring something sweet to accompany our reading we drove to the... The Village Bakery!

• Hannah- a Bowtie (twisted puff pastry with cinammon sugary filling)
• Malcolm- a frosted Mint Chocolate Brownie
• Matthew- a very large Chocolate Cupcake with sprinkles and a candy Gingerbread man
• Me- a Rasberry-Hazlenut Linzer Cookie

We came home and drank coffee stuff, and ate treaties, and read, and then... we fell asleep. Oh, the sheer bliss and luxury of wintery December days. Isn't God gracious?

Getting in the Mood

Yesterday I had everybody open the assignment binders and I slashed away at all the assignments! It was one of the first steps toward "getting in the mood" for Christmas.

The very first step was to start off the season reading chapter five of Knowing God by J.I. Packer. Why chapter five? Because it is "God Incarnate" and just the kind of soul food I needed. This chapter helps me "see and savor" (Piperism) the Savior of the Season.

My goal? To finish school by noonish on Tuesday and Wednesday and to have Christmas school (translate crafts, goodies, and movies) on Friday. So today school was done, I made hot chocolate, exploded it with whip cream, popped corn, and we sat down to read Keeping Holiday by Starr Meade. We made it through chapter one and I had to finish making the rolls for dinner. Imagine my pleasure at Malcolm's displeasure that we weren't reading another chapter! Rolls rising, we started chapter two!

Monday's Moody Musings

December 1st and I am not ready. Not decorated, not a single present bought, my new advent book has not arrived and honestly, I am not in the mood. I told a friend my eyes are like dams with the floodgates about to break. I am very much in the mood for Christ's birth, for a month of delighting in the idea that Christ lovingly became flesh and blood to live the life I couldn't. I'm just not in the mood for Christmas. I couldn't tell you why. Yes, I've been dealing with pervasive sorrow, maybe that's it. We're also doing some minor remodeling- removing a fireplace, replacing a wall, new paint, new carpet, new woodstove. So where is the Christmas tree supposed to go? And all the decorations are going to be covered up with plastic. Is it any wonder I'm not in the mood.? But the thing is, I do have three children and they are in the mood. They are so eagerly anticipating Christmas. And I want them to anticipate. I want them to have eyes of wonder. Thus my challenge is to start getting ready and to start thinking creatively of the things I can do amidst the rubble. I did pose the idea of individual, miniature trees and got booed for that. And it's ok that I'm not keeping up with the Joneses, because we are the Moody's and God knows what He wants this season to be like for us. I just need to be faithful each day to obey and teach my kiddos the wonder of the season that is God.

My friend, Anna, at Joy in Every Step had a wonderful post about Christmas music and it was so delightful responding to her request for favorite Christmas albums. Being an avid reader, I thought I would ask for favorite books of the season. So, I'll start it off with a couple of my favorites and then I would love to get suggestions from all of you who stop by!

Several years ago, my mom purchased three different copies of Joe Wheeler's Christmas in My Heart. Each year we were to read our copy and then mail it the next year along with the Christmas presents. It was such a delight to read my sister's comments and see the tear stains for these are sentimentality at it's best.
Another beauty is The Advent Book. This one features a fantastical door that you get to open like a pop-up book; behind the door is a bit of the Advent story. The year we used this one, we just repeated all the prior bits of the story every night and by Christmas Eve the kids had it memorized. This is a very sturdy book and will last through the grandchildren! We love exploring the intricately decorated doors.

So what will you be reading this Christmas?