Some of my facebook friends (ok, they're my cousins) are complaining about the not-so-Christmasy weather they are having in Jacksonville, NC. One of my other cousins poked at the first one by saying he didn't want snow because of his surfing habit--but he thought twice about it and decided it might be cool to surf in the snow. But I told them that it's not cold up here in Boone, NC either. I thought if anyone would have a chance at a white Christmas that it would be me--but nooooo. Of course the Good Lord could surprise me yet. With it being 50 degrees at the moment I don't think the rain that is coming down will turn into snow.
And moving away from the weather talk, Christmas Eve is just one week and a day away. It has come upon us quickly, or so it seems. There has to be alot of cooking and cleaning and wrapping like crazy going on out there. A lot of activity for this coming up week. I am wishing all of you a safe and very happy Christmas. Really try to enjoy it and don't get too stressed with all the decisions to be made.
Speaking of holiday stress, have you ever experienced an awkward moment at those Christmas gatherings? Well Joseph was faced with a difficult and heart-breaking moment. He was engaged to marry Mary but he found out that she was pregnant. No way was the baby his because they were true to their vows of being celibate untill the wedding night. As awkward and heart-breaking the news was, he chose to deal with it in a quiet way. He was going to divorce her (yes, an engagement in that time was a very committed relationship so much so that a divorce was in order) but do it privately and not expose the disgrace of her pregnancy. While he was thinking up a plan an angel appeared to him in a dream (Matthew 1: 20) and explained to him that Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and not to be afraid of marrying her. Can you imagine waking up from that dream! Would you believe a dream like that? Listen on and see what he did next. The angel in the dream told him something that sounded familiar. In last night's dream he heard the angel say: (Matthew 1:23, MSG) "Watch for this--a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name Him Emmanuel (Hebrew for 'God is with us')." And the angel said this would happen to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. So Joseph knew that this story had been passed down for ages but never in a million years did he expect to be linked to it. Where was it in the scriptures that foretold of this event? Isaiah 7:14 (GWT): "So the Lord Himself will give you this sign: A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and she will name Him Immanuel [God is with us]." Wow!! This is really happening! Why is this Baby so special? Skimming down a couple of chapters Joseph finds the answer. Isaiah 9:6 (NIV): "For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Repeat these titles once again but very slowly. Let them sink into your psyche. Now I want to back up, way back, all the way to the beginning. Let's review why Jesus is being born to a virgin. In Genesis we witness Adam and Eve doing bad. They chose to eat a piece of fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God had placed them in the most idylic place ever with not a care in the world. But He gave them one condition for living there--do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Along comes a beautiful snake and this snake talks. There have been other stories in the Bible of animals talking so please don't freak out about this part. The beautiful snake used very convincing words to persuade them to eat the fruit that they were not suppose to eat. That one itty bitty little mistake change their whole world forever. They immediately felt fear which they had never felt before. They felt guilt and shame over their newly discovered nakedness. You see they were sinless and innocent before this event and that is why their nakedness didn't bother them. They felt the need to hide from God and ran among the trees when they heard Him walking around in the garden. Unfortunately, they were about to be thrown out of the lovely, lush garden. God then promised to the woman pain and difficulty with pregnancy and delivery. And to the man, gardening would no longer be as much pleasure as it once was. Now he would have to contend with weeds and thorns and adverse weather conditions. This would make it harder for him to grow the family some food. God cursed the ground and the snake. All of the planet was affected by the itty-bitty mistake. But with God handing out all the bad news He also had good news. Genesis 3:15 (NCV): "I will make you and the woman enemies to each other. Your descendants and her descendants will be enemies. One of her descendants will crush your head, and you will bit His heel." God said this to the snake. Don't forget that the snake is Satan. Satan approaches us in many different forms and ways--keep this in mind as we discuss this some more. Eve's descendant that God was referring to is none other than Jesus. Even when we broke God's heart He gave us a way out from all of our mess.
Fast forward to Joseph. Matthew 1:24 (MSG): "Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream. He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus."
And fast forward to today. Friend, what kind of mess-ups are putting you in an awkward situation for this Christmas? Could it be from a past traumatic event that keeps living large in you? Is it something new that you have experimented with and discovered that it caused more problems than enjoyment? How about the family member that everyone whispers about and shuns? Unforgivness? Regrets? Then you will want to apply 21 Day Journal Note # 23.
21 Day Journal Note # 23
Haunted by the Ghost of Childhood Past
Proverbs 25:8 (MSG) Don't jump to conclusions--there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.
1 John 4:18 (MSG) There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life--fear of death, fear of judgment--is one not yet fully formed in love.
Childhood uncertainties. Things we can't explain. guilty dispositions placed on small ones by bigger ones just so they can feel release from their pressures. Whether divorce, suicide, rape, abandonment--a child cannot be the one who shoulders the blame. 1 John 4:19 (NIV): "We love because He first loved us." I am loved with a perfect love by the highest being. I no longer have a reason to feel fear. I am bold. I am loving. I am sensible and rational. Thank You Lord for Your deepest love to me!!
end of journal note. Handwrite this note once a day for 21 days to rewire your brain. Get this one buried deep in your psyche to bring about better outcomes for you. With God's help, arrest that old controlling childhood event. Discover how Jesus really means for you to live and enjoy this life of yours!!
As this next week moves toward the big day think about the beginnig and your own itty-bitty mistakes and how they affect lots of folks. Work on those areas and you'll find Christmas to be an even sweeter time than you could ever imagine.
Enjoy the jingles and tinsel everyone!!
Sisterly love to all, Wynndy
