It is true, we have only just begun our journey. This is a story that only the gospel writer Matthew tells. We will take a closer look at those verses in a moment. Two things we should consider as we read these verses from Matthew are that the Magi are from the east, they are Gentiles, they do not know or understand the Jewish tradition and do not know of the scriptural prophecies concerning the location of the Messiah’s birth. God’s love reaches beyond traditional boundaries and can and does change the world and its communities, This story is definitely about an Epiphany and fits the understanding we have of the word Epiphany…So what does the word mean? 

(Oxford Dictionary) 

1. the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12).a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being.

Understanding the word leads us to also include two other events in the Bible concerning Jesus. Those being the baptism of Jesus and his first miracle at Cana. Now about those scriptures verses from Matthew 2:1-12. I like to go beyond the words as written because it helps me understand the people and the situation. What does a closer look reveal? We learn that the name Bethlehem means the House of Bread because it stood on such fertile ground. Jacob buried Rachel there and erected a pillar beside her grave as a memorial to her. Ruth had married Boaz there and even in the vastness of the land she could see her native land of Moab, across the Jordan valley. But of real import was the fact that this was the city of David and it was from the line of David that God would send the one who was to deliver His people. To sum up this part of the story Bethlehem, the city of David is where the Jews expected God’s Anointed One to come into the world. There is much more to the story but let’s move on to that place where Jesus was born. We only know what has been written but most accounts and theologians believed it to be in a cave in Bethlehem. The cave was used to shelter animals from weather and keep them safe from predators.

Now we move to those Magi from the East who had followed that star so that they might pay Homage to the one who’s born…The King of The Jews. It is said they served the King of Persia and just as the Levites were in Israel…They became men of holiness and wisdom. They are best considered to be good and holy men, who sought for truth. Now something for you to consider…William Barclay wrote… “There is not the slightest need to think that the story of the coming of the Magi to the cradle of Christ is only a lovely legend. It is exactly the kind of thing that could easily have happened in that ancient world.”

Well, there is one in every story and ours comes in the form of a King…King Herod to be exact. Not only was all Jerusalem disturbed but King Herod was also impacted by this information. He summoned all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and asked them where the Anointed One of God was to be born. Their reply…Bethlehem in Judaea. Herod then summoned the wise men and after questioning them, he instructed them to go and find that child, report back to him “so I might also go and worship him.” Some things about this man that are beyond the words that the written scripture tells us. Herod was half-Jew there was Edomite blood in him.He was often referred to as Herod the Great because he had controlled the situations of disorder that sometimes erupted. He was a great builder, after all he had built the Temple in Jerusalem. He was generous to the people going as far as to cancel taxes to make things easier for them in hard times. He even brought food for them during the famine of 25 BC. He was popular among the people.

But the fact remains that he had one flaw that worked well in this situation. He had always been suspicious, as he grew older he became even more suspicious. He was very protective of his power and anyone that was a threat to it was promptly eliminated. It is also known that he murdered members of his own family, he was without doubt a bitter and suspicious man and his intent was that as soon as he knew where this child lived he would have him killed. The people knew his intent and grew worried each day that went by. Herod’s reaction was to be expected. It was one of hatred and hostility.  This small child was going to interfere with his life, his place, his power and his influence, and therefore his first instinct was to destroy him. There were other people who wished to destroy Jesus Christ, because he interfered with their lives… they feared they would no longer be able to do what they liked. The reaction of the chief priests and scribes was one of complete indifference. Jesus meant nothing to them. Then of course there were the Wise Men. They came to adore, worship and to bring gifts, the very best they could give. 

The star isn’t just a nice touch and there are many stories told about it and what happen to it latter. Were they really wise men, or are they just a legend. Consider this…don’t sweat the details…God gets things done… We know they found Joseph, Mary and the Christ Child. We know the wise men did not go back to Herod. Jesus came into this world to die for us. Because of Jesus and the cross we who believe have life everlasting.

Let The Journey Begin 

Life is Good

jk

A quick note about the Porch this week. I am not very good at story telling and opinion comes with some degree of responsibility. I know that this is an accurate account of this event. What stuck in my mind is the differences in justice rendered.

Cold weather here and we have moved inside for now. I just close the door and clear my desk and try hard to clear my mind as best I can. In a group I meet with on Tuesday mornings for bible study and fellowship one of the group shared a disturbing event he had been involved in that I am having a problem getting off my mind. This gentleman over a period of time had helped an old man with some very basic needs, the biggest one was transportation to doctors appointments and such when needed. The man he befriended has several serious medical problems, he is in a wheelchair, has his mother, who is also in a wheelchair and a brother with autism is  living with them. It seems that the man had a dog that had been sick for some time and to be fair it must be said he ignored the dog and waited until the dog was close to dying. He called the pound and requested they come out and get the dog, which they did. The dog had to be put down. Some time latter this man was charged with Animal Cruelty, served papers and a court date was set. The old man was represented by a Public Defender, he had neither money or influence. The results of that court date. He was found guilty, given the maximum sentence which was a year in jail, a monetary fine of substantive amount. The judge reduced his sentence to eleven months probation and thirty days in jail, which he will serve in the new year. The man from Our group paid his bail.

In my porch frame of mind I find a couple of points that linger on in my mind. Just last week to reduce the state’s prison population, outgoing Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) issued 56 pardons. Of those pardoned, 40 are convicted murderers. Retail stores are suffering huge losses due to theft, just brazen walk in and take what you want…no attempt will be made to stop you, or will you face any criminal charges. I hate to write this but I was astounded when Hunter Biden defied a Congressional summons to answer questions about his activities, walked free and still defies the law, openly. Point being…The old man with the dog was guilty as charged…  Along with the old man and that poor dog something else died…Compassion. Neither the old man or the dog had anyone to speak or care for them. 

jk

For a large number of Christians, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, God’s gift of salvation and the path to the restoration of his relationship with his people. The story is remarkable, a virgin gives birth to a boy in a stable who is in reality the Son of the Living God. A star marks the manger where he lay, Angles sing of his birth, shepherds follow the star to see this Child. It is not long thereafter that wise men seek him also, bringing gifts. This child will bring about the wholesale murder of all boys born that day and he will become the subject of a massive manhunt…he has yet to utter a word. We know little of his early life and in later years he appears before a rather strange man in animal skins who lives on bugs, nuts and berries and is at home in the desert wearing animal skins, pleading for people to renounce their sins because the Messiah is soon to come. A remarkable story whose reality is even more remarkable. From these humble beginnings the Greatest Story Ever Told is born. Consider this…there were from the beginning doubters and history has put forth many arguments and theories about this man who presented himself as the Messiah. There is the fact that the Jewish people had always expected a savior, the one who would restore Israel to her rightful place as the chosen people of God. 

From the early prophets to that very day of his baptism by John in the wilderness, the Jews had lived with this in-destructible faith and the raw belief that it would be so. The beginning of the ministry occurred with his baptism in the countryside of Roman Judea and Transjordan, near the River Jordan by John the Baptist. New Testament writings give as the principal locations for the ministry of Jesus as Galilee and Judea, with activities also taking place in surrounding areas such as Perea and Samaria. 

Now I need to be careful here but the enormity of the scope of his ministry is pivotal to the story. Three years a total estimated distance of 3,125 miles, Jesus WALKED during his ministry. Add to that his disciples, the 12 of his picking, walked with him…most likely the majority of those miles. Now there are records of large crowds following him through certain areas and there were others we find in the gospel writings that were with him at various times… I think of it sometimes as being a traveling caravan of Salvation…with the Cross going on before. I believe Jesus saw that Cross on the horizon when he took his very first step on those roads. He would sit among the mighty and the fallen, kneel in the dust of a town to speak to the stoning of a woman, speak to a Samaritan woman at a well, heal the blind and sick on the Sabbath…all these acts adding to his notoriety and adding fuel to those enemies that would have him put aside. His ministry would come to an end on the ragged outcrop of a hill…There he would be taunted, mocked and nailed to a wooden cross, his side pierced just as the heavens open up in fury and the cloth rent…. The world would never be the same. 

 I have thought of many ways to bring this blog to a close. I then realized the story is not finished yet, the end is yet to come. The brightness of the lights, the joy of the tree and the unexpected love we feel for people in general makes me wish everyday could be Christmas. God has blessed the world with the greatest gift ever given to man. It is argued every year to keep Christ in Christmas. I encourage you to not pack him away till next year….Keep him in your heart, mind and very being…. The story is not completed yet. 

Come Lord Jesus

Life is Good

jk

Sometimes looking back can become a window to the future. This year The Porch and The Pew turn the clock back to December of 2021. This Christmas my post for the Back Porch will be from a blog written in 2021. 

Christmas is that time of the year that always confronts me with conflicting emotions. There is of course the secular joy of the season, the excitement of the children and I might add that at this time of year there is always a little child in all of us. Bright lights, decorations of red and green…you know the song. I do, for what reason I am not sure, look at Christmas from both secular and Christian Views. The very fact that this phenomenon incorporates both a strong religious history as well as having become a commercial success gives it two very different areas of influence. Over the years I have become less focused on the secular aspects and customs of Christmas. I have also developed an awareness of some of those things that the brightly wrapped  presents and a tree along with the extensive amount of decorating we do to visually create that Christmas Joy… a special feeling that we attribute to that special time of the year. They also have awoken other feelings that come with a new awareness. There are so many people that are left behind in the joy of the family gatherings, the bright lights, the rush to find just the right gift for someone special, the preparation of that Christmas dinner…then the inevitable…that little twinge of disappointment when Christmas Day comes to an end.

Some thoughts from the believers side of Christmas. You might be surprised to know that this War on Christmas is not a new thing. There is a lot of history involved here and would make for a long read…but for time and space just a couple of facts from history.com . 

“By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated.” 

What followed I don’t think they anticipated. Well, Christmas did gain a lot more attention, Christians believers started to attend church on Christmas Day…that’s a good thing. It is what follows that which is unusual. They then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras. There is more to that after church celebration that is best left unsaid. It wasn’t the Grinch who cancelled Christmas. Let’s go back to history.com  for the answer to that and it wasn’t any of the Woke group, it was Oliver Cromwell, and his Puritan forces who took over England in 1645. They vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. When the Pilgrims, who were even more orthodox than Cromwell came to early America they did the same thing. Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681 Christmas was outlawed in Boston! It is interesting to note that according to Captain John Smith, Christmas was enjoyed by all without incident. Today the Christmas story has in many ways been marginalized by cultural and societal  customs and traditions. So long ago the Birth of our savior Jesus Christ was tied to church, cultural and societal traditions that in my opinion made it a part of, as we have become to say…The Reason For The Season. The birth of the Christ Child is not a seasonal thing. It has transcended time from that night in Bethlehem to this very day and will continue on as a sign of God’s love of his people and Creation…John 3:16…

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

I have in these older years of my life come to detach the birth of God’s Son from “Tis the reason for the season” …The birth God  incarnate, God among us, well that stands alone. Enjoy Christmas but know this…all the bright lights, presents, and brightly decorated trees…They can never shine as bright as that Star in that Bethlehem Sky on that night so long ago.

Merry Christmas!

Kurt

The more I read Luke’s account of our Savior’s conception and birth I learn something new every time. We have become so accustomed to the words over the years that there is a familiarity that paints the picture in monochrome, lacking the vivid color and excitement of an event that would change this world forever. There is so much to be considered here in this story…The census was a pivotal point in the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem and the census was predominantly for taxation purposes. What is remarkable about this is that this particular one was a part of the documentation that provides the information needed to date this and is from actual census documents written on papyrus and then discovered in the dust-heaps of Egyptian towns and villages and in the sands of the desert. Without going to deep into detail we know there was an actual government edict from Egypt that every man had to go to his own city to be enrolled. This nails down Bethlehem as the place… Now for the trip. Best estimates are that the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was eighty miles and accommodation for those who travel was most primitive. Inns at best in that day and time were not very clean and weren’t all that safe. There was no major road that traversed the area that Mary and Joseph would travel and at best they might make about 10 miles a day. Enough said…now to the trip itself.

Sometimes words are just not enough, thus the saying that a “picture is worth a thousand words”….. and since there are no actual pictures from that time we are reduced to just the words. Fortunately we do have written records of that time, and there are biblical archeologists whose studies print a vivid picture in our mind and of course theological based studies of the lives people led in those times. Matthew and Luke were rather sparse in their words used to describe the difficulties and challenges such a trip would present to Joseph and Mary.  After a demanding trip to Bethlehem and finding room only in a cave that was being used to stable live stock, what would this trip had been like for Mary and the child in her womb. Most of us have a very firm picture in our minds of what Mary was like. An alabaster complexion, clothed in ornate robes whose hands had never seen a day of ordinary household work. But in reality Mary was an ordinary Palestinian Jewish girl, poor and as we have come to learn of extraordinary faith and abilities. Truth is Mary would have been no different from other Jewish woman of her place and time. Her day would be one of tedious chores and duties to be done, having none of the modern every day technology available to aid her. She would start at sunrise or maybe a bit sooner preparing a meal, then there would be water that needed to be brought in, carried by hand in jars or wine skins. The water would be used for drinking, cleaning, bathing and washing clothes. Ground wheat-flour and other food ingredients had to be gathered and of course firewood to cook with and heat to provide warmth in the cold mornings and evenings. All of these things would require, as some estimate, at least ten hours of work. I think we can say she had to be strong and efficient. Joseph was a carpenter and his day began at sunup and would last till there was no light left to work by. I imagine his face would be of a ruddy complexion, with lines reflecting the responsibility of family and providing for them. His hands would be the rough calloused hands of a working man. He would be a strong and resilient man. Further more it very likely that both Mary and Joseph were, as many of the people of that time illiterate to some degree. Because of where they lived it is possible they had limited knowledge of some Greek and Latin. They most likely lived in a small complex, four small one room houses with dirt floors which were connected by a shared courtyard for cooking and other daily needs. Most of these complexes were shared with kin. It would have been a good thing because the women would be able to help each other with water, wood and other needs. It was not an easy world to live in. They were taxed by both the Temple and the Roman government and people of bad intent were all about them.

Moving to the journey they were about to make it could not be said that they did not know the dangers of taking such a trip, not to mention that Mary was heavy with child at this time.  Mary and Joseph were aware of all the dangers of such a trip. They would have to travel about eighty miles and at best given her condition ten miles a day would be all they really could expect. There would be wild animals, bandits and desert robbers to contend with. Weather would also be a factor as temperatures in winter in this area would be a bone chilling 41 degrees at night and rise into the high forties during the day. I don’t know why but I have always read or been told that the desert temperatures at night felt much colder than you would think. They would have had to have warm clothing, build a fire each night to protect themselves from predators and of course to keep warm as they rested. Their provisions would have consisted of bread, herbs, oil and some dried fish. Water was carried in wineskins. Yet all these things did not intimidate Joseph or Mary.

Some of this may seem redundant  but no matter how many times I read or tell the story I always learn something new. In this Advent season we have the opportunity and the time to prepare for this birth of the Christ Child. Joseph and Mary might have had some time themselves but the trip to Bethlehem was not planed at their leisure. It was dangerous and the added burden of Marry’s pregnancy added to the hardships of an unexpected trip at a most inconvenient time. So from that I take this thought…Our faith, our God is not one of convenience, we are called to serve at his pleasure with the assurance that He will provide our needs. 

Life is Good

jk

Some of the best times I have spent in the last 20 years were right in my own back yard. It will soon be almost five years since Pat and I moved to be closer to our daughter due to health problems that were becoming harder for us to adjust to as we got older. So…you might say I have a new back yard but oh how I miss my old back yard. This week I got off the porch, well in my mind and memory and went back a few years to White Water Center, on highway 64 E of Cleveland Tn. That was part of by old back yard. Here also was located Big Frog, a mountain located primarily in southeastern Tennessee in the Big Frog Wilderness, within the Cherokee National Forest. It is located within the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains. All of this within 30 minutes or less of my home and to make it even sweeter just 8 miles from my home was Red Clay State Park. Located near Cleveland in Bradley County, it is along the Tennessee-Georgia state line about 17 miles east of Chattanooga. It is part of the Trail of Tears and was a part of their council grounds and meeting place for the Cherokee Nation at one time. Blue Hole Spring, a natural landmark in the park, was used by the Cherokee for their water supply during council meetings. 

Br’er Rabbit, a character from the Disney movie “Song of The South” said every body needed a “happy place”…Welcome to mine…all three. To me the mountains are about as close as you can get to God, well you know what I mean. The majesty of the mountains and the peace I find in being there is to me the clearest example of what our God created. Scripture tells us that as God looked at his creation on that sixth day… He said “it is good”… There in those mountains I found a peace I have yet to capture anywhere else. How I miss all of that and to think it was all there, all around me. I spent a lot of time there but never enough. My wish is that you not pass over or by the treasures of your back yard. Enjoy, relish and be thankful for what God has provided right in your backyard.

jk

You have heard said many times I am sure “you just can’t make this stuff up.” Here is an excerpt from last week’s blog.

“We cannot pass over the stories of other people who were touched by God in the preparation for this wonderful coming and birth of our Lord. Zechariah and his encounter with the angel Gabriel and the news that God would bless he and Elizabeth with the birth of a son, their only child…we will come to know him as John the Baptist. It is written…Romans 8:28 NIV  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This week we meet the Shepherds in the field and the Angels in the Heavens. Like all things of God, there is order and a purpose to all His actions. The Angels visit with Mary, Zechariah, Elizabeth and in time others that would set this night and this birth apart from all others and change the world forever is a journey of wonder and faith. We start in a field in an Arab village of Beit-Sahur, which sits in the middle of the Booz fields mentioned in the book of Ruth (Ruth 3:5). By tradition it is known as the Shepherds Field, it is said it was here that the announcement of the angels of the birth of Christ to the Shepherds took place. The scripture written in Luke 2:8-12 paints a very clear picture of awe mixed with fear of the uncertainty of the moment and is a good example of the majesty of any and all things that are truly of God. We are given a very important insight into the lives of these shepherds in those verses. “Living in the fields, watching over their flocks by night”, gives us the understanding that this is a 7day, 24hr endeavor. It is a subtle reminder to those of the faith that our God is always with us. Later in this blog some little known facts about those shepherds. It is amazing how God knows the hearts of those he uses to bring His will to the people. The shepherds were not content with just hearing these words of the angels, they went in search of the baby…the Christ Child. But they were not content with just that…they did not worry what others might say, they went out and told others what they saw and what the angels told them to tell the people. Thus The Revelation that the Christ is born…God incarnate among us. What an amazing revelation and God chose the simplest among us to share it with the world.

Now some things about these shepherds. Orthodox people of the day despised the shepherds because the demands of their job made them unable to keep the details of the ceremonial law. They could not observe all the meticulous hand washings and rules and regulations due to the constant demands on them; and so the orthodox looked down on them. It was to simple men of the fields that God’s message first came. It should also be noted that most likely these were not just ordinary shepherds and the flock they looked after were no ordinary sheep. It was necessary that an unblemished lamb was offered as a sacrifice each morning and evening. The Temple authorities to be sure these were available had their own private sheep flocks and they were pastured near Bethlehem. William Barclay wrote…“that the shepherds who looked after the Temple lambs were the first to see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” We end this blog with a note about the Angles…It was a custom of those times that when a boy was born musicians gathered at the house to great him with simple music. In the case of the birth of the Christ Child, William Barclay wrote…“It is lovely to think that the minstrelsy of heaven took the place of the minstrelsy of earth, and angels sang the songs for Jesus that the earthly singers could not sing.” 

Join us here in the Pew next week as we continue to discover the The People of Advent.

Life is Good 

jk

This is the Holiday Season, which in some odd way led me to ponder about certain days. Bit chilly on the porch but I can’t seem to stay in to much, got to get a touch of that fresh air to remind me I got a few days left in these old bones. The difference between a holiday and a day… Now I wasn’t to sure but to me a holiday is a break, a day off, sometimes as a means of celebrating some special occasion, our Government is awash with Holidays. There are about nine of these government celebrations each year. What got me onto this is that today Thursday, Dec 7…is Pearl Harbor Day… most of these special days are not about celebrating but about Remembrance… and each year they seem to fade away just a little bit more. On that day…over 2,300 Americans were killed and the U.S.S Arizona was completely destroyed and the U.S.S Oklahoma capsized. As time passes the number that remember that day becomes less and less.  Memorial Day began shortly after the Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. This is one of many that are tagged as such and such day… As I have written there are many others. Right now at this moment I am thinking about The Lord’s Day… and that other day, The Day Of The lord. Now the “The Lord’s Day” is Sunday. The term Lord’s day is used only once in Scripture.

Revelation 1:10

 “ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet”

Now I am not going to go any further with this day thing but I will list another day for your consideration. The Day of The Lord… This takes us on a bit of a different direction. It is also known as a Day of Wrath. The final judgement written of in Revelation.

Today is Pearl Harbor Day, December 7th, 1941… As I ponder here on the porch I do wonder how much longer this and other days that mark a place in the history of our nation and its people will be remembered. We are the product of our past, we shape or should shape our future from lessons learned and that seems to be fading fast. But I always come back to this… The God I serve is a constant and that is where I place my hope.

jk

 It is the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting, the coming of Christ at the Incarnation. It is the coming into being, in simple terms … it is God coming among us in human form. It is a Christian tradition it has existed within the world wide Christian church for centuries. It is nearly as old as the church itself, with the earliest mentions of the tradition happening as early as 380 AD at the Council of Saragossa*. (*a city in northern Spain, capital of Aragon, situated on the Ebro River)  Advent brings with it a time of preparation, part of that being to understand the four messages it brings with it. Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Another important part is preparing our Hearts, Mind and Homes to receive Christ’s birth in the world as it is today. During these weeks ahead we can turn to these family members from the family of God of which we have been adopted into. 

John the Baptist, Isaiah the prophet, and Mary the expectant mother. Each will speak to us about the matters of the heart, their longings and the fulfillment and hope this birth brings to the world. One of the greatest values of the Advent Season is that it is  great for reminding us what the season is really about. An often overlooked fact is about John The Baptist and his importance in the Advent story. How important is The Baptist?  There is a passage that illustrates God’s master plan in action as God selected John to be His special ambassador to proclaim His own coming. Isaiah 40:3-5:

3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Matthew also points to these verses. The Baptist preached repentance… preparing the way for Christ’s coming… Matthew 3:5-6- Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Of course there is Mary who will birth the Christ Child.  

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 

We cannot pass over other stories of other people who were touched by God in the preparation for this wonderful coming and birth of our Lord. Zechariah and his encounter with the angel Gabriel and the news that God would bless he and Elizabeth with the birth of a son, their only child…we will come to know him as John the Baptist. It is written…Romans 8:28 NIV  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

There are more but before I close this out…I suggest you read the First Chapter of Luke and make it a point to linger over these verses. 

Zechariah’s Prophecy, vv. 67-80

Mary’s Song of Praise…The Magnificat, vv. 46-55 

Santa won’t be the only one bringing gifts. The greatest gift of all is not under the tree.. Prepare the way…

Life is Good

jk