It's Just One Day

It's just one day, people the globe over are going mad buying in provisions that would last a small army a month, but just for one day.  It's not even substantial food, aside from a good roast dinner we are filling our fridges and cupboards with Pringles and pork pies, trifles and truffles, spending hundreds, only to realise by the day after boxing day there'll be nothing to cook for dinner, unless you count heating up a scotch egg and steaming some celery. All this food just for one day.

And the gift shopping, it can't be done in one trip. No, you have to keep returning, because despite having had 12 months to think about what to buy people, you're convinced that if you just leave it and return in a couple of days one of two things will have happened; either, you will have  become a present buying genius and will walk straight to your shop of choice, pick up the perfect gift that actually turns out to be priced lower than your budget and take it straight to a queue-less till, or..... the shops will have stopped selling over-priced tat, which clouds your judgement and sends you into the panic impulse buy of a 'potty putter', yes, the

gift every household needs, something to entertain you whilst on the loo.  What the designer of this magnificent gift hasn't taken into account, is that on this one day most household occupancy doubles, therefore so does the loo queue, and you have now sold me something that is going to encourage Uncle Fred to stay in the bathroom longer than required, while little nephew Jonny jumps up and down outside the door with his legs crossed, but no, he can't hold it, so while Fred's having the time of his life taking a dump whilst playing pitch and putt, I'm outside cleaning up wee and finding spare clothes and all because I thought I could complete my Christmas shopping in one day, for just one day.

And the relentless TV adverts that think they can sell us happiness, which, it appears comes in ice cream shaped like a champagne bottle or a toy penguin, depending on your persuasion. For just one day.

But what is this one day, that draws people in all over the world? From the strongest atheist to the most humble God botherer, we are all taking part in the preparation and stress and fun and for some sorrow that leads us to this one day. The day that in history can change your future. Jesus was born to bring a peace and hope to a world that without Him would be in a far worse state than it is in now, and for some of us that's hard to imagine as the world does seem pretty screwed up. But we know that through Him all things can be made new, even this mixed up imperfect planet and even more so ourselves.  Imagine if retailers and advertisers and shoppers all led to this one day with just one person in mind: Jesus. How different would the experience be? Quite incredible I think and probably very enjoyable! Knowing that you were going to hit the shops and be treated with the integrity and humility and love and patience and presence of Jesus, beautiful.

I pray you have a blessed and peaceful Christmas, filled with love and joy and hope that Jesus Christ our Saviour brings!

Christmas Giving

Ah, Christmas.....the annual switching on of the town lights, a new Christmas release at the cinema, the shopping for gifts and food, the collection for the teacher......I'm sorry, what? Yes, the termly collection for the teacher, you know, the one that gets done at Easter and Summer and of course now Christmas.

Now, I'm a bit of a grump when it comes to Christmas, I be-grudge buying gifts for people I don't ever see and haven't a clue what their interests are, which is why gift buying for nieces and nephews stops when they hit 18, tough isn't it? And as for cards what a waste of money and paper they are; while wishing someone you see regularly a 'Merry Christmas', you hand them a card that wishes them a 'Merry Christmas'.  And someone you don't ever see from one year to the next and may probably have even died years ago, you post one to! Why?

But the one thing I really dislike when it comes to Christmas, is the annual email that comes round asking for contributions of a fiver towards a gift for the teacher! Multiply that by a class of 30 and you're looking at £150! Yes, teachers are overworked and underpaid, but aren't most people? Especially the volunteers; in fact the people that run the Brownies/Cubs, toddler groups, Sunday schools, etc. all do it voluntarily, in their own time, for our children and never once have I as a parent been asked to make a contribution towards their Christmas gift!

And as Christmas is about giving, whether it's splashing out ridiculously and going to into the red, because you can't bear to see your child have a tantrum because they didn't get the latest iphone, or inviting family or friends around for Christmas dinner, or giving your Son as the Saviour of mankind to the world, maybe this year if you haven't before, think about giving to someone who isn't expecting it, especially someone who already gives to you by way of volunteering.

And as for the teachers gift? Hand in your homework on time, will probably be the nicest surprise they'll get all year!

Do you have a Christmas collection that gets your goat?

Believe The Virgin Birth This Christmas

Do you believe a virgin gave birth to Jesus? Or is it something that you just accept as a myth, a nice part of the cute nativity story? 

In the last month on facebook I have seen many posts and pictures making a mockery of the virgin birth, usually suggesting that it might be a good excuse for a teenage girl to give their parents today "honestly Mum, I'm still a virgin!" and of course they are right to suggest that would be ridiculous and impossible. Well done atheists.

Not only would it be ridiculous and impossible today, it would also be unnecessary. The world only needs one saviour and he has already been born!

John 1:1-2

Contemporary English Version 

In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.

The Word was with God and was truly God.

From the very beginning the Word was with God.

Jesus was with God from the beginning, so he couldn't be conceived conventionally because he already existed, but to live amongst  us as a human and experience the same things as us; birth, childhood, puberty, teenage angst, family life, love, loss etc he had to be born, but he had to remain perfect and the only way to remain perfect was to keep man out of it. (Sorry man, but I often think to myself in various situations 'this would've been perfect without a man'!)

It's true. Man could not have impregnated Mary with the son of God! God had to do it and I don't think it's too much to believe that a God who can part seas and cure people of leprosy could have a virgin give birth to his child!

Jesus Christ did exist, most historians agree with that. (Unbelievable Podacast 'Did Jesus Exist?') If he was not the son of God, he was a narcissistic megalomaniac who has somehow kept people gripped by his teachings for over 2000 years, most nutters like that last a generation and either die naturally or kill themselves along with their cult, and the following dies, but not with Jesus.

John12:23-33

Common English Version

²³ Jesus said: 

The time has come for the Son of Man to be given his glory.²⁴ I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat. ²⁵ If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. ²⁶ If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you.

²⁷ Now I am deeply troubled, and I don’t know what to say. But I must not ask my Father to keep me from this time of suffering. In fact, I came into the world to suffer. ²⁸ So Father, bring glory to yourself.

A voice from heaven then said, “I have already brought glory to myself, and I will do it again!”²⁹ When the crowd heard the voice, some of them thought it was thunder. Others thought an angel had spoken to Jesus.

³⁰ Then Jesus told the crowd, “That voice spoke to help you, not me. ³¹ This world’s people are now being judged, and the ruler of this world is already being thrown out! ³² If I am lifted up above the earth, I will make everyone want to come to me.” ³³ Jesus was talking about the way he would be put to death.

Jesus knew how he was going to die and the purpose of his death, he also knew he would be resurrected and there are eyewitness accounts from people who met and spoke with Jesus after his death. All he spoke of was and is true.

Luke says at the beginning of his Gospel, he has made a careful study of all the facts concerning what God has done amongst us and written them down to tell us exactly what took place. John says near the end of his Gospel, that he wrote it so that we can know that Jesus is the son of God and put our faith in him and have eternal life through him.

You don't have to wonder whether or not you can believe this age old story of the virgin birth, you only have to read the historical Gospel accounts that were written for a time when it would be impossible to believe such a story, they gathered the facts for us, they spoke to the witnesses for us, they recorded it for us. Jesus came into the world to save us, he died for us and he is alive today in Heaven for us. 

Celebrate that fact this Christmas, believe the story of the virgin birth this Christmas.

The 'Stuff' Of Christmas

Uggh, Christmas. Why does that word fill me with dread every year? I want it to fill me with Peace and Joy and glitter like you see on the cards. I want to love it and embrace it but it isn't a season to be jolly at all!

I don't want to harp on about the true meaning, we all know the true meaning, and if you don't - well go and enjoy yourself with your flexible friend.

In the world of a family with children, Christmas is about 'stuff' and knowing what 'stuff' your child wants is just the most impossible task.

Even they don't know what they want (apart from my 8 year old who has a list as long as your arm, filled with 'plastic fantastic').

If money were no object we could just go out and get them expensive 'stuff' that they don't want or need, but would probably be pretty impressed with.  But I wouldn't do that anyway, so money isn't the issue.

I am quite happy to let the weeks go by, and I know that by Christmas morning the kids will have 'stuff', not sure where it'll appear from, but we've never let them down yet and I doubt we will this year; but my husband is panicking, "we have to go and get them something, time's running out"!

Our parents are panicking, "what do they want us to buy for them?" "I DON'T KNOW!" I don't even know what they want me to buy for them!

Time's running out for what? The end of the world? (December 21st by the way, so I really don't need to think about Christmas until we're sure that hasn't happened).

I blame the wise men. Without them Christmas would not be about 'stuff'. Did they run around in a panic about their gifts? Did they constantly enquire of Mary "what does he want?" Did she say "well don't get him Frankincense 'cos I know Melchior's getting him that". Were Gaspar and Balthazar stopping off on the journey to Bethlehem in every little corner trading stand because they'd left it to the last minute, and hadn't bought something before they'd left, and then fighting over who was going to give him the Gold? Because let's face it, that's gonna look like a much better gift than Myrrh.

Maybe Melchior regretted being so organised in already having purchased his Frankincense and wished he'd waited, so he could've chosen to give the Gold? who knows?

And maybe, just maybe, Joseph and Mary and little baby Jesus, would've just been pleased to see them, even if they had brought nothing. Maybe they would've just said "thank you for coming to celebrate the birth of God's son, thank you for taking the time to visit us and coming on such a long journey. We haven't got a very big Turkey, but we'll make it stretch, and if it doesn't? who cares?"

So, every Christmas, that's what gets me down, trying to find the right 'stuff' for the right person, so that they can open it on Christmas day, look at it on Boxing day, and discard it by New Year.

Oh, and as for putting a tree? Inside your house? Whose great idea was that? The shepherds I suppose.

Disclaimer: For an accurate account of the Christmas story please go to: Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20.

Nothing Is Impossible With God

We have just come back from our Church Carol Service. I have only been once before, that was last year.

I immediately started to fill up with tears as the thoughts of the last year came flooding back to me.

This time last year I had just started to get the help I needed from the people around me, who loved and cared for me. 

As 2011 started I was still unsure of what was happening for me and how the future would turn out. I remember our Pastor saying to me, "maybe this year will be the year that works out OK. 2011 could be the year where things start to change for the better".  I'm sure he probably finished the sentence with a disclaimer in case the year did turn out to go belly up.

But......he was right, I started a proper relationship with God in January, was baptised in July and overcome many personal obstacles. It has definately been one of my better years!

As with everyone, there has and will be times that trip me up and set me down, but I have a hope for the future, as was read tonight in our service:

Luke 1:37 (NLT) For nothing is impossible with God.

Weekly Song Round Up

School has now broken up and we will gradually start swinging into Christmas in our house.

Decorations will go up, sweets will be bought and cheesy Christmas DVD's will be watched.

But most importantly and on my insistence we will have Jim Reeves Christmas album accompanying our lives over the next week!

My Mum was a big Jim Reeves fan, and it is just nostalgic for me. I am instantly in my childhood home, in the kitchen, messing around, being stupid, having a laugh, whatever, probably in fact complaining at how awful it was having Jim Reeves on when we could have 'Now that's what I call Christmas'.

But now, as an adult with my own family I can inflict it on my kids because I know it will add to their memories of Christmas, and now as an adult I can finally admit, what's not to love about Jim Reeves?