Volume 4: "Christmases Past"

I miss many things about "Christmases Past" and today I'm thinking about those miracle moments when I was a participant in community Christmas parades. Yes, for six Christmases, from ages 12-17, I marched and played drums as a part of East Carteret County school bands. The Christmas parades were always the highlight of being in the band for me personally.

Music has been and continues to be essential in my life and is such a wonderful part of the Christmas Season year-after-year.

Honestly, playing drums gave me a tangible way to connect hands-on with The Holy Days and it also helped to connect my heart to the season through the simplicity of seasonal songs. There's even a favorite seasonal song titled "The Little Drummer Boy". 

As I write this post, I am sitting on a Saturday evening in our local church sanctuary listening to one of the most beautiful tenor voices God ever created practicing Christmas Carols. Yes, Brian Arner is giving me a private concert. I am overwhelmed in my soul in such a wonderful way.

Brian will be singing in both of our worship services in the morning as we celebrate The Christ Child on the first Sunday of the Glorious Advent Season. My heart is presently warmed as my mind reminisces about "Christmases Past".

One thing is for sure. As much as I treasure yesterday's musical memories, no way in the world would I ever trade what I am feeling at this very moment or the expectations today's Christmas music gives me for the future.

In my own opinion, Christmases keep getting better and better. And just maybe singing and hearing Christmas music in December is the closest thing to experiencing Heaven we will know while on Planet Earth. 

Think about it and be inspired deep in your eternal soul. Blessed Christmas to you and to yours. 

Grateful

Christmas Prayer

On Sunday, Joan and Amos Wimer lit the Advent Candle for one of our local church services. After Amos read a selection from Scripture, Joan prayed a most beautiful prayer. I asked her for a copy so I could share it with others. Here it is:

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus,

that we may share in the song of the angels,

the gladness of the shepherds

and the wisdom of the wise men. 

Close the door of hate

and open the door of love all over the world. 

Let kindness come with every gift

and good desires with every greeting. 

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,

and teach us to be merry with clean hearts. 

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children,

and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,

forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake.

Amen

 

Written by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

 

Grateful

Peace... No Matter What Happens!

During these days of Advent, with Christmas just days away, "Peace" is showing up with renewed emphasis in my prayer life.

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.
-- Luke 2:14 (NLT)

May the Lord of peace Himself always give you His peace no matter what happens. The Lord be with you all.
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT)

ALL JOY TO THE WORLD! ALL THE BOYS AND GIRLS, NOW!
Grateful

Seven Near & Dear Words To Me

The words of the last verse of the Christmas Carol, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" have been nearest to my heart this Advent Season:

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

These seven words have been especially near and dear to me:
Cast out our sin, and enter in...

Sarah McLachlan singing "O Little Town of Bethlehem":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyPMDD8fGeA

1 John 3:8-10 (NLT):
(8) But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil.
(9) Those who have been born into God’s family do not sin, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they have been born of God.
(10) So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the Devil. Anyone who does not obey God’s commands and does not love other Christians does not belong to God.

ALL JOY TO YOUR WORLD! THE LORD HAS COME TO CAST OUT SIN!
Grateful

Advent Stances

In Luke 2, we see within the faithful lives of Simeon and Anna three stances for the Advent Season, yes three wonderful ways to approach the Coming-of-the-Christ-Child Season:

Let us be found:
(1) Waiting on the Christ Child.
(2) Witnessing about the Christ Child.
(3) Welcoming in the Christ Child.

The Prophecies of Simeon and Anna -- Luke 2:25-40 (NLT)
(25) Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. (26) The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (27) That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, (28) Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, (29) "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, (30) I have seen the Savior (31) you have given to all people. (32) He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" (33) Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. (34) Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. (35) Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." (36) Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. (37) She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. (38) She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. (39) When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. (40) There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him.

ALL JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

...To Forgive Us, Not To Forget Us!

When we hear John 3:16-17, we should know undeniably that God gave His Son to forgive us, not to forget us! God sent His Son to be the World's Savior from Heaven, not Heaven's Bully to Earth!

Hear these Christmas words of Jesus written in John's Good News Report, verses 16 & 17 (NLT): (16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (17) God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Because God didn't forget us, there is a Christmas. Let us remember Him during these Holy Days of Advent and beyond. In the words of that moving contemporary love song, it seems I can hear the Lord saying: I will remember you. Will you remember Me?"

ALL... JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

In the Afterglow Let's Not Miss The Advent

Cold turkey and a few slices of pumpkin roll await my attention in the fridge. Yesterday, my whole, immediate family gathered at our place to celebrate Thanksgiving. Counting the Oreo Pup, we had sixteen in our home for about seven hours or so. Wow!

Some people may say, "Wow? What's the big deal?" Well, it's very rare for the Willis family to all be together for Thanksgiving Day or any day for that matter. With three pastor sons and a fisherman dad, the holidays often require us to go in different directions. However, this year we were all blessed to meet at one place. So, in the deep places of my heart I am experiencing a Thanksgiving Afterglow; and it's only going to get better, because my hope is now shifting into overdrive. Why? Because I know the most wonderful time of the year is here --- the "Christmas is A'Coming" Advent Season.

Yes, I know it's Black Friday and perhaps I should be out scrambling for under-priced electronics and hooded-sweatshirts I don't really need, but honestly my desire is on an altogether more reflective level than a retail one. You see, after diving into that cold turkey one more time and savoring the last slice of Kim's delicious pumpkin roll, I plan on releasing my outdoor, Nativity characters from the garage for another fast-approaching December. Then, as this evening after Thanksgiving surrenders to the darkness and the days of November begin to dim, I'll have The Bethlehem Boy Who Brings Beautiful Joy perfectly spotlighted in our front yard for all our neighbors to see. (Or at least by Saturday evening. I'm resting. :-)

The point is, let the Holiday Celebration intensify! And In the Thanksgiving Afterglow Let's Not Miss the Christmas Advent.

ALL... JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful