Babies at Christmas

When Zoey was two, her favorite of my Christmas ornaments was a large snow globe with the nativity scene inside it. It stood on a musical stand where camels rested after their long trip. The music box played “We Three Kings” and the camels rotated slowly underneath the globe. I placed it in the middle of the table where Zoey’s little hands couldn’t reach it, so she sat in a chair that brought her eyes up level with the camels and watched and listened. As soon as the music ran down she would laugh and say “again.” And again. And again. I thought there would never be anyone as precious as two year old Zoey.

Of course, three year old Zoey was just as precious – and she still is.

There’s something really special about having a baby around at Christmas. We often think that Christmas is for the children – the lights and music and presents and cookies . . . Or that all those things bring out the child in each of us. But Christmas is about a child too young to appreciate those things.

If you’re blessed, you’ve had an infant in your arms on Christmas. For me, it was a two month old niece. I felt her tiny body snuggle up to me, smelled her baby smell and saw her little mouth pucker. For a brief moment, I could picture my Creator like this. Really.

Okay. I couldn’t.

But God uses real life situations as metaphors to make His message clear. Holding a baby at Christmas was one for me. It was overwhelming to hold a tiny, helpless baby and consider that the Sovereign God gave up His glories in Heaven and was born like this baby into a helpless world.

I can’t grasp the enormity of it, but I am humbled by it. And just a little bit afraid.

*******

Today Ruby goes to South Africa, where I had the privilege of holding a different niece, although it was closer to Easter than it was to Christmas. You can read her adventure in chapter eight here.

Meet the author, Debbie Roome.

The Angels Didn't Sing

I know what you’re thinking. “Of course the angels sang. Everyone sings about it.”

“Hark the herald angels sing”

And

“Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plain”

I’m sorry to disillusion you, but the carols got it wrong. Look at what the scripture actually says:

Luke 2:13-14 “Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Yup. They said it, not sang it. This quote is from the New Living Translation, but all the others I checked also use saying, even the King James.

Okay, so the angels didn’t sing to the shepherds, but Isaiah and John saw them singing in heaven, didn’t they?

Nope. Both men saw angels praising God with the words, “holy, holy, holy.” But Isaiah heard them calling out to each other (Isaiah6:3) and John heard them say it (Revelation 4:8).

Maybe I’m right (and maybe I’m wrong – there must be a reason everyone thinks angels sing), but so what? Did I just ruin your Christmas with my pickiness about words?

Here’s what I think. There are lots and lots of occasions in the Bible where people sing, from Moses and Miriam to David to Paul and Silas. There are even people – not angels - singing in heaven (Revelation 5:8-10). So I think singing is one of God’s special gifts to people. I think it’s a very particular way He has given for us to praise Him. In fact, I think it’s one of the ways we’re made in His image.

I found one place in the Bible where God sings.

For the Lord your God is living among you.
    He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Zephaniah 3:17(NLT)

This passage is talking about Israel’s rebellion against God and God’s redemption of His people. God celebrates His salvation by singing over His beloved. He’s singing over us. We are the ones He came to save. We are the ones He came to live among. We respond by singing with joy.

The angels aren’t singing, because they’re not the ones He came to save. We should be the ones singing.

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.” 

***********

Guess what Ruby Joy (isn't that appropriate?) finds in chapter five of the book.

You can meet the author, Jerusha Agen, here.

PCTSS

Today I welcome Fay Lamb, author of the third chapter of A Ruby Christmas. I plan to follow Fay’s lead and focus on the most important tradition – reflecting on Jesus.

********

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”

Luke 2:13-15

Every year I suffer with what I call PCTSS (Pre-Christmas Traumatic Stress Syndrome).

Christmas is a very taxing for me. We’re all expected to smile while picking out the perfect Christmas tree, shopping for the perfect gifts, ensuring no one is left off the list, putting up the decorations, untangling the Christmas lights, baking cookies and making crafts, preparing for Christmas parties and church fellowships, caroling, and cooking that big Christmas dinner. 

Whew, I’m tired just writing it out.

Just when you think you can relax and enjoy the holiday, the chairs are pushed away from the table, the gifts are loaded into the cars, and everyone goes home.

Christmas is over.

And you wonder what made you anxious after all.

Yearly, I tell myself that I’m going to relax and enjoy this special time. I plan on watching every Hallmark Movie Channel Christmas movie. I’m going to decorate the house in such a way that Southern Living will beg to take photos. The store can’t stock enough baking powder, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and baking soda for the cookies I plan to make—and remake when I ruin a few dozen batches.

That’s my thinking on the day before Thanksgiving.

I’m revved up to start everything on Black Friday—everything but the shopping. I leave that day to expert shoppers. I prefer the desperation of the retailers about two days before Christmas.

Then I wake up on Black Friday, and I find the name appropriate. I cover my head, and I don’t want to get out of bed—until January 2.

I put so much emphasis on the traditions of men that I forget the true Reason for this special season. I fail to stop and to listen to the distant echo of those angels who declared to the shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

In those times when I’m tempted to hide my face away, I do as the shepherds had done. I pull out my Bible, and I read Luke’s account of Jesus’s birth. In essence, I follow the path of the shepherds, and I journey to Bethlehem to remember what the Lord has made know to us in His word: that there was a gift to mankind—the Babe in the manger—very God of Whom the Scriptures say: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believed in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Then I’m able to face the holiday realizing that the traditions of men are fine, and I’ll do what I can do and forget about the rest, but the most important tradition is that of reflecting upon Christ and realizing that without His birth, there would be no life.

More about Fay here.

Chapter Three

An Advent Attitude

Philippians 2:5-13

This isn’t a traditional Christmas passage, but it contains the heart of the Christmas message. 

Christmas is about the birth of a baby. The birth of The Baby. The birth of God who took the humble position of a slave and died a criminal’s death.

There’s a lot to ponder here, but Paul’s primary message is that we should have the same attitude that Jesus did. The attitude that brought Him to the manger. So what is the Christmas attitude? He gave up His privileges and became humble.

My mother always made Christmas special for her children. It was a magical time with smells, tastes and sights that only appeared during that season. We strung popcorn on the tree, baked cookies and sang carols. And of course, we couldn’t wait to open presents on Christmas morning. The way we celebrated Christmas was one way I knew I was loved. I also learned to think I was special. 

I am special. Not just because my parents thought so, but because God has chosen to save me. Because Jesus humbled Himself to die on the cross for me. He did it in obedience to God. 

So I must be willing to give up my privileges in obedience to God. Don’t expect everything to go my way. Decorate the tree and house to please my son. Let my daughter choose the menu. Open my house to people who need to see the love of Christ, even if they’re not my favorites.

These are small ways to imitate Jesus this season. I’m sure there are much more important ways that He wants me to obey Him and ways He wants to change my attitude. So this season, I will be asking God how He wants to change my attitude to be like His. By His grace, God is already working in me, giving me the power and desire to please Him.

*************

In the next two weeks, I’m going to be sharing with you one of the privileges God has given me recently. I’ve participated with some talented writers to author a book about a girl named Ruby whose father sends her on a quest to find pieces for a nativity scene. During her travels she learns a lot about herself and the God who loves her. Our publisher, WriteIntegrity Press, will be publishing one chapter of the book each day. I’ll post a link to the chapter each day here, along with a devotional by me or by one of the other authors. Look for my chapter next week and in the meantime, guess where I sent Ruby. I hope you enjoy the book.

Ruby Joy Buckner, cowgirl, has never left the Lone Star State, but at her father’s request, she takes her faithful canine companion and travels the world in search of Nativity pieces. As Ruby collects the pieces, she also collects a few unexpected surprises, including an awareness of the beauty in other cultures, and quite a menagerie of new friends, thanks in part to Yippee Ti Yi Yo who charms everyone they meet.

  

Ruby’s budding awareness of life outside Texas opens her eyes to a world of whimsy, and the Nativity pieces she collects are unusual. Will her father approve her eclectic collection … and the changes that travel brought to Ruby’s life?

Chapter One

 
Meet the author J.A. Marx.