Here’s something to think about as you celebrate Christmas today. Have you ever considered our focus on Jesus in the manger? You know, Jesus as a baby. I don’t know how you celebrate birthdays in your home, but when Jean and I put up the streamers and bake a cake for our boys when their birthday’s roll around, we don’t dust off their baby books and remember the day they were born. Rather, we enter into the joy of who they are today.
Merry PC Holiday of Choice
When it comes to talking about Christmas, it seems there’s some hesitancy on the part of our public figures these days to recognize the heart and soul of this particular holiday, namely, that the promised Savior, Jesus, was born. Such is the tragic by-product of political correctness which attempts to whitewash history into an inoffensive mishmash of feel-goodism.
This, of course, wasn’t always the case. I would have been twenty-years-old when President Reagan gave this address to the nation as Christmas day approached.
Shepherds in a Field: Go Figure
When I pause long enough to consider the miracle of God sending His son into the world to be my Savior, I inevitably come away with another insight which I hadn’t seen before. This year I’m stunned by God’s choice of the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus. Candidly, if I were writing the script, I’m pretty sure I would have picked a different cast of characters to bring the ultimate Good News.
Here’s why.
I Can Only Imagine
I never met Jack Wilson.
Jack’s the friend of a friend. I’m told he was a master staircase builder by trade, the father of two sons and, for 33 years, the faithful husband of his college sweetheart, Becky. That’s Jack on the right in a playful moment during a wedding back in September.
There’s a reason why I’m relaying this story to you which will be clear in a moment. But first, here’s what happened.
About three days before Thanksgiving, Jack felt extreme discomfort in his lower back.
Say It Ain’t So, Mr. President!
President Obama’s prime-time address from West Point tonight is big news, and understandably so. After months of intense speculation, he’ll be officially rolling out his revised strategy for the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Reports indicate that as many as 30,000 additional brave and courageous troops will be deployed to the volatile area.
It’s a serious subject and our president will likely deliver the news in somber fashion. Our prayers will follow these good men and women across the globe.
Did Jesus Laugh?
Have you ever wondered? Have you ever asked the question?
Did Jesus have a sense of humor? Did Jesus laugh?
Some Bible teachers suggest that while we know Jesus wept (John 11:35) there’s no reference in the Bible to Him laughing. That might be true, but that doesn’t mean He never laughed, does it?
If Jesus was 100% percent human and 100% percent divine, it’s only logical that He enjoyed His time on earth, experiencing all of the emotions that you and I do, including laughter.
Family is Beautiful
A number of months ago I blogged about Charles Hummel’s little book, Tyranny of the Urgent. In brief, his premise is that urgent things in life tend to throw a tantrum, demanding our immediate attention, energy, and response, while the important things wait patiently for us to move them up the priority list.
There’s a downside to neglecting the important things—like exercising, personal devotions, time spent with family, dental cleanings, changing the oil in the car, or dating your spouse.
The Great Vin Scully
Although football has always been my passion, I also love the game of baseball. The late Bart Giamatti, Major League baseball’s former commissioner and a clear romantic of the sport, did too. He once lamented the end of the season in near-poetic terms. Here is what he wrote:
It [baseball] breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.
Discovering the Difference between Sorrow and Despair
Is there anything more painful to endure than the death of a child?
Having been orphaned and abandoned as a young boy, I’ve been exposed to my share of sorrow. But, so have you. Nobody on earth can escape the human condition. Troubles roll like the relentless tides of the sea. Or, to quote William Shakespeare, “Troubles come not as single spies—but in battalions!”
If your life is happy and currently free of worry, rejoice—but brace yourself.
Sharpening My Saw
Have you heard the story about Luther and Jerry?
As the story goes, these two good old boys had a major disagreement which they couldn’t resolve. They figured the best way to settle the dispute was with a chainsaw—the winner would be the guy who fell the greatest number of trees on Jerry’s farm in eight hours. Given the fact that the heavily treed piece of property needed to be thinned out, the contest was a win-win situation in their minds.
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