“I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life.” Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a

“HEY… NOT FAIR!” was the cry from one of the teams. It was our annual Christmas Trivia Contest, a fun, fact learning tool to teach and re-educate Church members as to what ACTUALLY HAPPENED that very first Christmas. This year, someone proposed it be a contest between the women and the men… which proved VERY competitive. Everyone was told ahead of time what to learn and study to ‘WIN!’

How many cattle… how many Wise Men… how many angels… and how many donkeys were there at the manger scene when Christ was born? These were just a few of the questions that were asked. And those were the EASY ones! When anyone thought that there had been a violation of the rules, or someone was taking, or getting an advantage by the judge, it was called out!

I was the game-show host who came up with the questions… AND the one asking them. I was also the final judge and scorekeeper. Having done this many times before, I knew what I was in for. But somebody had to do it! Let’s just say that ‘game-show host’ and ‘final judge’ are NOT popular jobs, because opinion and argument are always present. But SOMEONE has to be the judge!

This Christmas Contest is not far off from the REAL test God has created among every creature with a brain and a choice. And yes, I said ‘test!’ Being honest, God set the boundaries for ‘Life’ and ‘Love’ from the very beginning. He was clear and firm on the rules. The game could be played as a PROtest, a CONtest, or looked at simply as The test! Today’s verse clearly shows God’s position.

When Choosing Life, I don’t get a pass, a gimme or a freebie! God clearly set His law in writing AND inscribed it upon my heart. I ALWAYS know when I am ‘out of bounds.’ Loud Arguments against the rules from contestants never change God’s opinion or position, though they have been used by Him to help clarify mine. The Rules? God doesn’t make mistakes. ‘Choices’ reap consequences. ALWAYS!

It is clear. ‘Life’ and ‘Love’ in Christ is ALWAYS a choice. God ALWAYS respects my choice. To GET both I must choose to follow through WITH God. So here’s the question, ‘how much Life and Love will I get by ‘doing my own thing?’ The answer is the same as the answer to all those Christmas questions… NONE! So, fellow participant, what do YOU choose… and who’s side are YOU on???

“And you, child, will be calleda prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” Luke 1:76-77

Years ago I vowed to not watch TV news because it made me angry. I’ve kept that vow, but stayed informed by going to websites to simply read the headlines. I want, and feel I am required by God, to know what issues my world is facing. I cannot be a responsible Christian if I do not. But last night, while Katie took a shower, I watched the news. Listening to the stories, God labeled me… “GUILTY!”

I don’t really know if it was more God, or my conscience. But it didn’t matter. The label stuck… and it stung. Visiting Israel years ago, our tour group was led all around the country to see historical sites. When they took us to see the Holocaust Museum, I got through the first room, then walked out. I simply could not look at what I already knew to be true. I needed no convincing. Apparently I did last night!

History class taught me that the Allied liberating troops, after WWII, had a policy of filming, and even forcing German civilians to view the atrocities committed in the death camps. The point was to make sure everyone KNEW. Ignorance was not to be permitted as an excuse for evil to prevail again. Watching the news, I was overcome with guilt. The EXACT same atrocities are happening TODAY.

The news stories flowed from witnesses and pictures of Hamas attacks on October 7^th. They then panned to college campuses where Jewish students have been facing Anti Semitism. From there, the stories moved to my U.S. Congress where support for Anti Semitism is being nurtured. A final story showed Netanyahu pleading, “Where the hell are the women’s support groups around the world?”

Not sleeping well is a byproduct of stress. Stress is an understatement of how I feel. Sure, I’ve written to my representative and vowed to give some money somewhere. Apparently God isn’t happy with my level of enthusiasm over the continued level of evil I have ‘willfully allowed’ to flow under the bridge of my life. As of last night, “I didn’t know” is a flag I can no longer fly. Now, ‘I’ must DO SOMETHING!

I am a called Christian living in a world that uses ignorance and double talk to front evil. I am called to go into the world to tell Good News. But Good news means nothing unless people first understand the bad news. ‘John’ was called to give his people the ‘KNOWLEDGE of salvation’ from their ‘sins!’ He has assigned me that exact same task. I don’t even have the right to ask what YOU are going to do!    

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.“ Luke 2:19

It was time to put up the outdoor Christmas lights, a process I have completed on this same house for 34 years. Finding the bin labeled “Outdoor Christmas Lights” was easy. Opening and looking inside I saw 2 strands of lights carefully rolled up… each with a note attached. The notes were written TO me… BY me! They were instructions on where each strand went and exactly where to start.

When taking down last year’s lights, I must have remembered that the year before, I had to re-figure the installation process, all over again, from the year before THAT. So last year I wrote myself a reminder note! Now I was looking at, what looked like, a great plan! Until I tried finding the ends to unwind the strands. Realizing round lights don’t untangle well, I noted that I need another note!

I was alone in the dark, except for the tangled bright lights I held in my hands. Having a purpose, a plan, experience, additional age and having a tougher time seeing and climbing the ladder, I started talking to myself. I guess I could call that pondering. You know… like Mary did after she saw those crazy shepherds walk in on her unannounced! Up until that time she had fearfully run and hid.

Laying in the dark, in a sheep pen 80 miles from home, she held a baby who wasn’t even her husband’s! Suddenly, shepherds came in talking about an angel visit with news about HER baby being ‘The Savior!’ I can sense her thinking, ‘note to self… this is a LOT bigger than previously thought. What exactly was it that Angel told me again?’ Pondering, wondering… ‘hmmm… what now?’  It says, she ‘Treasured!’

I’ve been doing a lot of pondering this Christmas season… and it’s only just started. The world is a WHOLE lot stranger than when I was a kid, and I even lived through the Kennedy’s, the Vietnam and Civil Rights wars and BUNCH of stuff since! It is obvious I can see a WHOLE lot more backwards than I can see ahead. So there, in the darkness, I pondered… with ‘The Savior’ right beside, inside and with me.

I can tell you that trying to untangle Christmas lights is a whole lot easier than trying to untangle life. I found myself slowing down and taking my time as I pondered where I’ve come from, what I’ve discovered, where I am and where I’m going. I have no idea how many Christmases I’ll have at this house. But I DO know I will JOYFULLY be celebrating Christmas… FOREVER! How about YOU? And on what do YOU ponder?

“On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

“Oh WOW!!!” was all I could say. Having just woken up from my ritual ‘after Church nap,’ I walked into the dining room where Katie was standing beside ‘The Teacher Tree.’ We had, the day before, just pulled together all 19 boxes of Christmas decorations, PLUS accessories! While I napped, she took the opportunity to start decorating. Upon seeing it, it is now official… Christmastime is HERE!

That instant sight made me feel like a kid again. Every year we’d come home from Church on Christmas Eve, and get put to bed with our bedroom doors shut. I was told to, “stay in bed NO MATTER WHAT you hear, because Santa Claus is coming to decorate our house and to leave presents!” ‘Taking a peek’ might cause Claus pause… and leave nothing! Waking up had a ritual.

Always the first one up, I would crawl on the floor, with eyes closed, so as NOT to be able to see anything. Waking up my parents, dad would go make the coffee and check to see if Santa had come. After coffee was made, dad would take us out into the living room. Holding hands with my eyes closed, I’d wait until he said, ”OK.!” The whole house was decorated… a wonder to behold.

Before my nap, everything was normal. Waking up was anything but! Upon seeing that 1 tree, ‘wonder’ paid a visit. But she was just getting started! All day long she decorated each room, and she’s not done yet! We have an unwritten understanding. My job is to ‘prepare’ by getting the boxes. Hers is to actually DO the decorating! God and I have a similar arrangement with my life!

The wise men didn’t ‘drag’ their treasures. They carefully packed them to keep them safe. They didn’t ’throw’ their precious gifts or ‘over-night mail’ them to the ‘Promised One.’ They planned, packed and prepared well in advance for the day of their meeting. Then ‘bowing’ down, says the KJV, they presented Him with their gifts. I guess that’s how and why we decorate OUR house too.

Christmas is not a day, but a celebration. God is decorating me as a gift to His Son. My job is to ‘let Him’ by taking time to pause, read His Word, reflect and prepare for His arrival. Because the Word says, He WILL come again, and at ANY time! I’m vowing to be ready so it will be a JOY-FULL experience. Are YOU prepared and ready? Cuz I think I hear the sound of approaching hoof-beats!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” James 1:2

I know better. I shouldn’t be doing this. I wouldn’t advise it for anyone. But I’m doing it anyway! Since sometime in October, I have been driving around with a nail in my tire! I noticed it, AFTER a brief vacation when I saw the tire low on air in the airport parking lot. I drove it home anyway. After filling it with air, it stayed blown up for almost a week! As of 12/1, that nail is still there!

Along with the possession of a tire with a nail in it, I own a compressor, which is connected to an automatic rewinding hose, which hangs just inside my garage door. When my tires need air, I push a button on the compressor, pull the hose to my vehicle, then fill the tire and rewind the hose. Easy! I found I need to fill that tire about once a week! Tho I really should remove the nail and plug the tire!

To be honest, I have the tools to plug the tire myself. I’ve done it many times before. I’ve been using the excuse that I just don’t have the time… but that’s not really true. The TRUTH is… I’m having fun with this thing… just the way it is! I look at it everyday wondering when, or if, tire inflation needs to increase, or if outright failure has landed in my tire world! So far… there’s no change… so no change!

It may sound nuts, but ‘trials’ are kind of like that nail in my tire. They’re irritating, usually unwelcome and require extra effort in both patience and wonder. You know… like… ‘I wonder when this is going to be over cuz, I don’t really like this?’ But this nail is teaching me something! I have developed a kind of ‘hopeful faith and expectation’ that parallels my faith in God!

Nothing bad can really happen in my ‘nail’ trial. The worst that could go wrong is a flat tire on the way to go somewhere. But I have friends and family close by AND I know how to change a tire. I’m just interested in finding out how long I can go before the tire trial is over and my faith is no longer needed! But for now… this is kind of fun. Go ahead and call me nuts. My Auto Mechanic does!

I think I may be on to something, and today’s verse proves it. It says God wants me to have that same kind of attitude with ALL my trials… HERE? I believe God will cover me no matter what the trial or how it turns out. But God literally commands me to HAVE JOY DURING my trials! No matter who you are… that sounds NUTS! But JESUS WORKS! Could you use some ‘Joy Nuts’ right now? They’re free!

And Mary said: “My soul ‘glorifies’ the Lord and my spirit ‘rejoices’ in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.” Luke 2:46-48 (highlights mine)

I hadn’t seen granddaughter Gema for about a week. She had been out of town with her family for Thanksgiving. While my mind doesn’t constantly think about her, it surely ‘rejoiced’ when the door to the church opened last night and she walked through. I had been standing by it when we suddenly met face to face. I smiled! I asked her if she was looking forward to Friday’s game.

Gema is a Varsity Cheerleader for Venice High School. The football team has been knocking down opponents this year and are headed to a final regional playoff game before the State Finals this Friday. Another championship for the school would be cool. But the football team is no longer first place in my ‘priority of thought.’ I go to the games to watch Gema cheer! She does it VERY well.

All 4 of my kids were involved in Venice High School football. My girls cheered and my sons played. And while a State Championship is in the rear-view mirror of their minds, they don’t think about it much. Just like I don’t see Gema as only a cheerleader. Moving through the stages of life, my mind shifts in and out, off and on, about what, and how she, and my others, are doing. Not so with God!

Today’s verses are called Mary’s Magnificat. It is the combination of words that came from her lips, concerning the experience she had when the baby within Elizabeth (John) leapt for joy in the presence of ‘Jesus’ in her own womb. It was the stark realization that something BIG was about to happen. Not to just ANYONE, but to HER! Her speech is recited at Christmastime, for a good reason.

I am a human, with little capacity for complete concentration, on ANY one thing, for a long time. My mind slips from one grandchild to the next, then to ‘what’s for dinner?’ My mind is NOT like the mind of God. He has ETERNITY to think on EVERYTHING…INDIVIDUALLY, and ALL THE TIME! My dad had tried to explain that concept to me as a kid, but it blew my mind so much, I couldn’t comprehend it.

But look here! It is presented as Biblical evidence! I thought hard about that verse. God’s mind was, and had been, FULL OF MARY! Then the Holy Spirit tapped me in the nether regions of my head and heart and said… “That’s how I think about YOU TOO… ALWAYS! My mind is ALWAYS FILLED with YOU!” Suddenly, Emmanuel (God with us) took on a whole new meaning. I am ALWAYS on His mind!

I need to stop now, because my mind is blown! I am hoping yours is too. Because YOU are ALWAYS on His mind! Does YOUR mind and spirit glorify and rejoice In Jesus?  Why take a moment and not think about that?

“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:” Matthew 1:1

I needed to do a job that I was not looking forward to. My roof had a leak, so I was told, and the only one responsible to fix it… was ME. I was NOT looking forward to it, and called Austin to see if he had any experience with roof leaks. I think what I was looking for was moral support. Climbing up into the attic, and then around the air conditioning duct work was miserable. I’d done it before.

I explained the situation, lowered the folding stairs to the attic, then went to find a light. I was gone for about 1 minute. When I got back, I hollered for him, barely heard a voice, then climbed up into the attic. He already HAD a flashlight and was already WAY back in the pit of the attic. My cell phone rang and the caller ID said it was Austin! Answering, he said… “Found your leak!”

I hadn’t known what, or where, or how big of a problem I actually had. This whole operation was an investigative kinda thing. In fact, it wasn’t even raining! But the solution hit me at the very same time as the real problem was explained and I understood. Which is exactly the same kind of thing that happened with today’s Bible verse. The world had a serious problem and no REAL solution!

This verse is HUGE! It tells, in a MOUTHFUL, what is ‘The Answer,’ to a world that doesn’t even really comprehend there’s a problem! Over thousands of years… 3 men, Adam, Abraham and David, were given a promise. A Savior… One who would come to rescue them. Now HE… ‘JESUS’… was HERE! And strangely, Though He carried credentials! He didn’t really carry their bloodline!

Joseph was Jesus’ STEP-father! Comparing the lineage of Jesus shows that the Bloodline of Jesus came from GOD! Which means that Jesus didn’t carry the inherited sin like natural born humans carry. His credentials were foretold by many prophets, many times. The Messiah… was HERE! And the problem of sin was about to be solved… FOREVER! Did YOU get that message?

Today is officially the first day of Advent… the weeks preceding the birth of the Christ Child, the Savior, The Promised One. If you have been holding back your Christmas Spirit for an appropriate time… Today is IT! “HO HO HO!!!!” Jesus is calling … and there are NO MORE LEAKS! 

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

“No… that’s not right! It’s not how we did it last year!” Standing back from the scene, I simply had to agree. But I was also perplexed as to what to do about it! We were starting to decorate our house for Christmastime, and the very first thing we did was the very first thing we ALWAYS do. We were putting up the houses on the long shelf in the living room. And they weren’t lining up as usual!

Years ago Katie came up with an idea to have a long shelf built around the walls of our living room. Later, she acquired a set of Department 56 Christmas houses, then wanted to line them up on the shelf. But every house comes with its own plug and cord. So to space them, I wrapped cords in specific bundles, like a ball of wires, to line up the houses where she wanted them. But last year…!

Last year we made some adjustments. When I took the houses down, I used zip ties to overlap the wires so they would maintain their proper length. After Katie numbered the houses, we carefully stored everything in a box. In trying to put it all back, it was obvious that something was wrong. The wire spacing didn’t allow the houses to fill the space! Now we have to start all over and reconfigure.

This year we also bought a new couch and moved the TV. It just hit us that we can’t put our Christmas tree where we USUALLY place it, because the couch is now there! This mess is all starting to jumble my head to overcapacity! I hadn’t planned on needing to rethink everything all over again. The subject best described by the slogan, ‘That’s Life!’ And ‘Life’ can be SOOO hard and complicated!

Read today’s Bible Verse! I believe the complexities of living, just my own life, is enough to prove that God exists… AND that He is EXPERT at his job! When I add MY life to the bundle of connections of all the people around the world, throw in time, laws and the devil, I can’t comprehend the huge and complex job God has! AND… He makes a VERY big promise, “I will work everything out PERFECTLY!

My body, my relationships, my location, my position and my time in space can easily be wrapped up in a Christmas package and given back to Him as His most precious gift… To: Jesus From: me. And inside is a little bundle He calls ‘Faith!’ I just can’t understand, or comprehend how or why He wants my messed up heart so much! But He does! And this year, He wants the same thing from YOU!

This year, will you give Him YOUR life to arrange as He sees fit? Because Jesus is NEVER perplexed or lost as to what to do with you. Will you trust Him?

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Comparatively, it’s a rather small one… as far as fountains go, that is. It sits just outside of our sliding glass doors that don’t really slide anymore. From the inside of those clear glass doors Katie has her chair. It’s been there for over a decade… the place where she spends time, every morning, with Jesus. As she sits quietly, she can hear the babbling of the outside fountain, and it brings her joy.

Being the husband, I see it as my job to maintain the fountain for her. It has an electrical pump that continuously circulates the water from the lower basin to the upper tier, where it overflows through 3 tiers before starting all over again. She loves the sound it makes, which is easily heard through the glass doors. But like all things, fountains require special effort to keep them going.

Many fountains have screens over each tier to keep leaves, and other debris, from falling into them. She likes the fountain because it is pretty and makes a babbling sound. With screens, there is no sound, so our fountain does not have them. What ours DOES have, and collects on a regular basis, is debris. Cleaning out the leaves that collect and eventually stop the pump from running, is my job.

Another thing the fountain requires is lubrication. At times, the spouts grow a crusty kind of texture that ‘splurts’ the water in all directions, therefore missing the lower tier and emptying the basin. I’m not sure if splurts is a word, but you can use it if you want. To correct the splurts, I use Vaseline to lubricate the ends of the spouts so water flows and drops. About every 18 months I buy a new pump.

I say all this because folks who don’t own a fountain might like to know what it takes to keep them going. We’ve had several fountains over the years, all for the same reasons. To enjoy the sight and sound of a fountain takes maintenance and filling. That’s important to know, because God created ME to be a fountain. Today’s Bible verse clearly explains what has to happen for our mutual enjoyment.

God owns the fountain (me) and it’s HIS job to fill it with joy and peace through the Holy Spirit. It is MY responsibility to place my faith and trust in His ability to do that. When I do, I overflow with HOPE! It is the time in our yearly season, and a good time in our world’s condition, for us to OVER FLOW with Hope, Love and Joy. But to do that, we have to have it. Have you asked Him to fill and maintain your faith by spending time with Him? He’d love to take care of you… if you’ll let Him.