John 1:9-10

John 1:9-10 The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person entering Life he brings into the Light. He was in the world, the world was there through him and yet the world didn't even notice. (The Message)

The Message starts by saying 'There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light, but he was there to show the way to the Light.

When I read verse 9, I envision a theater. A theater, void of actors, with only a bright spotlight shining down onto the stage floor, a huge circle right smack in the middle and when an actor comes onto the stage, he knows to go into the light if he wants everyone to see him.

Our lives are like a stage with God as our spotlight. We have a choice of either going into the light or staying in the dark on the sidelines.

Think of it this way. When a play is over and the spotlight is turned off, the theater is dark and empty. There is nothing.

Yet God's spotlight never will go out and our lives will never be dark and empty. Let's follow John's lead and find the light and have everything.

Nancy

Matthew 1-28

The Gospel of Matthew tells the story of Jesus, his birth, his life, his death and his resurrection.

I was just listening to the song, 'Still Her Little Child' sung by Ray Boltz and I mean really listening, not just hearing it. For me, it's a very, very moving and powerful song.

It begins:
She (Mary) laid him in a manager
The angels called him Savior
The wise men gave him treasures
The shepherds bowed before him
He grew in strength and wisdom
He spoke, the people listened
He healed the lame and dying
The people turned against him
They shouted crucify him
They nailed him to the cross
She (Mary) held his broken body

After each of these events, the words 'he was still her little child' followed. I've never really thought of Mary while learning about the life of Jesus. What she must have been feeling inside knowing what he was going through. It makes me cry just thinking how she must have felt and I can't imagine what it was like for her.

I know I ache when my children or grandchildren are hurting or sick. I want to take their pain away, take it on myself, make it better and I can't. Any more than Mary could take Jesus' pain away from him.

Remember Mary and think about how it might have been for her to watch 'her little child' grow up and become The Christ.

Nancy

Psalm 147:16-17

Psalm 147:16-17 He spreads snow like a white fleece, he scatters frost like ashes, He broadcasts hail like birdseed--who can survive winter? Then he gives the command and it all melts; he breathes on winter--suddenly it's spring. (The Message)

Snow. It seems we've had a lot of snow within the past week, somewhere around 14 inches, and more on the way. Picture God standing in the clouds spreading the snow like white fleece and the hail like birdseed. Then in one breath, it can be over.

David was on his way to New Jersey Monday and while driving on the highway in Connecticut, a sheet of ice and snow came off someone's car in front of him and slammed into his windshield and roof. He managed to keep his car under control and pull off the road and call the insurance company. $1,400 worth of damage done. The car is sitting in Connecticut waiting for a new
windshield and roof repairs. David has a rental car and now has to make an extra trip down there when the car is fixed.

Winter can be brutal - icy road conditions, shoveling and accidents. I think winter is a good reminder of who is in charge and who controls nature. Things like the early darkness, the snow, the ice and the freezing temperatures all demonstrate to me what power God has.

But winter can be fun - snowmobiling, skiing, skating, sledding and building snowmen. By getting outside, we can see the beautiful snow on the trees, the way each crystal glistens in the sun or watch icicles form off the roof or the quietness in the woods with just the crunching of the snow under your boots. Those are examples of God's power as well. His quiet power.

Psalm 147 in The message ends with - Hallelujah!

Nancy

Hubcaps in View

Years ago, I had a car called an Austin America. It was similar to the Morris and was manufactured by the British Leyland Company in England. I just found out that August 14, 2007 was the 45th anniversary of the 1100 line. What great fun I had with that car. It maneuvered easily into parking spaces (even fits sideways when picked up) and around town. One of the drawbacks was highway driving. It just couldn't take it. The America discontinued production in 1971.

Do you remember the movie "Christmas Vacation" with Chevy Chase? In one scene he went to pass someone and ended up under the trucks body and he had to debate how to get out safely and of course, like any movie, he did. Well, my Austin could have fit as well, it was that small.

I remember driving once to Warwick, RI to attend a track meet that my friends brother was in and on the highway two 18 wheelers came along side us. They thought it funny to hem us in and of course we thought that too. Looking out the side windows, all we could see were hub caps and we never thought of the larger picture of what could happen if we lost control or they blew a tire.

I see how those big trucks were in charge as they kept me in my lane until they decided to move away.

This story made me think of how God is in charge. God surrounds us completely and until he makes a decision about where we go, we're going to stay in the same lane. The 18 wheelers driving next to me was dangerous, but God's driving next to me means safety and I like the security of knowing that God is in charge.

Nancy

Matthew 2:11

Matthew 2:11 They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh. (The Message)

The wise men came to Jerusalem in search of the newborn King of the Jews. They had seen a star in the eastern sky and wanted to worship him. King Herod was terrified to think there would be another king besides him. And under false pretenses, (I want to worship him too!) he got the wise men to tell him where and when the star had appeared, wanted them to go find this baby and come back and tell him.

As the wise men traveled, the star again appeared and showed them exactly where the baby was. But in a dream, they were told not to go back and tell Herod, so they left and went back home via another road.

At our church birthday party for Jesus last Sunday, our church wise men came and gave our children gifts, each gift had the child's name on it and was special for them. Kai and Cody chewed on their board books, Jacob enjoyed looking at his book and the bigger kids got a manger craft to glue together. Each gift telling the Christmas story.

Think about the wise men and their journey. They had seen the light (hope), his star in the east. It took time (about 2 years) to find the baby and when they did, The Message says they were overcome, kneeled and worshipped him. Then after, gave him their gifts.

That's what they did. That what they gave to Jesus. So what can we do? What can we give Jesus? First we look for the light (HOPE) and it might take TIME to find him, but when we do, WOW! Drop to your knees WORSHIP.

Nancy

John 1:9-10

John 1:9-10 The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person entering Life he brings into the Light. He was in the world, the world was there through him and yet the world didn't even notice. (The Message)

The Message starts by saying 'There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light, but he was there to show the way to the Light.

When I read verse 9, I envision a theater. A theater, void of actors, with only a bright spotlight shining down onto the stage floor, a huge circle right smack in the middle and when an actor comes onto the stage, he knows to go into the light if he wants everyone to see him.

Our lives are like a stage with God as our spotlight. We have a choice of either going into the light or staying in the dark on the sidelines.

Think of it this way. When a play is over and the spotlight is turned off, the theater is dark and empty. There is nothing.

Yet God's spotlight never will go out and our lives will never be dark and empty. Let's follow John's lead and find the light and have everything.

Nancy

John 6:35

John 6:35 Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever." (The Message)

When we think of bread, we think of peanut butter and jelly between two pieces of bread. Be it white bread, rye bread, you name it bread, it isn't really a necessity in our lives, but bread was in the day of Jesus. No bread, no life.

The Lord's Prayer says, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' That's the kind of bread we need every day. We need Jesus bread. He is our sustainer of life. He is our bread.

Especially this time of year, I think about the types of foods I consume each day. Foods that aren't good for me nutritionally, foods that only fill a void for a little while or foods can make me angry later because I ate too much of it or because I feel sick after eating it. Not a good feeling at
all.

Then there is the food (the bread) of Christ. I crave that kind of food. I want to have that hunger inside me satiated and I know only Christ can do that. I pray that (as The Message says) I can align myself with Jesus in the way that he wants me to. I don't want to be hungry or thirsty anymore.

Nancy

Proverbs 30:32-33

Proverbs 30:32-33 If you're dumb enough to call attention to yourself by offending people and making rude gestures, don't be surprised if someone bloodies your nose. Churned milk turns into butter; riled emotions turn into fist fights. (The Message)

Well, this sounds like it could be an example of road rage. You are driving down the highway, exceeding the speed limit, you're running late and you end up behind a 'slow' driver. You know you are not going to make it to your destination on time and this guy is making you angry, so you do stupid things like ride his bumper, lay on the horn or give him a certain 'rude gesture'.

You never know what can happen when you choose to do that. You don't know the person's state of mind or what he is capable of doing. In other words, it's not a smart move on your part.

I remember once my grandfather was at a red light and the minute the light turned green, the guy behind him started tooting like mad. My grandfather wasn't one jump because someone wanted him to, so he got out of his car and went up to the other driver to ask what he wanted. We all know the guy didn't want anything, he wanted my grandfather to move quicker than he was.

Needless to say, the light went through another cycle before anyone could move on. The situation could have turned into someone very serious. But back then, you were pretty sure of getting back into your own car safely. Not anymore, times have changed.

And like the Proverb says - churned milk turns into butter and riled emotions turn into fist fights. We need to keep our tempers under control, not cause irritation to others and not create a situation that could turn violent, otherwise, don't be surprised at what might happen.

Nancy