We are in the final week before Christmas and it is time to pull out two of my all-time favorite videos. We have seen the the birth of Christ was announced by prophets over 700 years prior to the event and they told us every detail. The 9th chapter of Isaiah declares, “a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders and he will be called: wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah also tells us that a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and call His name Immanuel (God is with us) and Micah 5:2 declares that Bethlehem will be the birthplace of the Savior. On the night of the birth of Christ a host of angels announced the arrival of the Messiah to shepherds in nearby fields. Why were shepherds among the first to hear the news? After all, shepherds were a pretty rough crowd.

The job of a shepherd required that he guard the flock from wild animals and thieves, keep them calm during storms, and lead them to green pastures and pure water. They were not looked upon with much favor in society. All of this shows us that the King of kings and Lord of lords came for everyone. When John 3:16 says, “whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but be saved”, it means everyone regardless of who they may be. Christ did not come only for the wealthy, intelligent, and governing class, He came to save whosoever because all of us are in need of salvation! It is the reason all, who have placed their faith in Christ can sing Hallelujah for that most Holy Night.

May the peace that only comes from the heart of our Savior live in you and yours this holiday season. Merry Christmas to one and all.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past 2019-20

The great grandsons meet Santa Claus!

There are a couple of new ornaments on the tree this year. My wife and a few of her friends took a “girl trip” to New York City. They saw the sights & sites, including the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. Since this is the Rockettes 100th anniversary, it was mandatory to bring home a commemorative ornament. When you get to check an item off your bucket list you need to have a token of the accomplishment.

That lady in the front right, with the big smile on her face is thoroughly enjoying the bright lights of the Big Apple. Have a blessed day.

Most of the images I have shown this season have come from photos I have taken in restaurants, retail stores and flea markets. I don’t own the objects and they don’t occupy any space in our home. Today I’m going to take a little different path to the music. It will be a little more family oriented. Have a blessed week.

Christmas has always been about the birth of a Savior. There is a special joy when we can celebrate as a family and, with the grandcrew growing into young adults and going their own ways, that is becoming harder to do. One of the reasons I have always captured images of the family at Easter, Christmas, and other special occasions is so I can pull the images up from the past and enjoy the memories once again. Today is one of those days.

This image is from 2021 and the sense of humor expressed here is as much my daughter’s as it is the kids.

Every year I change the lights just a little to present a new look to the season.

The focus of the Christmas story in literature and song is Jesus, as it should be. A lot has been written about Mary in literature and song, the mother of the Savior, as it should be. What about Joseph? Scholars tell us that Mary and Joseph were probably in their teens when Christ was born. When it became known that Mary was pregnant Joseph had a decision to make. Since their marriage had not been consummated, Joseph was advised to end the relationship because many thought she had been unfaithful to her betrothed.

As Joseph pondered his options he received an angelic visit as was informed that his bride was going to give birth to the Messiah. In order to protect Mary from public ridicule, Joseph took Mary with him to Bethlehem to pay their taxes. Prophecy tells us that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem and Joseph was descended from the line of king David, fulfilling additional prophecy. Being obedient to God, through the voice of an angel, Joseph became the earthly caregiver to the King of kings.

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Some of you have seen the first two rockers pictured here. The rocking horse was cut out by my father and painted by my mother for our daughter. It’s over 45 years old. The wooden rocker was purchased by my parents for me and has been mine for nearly eight decades! The new addition is a rocker my wife and I purchased for our daughter. Recently, I re-painted it to a satin black finish and my wife re-covered it in this awesome Mickey/Minnie fabric. I think it is beyond cool and can’t wait to capture some images of the youngest great grandson rocking away. The stuffed toys seem to like the rockers and are seen here just Rockin’ Around the Christmas tree. More about Boomer and Mooseltoe in an upcoming post.

Have you ever had something happen to you that was just too good to be true? Did you feel like you were living in a dream? Do you still look back on that event and it brings a smile to your face and warms your soul?

The second chapter of Luke gives us the most complete story of the birth of Christ and it should warm our soul. Mary was a godly young lady when the angel Gabriel visited her and revealed that she would give birth to the Messiah. At first, Scripture tells us, Mary was a bit confused and disturbed, by the angelic visit, but she was obedient to the will of God.

Once Christ was born visitors arrived to see the new born king, including shepherds from nearby fields who had received the Good News from a host of heavenly angels. However, Scripture indicates that Mary kept these things in her heart and pondered them often. The story is the inspiration for a classic Christmas song.