Perhaps we need Santa at Christmas to help us be merry and joyous because we have a flawed understanding of Jesus. From today's gospel text we learn that the first reaction to Jesus' presence on earth, of God-in-our-midst, was joy. John the Baptist jumps for joy in the womb of Elizabeth as he first connects to the joy of Jesus' presence, still in Mary's womb. This is a joy so tremendous, joy so utterly overwhelming that it must somehow escape the bounds of earth itself and jump towards the heavens

Go Tell It on the Mountain, Silent Night
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Lesson 1     Isaiah 9:2,6-7
Emmanuel/Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Lesson 2     Isaiah 11:1-9 "The Branch From Jesse"
Lo How A Rose (JN)             
Lesson 3     Isaiah 40: 1-5 "Comfort for God's People"
Prepare the Way of the Lord
Lesson 4     Luke 1:26-38  "The Birth of Jesus Foretold"
The King of Us All
Lesson 5     Luke 2:1-7 "The Birth of Jesus"
O Little Town of Bethlehem             
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
Lesson 6      Luke 2:8-16 "The Shepherds and the Angels"
Angels We Have Heard On High
The First Noel
Lesson 7    Matthew 2:1-11 "The Visit of the Magi"
We Three Kings      
Lesson 8     John 1:1-5, 10-12, 14  "The Word Became Flesh"
Joy to the World
O Holy Night
O Come All Ye Faithful

Making Holiness is a part of everything Christians do. When making holiness is a part of every action, every thought, every plan, time is transformed into something magical and mysterious. Days cannot slide by as a sludgy sea of fast-food dinners, commuter traffic jams, endless loads of laundry, boring social studies papers, looming deadlines, and tedious meetings. When we make holiness an ingredient in every minute we live, our days take on the brilliance and color of the Christmas tree lights adorning our holiday trees.

At this time of year we all are looking out for what is somehow lacking in the lives of our loved ones so that we may run out to the local mega-mall and purchase it.  But as we try and make up through shopping for the physical things we lack, let's never forget that the ultimate lackings in our life are not physical but spiritual.

An impact is a forcible contact between two or more things.  When God moves forward there is an impact.  God meets darkness and evil with light and love.  Jesus' impact on our lives comes as our sin, struggle, hurt and pain, meet his goodness, healing, mercy and hope. When those who accept the adventure into a life with God meet the world, we will meet the same things God meets.  We feel the impact on our lives.  The challenge is to move forward with God knowing that what lies ahead will be real life even when the impact includes joy and sorrow, hurt and healing, death and life.   We will remember stories like: sending of the 70 (Luke 10:1-20), references to the many encounters Jesus had with people.

On this Sunday we will be receiving stewardship commitments.  We are offered an opportunity to focus on what the journey ahead requires of us.  What do we need for the journey and what must we leave behind?  Excess baggage will surely slow us down and having the right tools and getting in shape will bring unimagined joy to the journey.  We get in shape by walking with God in worship, prayer and reading scripture.  We find meaning in the walk as we look for opportunities to give and receive love and care.  We lighten our load by giving with outrageous generosity.  When we let go of the grip we have on our things we find new energy and a freedom that makes the journey a joy.  4 of 5 part series

God does not intend us to go on our journey alone, rather with and among others.  In relationships we are strengthened by the two way street of support and influence.  It is the foundation for a journey in which we are able to move from comfort and safety to adventure, from risk to true reward. 3 of 5 part series

Have you wondered what your faith would be like if you would have been moved earlier from neutral to drive or from passive to active.  The secret to seizing divine moments in this adventure is that we must move, do something, even the wrong thing and trust God.  We must recognize the uncertainty ahead of us as well, but not let uncertainty determine how we will live.  Instead we can live in uncertainty and enjoy the surprises. There are many things over which we have no control, but we can control how we will live.  In this reading Jonathan trusts God and acts while his father Saul is stuck.  Three words come from Jonathon that are for us, "Come, let's go." To follow Jesus is to move with God beyond mere belief and into trusting action. 2 of 5 part series

The potential of a moment is released by choices.  God shows these people two paths to follow.  One journey parts ways with God and the other lets God part the way.  One leads to death and the other to life.  God cannot be more clear in this declaration, "Choose Life...Walk in his ways...then you shall live."  1 of 5 part series

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