Cornerstone – Christmas 2017
May Christmas 2017 find all of you in good health, spirits and feel the love of our Lord.
Every year the Christmas season brings forth a flood of wonderful childhood memories. It never was about presents (of which there were very few), but always the season was about love. We made homemade gift baskets and dropped coins into the Salvation Army bucket as they rang their bell in the freezing snowy weather. The shivering volunteer always gave a joyous, “Merry Christmas” as my quarter made a “clunk” sound in the little red bucket. All of these little things taught me that giving no matter how big or small was a reflection of how we can share the Lords love.
Though the times have changed, we left the freezing snowy weather many years ago, “homemade” gifts of cookie mixes can now be purchased in stores, and the coin of yesterday has been replaced with a folded bill that I slip into the red bucket or by logging in and pressing a button on my computer. Yet, with all the changes one thing has remained consistent…the love. The love of God. Merry Christmas to all!
Cornerstone
While listening to a pastor on the radio his topic piqued my interest; why is it that somewhere along the way we (in the western world) began to think of our days beginning at just after the stroke of midnight and ending at midnight?
This western notion that a day begins and ends in total darkness is contrary to God’s creation. Genesis tells us “…that the earth was in darkness and that as the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters, Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1: 2-4)
As is in Jewish custom, day begins at sundown so that darkness is overcome by the light of day; and light was good. If you are in a place in your life when you feel overwhelmed or in a place of brooding sadness; remember that our God didn’t allow darkness to last; he gave us light. And the greatest gift of all is he gave Himself to us as Christ Jesus – He is the light of the world.