Perform

Today, we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Even though it may not be the exact date this event occurred, we acknowledge what his birth means to us. It means redemption. It means restoration. It means renewal. It is a time for reflection. It is a time to recognize the gift we have already been given.. So, as you open the gifts under your tree. Remember, that God has already given us the greatest gift…son. His son came down to perform on the stage of humanity. He performed miracles. He lived a blameless life- and gave that life that we may perform in his image. Celebrate! Acknowledge! Perform!

Purpose

I can't imagine what God felt like to realize that he was born to die. We are all born to die, but to know that you will die tragically for a crime you didn't commit...that's hard. His death had a purpose. His pain was not in vain. His life was a ministry. Many of us don't understand why our paths have taken us through the valley instead of the mountaintop. We don't understand our pain. We don't know why we hurt or why we hurt others. Life seems like there is no rhyme or reason.

There is a purpose in every tear, in every misstep, in every mistake, and in every regret. There is a lesson in your heartache. There is a seed of maturity in the soil of your doubts and fears. There is a ministry in your series of unfortunate events. There is life in your spiritual death. There is purpose in your pain. 

King

 Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

I think that sometimes between the ugly sweaters, the holiday parties, the Christmas lights and decor we forget about the miracle of the virgin birth. Yeah, we sing along with the Temptations as we decorate our Christmas tree and bolt out, "Christ the savior is born." But, do we truly grasp the gravity of that lyric? Do we understand that all the debates of when and where Christ was born are irrelevant. We celebrate the fact that this baby born to Mary and Joseph would grow up and die for our sins. Mary's baby boy would solve the problem Adam created. Jesus was born to die on a cross to save me, to save you, and to save the world. This Christmas, as the fireside is blazing bright, remember the real reason for the season...the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Merry Christmas.

Everlasting

As a kid, I never understood why "Good Friday" was called Good Friday when so much bad happened. I mean imagine being betrayed by a friend, arrested, beaten, and tried six times in two courts all to be sentenced to death for crimes you didn't commit. To add insult to injury, Jesus died to redeem the very people who deny/denied, reject/ rejected, and betray/betrayed him. My God. Jesus did something that has had an everlasting effect. His death and resurrection are celebrated on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox every year. Every year, stores are filled with bunnies and eggs that have absolutely nothing to do with Christ's resurrection. Every year, non-church goers flood the pews to hear sermons of how Jesus died for our sins on an old rugged cross. Every year, I am reminded of an Everlasting God with an Everlasting love whose sacrifice opened redemption's door to Everlasting life. Happy Good Friday! Happy Passion Week! Happy Easter!

Joy

I went to bed with news of someone's death, and woke up this morning with news of someone's death. Every year, it seems that more and more people transition through the holidays, which in turns makes it hard for those people to endure the holidays the following year. How can we celebrate with so much gloom and doom? How can I have joy in the midst of all this sorrow and pain? Well, joy is a feeling, but it's also a choice. You can choose to wallow in despair and sadness or you can relish in memories of joy and happiness. Joy is a gift that you can open and share with the world or you can leave it unopened. Choose joy! It's an easier burden to bear. 

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."- Buddha

Sidenote: What does Buddha have to do with Christmas? I've always said that we have more in common than we do differences. Find your common ground. Find joy! Read more at http://www.alanpeto.com/buddhism/understanding-buddhist-christmas/

Profess

One of my favorite Christmas songs is Go Tell it on the Mountain. When I sang in the children's choir, I remember trying my hardest to be the loudest to sing that part. I wanted everyone to know that I knew the words, and I was excited about singing that song. I'm sure it was comic relief for all those who sat in the audience every year for those Christmas programs. I know that I sit back and chuckle at children just like me at all the Christmas recitals. I believed, and I professed. It was just that easy. Over time, my voice has gotten quieter. My light has gotten dimmer, and my profession has gotten weaker. Why? Do I not still believe? Of course, I do...but I've allowed life to happen, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. This Christmas season we need to let our light shine. We need to Go Tell it on the Mountain.  We need to profess.