Jingle Bills

By Lynn Rebuck –

On the verge of a holiday spending spree and under the deadline pressure of unfinished Christmas shopping (okay, unstarted Christmas shopping is a more honest description), I write my annual Christmas column.

Please know that I will be at the mall Christmas Eve until it closes, surrounded by men who are shopping for their wives.  As the only woman shopper in the store, I will be asked numerous times for advice by these men.

My hope is that men will read this column before they go shopping, saving me time and saving them embarrassment on Christmas morning.  So here’s my advice for last-minute male shoppers:

No matter how supportive your wife is of your fishing or hunting hobby, she does not want an electronic fish that sings or a moose that dances.  No amount of justification will overcome the resentment of your purchasing season tickets to your favorite team “for her.”

Blenders are not sexy. Unless she has specifically, and in writing, directed you to purchase an appliance for her, stay out of the kitchen department.  Jewelry is a wonderful gift, but selecting it can be sometimes confusing.  There are numerous metals and stones to choose from, as well as different settings, cuts, and clasps. When in doubt, buy her the more expensive piece (ladies you can thank me later).

Do not buy her pierced earrings unless her ears are pierced.  If you have been married longer than two minutes, you should know this about her.  The item you selected is indicative of how much you know and care about her.

If you don’t know what size clothing your wife wears, don’t guess. Buy her jewelry instead.  No matter how tempting the sale may seem, do not buy a woman shoes.  Women seldom like practical gifts.  Do not, under any circumstances, buy a storm door for her, no matter how long she’s been mentioning it.

Fancy wrapping cannot cover an insincere gift (I think I read that in a fortune cookie once).  If the ink is still wet when she reads your Christmas card, you will be penalized.

Remember, before wrapping a gift remove the price tag.  A woman will not be impressed when handed an item that has been marked down several times over.  Don’t tell her how much money you saved on her present.  Tell your buddies and tell your Facebook friends, but don’t tell her.

Lynn Rebuck is an award-winning Christian humor columnist, speaker, and comedian. Check out her humor video “Two Nights Before Christmas” on her website, www.LynnRebuck.com. It’s a modern telling of the classic poem, told from a woman’s point of view.  Lynn would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment or you can email her at LynnRebuck@gmail.com. © 2010 Lynn Rebuck

Go and Tell

By Cheri Cowell –

I fear we’ve taken an airbrush to the shepherd’s scene in the Christmas story account and have distorted one of the most beautiful, yet dirty and smelly pictures of God’s love. This was a lowly profession and these were not educated men. The scene would be similar to one of modern day construction workers settling down after a hard day, maybe cattlemen sitting down after a day of wrangling, or maybe a group of day laborers gathered around to tell stories of their day’s efforts.

These were common men, but men after God’s own heart, for when the angel appeared to them, they were afraid. They had reverential fear, however, their fears were allayed by the angel with the words to “Do not be afraid…a Savior has been born to you” And what did these lowly, uneducated men do with this knowledge? They dropped everything and ran to see this baby. Then, overcome by joy, they told “everyone” what they had heard and saw.

Are we so excited about our encounter with God that we can’t wait to tell everyone what we have heard and seen, or are we too worried about our lack of knowledge, or credibility, or full understanding of it all? The shepherds remind us to approach God with simple faith and then to go spread the word about what we know, trusting God will fill in the rest. God is not interested in our ability just our availability because the King of Kings is more than able to take our humble gifts and turn them into the greatest story ever told.

PRAYER: God, You are worthy of praise for including all people in Your birth announcement. Show me someone today who needs to hear this great story. Then help me tell them, simply, how You have made a difference in my life.

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them“ (Luke 2: 15-18 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Cheri Cowell, who writes and speaks on topics of Christian discipleship. In addition to her books and articles, you can learn about her speaking ministry and sign up to receive her daily devotional at www.CheriCowell.com

She’s So NOT a Material Girl

By Cynthia Ruchti –

One would expect a five-year-old girl growing up in middle America to create a Christmas wish list that would help boost the economies of many local and online businesses, particularly in the toy departments. Or electronics.

But when her mother, my daughter, sat Hannah down the other day to help her spell the words beyond a kindergartner’s knowledge base, the first thing Hannah wanted on her list was toilet paper.

That’s right.

“Why toilet paper, honey?” her mom asked.

Without losing a beat, Hannah replied, “I wouldn’t want us to run out.”

A five-year-old concerned about the family’s toilet paper supply? She didn’t ask for Beat-the-Lottery Barbie, or Spangle-Dangle designer jeans, or the latest attachment for the latest version of the latest techno-game system.

The family chuckled when we heard Hannah’s top item on her wish list. Then we sobered. She’s obviously not a “material” girl. Lord, please keep her that innocent and uncomplicated.

Then the Lord took me past that response to a deeper layer of understanding. It almost seemed silly, at first, that a five-year-old would concern herself with the family toilet paper supply. I imagine her mom and dad assuring her, “Hannah, you won’t have to worry about things like that. We’ll take care of them for you.”

Isn’t that much like what Jesus told all of us? To those who were worried about how they’d feed and clothe themselves and their families, about food and shelter and heat and shoes and coats, Jesus said, “Your Father knows you have need of them.” The basics of provision? The Lord knows we need them. No need to put them on our wish list.

Just our “thank You” list.

PRAYER: Lord, Your provision is so complete. From the gift of life to the gift of abundant life to the gift of eternal life, I am most blessed. Great gift-giving God, thank You for taking good care of me and those I love.

“Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his  righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:32b NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Cynthia Ruchti, writer and producer of the radio ministry THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME and current president of American Christian Fiction Writers. Cynthia’s debut novel—They Almost Always Come Home—released from Abingdon Press in Spring 2010 and A Door County Christmas released Fall 2010. Cynthia writes stories of hope that glows in the dark. www.cynthiaruchti.com.

Walking in the Dark

By Heather Allen –

Tonight I read a rough draft my daughter is preparing for English class. I read the first paragraph and felt physical pain. So I quit reading and washed dishes. Determined, I went back to the computer, aching, as I read her thoughts about the different moves our family has made.

Our world was rocked hard four years ago. We stood on the brink of winter wondering what to do with life. We were where we wanted to be, where we believed God wanted us, doing what we loved doing. And then the bottom fell out. The verse that rang in my ears was Isaiah 50:10 (NIV), “When you walk in the dark and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord.” It was dark as I struggled to understand why God was allowing such chaos to befall our family.

We did not know where to go or what to do. So we waited. Nothing came. Nothing for months and months turned into three years. Out of the blue a job offer came that required another cross-country move. Our options seemed bleak. With uncertainty we packed our bare necessities and tried the situation for ten long months. And we realized there in our small rental that the call on our lives had not been revoked. So taking a leap, we did what we believe we were last told to do, ten years earlier. We made the move we either did not have the faith to make sooner, or had not seen as a clear option.

My daughter’s essay details her transient, vulnerable life. A life I never would have chosen for her. But then she writes how good God is, and that in the loneliness He is a friend like no other. I nod, mumbling to myself that this is better; her sweet heart knowing it can trust Jesus.

As the days grow shorter and darker, stacks of gifts are growing on my shelf.  My thoughts are turned towards celebrating Christ’s birth. In the ongoing days of trying to make new friends and acclimate to our surroundings, I meditate on a much larger move; the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. On a night so many heartbreaks ago, God became man, Emmanuel. And every thing changed. My mind aches thinking of God living in the frail body of a man. Only God chooses vulnerability. We who lack strength, who are not glorious, see weakness and vulnerability as something to be hidden. Christ loved and allowed others to reject Him. But oh what He does for those who trust Him.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV).

On that night so long ago a star announced His birth: a star, announcing the glory of its Creator. He came knowing He would be despised. But the sin growing in the garden had only one hope of redemption. So the Word became flesh. Before the manger He was the pillar of fire at night. He has always moved despite the instability of our flesh. On this dark night my heart rejoices in a God that intervenes and saves. My heart leaps knowing the darkness will soon be turned to day and the King will again dwell in Israel.

Heather Allen spends most of her time carrying for her hubby and 3 kids.  Check out her blog: http://www.thebloodknot.blogspot.com/

Launching Deeper

By Janet Morris Grimes –

We know what to do. We rely on our training and experience. We follow the rules, demonstrating proper protocol while banking on an expected result. But many times, our knocks on the doors of opportunity go unanswered, leaving us frustrated and searching for answers.

What happens when we do everything right but still have nothing to show for it?

Jesus had an unexpected answer for this dilemma. Technically, most of His answers were the opposite of what many thought they might hear.

Peter and his crew spent the night fishing. It is what they knew. They were the experts, and for whatever reason, the fish were not biting, even though all the proper procedures and techniques had been followed. The fishermen were exhausted, and were in the process of washing their nets to hang them to dry in defeat, for that day at least.

Jesus watched from a distance before using one of the vacant boats to speak to a crowd that had gathered around him.

He then said this to Peter, as captured in Luke 5:4 (NIV), “Launch out into the deep, and prepare your nets for a catch.”

Peter may not have agreed with that advice, but he knew enough about Jesus to listen. Perhaps Peter was trying to prove Him wrong. Perhaps he reacted out of gratitude for the fact that Jesus had already raised Peter’s own mother-in-law from the dead a short time earlier. Perhaps Peter was willing to follow through simply so he could spend more time alone with Jesus. Whatever the reason, his response is noteworthy.

“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But, because you say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5 NIV).

Peter did not understand what Jesus suggested, but he followed anyway. The result was that Peter’s net became so full that he had to call in the back up boat for assistance. Soon, both boats were beginning to sink because of the great number of fish inside them.

The lesson is simple. Sometimes, Jesus tells us to launch deeper. Even if we are at our wit’s end. Even if we are out of ideas. Even if it makes no logical sense to do so. Even if Satan reminds us of past failures from the last time we tried to go deeper. Even if the economy is bad. Even if we struggle to find a job. Even if we wonder what we are accomplishing. Even if the world is going in the opposite direction.

What matters is that we learn to follow. To launch deeper, past the point of no return. Launching deeper means we can no longer see the shore. It requires us to depend on more than our own bearings, to change our course of action, along with our direction.

Going deeper usually demands that we do the opposite of what comes naturally.

And maybe that was the point of it all. Jesus had a way of going against the grain. He loves it when we have no choice but to trust Him, and Him alone. When we are literally in over our heads, only he can lift us higher.

And when He says to prepare our empty nets for a catch? Get ready, because the impossible and unexplainable will soon follow.

« Previous Page — Next Page »