The Stockings Were Hung

By Carin LeRoy –

As a little girl, my favorite Christmas tradition in our house was the stockings. My Mom made the whole family stockings decorated with different holiday-themed objects sewing on sequins, beads and putting our name on each one. Every December, she would hang them on our staircase. Each year I would anticipate the little gifts I’d find in it. I loved getting up early on Christmas morning and looking in my stocking. We’d find several little treasures hidden inside.

When I got married my Mom gave my Christmas stocking to me. I decided I wanted to carry on the tradition in our family and began to make my own husband and children a green felt stocking, complete with holiday-themed figures. I sewed on sequins and beads and wrote their name in glitter on each of their stockings, just like my Mom did. Even when we lived overseas, I still carried those stockings with me. Although I was thousands of miles across the ocean, those stockings still reminded me of home.

When my daughter married, she took hers and now carries on the same tradition. The only difference is that I’m sewing the stockings for her family. Every time she has a child, she wants me to create another green felt stocking. Three generations in my family have grown up with homemade stockings lovingly made by someone in the family.

As we move into this Christmas season, let’s remember some of the traditions that we’ve grown up with and share them with our children and grandchildren. Christmas isn’t all about the gifts, the busyness or the decorations. It’s about family, tradition and the birth of a Savior. Let’s remember the reason we celebrate in the first place—the miracle of the birth of Jesus and the reason He came to earth.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for this Christmas season. Help us to enjoy our family and traditions, but remember that the birth of Your son is the reason we celebrate.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1: 21 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale and mother of three grown children and one almost-grown teenager. She has been a missionary with Pioneers since 1982. Her passions are family, missions, piano, and writing to challenge others to live faithful lives for God.

Everything the Light Touches

By Marty Norman –

John 1:8 “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” NIV

Six a.m. is not my best time of day.

At that hour I am barely awake, much less able to think or talk. This was my condition on October 30, 2010 when I turned on the DVD from my king size bed to watch “The Lion King” with my four-year-old grandson.

Suddenly I was jolted awake. A magnificent scene not only in the natural but in the spiritual was playing out before me. I didn’t want to miss a word as the voice of God spoke to my heart at the dawning of the day.

In the scene, Simba, the rambunctious lion cub and future king of the Pride Lands was held up by his father, Mufasa, the King and ruler of Pride Rock. In the spirit of all fathers, as the sun made its appearance over the horizon, he wanted to show his son the importance of his position in the kingdom. Using the natural to make his point, he slowly spun the lion cub in a 180 degree arc and majestically exclaimed, “Everything the light touches is your kingdom.”

Spiritually my heart quickened. My first thought was of Abraham and God’s covenant that everywhere his foot touched was holy ground given to the covenanted people. Then I thought of Jesus and his light and his kingdom, that everywhere he walked was life, the light of man. I turned to the Bible and read John I again, his beautiful description of who is and who is not the light.

As we approach this holiday season, first in Advent and then the celebration of Christmas, let us not forget about who is and is not the true light of the world. Like Mufasa, we are kings and rulers of our own Pride Rock. We are not the light; we have only come to bear witness to the light. But also like Mufasa, we have the opportunity, at the dawning of the day, to tell the world about the importance and vastness of the king and his kingdom.

What better time than at Christmas when the whole world, whether they know it or not, is celebrating the birth of Christ. Who better to tell them than us for Jesus came into the world 2000 years ago for us and for our salvation?  And the scripture promises that he will come again.

We, like John the Baptist are to bear witness to him and to his light. We are to be as Simeon who declared, “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:30-31 (NIV)

We have a two-fold commission. Like John the Baptist we are to prepare, and like Simeon we are to declare the good news. The light was and is and will be coming again into the world. We are to be clear about what is and is not his kingdom. We are to be clear about who and what Jesus is, witnesses that speak forth at the beginning of day and to all whom God places before us.

Make no mistake. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Everywhere Jesus walked then and now, everywhere he is and will be, everything he touches and will touch is the kingdom of heaven. He is the light – everything the light touches is his kingdom.

What a great message for grandmothers. The season and Word make it even clearer. We’ve lived and we know. Like Simeon, we are not only believers but also ones waiting for the consolation of Israel, we can proclaim our testimonies: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation.” Luke 1:29 NIV.

As the sun rises this Christmas season, let us not tarry, but rather lift those we love high to preview the world in a 180 degree arc. Let us proclaim with joy, “Everything the light touches, is his kingdom.”

May the light of the Lord and Savior of the World touch you and yours this holiday season above and beyond anything you can dream or imagine.

Marty Norman is a wife, mother, and grandmother of five, who lives in Fort Worth, Texas.  She is the author of “Generation G – Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray.” You can learn more about her at:   www.martynorman.com, http://martynorman.blogspot.com, http://savvygrandmothers.blogspot.com.

No Room in the Inn

By Kathy Carlton Willis –

The innkeeper’s phrase “no room” took on an extra meaning one Christmas when we lived in a tiny 4-room rental. Since humor helps with coping, I focused on the benefits of “no room.”

Top 10 Ways To Know You Live In A Small House

10) A bottle of Windex will last five years.

9) You can hear the radio from every room, loud and clear.

8) The entire home is carpeted from just two carpet remnants.

7) There are more belongings in storage than inside the house.

6) The most spacious room to set up the ironing board is in the bathroom.

5) You can answer the phone by the second ring from anywhere in the house.

4) The saying about not having “a pot to pee in” is only one pot away from being a true statement!

3) You have to step outside to have enough room to change your mind.

2) You can vacuum the entire house from one electrical outlet.

1) The refrigerator light illuminates the entire house!

Even though we felt like we had no room, our home would have had more than enough space to meet the needs of Mary and Joseph that fateful Christmas. I can’t even imagine how uncaring the innkeeper must have been to not try harder to find better accommodations for a woman “great with child.” But rather than turning them away, the innkeeper gave them his leftover space. I wonder how often we are guilty of only giving Christ the leftovers of our lives? The time left after everything else. The money left after our bill-paying and spending sprees.

I heard of a children’s Christmas play that didn’t go quite as written. When the little boy playing the innkeeper saw Mary and Joseph standing pitifully at his door, he paused before saying, “there is no room in the inn.” Just when the director was about to give him his lines, you could hear the little innkeeper plainly say, “You can come stay at my house.” While this drastically changed the ending of the play, the message rang out loud and clear. We can learn a lot from this child!

AUTHOR QUOTE: Where will Jesus be this Christmas? Will He be relegated to a lowly manger, or placed in our most prized spot? No room? Make room!

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7 NKJV).

Today’s devotional is by Kathy Carlton Willis, Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars speaker and faculty member. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Kathy’s tagline captures her essence—Light & Lively: His Reflection/Her Laughter. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance. KCWC gets jazzed shining the light on God’s writers and speakers.

Eat-Smart Tips for the Holidays

By Laurette Willis –

“When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; And put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food” (Proverbs 23:1-3 NKJV).

What can one little holiday dinner do? A lot. The average woman who eats 2,000 calories on a normal day may find herself indulging in 4,500 calories and over 200 grams of fat—at one huge meal! According to The New England Journal of Medicine, many Americans gain as much as five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Often that extra weight is likely to stay with us longer than it took to put it on.

Some nutritionists suggest starting around the beginning of December by cutting 100-300 calories per day so you can splurge a bit during the holidays and still fit into your clothes on January 1^st! It can be as simple as not adding the extra cheese on a sandwich, or forgoing the afternoon coffee drink. Have an apple instead.

Seven Quick Eat-Smart Tips:

1.      Decide you will not sample foods when cooking or wandering through the kitchen.

2.      Don’t cook on an empty stomach. Instead, enjoy a good breakfast first to stave off hunger.

3.      Take your vitamins with a big glass of water after breakfast. Taking your supplements early in the day ensures your body is getting the nutrition it needs. Your body will be less apt to crave empty calories, and you’ll have more energy, too.

4.      Have water or seltzer water with flavored stevia handy as you start cooking. I like adding a few drops of vanilla flavored stevia sweetener to a glass of seltzer water. It tastes just like cream soda, but without the sugar, calories or chemicals.

5.      During the day, pop some gum, a breath-freshener strip or brush your teeth to keep from snacking. One study showed that about 10% of the extra calories from holiday meals are consumed before the actual meal itself.

6.      Peppermint oil helps curb your appetite. A recent study by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush at the Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia evaluated hunger levels and food intake of participants who inhaled peppermint oil and those who did not over a two-week period. Those who inhaled the peppermint oil consumed an average of 3,000 fewer calories per week (approximately 23% less than those who did not inhale the peppermint oil!). Those who used the oil indicated that their hunger levels were significantly lower, too. You can get peppermint oil at most health food stores (and toothpaste can work in a pinch).

7.      At parties, go for the brightly colored vegetable and salmon appetizers and steer clear from dips, creamy sauces and anything light brown (usually means it’s fried).

It’s best not to announce to everyone what you’re doing if you want to “eat smart” during the Christmas and New Year’s festivities. It only makes them uncomfortable, and they may try to force you to eat something you know you’d be smart not to eat. This doesn’t mean don’t enjoy some of the special foods you only see once a year. Just be smart about it. It’s said the first bite is usually the best, so choose carefully—and hopefully we won’t need to put the butter knife to our throat in Proverbs 23 fashion!

Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry (http://PraiseMoves.com and on Facebook http://bit.ly/aAlS4u ). Get your free kit at http://ChristianFitnessKit.com.

The Uninvited

By Lori Freeland –

Dinner begins—I look at my watch—now.

Cars have pulled in and out of my neighbor’s driveways for the last half-hour. Babysitters arrive. Smartly dressed couples depart. From my perch on the window ledge, I admire Melissa’s sapphire holiday dress and envy Dawn’s red high heels. Even though I can’t see up close, I’m sure Jen sports glittery earrings to accent her new haircut.

A swift glance down at my black sweat pants and stained white T-shirt is enough to remind me that I’m not going to this holiday dinner.

My husband peeks around the corner. “Let’s go eat sushi at Geisha.”

“Not in the mood.”

He comes to stand behind me. “Fajitas at Cristina’s?”

George and Cathye are last to drive away and I yank the curtains closed with a sigh and shake my head. “I have a stomach ache.”

“Let me know if you change your mind.” His footsteps fade behind me.

We’re good neighbors. We mow our lawn, water our grass, pull our weeds. We drive down the street slowly, constantly vigilant of small children. We pet sit and mail collect. Rescue the occasional dog. We throw an annual barbeque. But tonight, we’re The Uninvited.

I’ve never been The Uninvited.

We must’ve done something wrong. I’m tired of trying to figure out what. Which drives me crazier? That we are the only people on the street not going? Or knowing that The Inviter made up her mind to dislike me, and nothing I do will change that? Maybe I’d feel better if I knew why, even if I can’t fix it.

I drop onto the chaise lounge in the living room and rest my head against the burgundy throw. No matter how many friends my husband reminds me that I have, it doesn’t help tonight. People are mean. I would never treat anyone that way.

The Lord whispers in my ear. “Are you sure?”

I grip the arms of the chair. “I would never be so callous with someone’s feelings.”

The whisper grows louder. “Remember when Caroline struggled with friendships and you told her to adjust?”

Hmmm.

“Remember when Ann mourned a broken relationship and you told her she was obsessed? You said walk away and let it go?”

Uh-oh.

“Remember when Julie shared her feelings of alienation in your old neighborhood and you brushed her feelings off as paranoid?”

I am callous. And mean. I offer my friends paltry words, blow off their feelings when I should encourage and validate them instead.

A tear slips down my cheek. “I’m so sorry, Lord. I didn’t know.”

Until now, rejection has lived outside my world. Or maybe, until now, I’ve been obliviously unaware.

“Be a blessing with your words.” The Lord encourage sme. “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25 NIV).

I long to be refreshed. I want Him to heal the awful ache eating through my heart.

“You be the refresher.”

“Yes, Lord. I will.” I close my eyes and make a note to call my friends and ask their forgiveness—to let them know I finally get it.

My husband leans around the corner with a frown. “Crazy people talk to themselves. You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah.” With a tiny smile, in the midst of tears, I wipe my eyes on the corner of my ratty shirt. “Let me change my clothes and let’s go out for sushi.”

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