When I was in the hospital, they placed a tube down my throat through my nose.  Not very pleasant.  The nurse who put it in, he had his hands full with me.  Yet, he accomplished the task.  The poison was drained from my body.  Success.

 

But success came at a cost.  I could not swallow.  With that tube down my throat, every time I tried to swallow, I almost gagged.  It was painful, even now.  What I did learn to appreciate is the ability to swallow.  Simple thing, right?  Important part of life.

 

I am grateful I can swallow.  Why are you grateful?  Are you grateful?  

 

Take sometime today.  Look at life.  Start saying thank you God.  I am grateful for my family, my friends, my job, the problems You place in my life, and the ability to swallow.  Think about it.

I am sure that everyone has made some New Year resolution.  Maybe it is to lose weight, get a new job, or become active in some social self help group.  It is a known fact, you will quit.  Encouraging is it not.  It is the truth.

 

Yet we want to change, improve.  How?  Instead of resolutions, set one goal.  Lose weight.  Goal to lose 20 pounds by the end of March.  How? Walk every day but Sunday.  Eat three square meals a day (6 am, Noon, 6 pm).  Eat small portions.  Eat out less.  You get the idea.  It is a goal.  It is obtainable. 

 

Set goals.  The best goal to set is how am I going to grow closer to God?  I can not answer that for you only for me.  Some new aids in helping that goal, Bible reading program, set prayer time (quiet time with God), no TV, lots of “Christian” music or audible Bible reading, slow down and give thanks  at least twice a day.  The goal is to have a deeper relationship at the end of the year, than now.  How will I know I reach that goal?  It is simple, I will feel Him more, see Him more, want Him more.

 

Instead of resolutions, set a goal.  You can do it.  Happy New Year.

I have noticed that I have not written anything since Christmas Eve.  So the question is, where have you been?  To put it bluntly, I was under the wonderful care of the medical staff of the Indianapolis VA Hospital.  Four days in fact.  They are a great group of people and I was grateful for everything that they did for me.

 

Why you ask?  I had the Nora virus (cruise ship virus and I have never been on a cruise) and another virus.  Two for the price of one.  It really knocked me for a loop.  I had tubes in places I did not think tubes should be.  Not fun.  Maybe funny looking, but not fun. 

 

However, there is something that should be said for this.  I am in debt to the staff of that VA hospital.  They were awesome, funny, encouraging, helpful, and always smiling.  There was a nurse’s assistant that washed my feet.  She was an angel.  My feet have never felt that good in all my life.  She smiled the whole time and occasionally song a hymn. 

 

This year, take a moment and thank those who come into your life and help you.  They encourage you.  They leave your life better by their presence.  To the staff of the VA Hospital in Indianapolis, thanks again.  Have a great New Year.

Joseph and Mary are given a stable with the animals.  It is amazing that no one would give up their room for a pregnant woman.  Yet, someone gave them a stable.  Tonight, Jesus the King of Kings, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, would be born in a stable because no one had room for him.

 

Should we be surprised?  It is the same today.  No one has time or room for Jesus.  Everyone is so busy about their business that helping is not an option.  Sad, isn’t it.  True.  Everyone is so busy that they ignore the one in need.  Everyone is so caught up in their own schedule that they can not take time to help another.

 

Joseph and Mary did this with God’s protection and provision.  There in itself is a lesson.  All that anyone needs is God.  Standing looking at the manger, the shepherds acknowledged that simple fact.  Holding a baby, two parents understood.  

 

Today as in the time of Joseph and Mary, everyone is too busy to help another.  In the end, God is all you need.  Think about it. 

While reading the editorial of a local paper I notice that in the religious section, the number of churches closed on Christmas Day.  Now I am confused.  It is Sunday.  This is the day we celebrate year round the resurrection of Jesus.  This particular year, Christmas falls on Sunday. 

 

Therefore, we celebrate His resurrection and His birth.   You could say two for the price of one.  But I noticed that many ( A LOT) canceled their services or went to on line services.  The main reason is that everyone could be with their family.

 

NOW I am really confused.  What is the greatest family on the planet?   God’s family.  So God’s family is not meeting because of what?

One the greatest day of the year for Christians, the family is not meeting.  Is this not a family event?  Should not God’s family meet, especially now?  Where are our priorities?  Where is our focus? 

 

The church across the world should be meeting this Sunday, especially this Sunday.  It is the greatest Sunday because we remember the birth and the resurrection of our Lord.  It is the greatest Sunday because it is when the FAMILY OF GOD meets celebrating the birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord. 

 

What are you doing this Sunday???

When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, they immediately searched for accommodations.  Like any woman at the end of a pregnancy Mary is hurting and getting ready to deliver.  They found nothing.  One person gave them a stable.  Not much, but it was something.

 

Now, here is where the questions begin.  Why could not anyone give up their room for a pregnant lady?  Why did not anyone offer to help during the delivery?  Why was everyone so caught up in their own ideas, practices, anger (over the census), or own lack of that they could not help this couple?  What were these people thinking or not thinking?

 

Do not get put out.  It happens all the time now.  We get so caught up in our own agenda, that we do not stop to see what the other person is going through.  We are so focused on our own wants that we over look the needs of others.  What happened to Joseph and Mary happens all the time now.  People are turned away. 

 

It is Christmas.  This is the one time of the year, that we give more.  It is the one time of the year that we do not look at the person’s exterior, but their heart.  It is the one time of the year that we love more, forgive more, and give more.  Think about it.

it is getting close to Christmas.  We are all counting the days.  Since there is a storm quickly approaching, everyone is really counting hours. 

 

I wonder if Joseph was counting the hours.  It is a long walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Difficult.  Dusty.  Dirty.  Tired.  Mary is always positive.  Joseph smiles.  They are always moving.  They come to the River Jordan to cross over again to Jericho.  Maybe a bath. Would not hurt right. Right? 

 

It is not easy to travel to new place with a pregnant wife.  While she is trying to put on a good face, inside she is pleading for it all to be over.  The man just wants to get there and make his wife comfortable, as much as he can.  I understand this.  Been through this. 

 

Joseph and Mary are on a greater mission.  They are on their way to fulfill the prophecies of old and new.  They are on their way to start what man has needed from the beginning, saving from our sins.

 

You are on a mission.  As a follower of Jesus, you have the power in you (Holy Spirit) to change the world.  Think about it.  Merry Christmas.

Joseph and Mary are on their way to Bethlehem.  Now, I know this is just speculation, but bare with me for a moment.  Joseph and Mary are traveling.  They have crossed the Jordan River.  Now they are in modern day Jordan, traveling a road called the King’s Highway.  It is a 1,000 year old road at that time(they built things to last).  Paved by the Romans (bricks).  They are alone.  So there is the concerns of being robbed.

 

Joseph is alert.  Constantly watching his surroundings, most of all watching Mary.  She smiles.  It is not easy being pregnant and riding a donkey.  At night, they stop and eat what they have.  Saving as much as possible.  What did they think as they laid under the stars at night?  Were they worried about this baby?  What was God up to?  Joseph, how do I raise the Son of God?

 

We are a lot like them.  Staring at the stars at night, we wonder what God is up to?  Where is God taking us on this journey?  What will happen?  The last question is probably what was on their mind a lot.  Again just speculation. 

 

What we see in hindsight is that God had everything under control.  IF He did then, He does now.  He always will.  That is one aspect of Christmas we sometimes forget.  Think about it.

It seems like everyone is counting down to Christmas.  The countdown because of the gifts, family events, and festivities.  Few people countdown with the expectation of seeing Jesus.  Sad.

 

So, Joseph and Mary are on their way to Bethlehem.  It would take some time to travel, especially with Mary begin pregnant. I sure that five miles a day would be a lot for her on a donkey. If they were traveling slowly, they would be near the Jordan River to cross over.  They would have to wade through it.  At this time of year, it would be lower than during the summer.  Winter is setting on and the snow on the mountains would not be melting as much or even at all.  What went through Joseph’s mind as they were getting close?  Was he thinking about where to cross?  When does he cross with Mary?  Even at this time of year, there is still some vegetation surrounding the river, would it present problems or provide extra food?  A lot of questions, he must have had or this was just normal?

 

Like us, I am sure that they counted down the days to getting to Bethlehem, if for no other reason then just to get off the donkey.  Ever wonder if she look at Joseph and said, “Are we there yet?”

 

With each minute this day we are in a countdown situation.  Countdown when God entered our world through His Son.  God with Us.   Are you counting?

 

 

Have tried to buy tickets to a popular singer or band?  I looked for tickets to go to the Tran Siberian Orchestra.  They were sold out within hours.  Sold out means no room.  Joseph and Mary faced that problem at Bethlehem.  There was just no room for them, anywhere. 

 

Many people feel like that during this holiday season.  There is just no room for them anymore.  They worked hard long hours at a job to provide only to find that even in there own family there is no room.  Several sacrifice their very existence to provide freedom only to find when they return, there is no room in their own country for them. 

 

Many work hard all their lives.  Now they are nearing the end of their lives only to find that the younger of their family deem them unfit, out of date, antiquated.  They have no room for their elders of the family. 

 

Christmas is making room for everyone, not just those who believe your political viewpoint, your social beliefs or religious beliefs.  It is an invitation for all that there is room, when God is involved.  Think about it.