Life After Christmas

That very first Christmas life was changed forever. Now it seems we don't recognize that difference enough. I don't think about who I would be if Jesus hadn't come down as a baby.

But I should.

Madeline L'Engle wrote-

"Was there a moment, known only to God, when all the stars held their breath,when the galaxies paused in their dance for a fraction of a second, and the Word, who had called it all into being, went with all His love into the womb of a young girl, and the universe started to breath again, and the ancient harmonies resumed their song, and the angels clapped their hands for joy?"

We call it Christmas. Few know that it is forever.

We have been searching.....so what is the Spirit of Christmas then?

"For when it is all said and done, and all the events of the story are considered, I believe that Christmas spirit is not as elusive as we might have imagined. And I can say with some certainty what the real spirit of Christmas is.

The real Christmas spirit is a deep-seated, lingering joy in knowing the story is TRUE!

Remove the trees, and the lights, and the poinsettias, and the candles, and the decorations, and the presents, and the food, and the music.....and the story is still there. It is still true and our joy is still full!

The search is over. Let the rejoicing begin!"

Don't forget.

(; Faith Mae

Not so sad of an ending...

For once in my life I enter the end of Christmas day feeling a new beginning and not a sad end. Yes, the festivities are finishing up. The lights come down. Cookies are eaten, decor is packed away. However I have read, studied, prayed and out of all the things I have learned I realize that Christmas is a REMINDER of Christ and the example he was. It is here to remind us how to be of God. Why then do I go back to being full of judgment in January then? I must cherish this blessed reminder!

I see now that pain is apart of the Christmas spirit. That when things are not easy and normal we grow closer to God which is probably why the Holidays are hard in so many ways. Whether it be sickness, family trouble or lack of passion. Yet there is is still room for rejoicing! When we reach for Jesus's healing hand we find the joy only he can provide.

So is Christmas seasonal? No...I think not.

More later.

(; Faith Mae

P.S. Merry Christmas everyone!

Only in December

“It is good to be children sometimes, and never better that at Christmas, when its mighty founder was a child himself.”
Charles Dickens

Boy…I sure am glad he said that because I am bursting at the seams! On the 20th we had a Christmas party and one of the things we had to do was go around our neighborhood and count how many houses actually had lights or décor on them. Everyone rocketed down the street both ways. We had thirty minutes to count and then we each had to visit a house and tell the person we were having a Christmas party at the Morgans and that ‘Jesus is the reason for the season.’ My dad and I went to one house and you could tell the poor old man had not had Christmas spirit in his heart in years. The next house the guy was ready to let us in so we could talk about how important Jesus is! Funny as it may seem I was grabbed by a thought.

If we are blessed enough to have a glow about us during December we need to share it!! Not just with family and friends but at the store in line, or at a restaurant. What we did with the neighbors was wonderful because everyone at the Christmas party teamed up with their kids and basically shared the Gospel! AT A PARTY! Certainly we can make time in our busy lives to wonder and do something about those who are lost in uncertainty. Like the first man we visited. I couldn't have been more excited but somewhere in the back of my mind I had a nagging sensation. Who was that man? What was wrong? How could he not see the joy of the season?

Last night everyone was home and I saw car lights come in through the living room window. We figured it was the Kubiks (our neighbors and church friends.) Well…we were correct but they were not just borrowing our driveway. The whole family came to our door singing carols loud and clear. What a blessing it was to know that those living right next to you would take the time and drive around to friends and family but not forget to stop in. They delivered smiles and gifts and it was beautiful.

You know what my favorite part of Christmas is? It used to be seeing my family open their gifts. Now I think it is all the different times and ways we get a chance to bless someone. These times are abundant right now. Lets take them quickly before in a few days it is over

Or should we?

Why don’t we have the same intensity and kindness January through November? Hmmm.

(; Faith Mae

Confused by Humility

Everything about Christmas if you think about it is totally unexpected!

"In Search of the Real Christmas Spirit." Reminds us that God had a habit of displaying His presence and power through burning bushes, clouds, fire, thunder, lightning, and a ton of other major things!

So....whats with this GIGANTIC contrast? Well...

"Familiarity with what He had done in the past blinds us to what He intended on that first Christmas"

I guess I thought I knew God. Jesus not only was born in a smelly manger but He MADE himself helpless!

"We could never have sought such a God, because we never understood Him and would never have recognized Him. So He had to come look for us. That is the inescapable conclusion of the Christmas story."

I had so many false assumptions about God.
I thought I knew God!
I cannot even believe the pride in my thinking!

Christmas is only a week a way and I am more and more excited! Waiting to see my families faces that morning is a wonderful blessing all in itself.

I found this song the other day and I wanted to share the words with you. Read on.

"It was not a silent night, there was blood on the ground. You could hear a woman cry in the alleyway that night on the streets of David's town. And the stable was not clean and the cobblestones were cold. And little Mary full of grace with tears upon her face had no mother's hand to hold.

It was a labor of pain, it was a cold sky above. But for the girl on the ground in the dark with every beat of her beautiful heart. It was a labor of love.

Noble Joseph by her side, callused hands and weary eyes. No midwives to be found on the streets of David's town in the middle of the night. So he held her and he prayed, shafts of moonlight on his face. But the baby in her womb, he was the maker of the moon. He was the Author of the Faith that could make the mountains move.

It was a labor of pain, it was a cold sky above. But for the girl on the ground in the dark with every beat of her beautiful heart. It was a labor of love.

For little Mary full of grace, with tears on her face. It was a labor of love.

It was not a silent night, on the streets of David's town".

Well that sums it all up. (If that could ever be done with words or in a song.)


(; Faith Mae

Before being Mother of Jesus.

"Mary you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his Father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end" Luke 1:30-33



Mary's circumstances surpassed most all of the other Godly women in the Bible. Oddly enough she was younger and maybe even more vulnerable than other as well! I was reading what Dan had to say and the whole thing with Mary and Jesus I will admit has become pretty usual to me. It ISN'T.

It is so very UNusual!


One thing that I thought was an amazing lesson for us was that Mary had no record of being worthy of God's favor!! Meaning she didn't do anything to make God love her more. She had a quiet past. How many of us dream of being famous or making a difference? I know I do! More in the mission field than anything. Not Mary, she was humble and quiet.

What an amazing testimony! I don't know about you but I want to be like Mary. She makes this season even more convicting than it was before!


(; Faith Mae

What is Christmas for?

Last week or so dad, mom and I went looking for a Christmas tree. On the way we decided to stop at the gas station for some coffee. We got our things and mom stopped by the Christmas isle to browse. I didn't think anything of it as I flipped through the gift card rack. A few minutes later we headed to the check out. The young man ahead of us was buying a can of beer and was short a quarter. Turning he asked us if we had the missing change. Fortunately none of us had any change on us so mom gladly offered to pay for the drink included in her own purchase. She also made him promise not to drink and drive. (;

All of a sudden mom turns around and seemingly unexpectedly offers to pay for the next persons several cups of coffee. On the way out to the car she told us that she had wanted to pay for their coffee anyway but they were sweetly taking a while to pick each flavor, syrup and toppings! So that is why she had stalled in the Christmas isle. She said God had blessed us with an extra opportunity with the young man. Not only were we able to bless him, but he also gave us more time in the store to wait for the other family! Is God amazing or what!?

We start the engine and one of ladies came running out to us grinning from ear to ear. She couldn't believe that we had bought her coffee. She told us what a blessing we were and I realized that her smiles brought joy to everyone around her even after we left.

I was truly blessed by my mother that night. She had shown me not only what Christmas is about but what Christmas is for.

(; Faith Mae

Good news. In person.

Forgive the delays in posting! Internet has been down not to mention my sweet family being in town. (: Tonight we went and saw Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. It was a wonderful show! When they did the Manger scene a thought struck me. This 'Good news' everyone talks about. Is it for everyone? Well...yes, it is. It is easy for me to think "Oh yeah, God came down for all of our sins to be forgiven."

What is harder to realize and comprehend is that He came to this low point on Earth FOR ME. PERSONALLY!!! He came for you personally. Isn't it amazing how this 'Reason for the season' isn't just a catchy phrase? It is so very real!

More later.

(; Faith Mae

We were 'Home alone.'

My last post was on the depressing side. Sorry about that but Easter isn't the only time to cry.

My question was "Why would Jesus do something like this? Why would he come and dwell with yucky humans?" Dan says that the fact that he DOES want to be with us is undeniable. And what does that mean for us? That there is far more to celebrate than we thought!

It is truly gorgeous that He came here as a man. He could have freaked everyone out like He did many times in the Old Testament. Although then what He did was perfect despite most couldn't even stand up in His presence. But when he came through Mary...it was different. He truly was a man and he truly was God! Nothing excites me or boggles me more.

Quote from 'In Search of... The Real Spirit of Christmas.' Written by Dan Schaeffer.

"This truth should fill our hearts with a real lasting joy. It is good news--good news for all people. This makes a Christmas truly "Merry." Rejoice! We're no longer home alone!"

Ah! There it is. What we eat, or what we get in the package or who we see will ALL eventually pass away. The 'feeling' will eventually dissipate. NOT however the truth of God. Not His sacrifice for us. That will always be apart of our lives!


Here is the Christmas story I promised.

Matthew 1:18-25-2

18.
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
19.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21.
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."
22.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23.
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
24.
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
25.
But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Chap. 2


18.
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
19.
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21.
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."
22.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23.
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
24.
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
25.
But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
The Escape to Egypt
13.
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."
14.
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,
15.
where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."
16.
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
17.
Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18.
"A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
0.
The Return to Nazareth
19.
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
20.
and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."
The Return to Nazareth
19.
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
20.
and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."
21.
So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.
22.
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
23.
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

(; Faith Mae

It isn't what we thought.

We are far more precious to God than we could ever imagine!

For me Christmas has been going downhill the last couple years. I kept thinking that it was because of my age. Growing older can make it much less magical! I blamed it on age but I believe now that my 'Just another year" mentality is ruining the true 'Spirit' of Christmas in myself. It isn't about ME. It is about Jesus coming to earth to be with us. Not only did he lower himself below every king but he was born in a MANGER! His humility should be what gives us that spark during the Holidays. Unfortunately it doesn't all the time.

Can you believe that Jesus came down here without trumpets and ceremony? Not to mention a virgin mother giving birth in what was probably a nasty stall. The picture above doesn't make me warm inside anymore. It shows me a lie. It wasn't clean, it wasn't beautiful and polished. BUT it was glorious! Pictures of the nativity portray what we want to believe. Not what was actually true. Sadly I would like to look at it as the picture above. I really would. I want to push away the honest side and welcome the side that gives me the impression that it 'wasn't so bad.'

Mostly because it makes me look better. Thinking that Jesus wasn't as full of humility as I painfully thought. So wrong!! He was...more than we will ever realize!

This season let us meditate on what Christ went through for us instead of presents, people and life in general.

(; Faith Mae

Is it really what we think?

Pure curiosity has brought me to this point. My wise mother gave me this book to read around the holidays and I was well….curious. I have yet to read but two chapters so far. And yet I have witnessed insight brimming from the pages. The best place to begin I believe is to read the original Christmas story found in-

Matthew 1:18-2:23

And Luke 1:26-2:40

If you have a Bible I encourage you to pick it up and read it even if you read it yesterday and even if you have read it a thousand times. No Bible? You can find any passage online. However I will post it next for everyone to refer to including myself.

Amusing as it may seem I cannot even answer my own question.

What is this Spirit of Christmas thing?

We’ll see…

Quote from ‘In Search of… The Real Spirit of Christmas’ Written by Dan Schaeffer

“This becomes even more remarkable when we understand that shepherds in the first century weren’t the pastoral, gentle-eyed, soft-spoken fellows portrayed by Hallmark. They were considered unreliable, untrustworthy, and not a little larcenous.”

“Picture a room full of men drinking beer, making disgusting male noises, and cheering on their favorite football teams with gusto and excitement. Add lots of yelling and words that aren’t heard in polite society and you come close to describing the crude demeanor of first-century shepherds. So when it says that the shepherds were glorifying and praising God, it does not mean that they were offering artistic praise in highly cultured terms or quiet, reflective praise in articulate phrases. It was more like the last second of a playoff game in overtime, when the home team wins and the whooping and hollering begins.”

This struck me hard. It made me second guess even the Manger scene in my own living room.

Dan brought along another thought that whacked me harder than the first. What about Mary and Joseph? Their sweet baby was born in a yucky manger right in front of them. I don’t know if they second guessed themselves or Gods plan but I assume that seeing those shepherds rejoice and hearing their testimony must have lit their hearts up! It was all going just the way God wanted it. How amazing. Dan also gave some good ideas including picturing yourself as each of the people in the Christmas story. To read and re-read slowly and imagine how you would have reacted if you were Mary, Joseph, or even the shepherds.

I’m off to do just that.

(; Faith Mae

Spirit of Christmas

The Spirit of Christmas. Full of beauty, love and cheer. Or...so I thought. In truth? This 'Spirit' happens to be a warm filling kind of feeling we get when we set up decorations, invite friends over, watch Holiday movies and even the food. Is that Christmas?

Today I begin my search of what Christmas is.
What do you think it is?