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Listen while you read: "Bringing In The Sheaves"1 (Lyrics) |
Weeks ago, I stripped the house of all that was not Christmas. Then as these things disappeared, I replaced them with Christmas! I cleared my china cabinet of dishes that were not Christmas; my curio cabinet became a place for snowmen. Furniture was moved so that Christmas trees could go in their place, and Christmas pictures replaced regular ones. All that had been there before paled in contrast to the festiveness that Christmas brings!
So many times, I need to clear my mind and soul of the things that can clutter my thinking about Christ! I need to shut off the media that declares that all things about Christ are offensive. I need to rid myself of all that does not glorify Him. I need to prioritize my life, sometimes trading good things for the better things of God. I need to clear myself of all that is not Christ! I need a new infilling of the Holy Spirit!
In a few short days, I will begin the task of getting back to normal. I will probably leave the trees up for another week, but the twinkling lights don't mean as much. The glow is gone because that one big day has passed. We will dig out the directions to our new gadgets and try them out to see if they work. The diets will start, fitness programs will begin, and new bills will start coming in the mail. Christmas cards with their greetings will be read again and put away.
But as the Christmas dishes go back into boxes and Christmas trees find a place on the shelf in my basement, I pray that the Babe of Christmas never leaves my heart. May I not box Him up with the Christmas ornaments, festive figurines, or beautiful nativity sets. As I fill my house with the everyday things, I pray that the Christ of Christmas will never leave my soul. I want to bring my mind back often to the Son of God Who chose to come to earth as an innocent Baby and die on the cross to save us from our sins.
May the wonder of Christmas permeate our beings so much that Christ and only Christ can be seen in us all year round!
Prayer: Lord, we thank You for this beautiful season of the year when families come together to celebrate. But more than that, we thank You that You bring a daily celebration into our hearts — a celebration of Your love, Your salvation, and Your hope. We thank You that though images of You lying in a manger will find their places in boxes, we will find You every morning in the pages of our Bibles and as we pray. We praise You, Lord, for Your presence in our lives all year — and not just on that one big day! Amen.
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Amen Jeanie.
The message of Hope, Peace, Joy, Love is needed all year.
Jeannie – thank you for an insightful beginning to my day. God Bless you.
I truly enjoyed your message this morning. Thank you.
(Ontario)
How uplifting! Thanks for your enthusiasm for God’s wonderful Word!
(BC)
Very nice message Jeanie.
Merry Christmas Jeanie and all the very best of 2023.
(QC, CANADA)
Oh this is so good. Thank you. I like to think of my “Christmas in every corner” house as a charging station. I now have to put all my decorations away or leave the station, but my battery is topped up and I’ll look forward to next year. Christmas blessings. Happy new year from snowy Manitoba.
Jeanie,
Thank you so much for today’s devotional. I will be sharing it with my friends as it so meaningful and true.
I too pray that Christ will part of our daily lives, in everything we say and do.
Blessings.
Great devotional! Christmas is worth celebrating, but the joy and love that it brings needs to continue throughout the year.
I’m often asked why I ‘bother’ to decorate so much. How can I not, Jesus’ birth is the biggest reason for a big celebration that I can think of!
Keep celebrating in a big way!
Greetings Jeanie and many thanks for your special devotional today. Very positive advice to read and heed. You are so right that just because the day of celebrating the birth of Jesus is over, doesn’t mean that we put Him out of our thoughts and praise. We need honour our Lord each and every day of our lives. Blessings for this meaningful writing today and may your New Year be filled with happiness and good health.
Thank you for today’s reading. I pray too with you that the Babe of Bethlehem won’t just remain in the box until another passes. Instead He continues to grow and fill our hearts to be Jesus our Saviour and Lord. I’m praying to be a better witness to my family and friends so that they too will come to know Him as not only a story once a year but as Tenerife own personal Friend and Saviour.
Blessings for 2023.
Jeanie, This is absolutely perfect for my day today! I’ve just returned from time with my family. The echoes of laughter and love are fading as I unpack, and plan to repack the few decorations in my home. Your devotional makes me think I may not pack up the little, tiny baby in the manger this year. Maybe I’ll put it on my kitchen windowsill above my sink where I like to place small reminders. Immanuel, ‘God With Us!” in our hearts and every moment.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful words.
Good morning, Jeanie,
I enjoyed how much you celebrate Christmas and all your preparations. I truly understand your sentiment of not putting Jesus away when you box up the Christmas decorations and keep Him alive in your life each and every day. The wonder of Christmas is beautiful and celebrating with family and friends is a very special time of the year and as you say it is only a small part of what the meaning of Christmas is for our faith. It is like a renewal which brightens us for the journey. It is the journey of our faith which is the true reason we are here on earth. God wants us to draw closer and closer to Jesus as we mature in our understanding and our accepting of Jesus into our lives.
I appreciate your sharing a little of your Christmas story and the importance of Jesus in your life. Merry Christmas and may the light of Jesus shine through you to others. Blessings.
So very well said, Jeanie. Thank you.
Thank you Jeanie for this devotional, so down to earth, easy to follow.
Thank you, Jeanie. May the Christ of Christmas never leave our lives!
Thank you for your lovely devotional! Over the years I’ve gotten rid of commercial Christmas items and have replaced them with treasures such as my Advent wreath and my Nativity Crèche. I add a few more each year hand carved from Italy. (Can’t give up my Christmas Tree).
Sending you Christmas blessings and much joy in the New Year.
(Ontario)
Very nicely said. Thank you.