I heard Neil chuckle under his breath as we walked away from the elderly  couple we had been talking with.

“Did you just bless them?” he asked.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing.  Very King James. “

Truthfully the words had just popped out.  But they’d been popping out a lot.  I had been blessing people right and left over the Christmas holidays.   Retail clerks, Walmart greeters, theatre ushers….it was getting kind of weird.    So I stopped – almost – saying it out loud.  But I still bless people in my head.

This morning I read Psalm 1.  It speaks of blessing.  It says we are blessed when we choose to follow God’s ways.  When we put God at the center of our lives.  It says when we live like that we are like trees planted by streams of water. Whatever we do prospers.

The accompanying devotional reading described being blessed as “divinely or supremely favored.  Fortunate.  Happy.  Content. “

That’s the blessing we pray over you – our Weekend to Remember alumni – as we enter 2012.  May you be blessed.  In your marriages.  In your families.  In whatever the year holds.  Remember, you are divinely favored.  That’s what the Christmas story is all about.  God so favored us that He gave us His only Son….

This year may you find your happiness and contentment in God’s outrageous love for you.  May you find happiness and contentment in your marriage.  In your family.  And may your happiness and contentment be contagious.

“Bless you.”

Along with our blessing comes a promise -  from all of us at FamilyLife -  to pray for you regularly in 2012.

“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)

The hope that Jesus brings, and the joy, and the peace, all culminate in His salvation. The real and wonderful meaning of Christmas is that Jesus came to redeem us.  When Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus to the temple, Simeon spoke these words, “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. 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 2:29-32)

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Simeon knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the One who would save them, the One for whom they had been waiting. For thousands of years the Jewish people had been waiting for the Savior, the Messiah, the Christ, whom God had promised. Jesus was and is the fulfillment of prophesy. We don’t have to wait anymore. The proclamation of angels, the rejoicing of shepherds, the worshipping of wise men all declare, “A Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

Jesus’ sinless life, willing death and powerful resurrection paid the ransom for our lives. This is the truth the apostles preached, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) This is the truth of Christmas.

Gracious and loving God, thank you for sending Your son, Jesus, many years ago to be born in humble circumstances. Help us never to forget or take for granted the salvation He brought us. Amen.

Questions: What does Christ’s salvation mean to you? How can we demonstrate our thankfulness to God for the wonderful gift He gave us at Christmas?

I feel tired because _______________ . How would you answer that question?  What wears you down and sucks the life from you?  In my life, it’s been many things.  When my four boys were little some days would feel like an eternity. When they were teenagers, it was a different weariness – sitting in the passenger seat as they learned to drive, football injuries, school work and many late nights.  Now I have other things that pull me into the depths of exhaustion –  Christmas and all that it brings, juggling work and home, a wayward son, turmoil in my family, the list goes on and on.

In Psalm 63:1 the Psalmist says, “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.”

I can identify with the author of this Psalm, can you?  My soul is thirsty and my whole body longs for God. I long to see him, to have an intimate relationship with Him in this parched and weary land I find myself in.  I love face to face conversations.  If I have a choice of talking on the phone or meeting face to face I will choose face to face any day.  I like to watch people’s reactions to things I say.  I long for that kind of relationship with Jesus.

I want to hear Him laugh, to see His face and see His reactions when I am speaking with Him.  I want to know that He hears me and that He knows me.  Just recently I had the opportunity to take a walk with my Dad (a rare treat).  We took a nice stroll up to a nearby Starbucks and sat and talked for a couple of hours over a good cup of coffee (actually I had tea and he had coffee).  Oh, how I long to do that with my heavenly Father.  Do you ever long for that too? 

In verses 6-8 of that same chapter the author goes on to say, “I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” 

What does it look like to lie awake at night thinking of God, meditating on Him through the night?  I don’t know about you but when I lie awake at night it’s because I’m worried over something or I have too many things on my plate and I’m trying to make sure that I don’t forget any of them.  I don’t lie awake because I’m thinking of God.

When I’m in a dry and weary land, when I’m worn and fatigued my tendency is to spiral downward, to focus on my feelings, to focus on my exhaustion. But the Psalmist is saying here that we are to turn our hearts towards God remembering the things that He has done for us, how he has provided and met our needs.  We then can KNOW that he is our helper.  We can sing for JOY and rest in the shadow of His wings.

Meditating causes us to cling to the only ONE that can truly satisfy us.  We will find REST in His strong capable hands.  So my weary friend, turn your heart towards God and allow Him to quench your raging thirst and satisfy your soul.  He is all you need!

Question: What makes you weary? How can we pray for each other today?

There is a saying that was popular in the early days of the church. Paul called it a “trustworthy saying” in a letter to Timothy: “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will disown us; if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

Have you ever come to Christmas season, caught yourself singing, “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and wondered: “Who’s that? Who can say they have been totally faithful to Christ?” If we were honest, could anyone say they were entirely faithful in their walk with God? I would want to add, “Compared to what?” because “faithful” would have to be a relative thing. We all fail Him from time to time. We all struggle with faith. We all prove to be unfaithful partners with God.

In other words, if our security with God depended on our faithfulness to Him, I’m afraid we would all be in bad shape; but the good news is: our security with God depends on His faithfulness to us.

Jesus chided his disciples for having “little faith,” but He did not kick them off the team for it. He called His followers an “unbelieving generation,” but He did not abandon them. And in spite of the saying above about disowning those who disown Him, Jesus apparently made an exception to that rule for Peter, who on three occasions disowned having any part of Christ. He later forgave Peter and accepted him back.

As we come to the end of another year, I’m sure we can all recall times when we struggled with faith, had a hard time finding it, or perhaps found ourselves unfaithful to God. Some may be in such a place right now. This is a time to worship God for His faithfulness to us. We may have let go of Him, but He will never let go of us, because we are His, and He cannot disown what belongs to Him.

So for us, faith is a relative thing. We all struggle with our own demons. Maybe for you, “faithful” means you’re ready to get yourself back in the fold. Can’t think of a better time to do it with a New Year coming up.

“O come all ye faithful…” and not so faithful, too! The most important thing is to come!

Are you struggling to hear from God this Christmas? Let us pray for you.

“God …through us, spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

The smell of Christmas turkey baking in the oven permeated every corner of the house. Walking in from outside the fragrance was welcoming. The smell alone created an appetite and an expectation. Did you know that you permeate the circle you live in with a fragrance? Oh, it’s not your perfume or your after shave. No, the Bible tells us, “…God …through us, spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

As you go through this special day, whether it is a flurry of activity with friends and family or a quiet day of reflection, you are taking the fragrance of Christ with you into your circle.

The celebration of the birth of Jesus is sometimes pushed to the background amid the food and gifts of the day. Yet you bring the fragrance of Him with you as you interact with those around you. You can bring acceptance and love, gentleness and kindness. You can bring an unselfish spirit and an embracing warmth. You can bring the very things His birth brought to you!

Somewhere in your circle there may be one for whom this day is difficult. Seek that person out and give away some of the love Jesus gave you. Create a hunger for Him in those around you by sharing the fragrance of Jesus.

Simply ask for His Holy Spirit to fill you today with power from Him so you can share that fragrance of His loving care. Share His gentle love today and, as the old saying goes, “if necessary, use words”.

Father God,
I want to say a special “Thank You” today for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. Thank you that knowing Him can change a life! Help me today to have a heart full of the abundance of all Jesus is, love and gentleness, acceptance and caring. Help me to be filled today with these things, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that the fragrance of Christ will permeate wherever You have me today! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Question: How will you celebrate Jesus today?

“They saw the child and his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” (Matthew 2:11)

Do you worship with your words and actions? Do you worship with your heart? Because we have eight grandchildren, we try to make part of our family Christmas gathering a time of focusing on Christ. One way we have found very effective is to act out the Christmas story.

We have as many actors as there are family members (and others who have come for the Christmas dinner). Because we can have as many as 17 people, we have a lot of sheep. We put the names of the biblical characters and animals in a hat and everyone picks one. Then everyone has 10 minutes to find his or her costume and props from anywhere in the house. We gather in one room and the narrator begins to slowly read the Christmas story – usually from the Living Bible – so the children can understand.

The costumes are usually very creative – from the camels wearing real saddles, the kings wearing up-side-down silver or gold trophies on their heads and even our Dalmatian dog being recruited to be one of the sheep. One year a new grandchild was the Baby Jesus.

We have fun and laugh a lot. But when it comes to the part where the wise men come and see the Child and His mother and bow down and worship Him, we become quiet.  One year, one of our non-Christian guests, playing the part of a king, also knelt down and worshiped. As I watched him, I silently prayed that soon and very soon, he would worship Jesus with his whole heart.

He has not yet given his heart to Jesus. But I keep praying for him. The Bible tells us that when we pray according to God’s will, He will answer. Soon this man WILL worship the Lord with his whole heart. Who are you praying for this Christmas?

Father, there are thousands of people who have heard the Christmas story and have not yet begun to worship You. Father, we pray that this year, You would open the eyes and hearts of those we have been praying for. We pray that they would become true worshippers of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Question: Who are you praying for this Christmas?

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Who knows a child better than his parent? From the time a baby is delivered, its mother and father know more than anyone else what will make the child content, sad, frightened, or excited. They recognize not only the youngster’s preferences but also his needs. And for that reason, parents usually know how to select the most appropriate gifts for their son or daughter.

How much more does our Heavenly Father understand us! He didn’t have to learn about us the way earthly parents do. As our Creator, who “wove” each of us when we were still in the womb (Psalm 139:13), He knows us better than even our family.

That means He is perfectly aware, not just of our likes, dislikes, abilities, and struggles, but especially of our needs. So when it comes to gifts, doesn’t it make sense that God is the best Giver?

God knew our greatest need would be a solution to our sin problem, because sin separates us from Him. So He designed the perfect plan, which is also the perfect gift: He determined to send His sinless Son Jesus as the payment for your sin-debt and mine. The One we see as a baby in the manger is fully God, who came to earth with a purpose – to die so that you and I could have forgiveness of our sins, and that by believing, we might have the greatest gift of all: eternal life.

Your best Christmas present is not wrapped up and placed under the tree; it is the One whose birthday we celebrate. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Question: How have you been reminded of God’s love and mercy in your life this season?

Do you need a reminder of God’s gifts in your life? Let us pray for you.

“Rejoice greatly, O my people!
Shout with joy!
For look-your King is coming!
He is the Righteous One, the Victor!” 

(Zechariah 9:9, TLB)

 Can you picture the scene? Night unfolds its veil of darkness across the light of day. Shimmering constellations fade as one bright star sets the ebony sky ablaze.

Flocks lie still and serene in the field. Shepherds gather around a flickering fire to dispel the evening’s chill. Only the calming crackle of the fire breaks the silence.

Suddenly, the radiance of an angel of the Lord rips open the night’s veil. The shepherds fall on their faces, trembling. The angel reassures this band of quaking caretakers, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11, NIV)

The darkness erupts into the brilliant glory of a chorus of angels proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14, NKJV)

In the distance, a newborn’s cry carries on the cool, night air. The King of heaven has bowed low to enter earth’s time.  Disguised in a suit of humanity he has arrived, just as Isaiah prophesied.

“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end.”

(Is. 9:6-7a NKJV)

 Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47, NKJV) Are you in agreement with Mary? Maybe your soul is suffering this year. Maybe you have lost a loved one. Maybe divorce has ripped your family apart. Maybe your best friend has deserted you. Maybe your child has committed some crime and is now incarcerated.

Whatever the trial, join in with Mary:

…rejoice at His birth!
…rejoice that He has come to save the world!
…rejoice that He has given you an eternal home!

Let your soul magnify the Lord and let your spirit rejoice in the Babe this season. Rejoice with the rest of the world.

“Jehovah is King! Let all the earth rejoice!” (Ps. 97:1, TLB)

 Take the next step:

Rejoicing sounds great, but how do I do that?
Is your heart heavy tonight? We’d love to pray for you. 
Take a lesson:  Again I say Rejoice!

The carols try to tell us that this is a calm and silent time of year. But for most of us, the weeks leading up to Christmas can be anything but calm. You know the drill: office parties, shopping, baking, wrapping, relatives, Christmas plays and everyone’s favorite - family pictures. It’s enough to leave even the strongest among us exhausted. Can we slow things down a little so we can enjoy the season again? Does anyone have time for that?

Whatever your plans for the season, don’t let them overtake your holiday. Remember Dr. Seuss’s classic tale How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Christmas will come without all the wrappings and bows, it will still come if the turkey isn’t perfect, if your tree is a little lop-sided or the dog decides to help you ‘redecorate’.

There are ways to put a little relaxation back into your Christmas season without adding too much to your busy schedule. As we get closer and closer to the 25th, try a couple of these simple ideas and remember what enjoying the holiday feels like.

1. Host a coloring party. Coloring parties are a tradition I learned from my Mom’s friend Gail. Every Christmas the local hospital sells large (3′ x 2′) coloring books as a fund raiser and Gail uses these as the center of her get together. Friends are invited to bring a little of their Christmas baking and come over for a morning of coffee and coloring. Upon arriving, everyone gathers around the coloring books on the kitchen table and dives into brand new packs of crayons with the glee of five-year-olds. The conversation flows. It is a relaxed, non threatening time, a great way to catch up with old friends, an easy way to get to know new neighbors.
2. Choose one or two people from your list and make their present. Making gifts gives you a great excuse to go off somewhere by yourself for a few hours. Put on your favorite music, light a pine scented candle and enjoy the quiet as you work. The possibilities for hand-made gifts are endless.
3. Attend a local highschool or college concert. Most school bands and choirs put on Christmas concerts and the entrance fee is almost always minimal. Grab a friend or the whole family and support local musicians while relaxing and getting into the Christmas spirit.
4. Read your favorite children’s Christmas story. Find a quiet corner, a cup of cocoa, and favorite blanket and curl up a read the story you most loved as a child. How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Night Before Christmas are classics, or better yet, read the original Christmas story in the Bible in the book of Luke (Luke 2:1-20).
5. Reflect on the season. Christmas is many things to many people, but at the heart of all the celebrating and festivities is a baby born in a manger. In Bethlehem, two thousand years ago God sent his son into the world. The Bible tells us that Jesus was not sent into the world to condemn it, but to save it. Many churches put on special Christmas pageants that portray the story of Jesus, who he is and what he came to earth to do. Why not take in a performance over the next few weeks and rediscover the true reason for the season?

“Peace on Earth” is a phrase you see everywhere this time of year. For many of us, we have to wonder where that peace is? Who is at peace? What about countries that are at war? Is “Peace on Earth” even possible in this day and age? Peace on Earth is possible, and it can start with you. You can find peace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Saviour and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of woman you want me to be.

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, pray it right now and Christ will come into your life as He promised. If you invited Jesus Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

Christmas is a time to remember the gift of love that was given to us. May your days be merry and bright and may the love that sparked the season find you in the days and weeks to come.

The Christmas season is always a time to fit in as many family functions as possible.

I grew up living with my mom and stepdad and seeing my dad and stepmom a few times a year.  My dad and his wife always came to visit at Christmas so there was a lot going on. Going from house to house could get a bit hectic sometimes but it didn’t make the holidays any less enjoyable.

Here are a few tips for parents and stepparents alike to make Christmas as painless as possible.

1. Be civil. Whether you’ve been divorced one month or ten years, Christmas can be a time of stress. For your children’s sake, try to get along with your ex-spouse and his or her significant other. Kids can always sense the tension between their parents. Commit to being kind (or at the very least, polite) to your former spouse. If you have a somewhat friendly rapport, it makes the children more comfortable. A civil relationship with your ex also makes it easier for your children to accept their new stepmom or stepdad.

2. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. It’s an old expression but it still rings true. If you speak badly about your former spouse, you’re speaking badly of your children’s mother or father. Whatever feelings of resentment you have towards your ex-spouse, don’t share them with your children. Remember, it’s Christmas. Don’t make your kids uncomfortable at the dinner table by bringing up old hurts and arguments. Your dislike of your ex-spouse’s new partner is not appropriate dinner conversation.

3. Establish a routine. Every year the kids will need to be in various places to celebrate Christmas with all sides of their families. If it’s at all possible, help your children adjust to the new family situation by creating a pattern for every Christmas season. If Christmas dinner has always been at their grandma’s house, talk to your ex-spouse about keeping it that way. Decide how you can integrate the needs of new partners or spouses too.

4. Make new traditions. Giving your children a sense of normalcy doesn’t mean you can’t make new Christmas traditions. Both parents need time with their kids. You don’t need to cram every single activity into either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Try having a game night with the kids on the 23^rd and lunch at the other parent’s house on the 24^th. Fun activities, even new things, can be a good way to put your children at ease.

5. Be patient.  No matter how old your kids are, it will take time to get used to the new set-up of the holidays. Try to understand what your children are going through. Divorce is a huge change for parents, but it can be even more jarring for children. Try to make the transition period after a divorce as comfortable as possible. It will be an exercise in patience for parents to stay in each other’s lives for their children’s sake.

When a couple has children, they are tied together forever – divorce doesn’t change that. Over Christmas, put your kids ahead of the busyness. After a divorce, Christmas isn’t the way it was before, but the importance of family remains a key part of the season.