“On coming to the house, they saw the child and his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 (NIV) Maybe Mary was having a bad day. If you’ve ever been home with a busy toddler, you…
Mary’s Treasures, Part IV
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19, NIV “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19, NIV Finally the long journey finally over. Dusting her robes, her head covering, and all other belongings, Mary settled into her straw bed for…
Mary’s Treaures, Part III
“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.” Matthew 1:18 NIV Joseph was a righteous man. He obviously was a man possessing a great amount of self-control. First, when hearing of Mary’s pregnancy he knew he couldn’t…
Mary’s Treasures, Part II
“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.” Luke 1:45, NIV Mary knew her life path had veered into unchartered territory. I knew Gabriel had visited me and I clearly recalled his pronouncement. It was just so hard to believe God was doing this, and…
Mary’s Treasures, Part I
“The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,’” Luke 1:28 NIV The young Mary was startled and scared at the sudden appearance of an angel. She hadn’t received a written notice of Gabriel’s impending arrival. Her mother probably never instructed her on how to…
Wise Men, Part III
“Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, of frankincense, and of myrrh.” Matthew 2:11b, NIV After bowing down and worshipping Jesus, I knew it was time to present my gift to God’s Son. Excitement coursed throughout my body as I knelt before the boy, gently lifting my gift from the…
Wise Men, Part II
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.” Matthew 2:11a, NIV After endless months of treacherous travel, we came to a humble home where the star had stopped. With great reverence, we also stopped. Dusting our clothes and wiping our hands we…
Wise Men
“Where is the One who has been born king of the Jews?” Matthew 2:2a, NIV Arising from my mat I glanced outdoors. Another day had already begun. The stillness of the morning greeted me peacefully. I wondered what the day had in store for me. As my thoughts meandered to the daily tasks at…
The Gift
“Love must be sincere.” Romans 12:9 NIV Glancing at the clock, I rushed to heat the oven. It was almost 7am. What was I thinking? I needed that turkey in stat! Why couldn’t I find that roasting pan? Climbing atop a chair I had recently relocated from the table, I threw open the cupboard…
Habit of Thanksgiving
“Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift.” II Corinthians 9:15 “What is a Thanksgiving Box?” our youngest daughter asked our oldest. “It was a decorated shoe box we would fill with strips of paper outlining what we are thankful for. We’d fill it all year long and then open it on Thanksgiving Day.”…