Every Monday, I'll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. --- Food. Food. Food. So much food! My sister-in-law’s homemade Christmas cookies. Fifteen types! Happy birthday Jesus cake. Malted milk ball pie for the Christmas pin exchange party. My brother’s homemade peppermint ice cream. Many meats, vegetables, and salads. Many! Egg, bacon, and cheese casserole on Christmas morning. Homemade waffles. There are many benefits to visiting my brother and his wife, including the food. Although we have many special traditions, some of my favorites involve food. Perhaps you can relate. Before Christmas, my weight-loss coach reminded me that we were celebrating a … [Read more...]
The Gospel According to A Five Year Old at Christmas
December 22, 2011 by · 2 Comments
The five-year old son of friends drew this insightful picture (full picture below.) He showed it to his dad who asked him, “What does this mean?” The boy answered, “This is Jesus lying in the manger thinking about the cross, and this is Jesus on the cross thinking about the manger.” He gets it. I hope you do. Enough said. … [Read more...]
The Shepherd’s Bell
December 19, 2011 by · 2 Comments
My brother and I grew up just four blocks from my aunt, uncle, and cousins. We played with our cousins often, sometimes near our homes and sometimes on the school playground or field which was nearby. Tag, kick-the-can, and hide-and-go-seek were favorites. (Our neighborhoods were safe back then.) We also enjoyed tennis or baseball in the summer, by adding just a few friends, and ice-skating in the winter as the field was converted to an ice-skating rink. “Did you hear it?” one of us would tentatively ask. “No, what?” was often the first confident answer. “You know, the bell. Was that it?” Maybe we’d quiet down or maybe we’d increase the noise level in hopes we wouldn’t hear it. “There! Was that it? I think … [Read more...]
The Three Kings and The Nativity
December 15, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
I need to confess. I normally use the Bible as my standard for all things. If something doesn’t line up with Scripture, I reject it. Usually. One exception for me is my nativity collection. I own about 80 from around the world even though most include three kings and no shepherds. What’s the big deal? There’s no Scripture that mentions there were three kings. We just know there was more than one. (Matthew 2:7-8) Also, we do know their journey was so long that they didn’t arrive until Jesus was a toddler. (Matthew 2:9-11) The kings shouldn’t be a part of my nativities. But, they are. We do know, from God’s Word, that shepherds did arrive while Jesus was a baby. (Luke 2:16) They should be a part of the nativities, but … [Read more...]
It’s Not About Me; How Can I Bless You?
December 12, 2011 by · 3 Comments
My sister-in-law, Debbie, is a fabulous cook. She makes delicious food and consistently puts the right foods together to make a great meal. When I visit her, my brother, and their children over the Christmas holiday, I will eat very, very well. Because Debbie enjoys cooking, it’s easy to visit her. She enjoys having others in her kitchen and she never makes anyone feel like they’ve made her work any harder than she wanted to. I appreciate that. Debbie learned from the best. Her mom was an amazing cook, as well. That might be especially true when I think about their many Christmas cookies. Dorothy taught Debbie well and Debbie has passed the tradition on to her children. And, even others. This year, like several others. Debbie … [Read more...]
Christmas Is The Gift
December 8, 2011 by · 1 Comment
Tomorrow night I’ll be having dinner with three fabulous, faithful friends. I’m looking forward to it. Until last year, we exchanged Christmas gifts when we got together. Last year, because of changing financial situations, we didn’t. This year, we’ve agreed to bring gifts if we want to. We’ve stated, “No pressure.” It’s awkward and freeing all at the same time. What if I give a friend something more expensive than she gives me? Will she feel bad? What if someone gives me something more expensive than I give her? Will I feel bad? Will she? This dilemma just makes me realize more and more how incredible it is that God’s gift of salvation through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, truly is free. No strings attached. … [Read more...]
Who Can You Make Room For?
December 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
The tables were full and yet people kept coming. Men set up extra tables quickly in the back and on the side of the room. Dana kept looking toward the door. Concern registered on her face as she quietly commented that Grant had entered the room alone. I knew she didn’t want anyone from our small group sitting with strangers. As she became more concerned, I admit to thinking that Grant could handle meeting new people. He’s confident with a comfortable personality. Plus, since we were all from church there were bound to be other people in the room he knew or at least that he’d be willing to know. But, Dana kept looking. After a few more minutes, when it was clear that there were no spots available at tables with members of our … [Read more...]
Year End Tradition – Taking a Spiritual Inventory
December 1, 2011 by · 1 Comment
As the last month of the year begins today, allow me to share one of my end-of-year traditions. Although I do this regularly, I especially look forward to doing it as one year closes and another begins. What is it? A spiritual inventory. Some will write (as we’ve already done in this week’s Celebrate Kids email newsletter) that the focus this month should be on Jesus and not decorating, shopping, making more and better cookies than our neighbor, or whatever you and your family get caught up in. What if I suggest that our life’s focus should be Jesus? Let’s get our focus correct this month and continue it into 2012. He doesn’t just want to be our priority this month, but every day of every month. To assess how I’m doing, … [Read more...]
Happy Thanksgiving! – Includes The Presidential Proclamation
November 23, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
I and everyone here at Celebrate Kids wish you a bountiful and blessed Thanksgiving! Here is the Presidential proclamation for this years Thanksgiving Holiday. The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 16, 2011 Presidential Proclamation – Thanksgiving Day, 2011 - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION One of our Nation's oldest and most cherished traditions, Thanksgiving Day brings us closer to our loved ones and invites us to reflect on the blessings that enrich our lives. The observance recalls the celebration of an autumn harvest centuries ago, when the Wampanoag tribe joined the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony to share in the fruits of a … [Read more...]
A Grandmother’s Wisdom for Thanksgiving Conversations
November 21, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
If you’re like many people, you’ll get together with relatives more often these next seven weeks than during any other time of year. I hope you’ll use these times for strategic conversations. Yes, it’s possible that even young people who are used to texting will talk face-to-face. My brother and I have four cousins on my mom’s side of the family. Through our young adult years, we got together with our parents, Great Aunts, and Grandparents, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, in addition to other times during the year. (We were blessed to all live in the same city.) When we got older and some of us went off to college, holiday gatherings became more important since we were together less often. My Grandmother … [Read more...]
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