Into the Fire

The end of 2020 . . . Part 2

 

Many people look forward to 2021 as the end game to their fears and tribulations. But those same people also look forward to 2021 with trepidation because there is still a "scary" virus, there is still unrest, there is still uncertainty, there are numerous and somewhat never ending fearful circumstances awaiting the mere change of a day. 

There will be celebrations in some places but not as plentiful or as noteworthy as in the past. Why? FEAR. Instead of challenging the claims which have waffled like a broken-down mattress, most people have complied with some governor-issued demands that keep perpetuating fearfulness with compromised statistics, outright lies, and actual threats to those trying to save their businesses, families' well-being, and the state of the Union. 

Without the defeat of the spirits of fear, deception, and lying spirits, 2021 has little to offer in the way of differences from the majority of 2020. That's a fact. 

So as the hours, minutes, and seconds are counted down to the erasure of 2020, what will people do? What will they decide? Will they embrace bravery and boldness? Will they cower mostly in their homes and/or continue to comply with unrealistic and ineffective mandates by some who wish to wield power and demand obedience to their mandates? Strange questions to be asked and answered approaching a new year.  

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (English Standard Version)

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (Berean Study Bible)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. (Berean Literal Bible)

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-control. (NIV)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)

2 Timothy 1:7 

 

Thank you, God Almighty, for ushering in a new year. We honor you, we long to trust you more, we're desperate for you, and we always want to have your Spirit guiding us, reassuring us, and providing the hope and courage we're determined to own and demonstrate as your people. We ask that you destroy the efforts of the spirits of deception, continue to expose the evil in our midst, and bring more of the lost to reach out to Jesus for their salvation and redemption. We ask it all in the power of the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The last of 2020 . . . Part 1

 

The learning . . . 

It was far easier than could ever be imagined for some to lie to, to horrify, and then to control the masses of the greatest nation in the world.

It was far easier to destroy a robust economy than could ever be imagined by some denying people and businesses the right to make decisions about the risks of maintaining their businesses during a potentially dangerous-to-some engineered and imported flu. 

It was far easier than could ever be imagined for some to bring hatred, envy, racism, name-calling, insults, lying, deception, and all the other tools of the enemy of our souls to the highest levels ever experienced in the greatest nation in the world. 

It was far easier than could ever be imagined for some people of faith to willingly accept the deceptions broadcast by a rogue media bent on perpetuating outright lies about everything good and decent in the greatest nation in the world. 

It was far easier than could ever be imagined for certain governors aided by a media gone mad to engineer and continue to stir up rabid fear in order to control those who would believe them in their fantastic proposals for liquor stores and pot shops and abortion clinics to remain open as "essential" businesses while closing churches and small businesses.

It was far easier than could ever be imagined that after research was published and verified which explained why masks were ineffective and potentially harmful to those who were forced to wear them for extended lengths of time that this well-documented research was censored and scorned even when those states which have complied religiously to the "masking up" dogma have noted or professed increases in a virus with inflated statistics for positive cases and unreliable deaths from, while ignoring the 99.8% recovery rates for all ages by those without comorbid health issues.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  1 Timothy 4:1 (NIV) 

 

Lord God, we praise you for your power and glory, provision and prophecy, protection and peace beyond our understanding. You know. Nothing is hidden from you. Keep exposing the evil, Lord. We're desperate for you: the Way, the Truth, the Life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

 

 

Tuesday Tunes

 

One of the all-time best Christian rock bands with their leader Mylon LeFevre who truly had been through it all before he found the One who set him free. Mylon's story is worth hearing if you ever take the opportunity. Truly talented, chose his path of ruin before giving it up to serve Jesus. A Christian is no "stranger to danger" unless they ignore the temptations of life - hard to do. 

 

Father, continue to bless Mylon's ministry and all that he does for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

What authors sometimes do . . .

           

We play a dangerous game, we who write novels. Yes, it's fiction so we can play with characters, plots, tempos, melodic prose, staccato words, all of that. And we do. However, some authors dare to take a terrible risk when they make their protagonist - their hero or heroine - unlikable. I would guess that some readers might find that prospect intriguing, but I must admit I do not. 

Instead of doing my typical Monday book review, I decided to discuss this topic because of a novel I read a short time ago which only had one moderately likable character in the entire rather long story and cast of numerous characters. Written by a British author and taking place predominantly in various parts of London and outlying towns, the pre-middle age protagonist was mostly a heavy drinker but had also been an historian, teacher, and a husband. "Had been" being the operative words. He was fired from the school where he taught, but the reader doesn't learn why until two thirds of the way into the story which opens with him staying with/mooching off a friend.

When another friend from his university days approaches him and invites him to meet his employer in Madeira (Portugal) who might be interested in hiring him for his talents as an historian, he accepts the invitation and travels to their destination, a beautiful estate owned by a wealthy older man who has a mystery he wants solved about a dead British man. He gives the dead man's journal to the protagonist to research after offering substantial money to hire him. The historian in the protagonist is fascinated and anxious to pursue the fate of the dead man which leads him back to London and neighboring areas. 

Although at this point the protagonist is hardly likable before his research is all said and done, he becomes even more unlikable - a self-serving often obnoxious man - until after what turns out to be a harrowing discovery, he finds a bit of redemption near the end and at the end of the story. The story elevates the dead man who is faced with multiple betrayals and heartbreak. He's the antithesis of the protagonist while sharing the stage in the plot. It's implicated that the dead man's honor and death give a renewed understanding of a respectable life to the protagonist who concludes the story better off than when it began. 

All that to say, I almost quit the book multiple times because of the multi-characters' lack of integrity and anything of personal value. I guess it was the "heroism" of the dead man who saved the novel. Would I recommend it? No. Which is why I'm not naming names. 

 

Father, thank you for the art of writing stories. Thank you for the inspiration and gift of writing. Please help me to be the best I can be and to always bring you glory. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Sunday's Offerings

 

     So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 

 

Luke 2:16-20 (NIV) 

It's Christmas!

                 

Jesus, born in a manger, committed to saving the world. He offered it all yet some refused His sacrifice. 

On this day, may you find the Savior and let the Light triumph in your life.

                              Merry Christmas!

     And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified, but the angel said to them, "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. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger." Luke 2:8-12 (NIV)  

Throwback Thursday on Christmas Eve

 

Christmas Eve, 2020. Jesus Is Still The Reason For The Season. People still honor the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Some open gifts. Some deliver gifts. Some serve a special meal. Some serve meals to the homeless. 

Some attend candlelight services and in spite of "regulations" will sing the beautiful songs of Christmas. 

Some suffer in hospitals, some suffer in addictions, some suffer in loneliness, some suffer deep loss. 

Some celebrate modestly, some celebrate elegantly, some celebrate humbly, some celebrate boisterously. 

Some anticipate Christmas morning, some complain about too many/not enough gifts, some resent preparing the big dinner, some welcome the wonderful holiday and all it brings. 

I wish you a Merry, Joyous Christmas. Jesus came to save us all from the evils of sin and shame. Nothing compares to Him and what He did for His creation. May you be the ones who truly celebrate Christmas in spite of all that is sinful and distracting from the real meaning of this unique and beautiful event. 

Thank you, Jesus, for rescuing us. We're all desperate for you. 

An unexpected . . . Christmas at Harrington's

                           

Those of you who know me well know I don't generally read Christmas novels, but Christmas at Harrington's by the prolific author Melody Carlson was a thoughtful gift so I appreciated the spirit in which it was given and read the story. 

A genuinely innocent woman (Lena) who served eight years for being conned by her ex-husband leaves prison with next to nothing to attempt to start a new life in a new town away from the horrible memories of her betrayal. On the bus ride to her destination where a boarding house room has been reserved for her, she reluctantly meets a lovely older woman who asks to sit next to her. Not wanting to be close to anyone but feeling she can't refuse, she discovers the sweet lady named Moira in a funny red Christmas coat sincerely wants to befriend her. 

Needless to say, there are multiple challenges ahead for Lena, not the least of which is finding a job. She's supposed to have one at the local department store, but she learns upon her arrival that workers are being laid off. Upon meeting the owner's teen daughter, an unusual possibility seems to be her only prospect of employment. 

The novel is a quick read about second chances, having to face the ugliness of a painful past, learning what true friendship looks like, and resolving all issues in the course of facing the real reason for faith at Christmas and always. If you're a reader of Christmas stories, you're bound to find pleasure in this one. 

 

Father, please continue to bless Melody and provide all she needs to continue writing the stories you have just for her to tell. Give her joy for the season and keep her safe from all harm as she does as you direct her to do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Tuesday Tunes . . . at Christmas

   

The pure voice of Josh Groban perfectly delivering the words of this wonderful Christmas hymn.

 

The classic sound of a choir for this old folk hymn traditionally sung at Christmas. 

 

Beautiful voices and a perfect rendition of this great old Christmas song. 

 

 

 

Thank you, Jesus, is never enough. 

The overheated . . . Firewalk

                             

Firewalk by L. T. Ryan and Brian Shea addresses the modern-day horror of human trafficking. 

Hatch starts out her new life anonymously until she's forced to make up her name on the fly. Grabbing her beloved niece's first name and coupling it with a former young cop's last name, she quickly becomes Daphne Nighthawk - at least temporarily. A quick stop at a gas station yields a pretty teenager showing signs of distress and intentionally dropping a school pin as she's nearly dragged to a waiting vehicle. When the car pulls away, Hatch, aka Daphne, retrieves the pin and figures out the exclusive school it represents. Approaching that school to verify the whereabouts of the young girl who dropped it proves to be difficult and irritating, but finally yields valuable information on who the girl is and that she is in fact missing. Next stop takes her to the police station. 

At the local police station, Hatch faces ineptitude and condescension by the man in charge of the investigation, insisting she probably just ran away for a few days. Her final stop is the girl's home located in an exclusive area with gated mansions. She approaches the home and requests to speak to the parents stating that she has information about the girl, but the security guard proves to be a bundle of hostility and refers her to the police. Turns out he shouldn't have messed with Hatch. 

Through a clandestine conference with the girl's mother, she gathers the woman is basically a hostage herself by a controlling husband, but the woman decides to trust Hatch and her promise to bring her daughter home.

The abhorrent underworld of human trafficking is revealed when Hatch teams up with a Private Investigator who likes to fake who he is. When Hatch realizes he's far more clever and insightful than she first gathered, having fallen for his first guise, she begins to trust him. 

Firewalk is not a fun story, and the treachery and disregard for human life - especially of those who are young and attractive - explore the absolute base desires of sinful man. Hatch is at her best when she has a noble purpose before her. Being a woman dedicated to keeping her seldom made promises, she knows there are only so many opportunities in this life to right a wrong. If she can, she will, or she will literally die trying. 

Having left behind the family she'd grown to love and the man who stole her heart in order to keep them all safe from the group who killed her father, she misses them terribly and wonders if there will ever be a way to return to them. She must quickly set those thoughts aside as she continues on her journey being someone else. 

Hatch is an amazing character, hard-headed but tender-hearted, tough as any good soldier but vulnerable just the same. Firewalk is Book 5 in this series and each segment allows us to see another part of Rachel Hatch. 

 

Father, you know everyone's heart, how they view things, how they handle life. Only you can save souls. We're all desperate for you whether we know it or not. Please bless L. T. and Brian as they write stories of the good and evil in men's hearts. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Sunday's Offerings

 

     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."

     So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 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." 

 

Matthew 2:13-15 (NIV) 

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                                         Merry Christmas shopping! 

 

Father, Jesus is the Reason for the Season, and there are never enough thank yous for that. Please keep seeking souls with hearts open to the Savior of the world. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

  

Another excerpt . . .

 

From my soon-to-be published for e-readers only at this time: . . . in a love song

 

From Chapters 5 and 6:

 

     He cleaned up and set on his way to The Tavern to enjoy Pet’s cooking even if it would be just a cheeseburger and fries. Who was he kidding? He hoped to feast on her pretty face and get a warm reception from her stealth façade. Of all the local information the guys had pumped into him in the short time he’d been here, not one of them had mentioned this pretty gal who worked behind the bar. There’d been plenty of chatter about some other women in town, like Leann, one of the checkers at the supermarket who apparently had a fondness for construction workers.

     It was 2:30 when he walked in, the jukebox playing rock ‘n’ roll tunes from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Not as loud as last evening. The place had a healthy crowd for a Saturday afternoon with several tables occupied. He strode toward the bar and straddled a stool next to his coworker Keith who looked like a hangover danced in his head.

     “Bud, you look like you shoulda left when I did,” Dale kidded.

     Keith looked over with a sly smile after taking a sip of his tomato beer. “And miss all the fun?” His smile turned into a grin.

     “Hmm. Yeah, hard to pass up a little fun, huh? Gotta pay the price, though. You know it ain’t free.”

     “Never is, is it?” And he laughed a bit like that much movement hurt.

     “Here ya go, Trouble. Hope it goes down easy cuz it won’t come up that way.” Pet turned to Dale after setting a plate full of sunny-side up eggs, hash browns, sausage, and toast in front of Keith. “What can I get for you?” Her smile was confident this afternoon.

     “Cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke, please. Heavy on the onions.” He looked her in the eyes when he ordered, and she didn’t flinch.

     “Onions, huh?”

     “No reason not to,” he replied with a subtle smile. That comment got to her ever so slightly.

     “Heavy on the onions it is then.” She turned to get his Coke and when she placed it in front of him, she said, “You got a name?”

     “I’ve been called my fair share of them, but Dale Rivers is my given name.” He held out his hand to her.

     “Patricia Edison. No relation.”

      He smiled at her quip. Her grip was firm, and he didn’t let go for an extra beat. “Nice to meet you, Patricia.”

     For that extra beat, her confidence wavered as it had last night. Her hand was soft, and it felt good in his. He let go. She disappeared into the kitchen.

     “Whoa, dude. What’s up with that?” Keith seemed to have surfaced from his haze.

     “What?”

     “Pet don’t talk to just anybody like that. She makes herself off limits to most everyone.”

     “How come you guys never mentioned anything about her? You filled me in on all these other chicks around town but not her. Why?”

     Keith stared at his eggs for a moment. “Pet’s different.” He took a forkful and shoved it in his mouth, chewed, and then downed a big swig of the red beer.

     “Different how?”

     “She’s a Cadillac. Know what I mean? There’s some nice cars out there, but you know you got somethin’ special with a Cadillac.”

     Dale could see Keith was dead serious. Respect in his tone. Keith kept eating, staring down at his food.

     “Like an El Dorado?”

     “Like a classic shiny red El Dorado only belonged to one owner its whole life.” Keith pushed his plate away and downed the rest of his drink. As he tugged his wallet out of his back pocket, he said, “Word of advice? Don’t go there. See ya Monday.” He put a twenty on the counter and walked out.

     Dale turned slightly on his stool and watched him leave.

Six

When he turned back to the counter, she placed the plate in front of him. “Don’t pay any attention to Keith. Especially when he’s hungover which is usually every Saturday morning for as long as I can remember.” She said it without malice.

     “You guys more than friends?”

     “A very long time ago. High school. First love and all that jazz. It ended badly. And it wasn’t love at all.”

     “I think he’s still hangin’ on to that first love thing.” Dale captured her gaze and spoke straight over some love song.

     She surprised him when she laughed. “You see those babes last night?”

     “Hard to miss them with the guys gettin’ whiplash lookin’ at them. Why?”

     “Keith left with the one showin’ the most skin. That’s his MO. Has been for as long as I’ve known him.” She ragged off the counter next to him, holding Keith’s dirty dishes in her other hand. “I don’t work tonight. Want to take me to dinner?” She grinned at him.

     “Yeah. I do.”

     “Don’t expect much more than good conversation, and you got yourself a date.”

     “Where and when?”

     “Pick me up here at around 6 o’clock. Alright?”

     “Sure.”

     “Let me know if you like your burger.” She walked back into the kitchen. 

 

Thank you for it all, Lord. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Wednesday Whimsy . . . at Christmastime

                            

And so they continued on their journey to be counted in the census at Bethlehem. The very pregnant Mary with her husband Joseph traveled to Joseph's place of birth to fulfill the prophecy that said the Christ, the Messiah, would be born in Bethlehem. And so shortly after arriving to find the normal places of lodging full, they retired to the stable where the Son of man, the Son of God, would be born to this faithful couple who in accordance with their spiritual instruction named their boy Jesus who would become the Savior of the world. 

 

God, keep reaching the lost. Holy Spirit, keep drawing them to Jesus. Jesus, keep saving those souls who finally realize that you took their sins upon yourself and died in their place re-establishing the peace between God and man. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Tuesday Tunes . . . at Christmas

       

Go tell it everywhere! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NIV)

 

Father, never enough thank yous. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Hitting the . . . Hard Target

                                 

Hard Target by J. B. Turner is Book 8 in the Jon Reznick Thriller Series. 

Trevelle Williams has been Jon's mysterious hacker and has helped him in hard situations every time he's needed quick and tough answers in life and death circumstances. Now Trevelle needs Jon's skills to help him because he's been discovered and can clearly discern his life is in serious jeopardy because of some information passed along to him by another hacker friend who didn't have time to look into it. Trevelle feels threatened to the point of meeting up in a face-to-face with Jon Reznick who he calls "Mr. R.". 

Trevelle isn't the only one being threatened and in danger. A woman who works for one of the alphabet agencies has found serious discrepancies in the Pentagon's budget and several men who've investigated the very things she's discovered are dead from what appeared to be "accidents". Trevelle and Jon decide to warn her before she testifies in a Congressional committee meeting. 

A major private "security" firm led by a former CIA man takes care of problems like Trevelle and this woman. Jon summons the FBI to offer protection for these two whistleblowers, but the FBI (including Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein) want to go by the book and arrest them for having discovered classified information which the woman is going to expose to the committee. Jon insists they need protection until after she testifies. 

Constant relocation, being at odds with the FBI and disobeying a direct order, murders and mayhem, all occur before Jon finds the hard target to neutralize.

Hard Target is another bona fide thriller with a touching Epilogue and an expressed hope of something real developing between Martha and Jon. Jon's well aware that he's been reluctant to admit any feelings other than professional respect for Martha, that he needs to lay off the Dexedrine, and that he's seriously considering if he might be ready for a real relationship. 

Definitely profanity present. 

 

Father, you know hearts and minds. Please continue to provide what J. B. needs to write the stories he's compelled to tell. Watch over him and bless him. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

     

Sunday's Offerings

 

     After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

     When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:

          "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel."

     Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

     After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

 

Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV)

Friday Five

                                   

Five things I love about Christmas & Five things I don't like related to Christmas:

"Jesus Is The Reason for The Season" - it's true, and I love it.

I love rereading about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Such an amazing ordinary man. A heart after God and willing to do the improbable and impossible because he listened to the messengers and messages the Father sent to him in person and in dreams. An obedient soul who believed God and acted on that belief.

Buying gifts. Admittedly, when I can, I overdo it. Giving is my thing. I think it was my dad's as well. He got far more joy from giving than receiving. I do too. 

I love Christmas carols. Used to be you could always hear them playing in any store. We sang them all in school a long time ago and actually went caroling. Knew all the words by heart. When I got saved, they became even more real and meaningful.

All my Christmas decorations. Turning off all the lights except for the Christmas lights inside and out. So beautiful. 

Now for the unpleasant things:

I don't like wrapping presents. Not at all. The year I went to Europe with my friend, I brought back many Christmas gifts. I believe we got back on December 23rd, and I had to wrap all of those gifts in a hurry to get them delivered. It was agonizing. Since then, I no longer do anything fancy. Wrap them nicely and stick a bow and tag on them. Done. 

Not a fan of the commercialization, and by that I mean the over-emphasis on Santa and anything unrelated to the real reason for the season. It grieves me when I can't find Christmas wrap with Nativity related designs, etc. 

I don't like silly/stupid pseudo Christmas songs. (I can be slightly flexible here but not much.)

For being a devoted Christmas lover, I don't like/watch Christmas movies ever. And I don't read Christmas novels. Just not a fan at all. 

I don't like "white elephant" gifts. Waste of time/effort/potentially money. Not fun. 

So there you have it. Yours?  

 

Father, Christmas is amazing. Always has been for me, but when Jesus became real to me, I learned the  reason for the season. I can never thank you enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Throwback Thursday . . . at Christmastime

 

Originally titled "What I appreciate about Mary and Joseph".

I love Mary and Joseph, the imperfect but perfectly placed human parents for the Son of God. I love them and appreciate them because they knew God, they watched for His signs, listened to His voice, obeyed His instructions which, as is sometimes the case, could not have been easy since His supernatural power was fully engaged in their lives. To trust that Almighty God sent His ministering spirits to speak to them as individuals and as a couple requiring some extremely difficult decisions and moves are incredible, admirable, and fascinating acts of obedience. They were a model family where the brunt of the decision making rested on Joseph, and from the first to the last one was neither simple nor easy.

To watch the splendor of God's plan unfold in their lives must have been both awesome, strange, and challenging. When the young Jesus stayed behind to discuss matters of God with the Rabbis and was discovered missing in their family crowd later in their journey, they were rightfully shocked and visibly - and understandably - upset upon retracing their steps to find Him. His explanation about being in His Father's house must have - to use a modern slang term - blown them away, but it had to remind them of all His history that had transpired and that they couldn't escape their own humanity.

I love those two, hand-picked by God, parents of the "Son of man", the man and woman of God who responded to His call and hold an esteemed position in the Kingdom of God. Ordinary people made extraordinary by the Hand of God for His purpose.

Just as He asks of us all . . .

 

Father, may it be to me as you determine . . . In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Wednesday Whimsy . . . at Christmastime

   

A pregnant mother riding on a donkey's back to make the journey to Bethlehem carrying the son of man/Son of God to be named Jesus. Two obedient souls traveling as God directed them. Two ordinary lives made unique and extraordinary by the God of the universe. The first Christmas: the Savior of the world came down to earth.

 

Father, we can never thank you enough for any and all of it. Thank you for rescuing me and giving us all the joy of Christmas - you still haven't abandoned your Creation. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.