Monday, March 7, 2011
And the winners are...
Congratulations to Abbie Johnson, Chris, and Ken for winning a copy of Living with Less so your Family has More from Jill and Mark Savage! Thanks so much to everyone for posting such thoughtful comments on the things you ARE giving up, HAVE given up, or NEED TO give up in order to give your family more time, attention, fun, and peace. We can all use that, right?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Living with less really can mean MORE for your family!
Another fantastic in-studio visit with the awesome Jill Savage of Hearts at Home. This past Wednesday Jill stopped by to talk about how giving up things, activities, and even money can mean MORE for your family. More time, more family togetherness, and more PEACE in your home. I especially appreciated what Jill said when Jeremy asked her how you can know that you really are too busy. Without missing a beat, Jill answered right away, "When the things that are important to you aren't happening. Like family meals...". Talk about hitting home!! The Traceys are definitely seeing the benefit of giving up activities, eating out, and buying stuff in order to actually have MORE for our little family! What have you given up so that your family can have MORE? Or, what do you need to give up ASAP? Let us know in a comment on this blog post and you could win a copy of the book, "Living with Less so your Family can have More" by Jill and her husband, Mark Savage. (Make sure to add an email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win!) Hurry! The winners will be posted tomorrow (Monday, March 7) at 5pm. Oh, and check out info on Jill Savage and the Hearts at Home National Conference for Moms at www.heartsathome.org
Friday, February 11, 2011
The LOVE-ly winners...
Congratulations to the winners of the three books courtesy of Jill Savage and Hearts at Home. Melanie is the winner of Real Moms Real Jesus. My Heart's at Home goes to Jamie A. And, Living with Less so your Family has More was won by kwood. Yeah! Ya gotta LOVE gettin' something for free, right? Melanie, Jamie A, and kwood, please contact us with your address. You can send the information directly to Jessie Browning, 91.5 WCIC's incredible Promotions Director, at jessie@wcicfm.org.
Hey, have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Jeremy and I have next week off for a little vacay time, so we'll check in with you later! LOVE!
Hey, have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Jeremy and I have next week off for a little vacay time, so we'll check in with you later! LOVE!
Gotta love LOVE!
Aw, don'tcha just love LOVE? You know that we do. Look at the multitude of chick flicks that come out every year, mostly with the same theme. Guy meets girl. Girl is already in a relationship with some jerk. Guy shows extreme self-sacrifice and a combination of strength, humor, and humility. Jerky guy crosses some line and Girl opens her eyes. But, she appears to be too late. No, wait, she's NOT too late. Girl and Guy finally find a lifetime of happiness and perfection in each other's arms. (SIGH) Isn't that just the way it happens in real life? Ha! BUT..we love those love stories.
So, why is it that we can love the love stories but forget to show real expressions of love on a daily (or at least a regular) basis? I don't know about you but I get so wrapped up in the everyday stuff that I neglect to show my extraordinary hubby exactly how much I adore him. Sad, right? But, it's reality. That's why I love Valentine's Day. Sure, it's full of commercialism but it IS a good reminder to slow down and take the time if even for just one day to focus on loving our loves! If only Valentine's Day would happen once a month. I know, I know, that's what date nights are for. But when EVERYONE else around you is talking about it and making plans, it's a whole lot easier to force yourself to make the effort. Let's hear it for peer pressure! Only the positive kind, of course!
Maybe you're a whole lot better at this daily (or at least regular) expression of love thing than I am. Here's your chance to show off. Leave a comment on this blog post. Let me know what you do routinely to express sweet love to your spouse or special someone. And, it just might mean a gift for you to give yourself or your Valentine this year. The FABULOUS Jill Savage (founder of Hearts at Home) has given us three of her most popular books and your comment could win you one of them. The titles included are Real Moms, Real Jesus (LOVE this one, my Bible Study group went through it last Spring - just what I needed), Living with Less so you Family has More(Co-Authored by Mark Savage) - can't wait to go through this one with Jeremy, and My Heart's at Home. You can learn more about Jill at www.jillsavage.org or www.heartsathome.org. She and the ladies at Hearts at Home are AWESOME!
Time is of the essence here...we'll do a random drawing from all the names of commenters on this post and let ya know who won by 6pm today!
LOVE to you and yours and have a LOVE-ly weekend! :)
So, why is it that we can love the love stories but forget to show real expressions of love on a daily (or at least a regular) basis? I don't know about you but I get so wrapped up in the everyday stuff that I neglect to show my extraordinary hubby exactly how much I adore him. Sad, right? But, it's reality. That's why I love Valentine's Day. Sure, it's full of commercialism but it IS a good reminder to slow down and take the time if even for just one day to focus on loving our loves! If only Valentine's Day would happen once a month. I know, I know, that's what date nights are for. But when EVERYONE else around you is talking about it and making plans, it's a whole lot easier to force yourself to make the effort. Let's hear it for peer pressure! Only the positive kind, of course!
Maybe you're a whole lot better at this daily (or at least regular) expression of love thing than I am. Here's your chance to show off. Leave a comment on this blog post. Let me know what you do routinely to express sweet love to your spouse or special someone. And, it just might mean a gift for you to give yourself or your Valentine this year. The FABULOUS Jill Savage (founder of Hearts at Home) has given us three of her most popular books and your comment could win you one of them. The titles included are Real Moms, Real Jesus (LOVE this one, my Bible Study group went through it last Spring - just what I needed), Living with Less so you Family has More(Co-Authored by Mark Savage) - can't wait to go through this one with Jeremy, and My Heart's at Home. You can learn more about Jill at www.jillsavage.org or www.heartsathome.org. She and the ladies at Hearts at Home are AWESOME!
Time is of the essence here...we'll do a random drawing from all the names of commenters on this post and let ya know who won by 6pm today!
LOVE to you and yours and have a LOVE-ly weekend! :)
Monday, February 7, 2011
Sometimes a song can say it all...
I can remember hearing the song "Candle in the Rain" by David Meece the summer before I started Bible College back in Renaissance times. Seriously, it was quite a while ago...we're talking the fall of 1988 - maybe you weren't even born yet. There's a good chance that's true.
Anywho...I had never really heard contemporary Christian music before (besides listening to the occasional Amy Grant album at my friend Heather's house during jr. high and high school) and this was like a breath of fresh air. A song that wasn't a hymn, that was more like something I would hear on the radio. And, that song perfectly described the way a relationship with Jesus could be. I remember my eyes instantly filling with tears and the constant requests of my roommate to put that cassette tape back in her cool boom-box-stereo-thingy. I was simply amazed. When did this type of music come to be? Little did I know back then when everything was still in black and white that one day I'd be working in the Christian music industry. God works things out, doesn't He?
So, how about you? What song has had a life-changing impact on you? Maybe it was the song that got you through a painful divorce, the death of a loved one, or a serious and scary medical journey. We want to hear your story. Tell us how a song you've heard recently on 91.5 WCIC has been THE song for you and you might be a part of our audio-visual promotional pieces for Sharathon, our Spring Fundraiser. And, those chosen will receive a special “Thank You” gift including some cool station gear, a travel mug, a wireless mouse, and a couple of CDs!
Leave your story here as a comment or on the Doing Life with the Traceys page on Facebook. And, thanks for sharing the music!!!
Anywho...I had never really heard contemporary Christian music before (besides listening to the occasional Amy Grant album at my friend Heather's house during jr. high and high school) and this was like a breath of fresh air. A song that wasn't a hymn, that was more like something I would hear on the radio. And, that song perfectly described the way a relationship with Jesus could be. I remember my eyes instantly filling with tears and the constant requests of my roommate to put that cassette tape back in her cool boom-box-stereo-thingy. I was simply amazed. When did this type of music come to be? Little did I know back then when everything was still in black and white that one day I'd be working in the Christian music industry. God works things out, doesn't He?
So, how about you? What song has had a life-changing impact on you? Maybe it was the song that got you through a painful divorce, the death of a loved one, or a serious and scary medical journey. We want to hear your story. Tell us how a song you've heard recently on 91.5 WCIC has been THE song for you and you might be a part of our audio-visual promotional pieces for Sharathon, our Spring Fundraiser. And, those chosen will receive a special “Thank You” gift including some cool station gear, a travel mug, a wireless mouse, and a couple of CDs!
Leave your story here as a comment or on the Doing Life with the Traceys page on Facebook. And, thanks for sharing the music!!!
Friday, February 4, 2011
And the winners are...
Congratulations to Pam and Taryn. You've both won a copy of the CD "Sunny Day" by Kid's Music extraordinare, Julie K! And, we're with you, can't WAIT for Spring!
So, Pam and Taryn, I just need you both to contact me at jill@wcicfm.org with your mailing address for the CD! Yeah!
Happy Sunny Thoughts for the weekend!!!
So, Pam and Taryn, I just need you both to contact me at jill@wcicfm.org with your mailing address for the CD! Yeah!
Happy Sunny Thoughts for the weekend!!!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
We could use a Sunny Day right about now!
OK, as we're busy preparing for the snow storm of the century, what my husband has dubbed "Snow-maggedon", I think we need to take a moment to dream of the future. Just a few seconds to ponder the fact that in about 6 weeks or so this blizzard will be a distant memory and we'll be looking forward to spending time outside doing something besides shoveling and FREEZING! We'll be actually pausing to look at the displays of shorts and t-shirts at all the department stores without laughing at the thought of actually WEARING them. Can you picture it? NO? Well, we'd like to help!
Kids' Music extraordinaire, Julie K, has kindly provided the Traceys with several copies of her awesome CD, Sunny Day. I tell ya, popping this puppy in the CD player will have you and your kiddos dreaming of running, playing, biking, and going to the ZOO...all OUTSIDE. Yes, really! You'll even start looking forward to seeing a swarm of bumblebees! It's a fun CD that's designed for kids but will have the adults singing along as well. So, it's time for a giveaway to get us believing Spring will actually come this year!
Here's all you need to do: Reply to this post with a comment about a Sunny Day. It can be about what you can't wait to do this Spring or Summer. It can be wistful thoughts about the lack of snow. It can be a haiku about warmer weather. Just make us forget about what's really going on outside...if even for a few seconds. The folks with the most creative posts will receive a copy of "Sunny Day" by Julie K to help get you through the coldest days this winter!
I'll announce the winners by this Friday at 5 pm, so get those creative juices flowing. Oh, and don't forget to shovel the driveway! (I know, UGH!)
Kids' Music extraordinaire, Julie K, has kindly provided the Traceys with several copies of her awesome CD, Sunny Day. I tell ya, popping this puppy in the CD player will have you and your kiddos dreaming of running, playing, biking, and going to the ZOO...all OUTSIDE. Yes, really! You'll even start looking forward to seeing a swarm of bumblebees! It's a fun CD that's designed for kids but will have the adults singing along as well. So, it's time for a giveaway to get us believing Spring will actually come this year!
Here's all you need to do: Reply to this post with a comment about a Sunny Day. It can be about what you can't wait to do this Spring or Summer. It can be wistful thoughts about the lack of snow. It can be a haiku about warmer weather. Just make us forget about what's really going on outside...if even for a few seconds. The folks with the most creative posts will receive a copy of "Sunny Day" by Julie K to help get you through the coldest days this winter!
I'll announce the winners by this Friday at 5 pm, so get those creative juices flowing. Oh, and don't forget to shovel the driveway! (I know, UGH!)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Did you do donuts?
Last night I was leaving the radio station and drove by Arby's which was apparently suffering a little downtime because the entire parking lot was empty. Except for one car. One car was slipping and sliding around in circles, getting dangerously close to crashing into a light pole at times. And, just like that, I was transported back to my youth. I can remember getting my friends together to go do donuts in a deserted school lot. We would have been in SO MUCH TROUBLE if we had been caught by a school administrator, or the police, or especially our parents. It was irresponsible. It was disrespectful of school property. It was dangerous. So, why did we do it? It was FUN!
I know. That's not a good excuse. I should have followed the rules. I should have been more careful. Seriously, I should have. If you're a minor and reading this, DO NOT take my admission to doing donuts as an excuse to do them yourself, because I really could have been hurt, along with the way too many friends packed into the car with me.
But, I'm reminded that there's something to be said for having FUN! In my adult world with my lists of to-dos and my responsibilities and all my rushing around, I forget to take time to just have FUN! How about you? Now, I'm not saying we should go out and do donuts and possibly harm ourselves, our cars, or someone else's property. But, I do think we should go sledding, have a snowball fight, or take a midnight walk in the snow. Who knows, maybe we'll start celebrating like our kids do when we hear reports of yet ANOTHER snow storm heading our way. Maybe.
So, here's my challenge to myself and to you, if you're willing to accept. Let's get outside and do something, anything, fun this week. Just a few minutes of not accomplishing anything but the enjoyment of the cold, the snow, and spending time with our friends or loved ones.
Hmm...who will reply 1st with what you've done after reading this blog entry? Let's just say a comment might be well worth your effort! ;)
I know. That's not a good excuse. I should have followed the rules. I should have been more careful. Seriously, I should have. If you're a minor and reading this, DO NOT take my admission to doing donuts as an excuse to do them yourself, because I really could have been hurt, along with the way too many friends packed into the car with me.
But, I'm reminded that there's something to be said for having FUN! In my adult world with my lists of to-dos and my responsibilities and all my rushing around, I forget to take time to just have FUN! How about you? Now, I'm not saying we should go out and do donuts and possibly harm ourselves, our cars, or someone else's property. But, I do think we should go sledding, have a snowball fight, or take a midnight walk in the snow. Who knows, maybe we'll start celebrating like our kids do when we hear reports of yet ANOTHER snow storm heading our way. Maybe.
So, here's my challenge to myself and to you, if you're willing to accept. Let's get outside and do something, anything, fun this week. Just a few minutes of not accomplishing anything but the enjoyment of the cold, the snow, and spending time with our friends or loved ones.
Hmm...who will reply 1st with what you've done after reading this blog entry? Let's just say a comment might be well worth your effort! ;)
Friday, January 21, 2011
WATCH OUT WORLD...My child is a creative genius!
Yesterday I attended Alyssa's pre-K parent-teacher conference and I tell ya, when you hear from a teacher how creative your child is, you can feel like you're raising the next best-selling author or world-renowned artist. I knew Alyssa was doing pretty well with her letters and numbers. But, like all her classmates, there's always a few that she gets stuck on. So, I'll be working more with the flashcards, helping her keep it fresh in her mind. But, when Mrs. Neal launched into a description of how well Alyssa's doing with her drawing, I couldn't help but swell with pride, just a little. I know Jesus gave her the talent, but she's MY KID, right?! Then I learned that one of the skills they work on during this year is to have the students each come up with a one or two sentence story about the latest picture they've drawn. Well, apparently, Alyssa can go on all day with the stories behind her works of art. (SIGH) I can see the book reviews and long lines at author signings already.
OK, OK, I'll try not to get ahead of myself. But, I'm so proud of my little creative girl. If you're a parent, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. There's a certain, well, almost HIGH you can get by celebrating the strengths of your child. For me I think it's the awesome realization that I (with my husband and God's help of course) have created this beautiful little being and now she's creating beautiful things. I'm sure you feel this way about whatever area your child is excelling in, too. Now, the challenge will be to continue to encourage the creativity and freedom of expression without allowing my own self-worth to be confused with my child's successes. Know what I mean?
Anywho, for now, I'm just going to revel in my daughter's creative genius. I'm going to let her know I think she's awesome. And, I'm going to look forward to seeing what God does with this strength that He has given her!
Hey, have a great weekend, and feel free to comment with a story of why YOUR kiddo is a genius! :)
OK, OK, I'll try not to get ahead of myself. But, I'm so proud of my little creative girl. If you're a parent, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. There's a certain, well, almost HIGH you can get by celebrating the strengths of your child. For me I think it's the awesome realization that I (with my husband and God's help of course) have created this beautiful little being and now she's creating beautiful things. I'm sure you feel this way about whatever area your child is excelling in, too. Now, the challenge will be to continue to encourage the creativity and freedom of expression without allowing my own self-worth to be confused with my child's successes. Know what I mean?
Anywho, for now, I'm just going to revel in my daughter's creative genius. I'm going to let her know I think she's awesome. And, I'm going to look forward to seeing what God does with this strength that He has given her!
Hey, have a great weekend, and feel free to comment with a story of why YOUR kiddo is a genius! :)
Saturday, December 11, 2010
WHO is the reason for Season? The answer might surprise you!
Guess what’s on my mind today?
CHRISTMAS!
Ha ha…I know, surprise surprise, right? It’s on everyone’s mind. It’s everywhere we look. Sale ads, commercials, decorations, even the cold temperatures and snow constantly remind us that December 25 is just days away. Like many of us, I’m concerned about where our focus is concentrated this time of year. We get so easily sidetracked by the gift lists, the shopping, the decking of the halls, the party planning and attending. Even those of us who want to avoid the commercial-consumption-filled-Holiday find our schedules overloaded. Maybe they’re overloaded with good things like Church services, volunteer opportunities, and family events, but overloaded is overloaded. So, the question is, what are we all very likely missing as we look forward to celebrating Christmas day?
Amid the Christmas rush… In the middle of the mounting bills…In the insanity of our schedules…What are we all losing sight of?
All together now…We’ve forgotten the reason for the season!
But, what exactly IS the reason for the season?
Right now you’re probably thinking…DUH…Jesus is the reason for the Season! Haven’t you seen it plastered on coffee mugs, t-Shirts, bumper stickers, and Facebook statuses?! Jesus is the Reason for the Season! Just ask anyone who believes in more than a big red-suited guy who delivers presents with the help of eight (or nine depending on whether they need Rudolph’s red nose, I guess) mammals who have no business flying outside of the magic of North Pole. Of course, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Would you hate me if I say I don’t necessarily agree with that?
Before you write me off as misled, heretical, or just plain CRAZY…let me reassure you. I believe Jesus Christ is THE son of God. He is the King of Kings and the Savior of the World.
In fact, I would say without hesitation that Jesus is the Creator of the Season.
There would BE no Christmas without Jesus. He is the Creator of EVERYTHING!
The Bible says, “Through (Jesus) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:3
“He came into the very world he created…” ~ John 1:10 (NIV)
So, yes, Jesus is the Creator of Christmas.
I would go even further to say that Jesus is the Focus of the Season.
What He came to do is amazing! I hope to never lose sight of what Jesus was committing to by coming into the world as a baby born in the humblest of circumstances.
“He appeared as a man. He came down to the lowest level. He obeyed God completely, even though it led to his death. In fact, he died on a cross.” ~ Philippians 2:8 (NIrV)
So, yes, Jesus is the Creator of the Season and Jesus is the Focus of the Season! He is the Who, the What, the When, the Where, and even the HOW of Christmas.
But, my friend, we are the WHY!
So, that’s why I believe the Reason for the Season is…
YOU!
“He came into the world…for you.” ~ 1 Peter 1:20 (NIrV)
Isn’t that incredible? The Creator of all that is, the Master of the universe, the Lord of all, gave up equality with God and chose to come to that low level as a human being. He chose to live a humble life in order to show us the way to do it. He chose to die in a horrific way…for YOU!
But, maybe you’re a little like me and you can’t imagine that you could be the reason for this Season. Maybe you look at others and see Wonder Woman or Superman when you feel like the Queen or King of Chaos! I can so relate to that.
And, maybe you’re asking, why me? Why would Jesus come into this world…for me?
Well, my question is, why not you?
You are a child of the one true God. You are His creation. And, besides, all that stuff you try so desperately to hide from the world, from your friends, your family, and maybe even from your spouse…He already knows. He already sees. Every impure thought, every time you say those hurtful words to your loved ones, every time you try but fail, every time you fail to try…God knows, God sees, but He LOVES you anyway.
David the Psalmist understood this well. He got the fact that God knows us, INTIMATELY, inside and out. He had some understanding of the fact that it’s pointless to hide anything from God. In fact, he wrote about it:
1 Lord, you have seen what is in my heart.
You know all about me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up.
You know what I'm thinking even though you are far away.
3 You know when I go out to work and when I come back home.
You know exactly how I live.
4 Lord, even before I speak a word,
you know all about it.
5 You are all around me. You are behind me and in front of me.
You hold me in your power.
6 I'm amazed at how well you know me.
13 You created the deepest parts of my being.
You put me together inside my mother's body.
~ Psalm 139, 1-6, 13 (NIrV)
So, yes, God created you, He sees you, He knows all there is to know about you. Even things you don’t know fully yourself. But, here’s the exciting part…He LOVES YOU!
“The LORD your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” ~ Zephaniah 3:17 (CEV)
So, why not you? He created you; He knows you, and HE LOVES YOU!
AND, He knew this was the Only Way!
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard...” Romans 3:23
What is sin anyway? Isn’t it simply choosing to go our way instead of His way?
So, yes, we’ve all done it. If we’ve ever even entertained a THOUGHT that goes
against what He wants for us…we’ve sinned. So, we were all headed to eternal
separation from God.
But, He provided a way…
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 6:23 (NLT)
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ~ John 14:6 (NIrV)
And, you know what’s seriously cool? He planned it all along!
Sometimes I fool myself into thinking God had to scramble for plan B after Adam
and Eve chose to disobey and take that fateful bite of fruit. Sometimes I imagine
God saying to Himself, “Oh great! I created this perfect place for them. I gave
them everything they need. All I asked was that they not eat from ONE little tree.
But did they listen? NNNNnnnooo! Now I’ve got to figure out another way to get
‘em into heaven. Why don’t they just LISTEN?!”
Isn’t that ridiculous. This is God we’re talking about here. He’s all powerful, all
present, and ALL KNOWING. He knew we would choose to sin. And, He
PLANNED a way to save us from ourselves from the very beginning!
“Long before God laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ…He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.” ~ Ephesians 1:3-6 (The Message)
I don’t know about you, but this gets me all jazzed up. I AM THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. Doesn’t feel so strange to say that now. Why don’t you practice it? Go ahead…don’t worry about your co-workers, or the other customers at Panera, or even your family. They need to know this truth, too. So, go on, shout it out! Or, at least say it out loud. And, then maybe share the good news with someone close by. Can you imagine the encouragement you could give with those words? YOU are the Reason for the Season. Jesus is the Creator of the Season, He is the Focus of the Season. He is the Who, the What, the When, the Where, and even the HOW. But YOU are the Reason for the Season!!!
I don’t know what you’re facing today. Maybe you’ve received some really bad news from the Doctor. Maybe your child is hurting. Maybe you don’t know how you’ll provide food and heat this month, let alone a “MERRY” Christmas. (If you know of someone in this position, make sure you nominate their need to be met at www.icanhelpcentralillinois.org!) But, there’s one thing you can be certain of. It was BECAUSE OF YOU that Jesus came into this world. And, He would have done it if YOU were the only one to believe it, ever. YOU mean that much to Him!
So, on the days we feel like Wonder Woman or Super Man (or Lego Batman on the video game my husband and daughter are playing right now) OR the Queen or King of Chaos…these are the words that can get us through…WE are the Reason for this Season!
LOVE to you this weekend, and here are some words from one of my all time favorite Christmas songs to help you as you trudge through heartbreak, the mall, or both…
We Are the Reason
by David Meece
As little children we would dream of Christmas morn
And all the gifts and toys we knew we'd find
But we never realized a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives
As the years went by we learned more about gifts
And giving of ourselves and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying in the rain
Because of love Because of love
And we were the reason that he gave his life
We were the reason that he suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all he could give
To show us the reason to live!
CHRISTMAS!
Ha ha…I know, surprise surprise, right? It’s on everyone’s mind. It’s everywhere we look. Sale ads, commercials, decorations, even the cold temperatures and snow constantly remind us that December 25 is just days away. Like many of us, I’m concerned about where our focus is concentrated this time of year. We get so easily sidetracked by the gift lists, the shopping, the decking of the halls, the party planning and attending. Even those of us who want to avoid the commercial-consumption-filled-Holiday find our schedules overloaded. Maybe they’re overloaded with good things like Church services, volunteer opportunities, and family events, but overloaded is overloaded. So, the question is, what are we all very likely missing as we look forward to celebrating Christmas day?
Amid the Christmas rush… In the middle of the mounting bills…In the insanity of our schedules…What are we all losing sight of?
All together now…We’ve forgotten the reason for the season!
But, what exactly IS the reason for the season?
Right now you’re probably thinking…DUH…Jesus is the reason for the Season! Haven’t you seen it plastered on coffee mugs, t-Shirts, bumper stickers, and Facebook statuses?! Jesus is the Reason for the Season! Just ask anyone who believes in more than a big red-suited guy who delivers presents with the help of eight (or nine depending on whether they need Rudolph’s red nose, I guess) mammals who have no business flying outside of the magic of North Pole. Of course, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Would you hate me if I say I don’t necessarily agree with that?
Before you write me off as misled, heretical, or just plain CRAZY…let me reassure you. I believe Jesus Christ is THE son of God. He is the King of Kings and the Savior of the World.
In fact, I would say without hesitation that Jesus is the Creator of the Season.
There would BE no Christmas without Jesus. He is the Creator of EVERYTHING!
The Bible says, “Through (Jesus) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:3
“He came into the very world he created…” ~ John 1:10 (NIV)
So, yes, Jesus is the Creator of Christmas.
I would go even further to say that Jesus is the Focus of the Season.
What He came to do is amazing! I hope to never lose sight of what Jesus was committing to by coming into the world as a baby born in the humblest of circumstances.
“He appeared as a man. He came down to the lowest level. He obeyed God completely, even though it led to his death. In fact, he died on a cross.” ~ Philippians 2:8 (NIrV)
So, yes, Jesus is the Creator of the Season and Jesus is the Focus of the Season! He is the Who, the What, the When, the Where, and even the HOW of Christmas.
But, my friend, we are the WHY!
So, that’s why I believe the Reason for the Season is…
YOU!
“He came into the world…for you.” ~ 1 Peter 1:20 (NIrV)
Isn’t that incredible? The Creator of all that is, the Master of the universe, the Lord of all, gave up equality with God and chose to come to that low level as a human being. He chose to live a humble life in order to show us the way to do it. He chose to die in a horrific way…for YOU!
But, maybe you’re a little like me and you can’t imagine that you could be the reason for this Season. Maybe you look at others and see Wonder Woman or Superman when you feel like the Queen or King of Chaos! I can so relate to that.
And, maybe you’re asking, why me? Why would Jesus come into this world…for me?
Well, my question is, why not you?
You are a child of the one true God. You are His creation. And, besides, all that stuff you try so desperately to hide from the world, from your friends, your family, and maybe even from your spouse…He already knows. He already sees. Every impure thought, every time you say those hurtful words to your loved ones, every time you try but fail, every time you fail to try…God knows, God sees, but He LOVES you anyway.
David the Psalmist understood this well. He got the fact that God knows us, INTIMATELY, inside and out. He had some understanding of the fact that it’s pointless to hide anything from God. In fact, he wrote about it:
1 Lord, you have seen what is in my heart.
You know all about me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up.
You know what I'm thinking even though you are far away.
3 You know when I go out to work and when I come back home.
You know exactly how I live.
4 Lord, even before I speak a word,
you know all about it.
5 You are all around me. You are behind me and in front of me.
You hold me in your power.
6 I'm amazed at how well you know me.
13 You created the deepest parts of my being.
You put me together inside my mother's body.
~ Psalm 139, 1-6, 13 (NIrV)
So, yes, God created you, He sees you, He knows all there is to know about you. Even things you don’t know fully yourself. But, here’s the exciting part…He LOVES YOU!
“The LORD your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” ~ Zephaniah 3:17 (CEV)
So, why not you? He created you; He knows you, and HE LOVES YOU!
AND, He knew this was the Only Way!
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard...” Romans 3:23
What is sin anyway? Isn’t it simply choosing to go our way instead of His way?
So, yes, we’ve all done it. If we’ve ever even entertained a THOUGHT that goes
against what He wants for us…we’ve sinned. So, we were all headed to eternal
separation from God.
But, He provided a way…
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 6:23 (NLT)
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ~ John 14:6 (NIrV)
And, you know what’s seriously cool? He planned it all along!
Sometimes I fool myself into thinking God had to scramble for plan B after Adam
and Eve chose to disobey and take that fateful bite of fruit. Sometimes I imagine
God saying to Himself, “Oh great! I created this perfect place for them. I gave
them everything they need. All I asked was that they not eat from ONE little tree.
But did they listen? NNNNnnnooo! Now I’ve got to figure out another way to get
‘em into heaven. Why don’t they just LISTEN?!”
Isn’t that ridiculous. This is God we’re talking about here. He’s all powerful, all
present, and ALL KNOWING. He knew we would choose to sin. And, He
PLANNED a way to save us from ourselves from the very beginning!
“Long before God laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ…He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.” ~ Ephesians 1:3-6 (The Message)
I don’t know about you, but this gets me all jazzed up. I AM THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. Doesn’t feel so strange to say that now. Why don’t you practice it? Go ahead…don’t worry about your co-workers, or the other customers at Panera, or even your family. They need to know this truth, too. So, go on, shout it out! Or, at least say it out loud. And, then maybe share the good news with someone close by. Can you imagine the encouragement you could give with those words? YOU are the Reason for the Season. Jesus is the Creator of the Season, He is the Focus of the Season. He is the Who, the What, the When, the Where, and even the HOW. But YOU are the Reason for the Season!!!
I don’t know what you’re facing today. Maybe you’ve received some really bad news from the Doctor. Maybe your child is hurting. Maybe you don’t know how you’ll provide food and heat this month, let alone a “MERRY” Christmas. (If you know of someone in this position, make sure you nominate their need to be met at www.icanhelpcentralillinois.org!) But, there’s one thing you can be certain of. It was BECAUSE OF YOU that Jesus came into this world. And, He would have done it if YOU were the only one to believe it, ever. YOU mean that much to Him!
So, on the days we feel like Wonder Woman or Super Man (or Lego Batman on the video game my husband and daughter are playing right now) OR the Queen or King of Chaos…these are the words that can get us through…WE are the Reason for this Season!
LOVE to you this weekend, and here are some words from one of my all time favorite Christmas songs to help you as you trudge through heartbreak, the mall, or both…
We Are the Reason
by David Meece
As little children we would dream of Christmas morn
And all the gifts and toys we knew we'd find
But we never realized a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives
As the years went by we learned more about gifts
And giving of ourselves and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying in the rain
Because of love Because of love
And we were the reason that he gave his life
We were the reason that he suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all he could give
To show us the reason to live!
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