Breakfast in Bethlehem

“Where are we going, Mama?”  Dylan asked me this morning as I began to rush him, urging him to get ready.  “To Breakfast in Bethlehem!”  I replied with all the excitement that I could muster on an early Saturday morning.  “What’s in there?”  Dylan continued asking.  (He can’t remember what happened yesterday, so I have gotten used to having to explain familiar things to him over and over and over and over again.)  Since I didn’t have much time for long and extended explanations, I just said, “there are animals in there!”  To this, Dylan’s eyes opened wide as he asked, “real ones?”  “Yes, Dylan, real animals and you can…”  He didn’t let me finish for he left the room in mid-sentence, went downstairs and told Dan, - who had already repeatedly told him to get ready so he could come earlier with him, all to no avail, - “Daddy!  I’m coming with you!”

I sighed, chuckled and praised God for this day.  “Breakfast in Bethlehem” is a wonderful annual event that the Marshall Family puts together in the middle of the Advent season with the help of countless other volunteers at our New Bedford Church.  It is truly experiential.  Children from our community come in and have a chance to wander around the different stations as the church is turned into our version of the little town of Bethlehem.  Personally, I head to the food first of all; and then, due to my allergies, I try to stay away from the hay as much as possible so I can maintain my breathing capacity to the max.

This year my allergies were particularly bad, so I spent most of my time standing safely by the entrance.  From my vantage point, I had the opportunity to watch the hustle and bustle of “Main Street.”  It was the first time I had the privilege of just contemplating “Breakfast in Bethlehem,” and it was a great experience.  I saw children’s faces light up as they heard Glenda, at the registration table, inform them that they could head down the hallway to find costumes to wear.  Shyly, but with a twinkle of anticipation in the eyes, the children paraded toward the costume room where Diana waited for them, ready to help them turn the most eclectic collection of material and other “accessories” into fabulous outfits worthy of kings, angels, townspeople or shepherds. 

I saw our very own grown-up angel, Jackie, floating around the “strip” bringing cheer to all who saw her walking by.  I decided to venture through “downtown” to check it out, and saw Kim, faithfully helping children make their clay beads with Shirley next door, offering tasty treats.  And, of course, in the stable with the live sheep, donkeys, rabbits, calf, and alpacas laying gently in the manger was this year’s baby Jesus, little Grace Elmer in all her splendor, under the careful watch of Rachel who played Mary.  One of my favorite parts was seeing Dylan hammering away at nails on a cross guided by Gary as Joseph in his carpenter's workshop.  I didn’t last long there for the livestock stirred my allergies.  So as I walked back to my original spot, Grant made rolls with Gay Ann in Mary’s bakery across the “street” from the fellowship hall where the puppeteers were getting ready for their show under the leadership of Geniene.  That’s also where breakfast is served buffet-style, managed by a multitude of helpers who offer visitors all kinds of goodies with a smile on their faces and a pot of coffee or a jar of juice in their hands. 

I stood at the entrance again for a little while and saw Marti and Brad Marshall, the engineers of this event, walking back and forth, trouble-shooting here and there with their characteristic ease, and their hearts filled with joy as they saw yet another “Breakfast in Bethlehem” come true at our beloved church.

It was time for me to go.  I went and found the boys and told them that they were under Daddy’s rule now.  I waved goodbye to Dan and walked outside to my car.  I breathed in the crisp morning air and thought of the great morning the Lord had given us today.  I’m so glad and thankful that my boys have a church that offers them the opportunity to become actors in a life-size pretend Bethlehem, made just for children like them to whom the Kingdom of God belongs.  And the greatest thing, which I didn’t hear about until I was home later in the afternoon:  Grant even had the chance to tell the Story of Jesus’ Birth to other children at Jackie’s storytelling place! – (This is a black-lit cave-type-concoction where kids of all ages crawl in to marvel at a recount of the events of 2000 years ago.)

“Breakfast in Bethlehem” gives us, as parents, another opportunity to keep the meaning of Christmas in the forefront of the season for our children.  It helps us surround them with all things Christian and all things good.  It is an event so full of wonders divine that Grant told me at night that he wishes “Breakfast in Bethlehem would last all day.”  What a blessing!  And for that, I praise the Lord – (and the Marshall Family too : ) -.

It was wonderful to spend the morning in the little town of Bethlehem which received our Savior in its arms and kept Him safe in such a humble state.  Fully man and fully God at the same time; Jesus guide our path today with Your perfect light.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

The Branch of Jesse

Inspired mostly by portions of Isaiah’s chapters 7 and 11, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is a song traditionally associated with Christmas.  However, though it does eloquently speak of the Advent of the Christ, God with Us; it is not but the Advent of His second coming that the poignant and sobering verses proclaim. 

Isaiah announced that: 

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
   from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
   the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
   the Spirit of counsel and of might,
   the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—  (Isaiah 11: 1-2 NIV)

…In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.  In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people… (Isaiah 11:10-11a - NIV)

…He will raise a banner for the nations
   and gather the exiles of Israel;
he will assemble the scattered people of Judah
   from the four quarters of the earth.  (Isaiah 11: 12 NIV)

“For a second time” the Lord will “reach out his hand…to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people…”  What a glorious statement.  The shoot of Jesse will come again, and He will rescue His faithful remnant.  The little child who was born in Bethlehem, the Emmanuel, the Great I Am will lead the way. 

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ 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.”
 ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).  (Matthew 1: 20-23 NIV)

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Old Testament Prophecies of the Birth of Christ II

Around 700 years before the birth of our Savior, the Prophet Isaiah had a revelation from God Himself that had profound implications for us today.  Isaiah had brought the Word to Ahaz, King of Judah, as he was facing imminent attacks that threatened to ruin him and depose him as King.  At this meeting, the LORD spoke to Ahaz directly too, and told him to ask Him for a sign of victory for Judah, but Ahaz did not want to ask God for a sign, to which Isaiah responded: 

“Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also?  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

"Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." Revelation 5:5

Pointing to Christ this Christmas

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

“I refuse to buy into the latest toy craze this Christmas.  I’m tired of it.  We buy those prized toys, only to see them on a table at next year’s yard sale.”  This was my very wise and dearest friend Indira expressing her frustration with Christmas shopping and the craziness that some parents go into when it comes to buying the ultimate toy for their kids every year.  I really admire Indira.  She has been able to stick to her “one-big-present-only-policy” year after year.  Her children get one big present and the rest are smaller things that the rest of the family and friends give them.  Not me.  I spend way too much.  And, although we don’t sale anything because my boys are pack-rats with attachment disorders; I can see last year’s toys from where I’m sitting, inside a plastic bin, covered with a deep layer of dust.  Nobody has played with those things since I don’t remember when.  What a waste.  I’ve dug myself into a Christmas hole without much hope for escape.

It pains me, but I am not going to endlessly rant about the over-commercialization of Christmas or the secularization of one of the holiest of celebrations.  I’m just not surprised by the reality of Christmas in our society.  After all, that’s exactly how people who belong to the world are to be expected to behave, guided by their prince of darkness who is still exercising the season of dominion that God has allowed him. 

The secular world has appropriated Christmas for itself; creating its own religious icons, for secularism is a religion in case you hadn’t thought of it that way.  Secularism is the religion that follows the dogma of anti-religion; where the worship of self and other fabrications is practiced daily.  Secularism has vacated any traced of Christianity out of holy days of profound significance in our faith.  Secularism has taken Christ out of the foundations of Christianity such as Christmas and Easter.  The two holy days without which there would be no Christian faith have been depleted of their meaning by erasing their protagonist.  This is our reality.  However, we don’t have to practice it or live as one of secularism’s many followers.  We are called to be different, - in the world but not of the world -.  We are in the middle of the Advent days.  Perhaps this is the precise moment to make a stand against secularism in our own personal way. 

That doesn’t mean, however, that I won’t buy presents for my boys this year.  But I can make each present meaningful.  I can make each present point to Christ. 

I can add Christianity into my Christmas tree by hanging ornaments that point to Christ. 

I can read the story of Christmas out of the primary source.  I can make the story speak for itself and point to Christ. 

I can insist that Grant reads the Bible verse that is on each of the links of the Christmas chain that he made at school.  It is such a blessing to hear him reading the Word of God out of his own Bible and in his very own sweet voice.  I can let my son point Christ to me that way. 

I can use the Nativity to make the story of Christmas come alive for Dylan.  I can let him play with the characters and create his own story in his imagination, where the Wise Kings become warriors and the shepherds turn into soldiers who guard the precious Holy family at the gates of Bethlehem.  I can let the Nativity point to Christ. 

Little things help us keep the story fresh and alive in our hearts.  Little things can help us point to Christ.  Little things remind us that Christmas is not a license to indulge in all things material just because we deserve it and we’ve been “good.”  Christmas is about our Savior’s birth and in all we do, like the star that the Wise Men followed, we must be intentional about pointing to Him for all to know and for all to see, even in the midst of our secularized society and world. 

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and^[c] will call him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

Old Testament Prophecies of the Birth of Jesus I

² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
   though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
   one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
   from ancient times.”  Micah 5:2

Nicole's Notebook

Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.  Psalm 111:2

“Wait, wait…what was that?  What book?  Who was that again?  Let me go get my notebook.”  These were my niece Nicole’s words pretty much every time we’d have a conversation, during her visit this past Thanksgiving Break.  Shortly after her questions, she’d disappear into the dark of night or the light of day, only to reappear a few seconds later holding her little notebook and pen in her hands.  She’d open up the notebook and begin to carefully take notes about whatever it was that had caught her attention in the middle of our conversation.  She travels a lot, and wherever she goes, she takes that little notebook with her.  She uses it to record things worth noting, things she doesn’t want to forget and things upon which she would like to meditate at a later date. 

Nicole is very precious to me; and more than my niece, she is my sister and my friend.  So, it gave me great joy to have her so intently taking down my words into her book.  However, my pride was misplaced, for it wasn’t the speaker who made the words profound or relevant.  The words that ended up on the pages of Nicole’s delicate notebook were those which she recognized to be words of wisdom and truth.  The Lord has given her a keen awareness of His presence, and He who is Truth, reveals Himself to her on a daily basis, and she just doesn’t want to miss Him.

Nicole’s thirst for truth and wisdom moves her to keep a record of them whenever she encounters them.  She keeps the records in her beautiful notebook, which I started calling “Nicole’s Arab Notebook” for the intricate arabesque designs on its leather cover; and mostly as an inside joke between Nicole, my sister and I regarding Nicole’s Persian heritage from her mother’s side of the family.  (It’s a very long story for another blog entry : )

At any rate, the last night of her visit, Nicole and I watched the movie The Nativity.  Even though we had to get up at 4:30 a.m. the next morning, we stayed up watching the film.  This picture obviously brought up many opportunities for the Word to come alive in my living room, and of course, there it was Nicole, little-Arab-notebook and pen in hand, taking down valuable information, including mistakes that I fed her.  I told her that Micah was the last book of the Old Testament and that as the last prophet, there were 400 years of silence between him and the birth of Jesus.  All true, except that the name of the prophet was not Micah, but Malachi.  I saw her taking her notes lit only by the bluish glow coming from my TV set.  I didn’t realize my mistake until I drop her off at the airport in the morning.  I sent her a text message right away to which she replied, “good thing you told me because I had written it in my Arab-notebook!”  I said to her, “I know!  That’s why I’m sending you this message so you fix.  I don’t what you to have errors in your book!”

Watching the endearing scene of Nicole taking dedicated notes in the middle of the night, in our dark living room during her visit made me realize that is exactly what we are called to do.  That is exactly what it means to hide His word in our hearts, so we would not sin against Him.  (Psalm 119:11)  James tells us in chapter 1:22 that we are not to just “listen to His word, but we are to do what it says.”  And what better way to aide us in the task of hiding His Word in our hearts, than to write them on a notebook that we carry with us all the time to then meditate on them so they can become engraved in our brains and souls.  What better way to not just “listen” to His voice, than to record His words so we don’t forget them and can actually begin to do what they say. 

I think I need to follow Nicole’s example and get myself a little notebook this Christmas.  I want to carry it with me all the time so I can write down my daily Scripture and any meditations that may come to me throughout the day regarding that particular piece of His Word.  I don’t know if I’d be able to keep it up as an every day exercise, but I will sure try to make it into a habit, even if it turns out to be not so regular and precise.  I do want to start this Christmas season.  It sounds like a good “to me; from me” kind of Christmas present.  I don’t think mine would have arabesque motifs on it; perhaps it’ll have something more like a beach scene or something tropical on it.  But I sure hope it becomes part of me; part of who I am.  Just like Nicole is no longer herself, without her little Arab Notebook.

Nicole and I on board of a cruise that she won and had the fabulous idea of inviting me to come with!

The Lord and EMPs

I faced many challenges this past week, but one in particular topped them all.  I found myself having to address the reality of Electro Magnetic Pulse weapons with my 9-year old son Grant. 

That afternoon, as soon as I saw him come in the door after school, I noticed something was bugging him.  I dutifully asked, “What’s wrong?”  His answer to my question went something like this:  “well, should I believe what a mean guy who always lies tells me?”  I’m like, “well… no!”  Then, he continued, “because this fifth grader, who loves to tell lies, told me that in 2013 there is going to be a solar storm that is going to destroy all the electronic chips in every computerized equipment on earth.”  (yes, the pause that proceeded this statement was very long…I had to take several minutes to process what he had said and then begin to formulate a reply that would satisfy Grant’s troubled mind…so I went ahead and hung up his and Dylan’s coats, put their backpacks away, gave them something to drink, as I frantically pleaded for some coherent thought to come to my rescue.) 

I saw real fear in Grant’s eyes; so what went on after his initial comment/question was a solid hour-long back-and-forth on the pertinent fact checking deliberation on how the sun has experienced, and will continue to experience various storms that give out exorbitant amounts of energy into space and that all that has happened, and Earth is still here, going round and round in its orbit.  I said that only God knows the future and when someone comes up stating that they know what is going to happen 2 years from now, that should be an immediate red flag that indicates a lie.  I mentioned that perhaps this boy was confusing solar storms with EMP weapons; which opened up another can of worms as I had to try to explain what EMPs were.  We talked about so many things I can’t even remember it all.  I finally said, “Grant, I haven’t seen any evidence in the Bible that indicates that God may allow the destruction of the planet by a solar storm or anything like that.” 

I could still see concern in his eyes, as if he was processing all the info I had bombarded him with; but the fear seemed to have subsided…momentarily that was. 

Shortly after I had made my final points, Dan walked in the door.  After the usual hugs and hellos, I had the brilliant idea of mentioning to him about our discussion on solar storms and EMPs.  I said how we had concluded that it was all an impossibility and mere lies by that mean boy at school.  To this, Dan replied with a resounding, “well, it could be possible!  A powerful solar storm could actually act as an EMP, because it could be almost like an atomic bomb exploding in the atmosphere…blah, blah, blah…” Needless to say, I stopped listening to anything Dan was saying as I brought my hands to my head and started pulling out my hair.

If my eyes could shoot darts, Dan would have been seriously hurt.  My efforts to communicate telepathically failed miserably.  Dan’s words had expelled more destructive power than an EMP itself.  Grant’s mainframe had shut down and he was in panic mode, - Grant style -, which means he turns into a statistician.  “So, what are the probabilities of something like that happening?”  Grant asked.  Dan said, “not big.”  “You mean, not big like 0.00000001%?” Grant pressed.  “Yeah, something like that.” (Weak)  “You mean like, if this were to happen, it would be like once in 300 years or so?”  Grant continued to press on.  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure.” (Weaker)  “You are 99.999999% sure?”  Grant pleaded.  By then I think Dan had realized he was standing on quick sand and that the probabilities for sinking were 100% no doubt.  So I came to the rescue and said, “well, remember, I said how God doesn’t say anything in the Bible about destructing Earth!”  But then, Dan said, “well, He does say it!  He says that He will create a new earth which implies that He will destroy the current one.”  I was done.  He was on his own.

After some extended deliberations and explanations, Dan managed to get the conversation turned around to what, I know, was the Holy Spirit’s intent all along:  reminding our young son about the importance of trusting Him.  “We don’t know what is going to happen, Grant; and we cannot be afraid.  We cannot live in fear.  We were not given a Spirit of timidity or fear.  We are called to trust God and know that He will take care of us no matter what happens,” Dan emphasized.  “So, even if there is an EMP explosion, we should trust that we will be OK?”  Grant asked hesitantly.  “Yes, no matter what, He will take care of us, and even if we don’t survive it, we will be with Him,” Dan said.  “But the probabilities of it really happening are very small?”  Grant pleaded.  “Yes, don’t worry, and trust the Lord!” I said, as I patted him on the head and kissed him, hinting that the conversation was done and over with.  (Fat chance)

Later that night, I played a song for Grant on the computer.  I told him to read the lyrics as he listened.  He did.  From the distance, I watched my boy sitting by the computer, intently reading the words on the screen.  I prayed that his soul would find comfort in what he read and that he could feel the power of the Hand of God resting on his shoulder, telling him, “do not be afraid.”  

In his nightly prayers, Grant asked God to help him not be afraid; and then whispered in my ears that even though he knew he shouldn’t be afraid, he’d like for me to make him company for 5 minutes.  I did.  (And after the boys were asleep, I had a talk with Dan : )

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
   and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
   and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

This is the song I played for Grant, I hope it brings you hope:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EybVTp-x6M