Sunday Sabbath  December 6 2015  EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS IN MY HEART

When I walked into the house after seeing the Christmas Pageant at the State Capitol I told Dave, “The Pageant always gets me into the spirit of Christmas”.  And then I retracted that sentence to say, “Actually, I feel like I have Christmas in my heart every day because I know Jesus is alive in me”.  And when I go to hear and view the story of Christmas all over again, and hear the singing, as I sing the words in my heart as the choirs sing, it somehow prepares me for the festivities in the days ahead.  We do so little in regards to decorating and gift swapping that we don’t really get caught up in the merchandising aspect of the “Holiday”.  Rather, it is more about worshiping and rejoicing over the fact that we are celebrating Christ’s Birth.  I wonder how many who celebrate Christmas really understand exactly what purpose Jesus had for being born?

I am including a poem here that I wrote four years ago about the reason Jesus came to earth as a baby.  As you read continue each line until you come to either a comma or period.  Often the entire thought takes up more than one line in a stanza.  I hope it will be easy to read and understand in the way it was written.

 

Born to Die So We Could Live

Kathleen Martens

November 29, 2011

 

God knows the beginning and the end,

And from the beginning he had a plan.

His ultimate desire to be man’s friend,

But walking with God in the garden was changed by man.

 

Sin entered the world—God planned ahead

That His Son would be the image of the Invisible God.

Without redemption man was dead,

So God gave His Son to change the odds.

 

He came as a Baby—vulnerable and alone,

In a temporary shelter—He brought hope to the world.

A king born without a throne,

No diadem or riches unfurled.

 

Just a Babe in Mary’s arms,

With a destiny—God’s divine plan

To provide escape from sin’s harm,

To provide redemption for all man.

 

To walk in humbleness—Jesus came as a baby

And God was please to have His fullness dwell in His Son.

Who Christ was, there was no doubt or maybe

That it was He, God’s appointed one.

 

Born to die—to redeem all who hear His voice,

He who is before all things and in whom all things hold together,

Not all who hear accept redemption’s choice

As some do not choose with God to tether.

 

So as you worship the birth we celebrate each year

Realize the reason that He came.

He came so that forever with us He is near,

And all we must do is call out His name.

 

He came as a babe so we could be set free.

Became our Savior in whom we confide,

We were reconciled to God by Christ’s death on the tree

And forever with Him we can choose to abide.

 

He was born so we might live

What a gift—He did give.

 

 

I have included some photos below this blog that I took this evening.  I hope you enjoy them.  Dave and I (especially me) enjoy the performance when we attend.  It was especially amazing this year as the choirs did an exceptionally beautiful presentation.  There is a huge choir that stands at the front (in the dark), and there is another choir with voices echoing the main choir.  The hidden choir is on the third floor.  It was quite crowded.  There are a few chairs for the elderly and infirmed and the rest of the crowd stands.  It is only 45 minutes long so it is not too difficult to stand for that length of time.  

It has been six weeks since Dave’s surgery.  The next two weeks are the crucial weeks for hernia healing.  He had two different foreign objects placed in his incision area.   His surgery was done through a large incision entrance above where the hernia was located.  He has the normal mesh that is used and his mesh was sewn in.  Often it is just placed over the herniated area and it will heal just fine.  Before he had the mesh inserted there was another object put in place that opened up once it was inserted and then supports the hernia.  I guess it depends on location and severity of the damaged area.  His surgery required this second step.  The doctor said that at six weeks the area would become quite inflamed and the body would start rejecting it.  This is the time that he must not do anything that would stress the area.  He was given strict orders to not bend at the waist very often, no vacuuming, no emptying the bottom level of the dishwasher or taking clothes out of the clothes dryer.  I think he liked those instructions! (I’m smiling).  He still tires a bit more quickly than he used to and takes little rests throughout the day.  Even with all that, he still does more than he should.  He is very helpful around the house and it is difficult for him to remember to not over do.  Oh yes, he went with me to the gym the other day so he could weigh.  He has lost a total of 67 pounds.  It is coming off a bit slower at present due to his lack of exercise.  He actually looks forward to getting back to the gym and working back up to a full workout.  That won’t happen until January.

Oh, by the way, while at the Capitol I checked to see if Anne Gaylor’s sign was still up about keeping church and state separate and it was there.  I had to search for it.  It was in an obscure location this year.  It wasn’t the first thing you saw as you walked up to the Christmas tree like it has been in years past.  That was kind of nice.

 

SO THAT WE MIGHT HAVE LIFE

By Kathleen Martens

December 6, 2015

 

Oh Lord, what joy in my heart

When I hear the choirs sing

About your birth so long ago

And the love that You bring.

 

Just a Babe in swaddling clothes

Born to save mankind.

Yet so many have not heard,

Your truth they’ve yet to find.

 

Thank you Holy Father above

For giving your only Son,

To redeem the sins of man,

Your Child, the perfect One.

 

He Himself was willing to die

That I someday would be with Him.

For He is the light of the world

That never will grow dim.

 

So when I think of Baby Jesus,

I too remember He suffered and died.

Just so my sins would be forgiven,

He was willing to be crucified.

 

And through that suffering there is hope

For every single woman and man.

That someday in eternity

With Jesus, by Your throne we’ll stand.

 

Wishing you a joyous time of celebrating the King of Kings who was born so you might have life, eternal life.

Good night.