Image by minifig via Flickr

Hope you have a wonderful, blessed, and merry Christmas.

Because of HIM,

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photo by viki3412

Wow!  Been a while since I’ve been here.  I’ve missed being around you guys.  I do appreciate you hanging around during your busy schedules.  I’m glad to be back!

I’ve had  a wonderful time this Christmas.  Getting back in touch with the holiday and what it truly meant.  It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a loving, wonderful, Christmas.  I wish it were Christmas everyday!  Most people seem so happy.

I know there are those who didn’t have such a great Christmas.  Life doesn’t stop because of the season.  I just hope that if you are one who had one of those bad life moments this past week, that you will turn to your friends, your family, those that love you, and to God for understanding, comfort, and care.  I’m here as well if you need an ear.

I’m going to share with you the highlight of my Christmas this year.  I hope that you too, will share with us your highlight.

For mine, we need to go back to November.  I don’t remember what day it was, but the kids had went shopping with the Grandparents.  I remember them coming home and my 10 year old was crying.  My 13 year old had a scowl on her face.  Something was up, I just didn’t know what it was yet.

I asked my son, the 10 year old, what was the matter with him.  He was all distraught and said that he and his sister had bought me a present for Christmas.  But now she wasn’t going to say it was from both of them, She was just going to say it was from her.

He was just tore all to pieces.  I could see the hurt on his face.  In his eyes.

I asked my daughter what was going on and she said that he had told her that he wanted to buy his own thing for me.

I’m sure they were fussing about something when all of this went down.  But, she stuck to her word.  He asked about it quite often only getting the same answer from her.  The worry and hurt would again start over for him.  I’m not sure which was more prevalent, the worry or the hurt.

Well, Christmas morning came.  We gathered in the living room and I handed the kids their gifts.

My daughter then handed me the gift and she made it a point to say “This is from me and him.”

Oh, you should have seen the joy in my 10 year old’s face.  In this quite, calm, voice he said “Thank you Ali.” and looked at her with a look of love that I don’t see very often between the two of them.

That was my biggest and bestest Christmas present this year.  It would seem that some of the stuff I am teaching both of them seems to be taking hold.  My daughter had the heart to let her brother in on the prize, and my son showed so much gratitude that they both made my heart melt.

Then, just with a snap of the finger, Christmas is over.  It is but a memory.  But it truly is a memory that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

Because of HIM

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Hope you’ve got a bit of time as this is a lengthy post.  Even been told it’s an essay.  I hated essays in school.

I have been haunted by my biggest demon this week.

I’ve had to step back this week and not live 1 day at a time, but 1 minute at a time.

I’ve had the “old taste” bothering me, just about all day, everyday. It’s the same taste I used to get when I had been without a drink for a brief amount of time. As closing time at work got closer and closer, the taste got worse and worse. Nothing different this week.

I’ve had that familiar feeling that I used to get when I took that first drink of the day. I’ve literally felt the “burn” that ran through my veins when I would take that first drink.

As the alcohol used to traveled through my system, I remember feeling my muscles relax, starting at my neck, then my arms, then my legs. I felt that sensation again this week. I felt it again and didn’t drink. I hadn’t had anything to drink.

I felt my face crawl as it used to when I had been without a beer for more than a day. It felt like little bugs under my skin running around. I started to get dizzy. My legs were weak. And the taste kept getting stronger and stronger.

Satan was testing me, wanting me to take that drink soo bad. He’s been missing me. You know what? For several different brief moments, I wanted too. I wanted to feel that, to taste that, to join him. But I didn’t.

I witnessed a guy at a Bowling Green gas station buy 2 of the tall beers using the last bit of quarters and change that he had. I knew what he was feeling. I knew what he wanted. It was worth the humiliation of paying for beer, with 5 dollars worth of change. Then hearing him make the comment “I’m just about out of money, I don’t get paid until tomorrow.” and I thought, you just spent what little money you had on beer? I’ve been there. It’s not a good feeling. I connected with his way of making himself feel better.

But even seeing him make the purchase, remembering having those same thoughts, I still wanted it. Seeing the glass bottles, ice cold, condensation building up and rolling down as he waited for her to confirm this purchase, only made me want them more.

Then placing the bottles in the bags, they disappeared. But the demon didn’t.

It was the devil in disguise, I know it was. I could hear him saying “go ahead Scott, it won’t hurt to have just one. Your in Bowling Green and no one will ever know. Go ahead.”

Each time any of this happened, do you know what I did? I grabbed Jesus’ hand and squeezed it as hard as I could. I talked to him. I asked him to help me. To get me out of this situation, or to get this thought out of my head. To help me battle this “demon” that had been sent my way. You know what he said? Just tell Satan what I did…”Away from me, Satan!” (mat 4:10). I would. The situation would subside, and things were back to normal, if only for a minute at a time.

He never got tired of me holding, squeezing, his hand. He never tired from me asking him for help, he never got tired of telling me what to do, because he loves me. And for that reason, I won my battles, this week. I didn’t take that drink.

You know, I was inconvenienced with this all week. Even after all of that, it was nothing compared to the inconvenience of the first Christmas. I know, I know, Jesus wasn’t born on December 25^th. Just, bear with me because JESUS WAS BORN. For me, Jesus deserves a BIRTHday. And God says it’s ok for me to do this.

Romans 14:5—-5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.

I am so glad that Jesus was born, no matter what day. Otherwise, none of this week could have happened. I couldn’t have talked to Jesus when I was struggling. I couldn’t have held his hand for comfort. So, I’m going to celebrate this Christmas as Jesus’ birthday, because I can.

I want you to see Jesus’ birthday as I’ve seen it in my mind. I think it’s fun to think about it like this. I hope I don’t offend anyone.

Joseph and Mary walked through the busier than normal streets of Bethlehem (which means house of bread. Fitting for the bread of life to be born in the house of bread don’t you think?). Shopkeepers in the city were probably busy with excitement. The town was swollen with people now and so many new customers had come their way for the census. (Luke 2) They might have even opened their shops early to deal with the rush of “accidental” customers from out of town. Joseph and Mary were just another couple walking down the street.

They were looking for a place to stay for the night. A nice place for Mary to possibly give birth to our Savior. Only to find to rooms unavailable because of the rush of people.

They went to an Inn and were turned away because all of the rooms were booked for the big event. The Inn keeper that turned them away, he didn’t know who they were, from Adam. He had no clue that he had just turned away the woman carrying the child that was going to die for him.

They had to settle for a manger in a stable. Joseph probably had to go in sweep the manure out of the way. Move some hay around to have something other than the ground to sit or lay on. I’m sure they were both tired from their travels. Then the time came…

Luke says in Luke 2:6&7“….the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn…” leaving out a lot of the details that I play over and over in my mind.

Nothing mentioned, but I wonder if there was sweat that was pouring from her head as she went through the pains of childbirth. Did the dirt that was on her face, turn into mud as the sweat mixed with it? Have you heard the cries of pain from Mary that came with each contraction? We know she had faith in the Lord because of her statement in Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.”

Do you wonder if she, at any point, had second thoughts because the pain was so excruciating?

Nothing is mentioned of the nervousness of Joseph. Was he standing over Mary? Maybe he was sitting by Mary’s side. Biting his nails or fiddling with his hair. Or, maybe he was pacing back and forth. Looking back at Mary as she screamed in pain. Knowing what he knew, did he still wonder to himself if everything was going to be OK with the baby? What about Mary? Was she going to be ok? Did he almost faint? Did he hold Mary’s hand? Did he rub her head and keep the hair out of her face? Did he dip a cloth in the water trough to cool her forehead and wipe the muck from her face?

Then the Word became Flesh. The Savior was born. Can you hear the first cries of an infant baby? Have you heard the first cries of Jesus as he came into this world? I bet like all newborns he was scared. He was used to being wrapped up in the walls of Mary’s womb and know he is in this weird place, and it’s cold to him. Mary’s heartbeat that he has heard for as long as he can remember, now replaced with weird sounds, scary sounds of the new world. Wisped from the darkness into light.

Mary then took some strips of cloth and wrapped him up. Carefully covering his body, but leaving the face open. Did she feed him right away? Soon his cries subsided as Mary held him close. Her warmth he could feel again, her heartbeat, though faint, was familiar. Jesus settles into the world.

Mary then lays him in the manger. The same manger that is used to feed the animals now holds our Savior. His big eyes open as he lay there. Darting back and forth, taking in the blurry new visions that surrounded him. There was Mary leaned over the side of the manger staring in amazement at him. Did he feel her touch his little hands? Did he wrap his little hand around her finger as she cooed and ga ga’d at him? Did he feel her rub his little feet?

Could he smell the stench of the sheep? Could he smell the manure? Did a speck of dust floating in the stale air of the stable, get in his eyes?

Joseph was probably leaned up against a pole somewhere by now. Finally getting to rest after all of the days excitement. Running the last events through his head over and over until he fell asleep. Thinking now about how inconvenient the whole day was only to have it end with the greatest thing to ever happen in history. And all those people in the town, kept about their busy lives not knowing that God was now among them, in flesh.

I am so thankful Jesus was born! So I’m going to celebrate this Christmas as Christ’s birthday. The day the greatest gift of all was given to mankind. The day my saving grace began.

Every day I celebrate Jesus’ life. I thank him daily for everything he has done for me, even though I so don’t deserve it.

Every Sunday, we celebrate and remember his horrible death on the cross. He gave us his life. He has told us “I love you so much that I’m willing to die for you,” and he DID!

I do believe Jesus deserves a special day of remembering his birth. Why not December 25^th? We have a 1 in 365 chance of getting it right. If we didn’t celebrate his birth, we would have a 0 in eternity chance of getting it right.

I’ll take my chances, thank you.

Because of HIM
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NOT!

Man, I am so excited about Christmas this year!

O' Christmas tree

I’ve got my tree up already.  I think last year I didn’t put the tree up until the weekend before Christmas. Just didn’t have that….notion.  Seemed like a waste of time.

My Village

I’ve got my little Christmas village out.  I haven’t had that out in almost 5 years.  I even bought a couple of little white trees for the village, complete with LED lights.  Ali (my daughter) said, “Awww! That’s Cute!”.  I bought the fluffy snow for it too!

I’ve got Christmas stuff sitting about the house.  Santa’s workshop (complete with snow, too) is on my end table.  I’ve got fishing snowmen with fiber optic water sittin on one of the speakers.

Fishing Snowmen

A cinnamon creme candle burns in the kitchen that makes my whole house smell Christmassy and Yummy.  Hmm.  Maybe that’s why I want to eat the second I walk in the door.  No.  That’s probably because of my belly.

Santa's Workshop

I have already bought none of my Christmas presents this year!  So they aren’t already under the tree.  I’ve been shopping in my mind, and it’s already wore me out. People just won’t get out of my way.  (I have went shopping once, for real.  Didn’t by anything though.  Well, not for anyone else.  Gotta go this weekend.)

And then, like a kid, I wake up and think “How many more days..”.  It’s not long though, until I see

Only 16 days left until Christmas. While I’m waiting, I’m playing http://apps.facebook.com/ochristmastree which will help raise money for St. Jude…via O Christmas Tree – 4:05am

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Ugh, I can’t wait!  Stop telling me how many days! Like a kid, it just makes it worse.  Course, I’m teasing a bit.  We need to keep helping St. Judes. I think that’s great.

Finally, do you wanna know what makes this year so much different?  Eh, I’ll let you guess.

Is this year more or less special for you?  What are you MOST excited about?  Do you still get that “butterflies in the stomach” feeling when you think about Christmas, or am I just being….goofy?

We had our company Christmas party last night.  I had such a good time and the food, quite possibly the best.  Yeah, we went to Nashville and had a blast at The Melting Pot.  The cheeses, the salad, the main course, and the desert was awesome even though we had to “cook” it ourselves.  But that’s not what I wanted to reflect on.

Last night was the first Christmas party that we held where I could stand by the bar, or at least see it, and not want anything on the other side of it.  I can’t describe how good that makes me feel.  And then, to enjoy the meal without having to worry about getting back home before certain stores close.  Again, another wonderful experience.

To have spent the time with my fellow employees and enjoying ever second (well, almost…but I’m not going to ruin this post with that) of it was new and exciting. I’ve thought about it a lot today.

So, if your an alcoholic struggling with this life, let me tell you again.  Life is full of Joy.  Life is full of Love. There is fun without the bottle.  People really do have fun, lots of fun, without alcohol.

You may think that I’m  just mouthing off, but that’s not you thinking.  That is the disease trying to talk you out of a happy life.  Accept it.  Leave it.  Start your life anew, today.  Please.

Because of HIM

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