Merry Christmas!

Luke 1:39-45

39 Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hills of Judea.40 She came to Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42 She cried out in a loud voice, "God has blessed you more than any other woman, and he has blessed the baby to which you will give birth.43 Why has this good thing happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?44 When I heard your voice, the baby inside me jumped with joy.45 You are blessed because you believed that what the Lord said to you would really happen."

One filled with joy preaches without preaching.

Mother Teresa, 20th century

A table in the back, warm coffee, tea, hot chocolate, a frappicino, and four friends sharing stories, Rodney Reindeer….hmmmmm, hmmmmm, hmmmmm….and rejoicing in the stages in a woman’s life. . . falling in love, wedding planning, newly married bliss, house hunting, house additions, pregnancy, birth, children, empty nesting . . . able to love and support one another through Christ and the spiritual connection He gives us. We spoke of a calmness so the Holy Spirit can be apparent to us and reveal wonders to us. There was mention of appreciation for the joys we find….even looking for joy each day in an event and sending thanks to God through a jump or clap or a smile.

Christmas is such a hustle-bustle time, we gave thanks, hugs, pictures, goodies, a sheep, specialty nuts, a prayer for our missing friend, hoping it was only a band concert that kept her away, and most of all we rejoiced that our gift to each other is love….hopefully the holidays will allow us to indulge in an unscheduled meeting that involves CHOCOLATE!

Luke 3:7-18

7Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, "You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? 8Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying that you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. 9An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." 10The crowds asked John, "What should we do?"

11John told them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else."

12When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13John told them, "Don't make people pay more than they owe."

14Some soldiers asked him, "And what about us? What do we have to do?"

John told them, "Don't force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay."

15Everyone became excited and wondered, "Could John be the Messiah?"

16John said, "I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out." 18In many different ways John preached the good news to the people.

Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.

Shaquille O'Neal, 21st century