Category: Christmas

Advent Conspiracy

Posted on by Susan Panzica





Week #1 of our 40-day Focus is now complete! How are you doing keeping the Lord as the focus of your preparations, get-togethers, alone time? Today is a new day to start over if necessary. Invite Him to go shopping with you, to hang out in the kitchen with you, to spend time with your family.


Jesus prayed this for His disciples and for us, His future disciples.
My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. … I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:15-18, 26)


We are under His protection as we are sent out into the world. He is in us as we travel here and there. He’s in us in the stores, in the traffic, in the family gatherings. We represent Him to the world. This time of year, we will have more opportunities to share Christ than at any other time of year. Let us make the most of every opportunity! Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5


He didn’t promise it would be easy. He promised He would be with us.


Advent, the period of expectation and waiting for the arrival of Christmas, is quickly approaching.


Our family has decided that we will once again observe the Advent Conspiracy. We will not be buying gifts for each other this year. We will still do stocking stuffers (gotta open something on Christmas morning!), but our gifts to each other will be things like: support for missionaries in Uganda, wells for clean drinking water, etc. We will each research and individually decide which need we wish to meet with the money that we would otherwise have used for gifts. Last year, we bought my husband a fishing pond in Africa that will sustain a village. My gift was sewing machines for a vocational training center in Uganda (that my daughter visited in July). The kids bought fresh water and animals for impoverished people. We used catalogs from World Vision and Touch The World for our “shopping.”


The Advent Conspiracy has a four point message:
– Spend Less
– Give More
– Love All
– Worship Fully


I encourage you to take a look at the website www.adventconspiracy.org and share this information with your friends and family.













“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “Matt. 25:40

Lord, as we approach the Advent season, help us to be ever more aware of Your presence. Help us daily to walk in expectation of Your coming.

Wish I Was There!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

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It’s that time of year when Christmas carols are streaming from stores’ P.A. speakers. What if every time we heard them, we imagined a “great cloud of witnesses” surrounding us singing praises to the Lord on high. Wouldn’t that make that trip to the mall worthwhile?

Alleluia!

ps – This is my 300th post! Now that deserves a Hallelujah!  

The Most Anti-Climactic Day of the Year

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Okay, here it is… Dec. 26th.



The most anti-climactic day of the year.


Discarded wrapping paper, boxes, assembly instructions, gift envelopes stuff bulging trash bags.


Abandoned toys, games, dolls sit askew under the tree and around the house.

Leftovers cram the refrigerator.


The frenetic pace has halted.

All of the energy that has been building for days, weeks, months has dissipated.


Carbon dioxide fills the homes as people everywhere release collective sighs of relief.






And —






Oh joy, it’s my birthday!






But I’m not bitter…






It’s not that my family doesn’t make an effort to make my day special. They do. But I don’t even feel like making it special either!


One year, my husband threw me a surprise birthday party on June 26th, my half-birthday.  That was a surprise, all right! And so for a couple of years we celebrated my birthday in June, but it began to get a little confusing. And my mom actually revolted, remembering the frigid cold day that she gave birth to her firstborn was not in June. So back to December we went!

All my life, even as a youngster when we didn’t celebrate Christmas in our Jewish home, I felt the letdown that is December 26th.


Today, I googled “December 26”. All I found was this “Drunk Santa mousepad” and many images of the 2004 tsunami, one of the worst catastrophes in history. Could we get more depressing?





Honestly, no one wants to do anything on this date! I should be writing a wonderful post recapping the 40 Day Focus. I have so much to be thankful for. But let’s face it. You don’t want to read it anyway!


At least not today…


Maybe tomorrow.


Lord, honestly I do thank You for my birthday, and for my spiritual birthday when I was born again into Your family. I thank You for being my heavenly Father, and for all those who have made my life so rich. I thank You for Your abundant grace towards me. May I serve You fully this coming year in everything You place in my path. May I be obedient to Your call.



Susan

Merry Christmas!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Merry Christmas! May today be blessed as we honor the incarnation of our Lord.

Today’s post is from Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, CA






“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

The real message of Christmas is not the gifts we give each other. Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of us. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving, so I want to point out four things about it.

First, it is surprising. When Christmas rolls around, you often try to figure out if certain people have bought that gift you really wanted. Maybe you already know what they bought, because they didn’t hide it very well. Or maybe you uncovered it by accident-or maybe not. But when the day comes and you open the present, you have to pretend you’re surprised. Yet all along, you knew what it was. God’s gift to us, however, was a complete surprise. It was not expected and, as you examine it more carefully, you realize how great a gift it actually was.

Second, God’s gift came to us in the humblest of wrappings. What would you think if you saw a gift under your Christmas tree that was wrapped in newspaper and tied up with string? At first, you would probably assume that a guy wrapped it.

But think about God’s gift to us. Jesus was not born in a palace of gold; He was born in a stable. He was clothed in rags. He was laid in a feeding trough. Yet these things do not, in any way, diminish the story of Christ’s birth. If anything, they help us realize the great sacrifice God made for us. God’s gift to humanity, the ultimate gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ, came in the simplest and humblest of wrappings.




Third, we don’t deserve this gift. At Christmas, we give gifts to the people we care about, the ones who have been kind to us over the past year, or the ones who have given us a gift first. We don’t give gifts to the person who has been slandering our name, or to the angry neighbor who never has a kind word to say. Yet God gave us His gift when we were His enemies. He didn’t give this gift to us because we deserved it. In fact, it was just the opposite. The Bible tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NKJV).




Fourth, the gift tells us something about the giver. When you want to give someone a gift, you start thinking about it ahead of time. Hopefully, you try to find what that person wants or needs. When God decided to give us the gift of eternal life, it wasn’t something that He just thought of on the fly. Long before there was a town called Bethlehem, a garden called Eden, or a planet called Earth, a decision was made in eternity that God would send forth His Son, born of a woman, to redeem those who are under the law.

The Bible says that He was slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8). Make no mistake about it: this gift that God has given to us was the most sacrificial thing He possibly could have offered.

So Christmas isn’t about those gifts that you have under your tree right now. All of those things will be gone one day. All that will be left after this life is the human soul, and that will live forever. We will put so much stock in what we have, but this is all going to pass away.



Life is about what happens beyond the grave. Life is about knowing the God who made you and who gave you the greatest gift you will ever receive.



Merry Christmas!
 
Susan

What Do You Believe?

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Despite pageants, stories and pictures to the contrary, there is no innkeeper mentioned in Scripture. Luke simply says it this way: “And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7)



The image of a cold-hearted scoundrel turning away the holy family is a part of folklore, but not part of the scriptural record.

The “Bethlehem Inn” was not like the Holiday Inns of today. Usually, the first floor of an inn was a stable for the animals owned by the travelers who stayed in the rooms above. There was little privacy at normal times, probably none during the census. The most private area for people would be the “fragrant” space reserved for animals. It was an act of kindness for Mary and Joseph to be allowed to share of corner of the first floor to deliver their Child.

What other images are part of our memory, but have no foundation in Scripture? Do you picture Mary and Joseph traveling alone from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a hugely pregnant Mary astride a donkey, solitary figures in dark silhouette against a blue background? It’s highly unlikely that they would be traveling alone. It wasn’t part of the culture. Bands of robbers roamed the highways. The other family members of Joseph would also need to be in Bethlehem. How about Mary running to see Elizabeth? Again, unlikely that she would be traveling alone from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Speaking of travelers, the magi are often pictured alongside the shepherds in a nativity scene, when they actually arrived up to 2 years after the birth of Jesus.

Those are just a few of the images that inhabit our minds that are not based on truth. The Scripture is silent about some details, and so our ideas are formed by popular culture instead.

But there’s plenty that Scripture is not silent about, and because of our familiarity with the story, we miss important messages. In Acts 17:11, Luke commended the noble character of the people of Berea when he said, “they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” I encourage you to search the Scriptures to see if what you believe is really true.  

In your search, you will find nuggets there that will speak directly to your heart, words that you might have skimmed over in the past. I had this experience a few years ago when reading Luke 1. I knew that after her encounter with the angel Gabriel, Mary hurried to see her relative Elizabeth. I knew that when Elizabeth saw Mary, the baby “leaped in her womb”, and Elizabeth declared Mary blessed and herself favored because of Mary’s visit. And then, Mary began her “song”. At least, I thought she did. I totally missed a little statement by Elizabeth that spoke volumes to me 2000 years later. “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1:45 NLT 

Maybe it was reading in a new translation (something else I recommend), but seeing those words made me realize how blessed I am simply because I believe that God will do what He says. I need nothing else to be blessed. That verse was there all along, but I had skimmed over it for years. 

As you read these 4 chapters (Matt. 1 & 2, Luke 1& 2) this year, in your quiet time or with your family, won’t you ask God to reveal something new to you?

I wrote a poem called “Mary Had A Little Lamb” which concludes:

For God did speak to Mary
And He spoke to Joseph, too.
And if you listen with your heart
God will speak to you!!
May He speak to You anew this Christmas season!
Susan

The Ultimate Gifts

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Since our family is observing the Advent Conspiracy, we’ve been thinking differently about gifts. I shared in my 11/29/2009 post that my children, my husband and I will not be buying gifts for each other this year (other than stocking stuffers). We will be buying “gifts” from World Vision, Samaritans Purse or Touch The World to benefit those in need. We will be contributing to provide clean water, livestock and food for villages, and helping women learn a trade to support their families ravaged by AIDS.


This week, my husband said that the magi gave gifts, but not to each other. The magi’s gifts were given to Jesus. (How did we get the idea that Christmas is about giving gifts to each other on Someone else’s birthday anyway?) Our family’s gifts this year will also be given to Jesus because He said that “whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for Me.” (Matt. 25:40)

What about the gifts that the magi gave? Gold, frankincense and myrrh… The magi didn’t stop in Target or Walmart for these items. It is said that these gifts were not randomly chosen. They each have spiritual meanings:

Gold represents royalty, a symbol of His kingship on earth.

Frankincense is a symbol of priestship. The priests burned incense representing the prayers of God’s people, and Jesus is the great high priest (Hebrews 4:14).


Myrrh is an embalming oil or spice, and as such, represents death. Even at His birth, the reality is that reason He came was to die.


He is the King of kings and most deserving of receiving gold. But we are His children, joint heirs with Christ, a royal priesthood. So what can these gifts represent to us?

If gold represents His and our royalty, what noble qualities is He developing in us? Do we live like paupers, bereft of the riches that He offers us as His children? Are we growing fruit of the Spirit? (Gal. 5:22-23) Do we exhibit the peace that passes understanding, the result of thinking noble thoughts (Phil. 4)? Are we storing up treasures on earth or in heaven? (Matt. 6:19)

The Book of Revelation refers to incense as being the prayers of God’s people ascending to heaven (Rev. 5:8 & 8:4). We are a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9) offering prayers on behalf of others and for ourselves. Our prayers can be hindered due to unconfessed sin or praying outside of His will. But sometimes, what seems like unanswered prayer is really an opportunity for His grace to be sufficient, for us to rely on Him instead of our own strength (2 Cor. 12:9). What about answered prayers? Can you testify about any prayers that God has answered in your life?

Anyone want some myrrh? Want to prepare for burial? The very thought is daunting I know, but there are things that we do need to die to: the deeds of the flesh, the attitudes of the heart, the things that Jesus came to give us victory over. These must be dealt the death blow.

May His gifts be yours this Christmas. May you experience His royal character. May your prayers ascend to heaven unhindered, a fragrant aroma to our King. May He reveal to you the those things that need to be addressed and confessed. And may the gifts that we will give be reflective of our royal relationship with the King.

Susan

Do As The Shepherds Do…

Posted on by Susan Panzica

The shepherds were tending to their flocks…







The shepherds were doing their business, tending to their flocks. They were feeding the sheep, taking them to graze, buying their food, shearing them, keeping them safe, doing many the same things that we do to take care of our flocks.

Right now, you are probably buying food for your family’s daily needs as well as the holiday dinners and parties you’ll be hosting or attending, buying gifts, cleaning and decorating your home, going to work and taking care of business there.


The shepherds were interrupted from their daily routine by a heavenly chorus. Hearing the good news proclaimed from the angels led them to leave their chores and go and worship the King.









So the question is:


What are you tending to?


Are you willing to set it aside to worship the King?

Lord, May we cease our busyness and be about Your business. May we sense Your presence and set aside any activity, even the “godly” ones,  that keeps us from You. Feel free to interrupt us, so that we can worship You. May we be filled with the joy of Your coming, and may we release the stress that depletes us.

Susan

Longest Night – Blue Christmas Service

Posted on by Susan Panzica


Today’s message was written by my dear friend, Patti Niebojewski, at her request. Patti has had more tragedy in her short life than many have in a lifetime, but meeting her, you would never know it. Her spirit is one of hope and encouragement. Last year, alone she attended a Blue Christmas Service on Dec. 21st that changed her life. This year, she is sharing her experience with us.

Needed: rocks or coins, 4 votive candles to light


This day, the winter solstice takes place. According to Wikipedia, “The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradually lengthening nights and shortening days.” In other words, each day’s sunlight will now be increasing and the night will be shortening by one minute each day! That knowledge alone makes me happier!


Susan’s vision of these 40 days included a category of “nothing blue” – all blogposts are to be positive and uplifting. But this date is known as the “Bluest”. I chose to share on this date because this date is normally known as the “longest night of the year,” where much grief, sadness and/or depression are emotions felt by many for many reasons. My prayer and hope is that you will sense God’s presence in your life as He lifts the darkness and pain in your soul and that you will soon find He replaced your soul full of light and joy.


Loss takes its name in many things; a loss of a loved one, a spouse, parent, child, pet, job, dream, money, health, home, marriage, possible memories, relationship and the list goes on.


Burden takes its name in many things; fighting illness and/or disease, financial burden, job stress, lack of job, overwhelming schedule, a need to forgive, a grudge, just to name a few.


What I ask for you to do is to think about all the loss that you have experienced this year and make a list of all these things that pertain to your life. Also add any burdens that you may have and add these to your list.


For each thing on your list, collect a rock or a coin whatever is easiest. Hold onto them until the end. They are your burdens. I will ask you to place this rock or coin on God’s altar to give it to God. Or, you may hold onto your burdens for as long as you need to, and when you are ready, please release them to God. You may see that the weight of these burdens is heavy. As you release them, my prayer is that you will feel lighter and at peace so that you may be able to enjoy the birth of Christ and rejoice with the angels of the ‘great tidings of joy’.


“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.


Please speak out loud:


As Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” How come you do not hear my words or my groaning?


ALL: Dear Heavenly God, my cries are day and night and yet you do not hear me? I cannot rest!






Our forefathers who believed in you had faith in you. They trusted in you and you delivered them.


ALL: You knew me before I was in my mother’s womb. You know the very number of hairs on my head. I am written in the palm of your hand. You are my God.






There is no one to help me and trouble is near. Please stay close Lord.


ALL: I am not alone for you God are with me. Your rod and your staff will comfort me. You will not hide from me but you will shelter me with your everlasting arms, your infinite love and mighty power. When I cry to you God, you hear me. Thank you God!






Please pray with me:


Dear God you are mighty and powerful yet gentle and humble in heart. You are Holy and full of grace. I am not worthy of your love yet you have limited yourself for me. You know me and have searched my heart. You know that my heart is not full of joy, and I confess that I am holding onto my grief, my sadness, and my anger. I do not believe that the angel’s song of ‘great tidings of joy’ is for me. I believe this joy may be for others this year. It is difficult for me to participate in the celebration of your birth. Help me to receive your grace and love. Help me to release to you my grief, my sorrow, and my anger. Forgive me Lord for holding onto it. Forgive me for not realizing that you are walking with me Emmanuel, you travel with me, and you will help carry my burdens. Please restore my soul with light, joy and peace. In His Name, Amen.






The Lighting of the Candles:


We remember as we light the candles:


Candle #1 represents those we loved and lost.


Take the time to remember their names, faces, voices and the memories of them.


Pray: May God’s everlasting love surround them. (Envision them happy in His presence.)






Candle #2 we light to redeem the pain of our loss.


Reflect on the losses that we have listed. Acknowledge the pain of this past year.


Feel it. Now, offer it to God asking him to replace it with peace.


Pray: Lord, take my pain and restore my soul to peace.






Candle #3 we think about ourselves, and all the people who have supported us through our tough times, by prayer and fasting, hugs and kisses, handshakes and pats on the back, financially, dinners, and just stood by us. We are grateful and give thanks to God for them this Christmas season.


Pray: Thank you Lord that the Light outshines and overcomes the darkness.






Candle #4 represents the fire of our faith and the promise of hope that the Christmas story offers to us. The gift from God is the promise that one day we will live with God and he will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away. He is making all things new! Revelations 21:3-5


Pray: We remember God’s gift this Christmas season, the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Prince of Peace, the Great Comforter, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Great I Am, worthy to be praised. He is the Word who reveals himself to us in it. Praise, honor and glory be to you Lord Jesus Christ.


May God grant you renewed and continued Peace this Holy Christmas season.


Love, Patti Niebojewski

Dear Lord,
I thank you for speaking to Patti, and using her to speak to us. May you protect her on the journey she’s on and keep her close to You. May you be with those who have suffered loss and won’t be having a cheerful Christmas this year. May Your peace sustain them and give them hope. May the words above lead them to release their burdens to You.

For excellent tips on how to cope with Christmas while grieving, please check out this post by Stacie Ruth Stoelting on Lynn Mosher’s blog Heading Home.

Susan

Seeking a Silent, Holy Christmas

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Today’s wonderful post is from wonderful Laurie Hock. Thank you so much, Laurie, for your wonderful words of wisdom.



Silent Night, Holy Night…


All is calm,


All is…what?


Did you just say all was silent, holy, and calm? Who are you kidding? Certainly that wasn’t how Mary saw it…or was it?


The town of Bethlehem was undoubtedly crowded. The stirring of census activities ordered by Caesar had everyone going this way and that. Yet, even in the midst of it, there was stillness to be found.


I believe the first Christmas night really was calm, though the circumstances may have you thinking otherwise. Where a woman of faith is fulfilling her destiny for the Kingdom of God, the supernatural peace of God’s presence soothes the soul.


Divine calmness covered Mary and Joseph. God knew the provision of peace was a must, right? How many other ready-to-deliver-any-day-now women would’ve tolerated a long, bumpy donkey ride, only to discover upon arrival that the room being held for her was not a suite, but a stable. I don’t think fresh linens were included. Certainly not complimentary soap and lotions.


Yet we do not see Mary complaining. She knew what her divine assignment was, and the delivery was near at hand. She embraced the circumstances leading up to this call. She knew God had chosen her for such a time as this.

The world may tell us the night in the stable was uncomfortable, unclean, and uninviting. That’s not how Mary and Joseph saw it. As the song proclaims, the night was a silent, holy night. All was calm, all was bright. For the Light of the World had just been birthed. Mary was right where she was supposed to be: in the center of God’s divine plan, relishing the warmth of His heart.



That’s true for us, too. Being used in God’s master plan for His glory brings a warmth to our hearts nothing can sever.
 Things may or may not look just right in your holiday season this year. But whether or not things go as expected or planned is not the real issue.


The beauty and magnificence of having a silent, holy Christmas is being where God wants you to be.


It’s making yourself available to receive Him.
It’s being there for Him to use and bless any way He chooses.
It’s completing what He’s set before you to do.


Adore Him. Worship Him. Fellowship with Him.
Welcome Him into your heart in a new way.
Love His people.
Give Him praise, delight and all the glory.

We cannot lose ourselves in the unpleasantries and distractions bound to arise. We have the authority in the name of Jesus to declare this Christmas a holy, silent season of awe and wonder over the birth of our Savior.

Look for the Christ child in unexpected places this year. Seek Him in the stillness. Let Him show you Himself in the holy and calm. May the serenity of the Prince of Peace be upon you.

The people rushing around Bethlehem on that evening long ago had a chance to glimpse God’s entry into this world as a babe. But in their hustle, they missed the subtle.


Will you let your Christmas be a silent, holy night this year?

Laurie Hock

Dear Lord,
May we, in our hustle, not miss the subtle. May we experience Your peace and calm. May we be where You want us to be, and be who You want us to be.

Susan

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

Posted on by Susan Panzica
For some, decorating the Christmas tree is hard labor. For me, it is a labor of love. A task that I usually do alone. My kids have helped occasionally, but they just aren’t that interested in adorning the tree. For me, it is a stroll down memory lane.

My tree and I have a beautiful relationship. As a Jewish believer, the tree is a blessed part of my new Christian heritage. Since I never had a tree, and therefore, no decorations, I held a trim-a-tree party 29 years ago, my 2nd Christmas as a Christian. I still hang all the ornaments from that first year remembering each of my sweet friends who have meant and still mean so much to me. 


Over the years, with every vacation, I bought an ornament that reminds me of those travels. I have received exquisite ornaments as gifts from family, friends, Sunday school students. Each one holds special memories.

Every year, I buy an ornament for each of my children that reflects what is important to them at that time of their lives. The children have made some adorable ornaments and have received some from other family members. They all have a special place on the tree, and when my kids have their own home, they will have a beautiful headstart on their first tree.


Some look at the Christmas tree as a heathen invasion into what should be a holy experience. I can understand that. It is all too easy to incorporate worldly customs in Christian traditions. And the Christmas tree does have its origin in pagan roots. The very idea of cutting down a healthy tree, bringing it inside and adorning it really is rather bizarre when you think about it. But I didn’t invent the idea. I am redeeming it.

My tree bears ornaments that are reminders of Jesus and the gifts that He’s given us. I have angels, shepherds, wise men and a crown of thorns. I have keepsakes of times gone by, tokens of love, remembrances of family and friends. I have started labeling the ornaments so that the memories don’t fade with time.


Others have their scrapbooks, I have my Christmas tree.

All too soon, Christmas will be over, and the ornaments will be packed away for another year. So let’s cherish the time spent with these memories accumulated over the years.

Do you have a particular keepsake or tradition that makes the Christmas experience special for you and your family?

Lord, I thank You for my family and the friends who have made my life so rich.

Susan