Jump Start

I don’t know if you are anything like me, but the day after Thanksgiving officially begins the Christmas Season and seems to set me free to focus all my thoughts, hopes and dreams on the JOYS and PROMISES that this unique and special time of year avails!  I can’t help but to go back and read of all the events leading up to and including the story and miraculous events that happened before, at and after that first Christmas that took place in a country far away, some 2000 plus years past.  I also love to go back and remember the exciting memories of my childhood Christmas time adventures with my family and the fun-filled extended family gatherings that at times, felt bigger than life itself.

But as an adult and especially with the passing of my girlfriend and then wife of a combined 48 years, I find myself reliving many of the special Christmas’ we shared and especially the two firsts, as a four-month-old dating couple and then as husband and wife in our tiny little apartment.

Looking back now, I find it funny that our first Christmas in the early stages of dating, and even though we already seemed to be inseparable, was NOT celebrated together with either of our families.  We giddily exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve afternoon in my parent’s living room while my mom and dad were in the kitchen on the other side of the wall, preparing foods for the family gathering later that night.  I laugh about it now, because a scant five months later, we were both a regular part of each other’s family gatherings and a somewhat permanent fixture at each other’s home afterschool and on weekends. 

In my family, Piper went from being seen as my friend, to toasting a drink (punch in her glass) with my family’s favorite Uncle Frank (wine in his) at a dinner celebration in honor of our high school graduation!

We had caused a tiny bit of friction within some of the ranks of Piper’s family, five years later at our first Christmas together as husband and wife, when we had announced that we wanted to start a new tradition and celebrate Christmas morning alone at our own home.  It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made in those early years, as witnessed by all the precious and one-of-a-kind memories we created for our children over the ensuing years.

And even though we were in our early twenties, Piper and I felt like little kids at our first Christmas alone.  She gave me the red 12 string copy of a Gibson Hummingbird guitar that I had drooled over one day while we were out together, picking up some piano music for her and guitar picks for me, at Canevari’s House of Music in the Montgomery Village shopping area of our town.  I gave her a fancy sewing machine that I had proudly researched and purchased (with my 10% employee discount of course) at the downtown Sears store where I worked at the time.

With all the gifts we gave each other over the years, I can honestly say that those two presents were (and still are) the longest lasting and most used gifts that we ever gave to each other.  I cannot even chance to guess how many hours I’ve spent playing that guitar at home, at church, on retreats and at public events over the years.  It has seen countless sets of new strings, had a pickup installed, had to be repaired when part of the back separated, got nicked (the only one on it!) when Piper and I ran the children’s ministry at a church family camp some 45 years ago, and even though I have added and subtracted other guitars to my small repertoire over the years, it is still the sweetest sounding and most favorite of all!

And what can I say about Piper’s sewing machine?  Our oldest daughter and I were reminiscing on Thanksgiving afternoon and she specifically mentioned her fond memories of her and her siblings standing around the kitchen table while their mom sewed and fitted dresses, shirts and costumes for the many church, ballet or school events that they were all heavily involved in as they grew up.  She also sewed dresses for herself and a few western shirts for me!  I still find myself smiling with tears in my eyes when I look at that old portable green machine as it now rests on a shelf in the walk-in closet in my master bedroom.

I also smile and hold back tears of JOY every year when I revisit the original Christmas Story as recorded in the Biblical books of Matthew and Luke.  But what literally JUMP STARTS me into the season and brings a jolt of life into my faith, is when I read of the angel of the Lord’s first words to the young virgin Mary, when he tells her of the miraculous events that will be unveiled and then answers her reply of bewilderment saying in NO uncertain terms:

“For no word from God shall be void of power.” (Luke 1:37 – ASV) 

The Amplified Version does a great job of clarifying and furthering our understanding of this specific statement that I believe the Lord employed, in order to set the stage and the precedent for the Good News of Jesus Christ coming into the world.

“For with God nothing is ever impossible and NO word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfilment.” (AMP)

Think about the reality and power of that statement… Is that what you believe… REALLY BELIEVE… concerning the working of the Word of God in YOUR life?  To me, it is a foundational part of my Christian faith that our heavenly Father wanted to make clearly known and exercised in our lives, from the birthing stages of the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ coming as our personal Savior and Lord.  It is also spoken of in prophecies throughout the Old Testament and confirmed by Jesus Himself in the New Testament.*

Jesus also declared that the miraculous possibilities of God, as written within the promises of His Word, become active in our lives through the regular participation of our own faith!**  And then He helped us along, through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, by teaching us in Romans 10:17 that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (KJV)

Wow!  That’s It!  That’s exactly what gives my system the electrical type of jolt that I need and desire to re-ignite my fire for the Good News of Jesus Christ and the burning desire to not only see the miraculous active in my own life… but continue to share that Good News with others!

How About You?

If you haven’t before… I would challenge you to begin to look at THIS Christmas season in light of the Angel of the Lord’s introductory words concerning the coming of the Savior of the World.  I betcha… that it will CHANGE and greatly EXCITE your family’s Holiday celebrations and JUMP START your New Year with a new-found excitement that you’ve never experienced before!

Then come the first few weeks of January 2023… write me a note and tell me all about your experience!

 

*See: Luke_18:27; Gen_18:14; Num_11:23; Job_13:2; Jer_32:17, Jer_32:27; Zec_8:6; Matt_19:26; Mark_10:27; Php_3:21

** For examples see: Matthew 9:29, Luke 8:48, Luke 8:50