Thought of the Day !!

And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:18-19 (NIV)

Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem where Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus. The shepherds were told of this by the angel of the Lord, and they went to the manger to see for themselves. Now, everyone is gone. It has finally quieted down.

Everyone who heard the shepherds' tale of a baby born to be the Savior of the world was amazed. After all, it's an amazing story. Many still won't allow themselves to believe. They debate the virgin birth. They say that one child couldn't do so much. "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Mary knew who the child was that rested in her arms. She knew that the angel Gabriel had not been a hoax. She knew that there was something special about this baby.

I invite all of us these next few days to ponder the greatness of Christmas. Treasure the memories of Christmas' past where you experienced joy and peace. Search your own hearts for possible Christmas miracles and share all these memories with family and friends just as the shepherds shared the good news with the people of Bethlehem. And finally, make this Christmas special in some way. Do something special for someone. Bring the peace of Christ to a broken family. Share with a little one the real story of Christmas instead of, or along with, stories of Old St. Nick. Make this Christmas one that will be remembered fondly. Someone else's Merry Christmas may just depend on you.

I'll be in touch again next week when we get back from visiting with our family. Merry Christmas from Michelle and me. We love you all.

In the love of Christ,
greg