ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

Do you have all your Christmas shopping done? Are your travel arrangements made? How about cookies, fruitcake and other special goodies? Are you in charge of hosting the celebration this year? Is your house spic and span? Will there be enough room? It’s only a week away. Advent seemed to fly by and here we are. In just the blink of an eye it’s time for Christmas. Making preparations for that most special event can be filled with many stressors. Emotions are running high and anxiety and depression seem to build at a rapid rate. There will be an empty chair at the table this year. Tears will fall as we remember the one who sat there. The farm fields are filled with tightly bound bales of hay glistening in the moonlight. City lights glow as a gentle dusting of snow makes them appear to be priceless gems. This is the most wonderful time of the year. Instead of feeling self-pity, worrying needlessly, fretting about the material things – focus on the anticipation of the first Christmas. Make room for Jesus. Rejoice that God loved us so much that He gave His only Son to be the final sacrifice for our sins. The ransom has been paid. The angels sing their glorious songs. True peace on earth is nestled on a bed of hay, He has promised to come again to judge the living and the dead. The thought of that promise could make us shudder or be glad. Again, we wait for the second coming of Jesus. Are we ready?

The inn was filled with travelers,

Skies grew dark and stars began to glisten across the desolate fields,

Weary wanderers looking for rest from a difficult journey,

Sheep  snuggled together to rest,

Shepherds watched, listened and waited,

Like any other day,

Still, something was different,

Silence filled the air,

A brilliant light appeared in the sky,

The stillness was broken by the sound of an angelic choir,

Singing praises to God,

A stable small,

With only a feeding trough to serve as a cradle,

A child was born,

Jesus, Christ, Messiah, Mighty God, Redeemer,

In that most unlikely place,

Christmas was born. Now is the time to make room for this tiny child,

For the Son of God,

As the shepherds stood in awe, the angels said to them,

Do not be afraid,

Promises from God, fulfilled in a most miraculous way, in lowliness, humility and poverty,

THE KING OF KINGS COMES TO US

THANK YOU, JESUS FOR ANOTHER DAY!

THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR ANOTHER DAY!