For Those who CELEBRATE

merry christmas, oklahomies!  

"At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home.  He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was now obviously pregnant.  And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.  That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them.  They were terrified, but the angel of the Lord reassured, 'Don't be afraid!  I bring you great news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior -- yes the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem.'" -Luke 2:1-11

great news 

that will bring

great joy

to all people

the SAVIOR has been born

Praise be to Jesus that in His perfect humility and power, He became a man that he might reveal to us the character of God and ultimately to die an unjust death, so that we who deserve death might be free -- free to dance and sing and celebrate for always and forever.  And all of it was done not out of obligation but out of love.  His unending, abounding, unchanging, unconditional love for us is greater than we will ever know, but it is in and through the life of Jesus that we catch a glimpse of how far He was willing to go to prove that His love for us will never change.  The story of Christmas -- the story of Jesus -- is special and crazy and almost unreal.  Maybe mostly because it's almost uncanny to think another individual might love us that much -- let alone God.  Then again, they say love causes people to do some seemingly crazy things.  Praise God that we might come to understand even the slightest capacity of His great love for us through the life of Jesus.  

Thank you, Jesus, for loving us, giving us LIFE, PEACE, MEANING, PURPOSE, HOPE, STRENGTH, WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, GRACE, MERCY, LOVE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, the list goes on.  Thank you that in you we are forgiven forever and that we find FREEDOM that knows no bounds.  Thank you that your message includes everyone, and that it is through you alone we can know truly experience a joyful life in all circumstances.

JOY to the WORLD 
the Lord has come

His name is Jesus, and by His divine power, mercy, grace, and love, He will never leave us or foresake us or cast us out to die but stands beside us in all things, bearing the bad and sharing in the good.  We're the luckiest little munchkins in the whole wide world.  Though we'll never fully understand your deep love for us, we love you.  May our songs ring loud in all the earth this CHRISTMAS day -- they're all for you!

All my love!