Chris and I volunteer at an afterschool tutoring program once a week for under resourced children in the community.  We help with tutoring and then lead a “large group” time that really felt like pure chaos last night!  The kids were incredibly wild and so we threw out the original lesson and spent the majority of the time singing, “Go Bananas–Go Go Bananas,” playing “Simon Says,” and other physical games which forced kids to move and get some energy out.  We finished with a mad-lib of “The Night Before Christmas.”  I think there was a mention of, “when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a furry sleigh and 42 tiny porcupines.”

 Literally the last 30 seconds of our time Chris together said, “I have something to tell you–this Christmas thing–there is a REALLY crazy story about it–not just the Santa stuff–but there is more–and it is CRAZY and we are going to talk about that next week!”  That was it.  Two girls came running up to me and said, “I think I know what the crazy story is about…Christmas is God’s birthday.”  Another boy said, “my mom reads to me from her Spanish Bible and it says that Christmas is about Jesus.”    

Yep.  It is.  

Why don’t we act like it?  Why do we get so hung up in the tree trimming, the party going, the present buying, and the turkey stuffing that we actually miss the simplicity and purity of the whole thing?

I don’t want to miss it!   The crazy story of God’s love.  The crazy story of a God who put skin on.  A God who wanted to relate and understand life, pain, friendship, betrayal, hope, laughter and love from our point of view.  Love came down because He would rather die than live without me (and you.)  I don’t want to miss the celebration of that crazy story.  

This Christmas I want to re-gift a gift that was given to me.  Ray Seigler was our mentor, friend, and employer throughout our 20s.  He sent Chris and I a set of readings so that we might be able to take a few moments each day of December to reflect on this crazy story and this crazy love.  I realized that the readings might be a gift to others–one that would be worth sharing!  Consider it an early Christmas present from me.  I pray that He might show up for you in December as you reflect on the meaning of this month.  I pray that it would be a sweet time, a slow time, and an intimate time…just you and Jesus. 

Here are Ray’s suggestions for your reading time:

Read one each day December 1st through Christmas Day.  If you miss a day, don’t make it up.  Just enjoy today’s reading.  

Set aside a time when you are most likely to be alert and paying attention.  Allow at least 15 minutes…some may want longer…it is up to you.

The whole point of the readings and setting aside time is to have a more personal encounter with Jesus this Christmas.  The readings lead us from the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus, through His birth, in to the comments of the Apostles about Him. 

Before you read, ask God to guide you, and to speak to you personally in your reading.  

Read through the passage once…then read through it again more slowly, maybe two or three times, to let it sink in.

Ask yourself:  

What does this say about Jesus?
About me?
About my relationship with Him?

Relax and enjoy…God wants to be with us more than we ever thought about wanting to be with him.  

December 
1  Isaiah 9:2-7
2  Isaiah 7:14
3  Isaiah 35:1-7
4  Isaiah 40:1-5
5  Isaiah 42: 1-18
6  Isaiah 53:1-12
7  Luke 1:26-33
8  Luke 1:34-38
9  Luke 1:39-45
10  Matthew 1:18-21
11  Matthew 1:22-25
12  Luke 2:1-7
13  Luke 2:8-14
14  Luke 2:15-20
15  Matthew 2: 1-12
16  Luke 2:21-32
17  John 1:1-5
18  John 1:6-13
19  John 1:14-18
20  1 John 1:1-4
21  1 John 1:5-10
22  1 John 4:7-11
23  1 Peter 2:21-35
24  Hebrews 1:1-4
25  Philippians 2-5-11

May You Be a Blessing and 
May You Have a Meaningful Month!

Jenni