Saturday, December 26, 2015

Almost a Minute Top 5 Blogs

What a marvelous time of the year.  I can’t remember a more enjoyable Christmas season.

This week I’m kicking back and recharging my brain.  That gives you the chance to review some of my best and most popular posts. 

Enjoy.

See you on the other side of the new year.

P Michael Biggs






Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Is There Room

A vivid memory of one of my childhood Christmases was when all ten kids and grand-kids came home.  That was such an exciting Christmas.  There were twenty-eight of us gathered together that year.

And through some magic we managed for all of us to stay under the same roof.  Amazing.

We tease about eating in shifts and scheduling bathroom time, and we managed all of it with grace, laughter and unity.

There was room for everyone.  Did you catch that? 

The Christ-child left a cozy spot by the fire in Heaven to come to a town called Bethlehem.  Unfortunately there was no room, even for the Son of God, so his parents stayed in a barn. 

A barn – for the Son of God 

Are we making any more room for Him today than we did over two-thousand years ago? 

Are we still crowding Him out?
Do we still say “No Vacancy” just because it is inconvenient?

Throw open the doors, turn on the lights.  Welcome Christ back into our world. 

We’ve tried for a few years now to eject him from our schools. 
     Are we better off?
We’ve tried to keep him out of government and schools.  How is that working?

The most spacious places around?  Our hearts – yours and mine.

Here is a lyric from a Christmas carol that captures my prayer.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus;
There is room in my heart for Thee!”

Merry Christmas 
from Up-Words
Offer Hope at Christmas



Tuesday, December 15, 2015

In July and in December

My friend Harold published a book a few years ago in which he tells this story.

John was divorced, with two young boys.  The week before Christmas the boys were with their mother and grandmother.  On Christmas Eve, John picked them up at the train station.  They were laden down with all kinds of Christmas loot. 

At their father’s home, later that night, they oohed and aahed as they showed him the gifts from their mother and grandmother.  When they finished, they looked around at the sparsely lit, small tree, and small smattering of gifts, and asked, “So Dad, what are you giving us?”

With careful words, John said, “Boys, all I have to give you is myself.  It’s not much, but it’s all I have.  I do promise this – I’ll never leave you.  I’ll always be there for you, not only in December, but in July as well.  For I love you.  You have my love.”

That speaks to me today. 

Is there really anything else we could desire but to be loved?

I’m full of Christmas love right now.

Merry Christmas.

(An abridged version, taken from The Gifts of Christmas by Harold Ivan Smith)

P Michael Biggs
Up-Words
Offering Up-Moments
One Moment at a Time


Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Hark!

The carol is familiar, and sung often during this season.  But what the heck does it mean?

HARK!
Is it an alarm?
Is it a warning?

‘Hark’ simply means “to listen to somebody or something”.

So what do “Hark” and “Christmas” have to do with one another?

There are multiple layers to this wonderful story of Christ’s birth.  I think, perhaps, it is a suggestion to take note, notice, observe, look and see with sight and insight.   In the carol, we are asked to listen to the message of the angels. 

“Hark” is an archaic word.  I imagine we only hear it at Christmastime.  Yet the admonition is there.

It says in effect:  “Pay attention people.  Something wonderful is happening and you don't want to miss it.” 

I'm paying attention ...
  To the music of the season
    The lights of the season
      The smells of the season
        The joy of the season

I am harking.

Have you “harked” yet?


P Michael Biggs
Offering Up-Moments
One Moment at a Time