On December 21, my wife, daughter, and I stood in our driveway (Sapulpa, Ok) and marveled at the beautiful sight of Jupiter and Saturn (the two largest planets in our solar system) as they "aligned" and gave off a marvelous light, marking the beginning of the winter solstice.  Their alignment this year is rare and hasn't been seen since the Middle Ages.  It is this phenomenon, many believe, that the Wise Men witnessed so many years ago.  How blessed we are to have been able to see it as we approach Christmas day, 2020.  It should cause all of us to stop and think...

I was very frustrated (driving West-bound on highway 117) as I got behind a car doing 30 mph at best.  "Why is he going so slowly?"  I exclaimed to myself.  I was preparing to pass and zoom to a normal highway speed when I glanced to my left and saw what was the probable cause of his slow travel:  He was looking at the Christmas light display which is prepared annually by the Paragon company.  I hadn't really noticed it as I was "zipping" by, but when I looked I was caught by the beauty and grandeur of these marvelous lights.  For me it was a "God moment" as i realized that I was rushing through Christmas and was on the verge of missing the wonder of it all.  I realized that I needed to "slow down" a bit.  Could this be true of you as well?...

We hear a lot about angels in the Bible.  At Christmas time, we are especially reminded of their presence in our lives: Gabriel appears to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist.  Gabriel again appears to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus.  Then after the birth of Jesus "an angel of the Lord" appears to Shepherds to announce the Messiah's birth.  Though angels don't show up on every page of the Bible, their work is mentioned frequently enough to let us know that they are at work in our world.  But the angels that are on my mind today are not the true celestial beings whose work is both mysterious and grand; rather it is those who are "angel like" in that often they work behind the scenes but bring great blessing to those who are the objects of their favor.  Today I'm thinking of people like you and me, who have the opportunity to be "angels" for the sake of others...

The story of the birth of Christ is recorded in both Matthew and Luke.  Both stories are beautiful in their own right, but recently the passage in Matthew (1:18-24) has especially caught my attention.  I would invite you to grab your Bible and read this story once again.  As you do, please notice how the message unfolds with key words, each of which begin with the letter P:...

I have known Mike Platten, who is a Christian professional magician, for years and have enjoyed watching him perform and share his testimony on several occasions.  Recently he shared his gifts both in public worship and for the children's Christmas party at the 1st United Methodist Church in Sapulpa.  As Mike began his performance, he made it clear that the "magic" he performed was just a "trick" based on illusion, and that the only one who could truly perform miracles was Jesus Christ.  He brought his point home in an effective way by doing a card trick featuring the "king of hearts" and reminded the audience that we need to remember, this Christmas, that Christ came into the world to be the King of our heart.  But it was his statement, "Jesus is the only one who performs true miracles" that caught my attention.  It reminded me of the wonderful miracle that we know of as Christmas...

For years I have been impressed with the work of the Salvation Army.  The merging of personal salvation with social acts of charity have long been their style.  Every Christmas I am reminded of the dedication of these Army workers as I sometimes see them in extremely cold weather, ringing their bells and collecting money for the needy.  But the scene I saw this year caught my attention in still another way:  It was a mom and her two young children working together to bless others.  Their example made clear the lesson that giving and serving is not just something that adults are called to do; rather, it is something we, as families, can do together..

It is very common this time of year for families, churches, shopping malls, (and even some businesses) to decorate in ways that lift up the Christmas season.  The light displays throughout the Tulsa and surrounding area spectacular.  Christmas trees and manger scenes can be easily found.  (Pictured above is a display that was set up by the Passages Sunday School class of the 1st UMC of Sapulpa).  But the value of these displays does not come from a simple casual glance; rather the value is found in a pause coupled with reflection...

Every year, at this time, the beloved Dr Seuss classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, can be found on one of our local or cable stations.  It is a humorous story and one which provides a wonderful lesson for children young and old.  But the fact is, there are real "grinches" who steal Christmas from many, each and every year.  Some of theses grinches have been around since the birth of Christ.

I recently learned that our local Presbyterian Church (1st Presbyterian of Sapulpa) was offering a Blue Christmas service for families during Advent.  Some may ask, "Why would they do that?  Isn't Christmas a season for celebration and joy?  Who would attend a "blue" Christmas service?"  Well the fact is many will (or should) attend.