Celebrating the Birth!

Almost every week, I hold a half-hour chapel service at one of three Personal Care Homes here in Kittanning:  Grey's Colonial Gardens, Grey's Colonial Manor and Grey's Colonial Acres.  These three excellent homes are owned and operated by a wonderful family from the Kittanning Free Methodist Church.

Today, I held chapel in two of these homes.  At each I ministered to about ten people.  They seem to look forward to these times and enjoy them.  Some are quite eager to participate by singing, quoting scripture or answering questions.

I showed up today with a large, gift-bag with lettering that read:  MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I told them that I had placed a very special gift in the bag - and then let their curiosity work while we read some scripture.

As I quoted the following verses, many mouthed the words along with me:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us;  and we beheld His glory, 

the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and glory.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign to you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  

Then we sang and read several of the 'story-telling' carols:  "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", and "We Three Kings".  

Next, we talked about the gift-giving mentioned in the last song.  We spoke of the tradition of giving gifts and the joy it brings us.  We also talked of the excessive giving that is often a distraction to the real meaning of Christmas.

Finally, we speculated about what was in my bag:  

• a fruit cake?  
• candy?
• a toy?
• a sweater?

At the peak of curiosity, I reached into the bag and gently pulled out a boy baby doll.  I cradled it in my arms as I spoke of the special gift from God. Again, they quoted along with me:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

As I spoke of the significance of this spotless Lamb and the fact that He would become the Sacrifice for our sins, I passed the baby doll around the table for each one to hold for a moment.

I wish you could have seen the tenderness!  That baby doll was handled with the greatest of care.  Some kissed it.  Many of the women cradled it in their arms.  Some held it longer than others.  It was PRECIOUS!  Even the men took their turn.  

It was an object lesson that took on a life that I had not anticipated!

Have you had that kind of a moment yet this Christmas?  A moment when the spectacular message comes home to your heart?  A personal moment when you acknowledge what it's all really about?

It reminds me of a line from a famous story:

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons.  It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

-  Dr. Seuss,  HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

A few seniors got it today!  This holy day does mean more than gifts and all the other distractions!

Have you gotten it?  Maybe it's time to grab a baby doll and sit for a few minutes...