Jerry's Christmas

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;

he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you; You

will find a baby wrapped in clothes

and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:11-12 (NIV)

I’ll never forget that precious little boy: freckles scattered like tiny raindrops across his entire face, including his ears. Big brown eyes partially obscured by wispy blonde hair that brushed against an ever present smile minus two front teeth.

Jerry was a first grade student at the elementary school where I worked. He came from a home that was short on money but long on love. His clothes were always someone else’s property first, but he never seemed to care.

And this Christmas season was no different.

As a mother of three, I was frantically trying to balance home, husband, kids and job while I shopped endlessly for the perfect “only thing I want” gifts for my family. Somewhere in the rush of the season my focus shifted from the birth of a baby in a manger to the number of presents under our Christmas tree.

There was some success but at a price…a high price. My Christmas budget was shrinking rapidly. “Why couldn’t my children want something a little cheaper?” I kept thinking. “Why do they think they have to have every thing they see on television?”

Those questions were occupying my thoughts as I walked down the first grade hall and saw Jerry coming toward me in his winter coat that was about three sizes too large and worn tennis shoes minus the laces.

“Hey, Jerry! How are you?” “I’m good, Miss Nancy. It’s almost Christmas…Jesus’ birthday…did you know?” I couldn’t help but smile at that comment. “Yes, I have heard that. So what do you want for Christmas, Jerry?”

He quickly replied “Oh, I already know what I’m getting. It’s the same every year.”

At this point I would have expected a child making that statement to duck his head in disappointment and go on, but not Jerry.

As I bent down to hug and encourage him, Jerry put his hands on my shoulders and, with a huge smile, continued. “When I wake up on Christmas morning, there will be a BIG candy cane under my pillow!” he exclaimed as he licked his lips and rubbed his tummy in anticipation of that moment. “And then, under the tree, I will get a little Matchbox car to add to my others. I can hardly wait, Miss Nancy!”

As I hugged Jerry and sent him on to class, I could not hold back the tears of sadness – not for Jerry but for my attitude. Instead of focusing on Christ and His birth, I had gotten caught up in the world’s view that the number of gifts you have under the Christmas tree determines your happiness.

Christmas at our home would never be the same again. All because of a candy cane under a pillow, a Matchbox car under a tree…and a very thankful little boy named Jerry.

Father, thank you for the most priceless gift of love you could ever send – the gift of your Son.  May we never forget that He went from a manger to the cross for us.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Do you find yourself focused more on gifts than the Giver of Life at Christmas?

• Have you talked with your children about the Ultimate Gift that Jesus gave each of us?

Application

• Sit down with your children and help them write on slips of paper the gifts that they can give Jesus this Christmas, like trusting Him, being obedient, and sharing Him with friends.

• Have them wrap each of their gifts for Jesus in a box and offer each one to Him on Christmas morning in prayer.

Power Verses

• Luke 2:11-12 (NIV) “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you; You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.” 

• Romans 6:23 (NIV) “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

• II Corinthians 9:15 (NIV) “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

• John 1:14 a (NIV) “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

• Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV) “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

An Orange, Flip Flop Contentment

“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

Philippians 4:11 (NIV)

There was no extra money in our household. My husband worked outside the home, I worked as a stay-at-home mom, and our three children worked at messing up the home.

We were in agreement as a family that this arrangement would work out best for all of us, but it did mean that we had a very tight budget. I admit that there were times when going to the movies or swimming pool every week would have been wonderful but those were luxuries we only occasionally were able to do.

We had to prioritize our money with necessities first and desires second and that often meant that some important things had to be put on hold in order to balance the monthly income.

I remember a woman scolding me because I didn’t take my children to the dentist every six months. “What kind of a mother would neglect her children’s teeth?” she asked me. “A mother who thought it was a no-brainer to decide between putting food on the table or taking her kids to the dentist,” I wanted to tell her but kept it to myself.

However, there were many positive aspects of watching our budget closely. One in particular stands out: our children learned an appreciation for and contentment with whatever they got. I remember clearly just how that appreciation was shown on a shopping day several years ago.

I had taken our small children to Wal-Mart with a list of groceries that we needed. But I had also budgeted for a couple of small items for each child. When I told them that they could choose two things, they were overjoyed.

Each one carefully considered his or her purchase but my youngest knew exactly what she wanted: a bag of candy orange slices for 89 cents and a pair of flip flops for 50 cents.

As I pushed my cart after the two older ones, I heard a precious little voice from behind me and turned around to hear my youngest as she prayed “Oh, Lord, Lord! Orange slices and flip flops in the same day! Thank you! Thank you!” and held the candy and shoes high above her head for Him to see.

I just have to ask: are you thankful for the candy orange slices and flip flops in your life? Have you felt contentment, even though you don’t have Pierre Marcolini chocolate candy for $102.50 a pound or Jimmy Choo designer shoes for $695.00 a pair?

 In other words, no matter what you have, can you truly say as Paul did in Philippians 4:11 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

No, expensive candy and shoes will probably never be a part of my lifestyle but I wouldn’t trade an orange candy slice/flip flop contented faith for anything in this world!

Father, thank you for the many many blessings that you have given me. Help me to always remember that my contentment comes from knowing you are taking care of me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like you appreciated what you had and then saw someone else with more?

• How did your perspective of what you were blessed with change? For the better or worse?

Application

• Every time you see something someone else has that you don’t, immediately thank the Lord for what He has given you.

• Each morning before beginning your day, stop and name ten blessings that the Lord has given you because He loves you. Be specific.

Power Verses

• Philippians 4:11 (NIV) “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

• I Timothy 6:6 (NIV) “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

• Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

Places You Don’t Want to Be

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you

pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”

Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)

My mother’s favorite childhood memory was getting up early to go with her father, my grandad, as he fished in the river near the family cabin. Her job – and she loved it – was to row the boat as he threw out his line.

            Mother said Grandad always reminded her that oars had to work together, in unison, or the boat wouldn’t stay in the middle of the river in deeper water. “If you want to go in a straight line,” he would tell her, “you have to use the same amount of strength in each arm to pull the oars. If your left oar is pulled back harder than your right one, you will get off course in the water. The oars always have to work together or you will find yourself in places you don’t want to be,” he would warn her.

And if she forgot to heed his advice, they found themselves either spinning in a circle or in shallow water with a bank full of branches . . . and snakes.

That sounds so much like my life. Until the “oars” that I use to get me through each day are from the Word instead of the world, I am going to spin out of control and get off course.  If one oar is faith and the other one fear, I will never stay on the right path because they will work against each other.

The oar of faith will push forward as the oar of fear pulls backward. And the outcome will be as my grandad warned:  “You will find yourself in places you don’t want to be.”

 Where are you today? Rowing in the middle of God’s plans for your life or headed for the branches and snakes? I encourage you to exchange the oar of fear for one of trust.

Call on the Lord to help you pull through whatever is in your path. He alone can strengthen you with faith and trust to keep you from places you don’t want to be.

Father, please help me to stay in your Word every day. I need the strength to face life’s challenges and it can only come from you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Do you ever find yourself in a situation in which you seem to be going in circles and not making any progress?

• What “oars” are you using to strengthen you? Faith and trust? Or fear and panic?

Application

• Journal the words “faith/trust” and “fear/panic” in two columns.

• During your prayer time, journal situations in your life that you are facing and the results of each one if you react with faith and trust or with fear and panic.

Power Verses

• Isaiah 43:2 (NIV) “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”

• Mark 4:39-40 (NIV) “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

• Philippians 4:13 (NIV) “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”