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It is the Spirit of the holiday that is more important than the exact date, or details.

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Originally posted by lock

We are never told to redeeem pagan holidays for God.

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Originally posted by Mayflower
My beloved, wonderful mother suffers from Alzheimer's disease.
Without a doubt, she is and was one of the most genuine and loving mothers who ever walked the earth.
She would have given her life to protect her children.

We now stand in the gap for her -- not because of 'duty,' but
because we learned "how" to love, from someone who gave self-sacrificial, boundless love.

Alzheimer's is like a thief in the night -- stealing more & more of the essence of who & what she was.
However, although the parent/child relationship is now 'reversed', I am learning new lessons about the 'changing seasons' of love.

Each time we talk, her voice eager & eyes lit up with childlike innocence, she asks, "Did you know that today is my birthday?" (She was born in August; it's now almost Christmas. She asks the same question each week, each month).


I don't correct her.
It doesn't matter if she doesn't know the exact date;
I genuinely CELEBRATE her birth -- winter and summer; yes, even through the bittersweet season of Alzheimer's ( ! ) -- simply because I love this gentle, sweet person more than word or deed can ever convey. (i.e., I have been immeasurably blessed -- because she was born. For me, this is just cause to celebrate her birth...).

A time will soon come when this woman, who was once so capable
and strong -- will no longer be able voice the simple question that now fills her with childlike wonder, "Did you know that today is my birthday?"

Throughout this season, and whatever comes next -- I will continue to hold her hand & look into those blue eyes, so similar in color to my own. And, I will continue to celebrate The Event; the day that this extraordinarily "giving" human being was born . . . . .


With Joy.
Just as the angels must have celebrated the birth of Our LORD.

August,
or December;
the 'date' does not matter.

The important thing is that my life is forever changed
because this wonderful person graced this earth with her presence for a time; and, for this -- I celebrate.

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Originally posted by lock

John-

I am sorry. This is a touchy subject.

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Lock,

No apology necessary. I honestly find the whole upset my point of view causes so many somewhat amusing, really. Why do people care so much about whether I observe Christmas or not? Again, this whole thing is truly a study in the power of emotively based beliefs, as our friend Mark's tears demonstrate--no offense intended, Mark, really. And no offense to anyone else. Heck, I usually get misty-eyed during the final scene of "It's a Wonderful Life," but that doesn't mean the story is true.

And Mayflower, I would never want to crush someone who was suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's by arguing with them over what day it is, even though they'd forget about it in a minute or two anyway. (My late grandmother suffered from Alzheimer's for the last ten years of her life, and so I know whereof I speak about that). That kind of scenario is truly beside the point of this discussion, though. I'm sure most children LOVE the stories and mystique surrounding Christ-mass, but that doesn't make them historically accurate.

Anyway, now that my chestnuts have been thoroughly roasted , I'll try to let this whole thing drop for now. Lord knows I've got enough persecution over this from my own friends and family. ("You don't celebrate Christmas!?!?! I thought you were a Christian?!?!?)

Peace & Love,

John

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Originally posted by JEE
I honestly find the whole upset my point of view causes so many somewhat amusing, really. Why do people care so much about whether I observe Christmas or not? Again, this whole thing is truly a study in the power of emotively based beliefs, as our friend Mark's tears demonstrate--no offense intended, Mark, really. And no offense to anyone else. Heck, I usually get misty-eyed during the final scene of "It's a Wonderful Life," but that doesn't mean the story is true.

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LORD'S DAY 15

37 Q. What do you understand
by the word "suffered"?

A. That during his whole life on earth,
but especially at the end,
Christ sustained
in body and soul
the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race.^1

This he did in order that,
by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice,^2
he might set us free, body and soul,
from eternal condemnation,^3
and gain for us
God's grace,
righteousness,
and eternal life.^4

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Originally posted by PotOnWheel

I overheard someone using the phrase "birthday of jesus" yesterday. I was surprised. It seems to Hostess Twinkie. Choosing a day as "it" is not the point.

Feast of the Advent of our Lord is much better. Or other things like it. What is celebrated is ALL of Christ's life and sacrifice.

The Heidelberg Confession says:

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LORD'S DAY 15

37 Q. What do you understand
by the word "suffered"?

A. That during his whole life on earth,
but especially at the end,
Christ sustained
in body and soul
the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race.^1

This he did in order that,
by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice,^2
he might set us free, body and soul,
from eternal condemnation,^3
and gain for us
God's grace,
righteousness,
and eternal life.^4

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That during his whole life on earth. . .Christ sustained in body and soul. . .against the sin of the whole human race. . .in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice...

And THAT includes every day from his conception to his death on the Cross.

By pointing to one day, we point to them all.

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"I choose you" comes with THIS story

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Rachael Lampa, at 15 about the same age as Mary on the first Christmas, answers that question beautifully in "I Choose You." Lampa, speaking from the road (touring with another Christmas project, playing the role of Anna in the musical "Child of the Promise"), fell in love with the song from the moment she heard it. "I know," she says. "I'm at that same age that Mary was when God picked her out of everyone to be the mother of Christ ... this song just hit me deep!"


Written from God's point of view, "I Choose You" reminds us that, when God makes a plan, He is the one that can and will see it through. It's a promise that applies to everything from the birth of Christ to what we're going through in our everyday lives.

It was a powerful moment for Lampa, who struggles to maintain a "normal" high school life when she's not touring or recording. Her family of six lives near Boulder, Colo., and has its own set of Christmas traditions. "It's kind of silly," Lampa laughs, "but all us kids take over a room in the house every year and build a fort. It stays up at least a day. We always go to church together, too."

http://www.passageway.org/popculture/silent_text.asp

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Here's the Album the Lampa song was from: One Silent Night http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004Z3S8/102-8091414-8306549?v=glance&vi=samples


Other songs worth considering for this thread include "Sister of My Soul"

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Chaffee also took part in the shaping of the CD, writing the lyric to "Sister of My Soul." As Nicole C. Mullen sings, "If you could sing your soul's song/ to an audience of One/ then Mary so can I" the heart of both book and music comes out. By showing a personal connection to Mary's life, Chaffee hopes to inspire listeners and readers to look to the same Source for strength that Mary looked to.

"When we get down to it, none of us have a perfect experience," she explains. "Relating that to the experience of Mary, a real woman -- she just had to be sitting in that barn saying, 'The King? In a stable?!'" Chaffee laughs a bit at the absurdity. "Our expectations are often dashed against reality, yet, God's promise did come true!"

In the same way that God touched Mary and held her up through hard times as she prepared to give birth to His Son, He touched each of the women in these stories and songs and gave them the same gift: Jesus. We all bring different experiences, good or bad, fun or painful, to each Christmas. Chaffee says that it all boils down to this: "The gift that we need most is in our lives already ... no matter what happens in life, the Baby is still in that manger!"

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Listen to the story behind "One Silent Night"

http://www.passageway.org/genram.asp?n=psgw/silentNight.rm

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That during his whole life on earth. . .Christ sustained in body and soul. . .against the sin of the whole human race. . .in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice...

And THAT includes every day from his conception to his death on the Cross.

By pointing to one day, we point to them all.

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Thanks for sharing your beautiful story, MayFlower. I have to admit, it brought tears to my eyes.
I will be hugging my mother a little tighter this Christmas and everyday here after.

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"I choose you" comes with THIS story

Here's the Album the Lampa song was from: One Silent Night http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004Z3S8/102-8091414-8306549?v=glance&vi=samples

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Amazon...
Availability: THIS TITLE IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE. If you would like to purchase this title, we recommend that you occasionally check this page to see if it has become available.

13 used & new from $4.35

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Luke 1

Mary's Song
46 And Mary said:

[*]“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me– holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”

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Originally posted by PotOnWheel

The true meaning of Christmas

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Luke 1

Mary's Song
46 And Mary said:

[*]“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me– holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”

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If it is appropriate to recall an Annunciation hymn during the season of Christ’s Nativity, it is because the mystery of the Son of God is all embracing. It fills all the time and space of our lives with His presence. And this presence is reactualized, relived liturgically. To celebrate one Feast is to celebrate them all. There is no separation, no hiatus, between Annunciation and Nativity, or between Nativity and Pascha. Today, as at every feast (and every day is festal) we celebrate, “remember” and thus relive the one great and awesome Mystery of God’s eternal love and our eternal salvation.

So today, in this Christmas season, we celebrate the inestimable gift – the priceless “treasure in the field” – of that mystery. We do so for ourselves, and we do so for those around us, Christians and others, who find themselves adrift in a sea of moral confusion and radical unbelief.

With the angel Gabriel, we herald the glad tidings, the Annunciation of joy, that Christ Is Born! We proclaim to one another and to the whole world that the eternal Word of God has – in fact, in all reality – become the Son of the Virgin, that in Him God has truly visited His people to grant them life. And with the Mother of God, together with the heavenly host and the saints of every age, we rejoice. We rejoice and we celebrate, with tears and with boundless thanksgiving.

ANNUNCIATION HYMN:

The eternal mystery is revealed today:
God the Word of God becomes the Son of Mary the Virgin.
Gabriel heralds the Annunciation of joy.
Let us cry with him: Rejoice, O Mother of our God!

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