I’m not a big fan of fantasy literature and I don’t believe in mystical thinking, but this story reminds me of the never-ending tasks mothers oversee and how quickly the “Nothing” can try to steal our joy while we do them. The AURYN in the picture has its own mystical meaning and representation but I would like to borrow this little symbol and apply our own purpose to its form.

MOTTO: In the book and the movie the words “Do what you wish” are inscribed on the back of the AURYN so we’ll start with that element. When I wake up in the morning I have a choice. I can literally do what I wish with my day. This applies to mothers that work outside or inside the home. I want each moment to count in my day – but those moments aren’t going to come on their own. I have to be intentional about how I spend my time and I have to protect my time.

I’m not suggesting we plan every minute of the day and refuse to veer from those plans…I just want to get rid of the afternoons when I look around the house and wonder what happened to my day.  So what’s your motto for your day? Mine changes depending on what the day holds. No matter your goals or motto for the day, I hope your energy is given to people first and projects second – keeping a balance that allows you to enjoy your role without it overwhelming you.

DUAL INFINITY: The snakes are meant to represent the sign for infinity and the connection between reality and the world of imagination. I’m not a fan of snakes, but for now I’m going to make the grey one the amazing amount of chores and tasks that literally NEVER END in my world of keeping a house, meals and car serving ME instead of me serving them.  The gold snake will represent the never-ending time I have to spend with my family. Whether here on earth or in heaven I’ll always be with them. They are amazing people and I’m going to try my best to give them a clean and organized home, but most importantly I don’t want to miss out on spending time with them while we’re living in the same house.

THE NOTHING: In the story, the Nothing is trying to destroy Fantasia and it is succeeding because people in the “real world” don’t use their imagination anymore. This emblem of balance and infinity helps give power to the story’s characters so they can defeat the Nothing. Scrubbing toilets, finding lost socks and cleaning up spills might not seem powerful and amazing - but it is! If we chose to sit around and do nothing what would our family think?  Would they feel or see our love? We aren’t servants, but we serve our family because we love them. One way that we serve is through our day-in, day-out attention to the details that help a home stay functional and yes – fun.

Only God can fill the “nothing” space in our inner being. He alone can make us complete. Once we are complete in Him we are given a wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit that helps us see that every small task and every intentional effort, given in love, is being used to bless our family.

In his devotional book, “My Utmost For His Highest”, Oswald Chambers writes on June 15th: “I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it”. God’s power is with us and he can even use our imagination to make all those little tasks a bit more fun and full of joy!

Perhaps this post was a bit of a stretch for your imagination but I appreciate you hanging in there with me.  I think the world we live in, Heaven and Hell are the only reality there is, but for a moment today I enjoyed imagining a reality where laundry folded itself, dishes washed themselves and Cheerios stayed on high chair tray.

Well….back to reality right?

The good news is that you can take the first steps toward getting everything done and NOT sacrifice your sanity or time with family. Don’t believe me?  Take a look at our Smart Moms ”Task Tracker” (Task Tracker Template) and see for yourself.  To help you get started I’ve provided the Task Tracker I filled out (Task Tracker Johnson) for me and our family.  Feel free to use mine or create your own.

Print it out, make your own, post it on your mirror and commit to trying it for at least 2 weeks. I’d love to hear your stories of success and discovery – even your suggestions for making this a better resource!  Enjoy!

Kasey

The other purpose of a cyclical review is to remind students of math problems and grammar questions from previous years. Students are constantly learning new concepts during the year and we need to help them retain the old while grasping the new.

Last night I had the privilege of speaking to an awesome group of women in Missouri. They are a MOPS group and they were having a retreat – focusing on the Kaleidoscope of life and the ever-changing landscape that we manage as mothers.

When I heard about their theme I immediately thought about the different seasons that pass as our children grow. God gave me some wonderful insight that I first applied to my own life and last night tried my best to articulate what I had learned.

Because these Moms were willing to be real and were truly gracious women, we had a GREAT time discussing things and learning how to apply what God had shown us.  I heard so many stories and ideas coming from their sharp minds.

A precious member of this group, Esther, came up to me after our meeting. I complimented her name because my Grandmother carries the same one and I think it’s beautiful. Esther is a Mentor Mom and she plays a vital role in bringing wisdom and perspective to this group of Moms.  The really great part was that she did the same for me.

After hearing me talk Esther had something to add.  I had never really spent a lot of time thinking about the point she made but it has stuck with me. Esther reminded me that all the seasons and stages we are enduring as mothers don’t stop when our kids go to college.

“In fact”, she chirped with a sweet twinkle in her eye, “you relive each one through your grandchildren, but you have to handle them very differently because these children already HAVE parents”.

I smiled at her and wondered what it was like to look back over so many years and yet feel like she was right in the middle of things once again. We had a wonderful conversation and I thanked her for opening my eyes to the reality that I’m in and the one that awaits me.

I started to think about my parents and my in-laws.  I have a wonderful relationship with my mom and my mother-in-law and for that I am truly grateful. I will ask them to tell me stories about my husband and I’s childhood. The funny thing is that they not only share multiple details, they usually refer to one of our boys to help illustrate their point.

They can see my husband and myself in our children.

It really is cyclical.

It’s all repeating over again and yet, it isn’t.  We’re parenting our kids as best as we can but it helps to hear how things use to be done and what our parents and grandparents experienced in raising us.

My grandparents are still alive and my boys have heard more stories and discovered more love from them than most children get to experience when it comes to their great-grandparents. We love going to their house and just hang out with them. At 90 and 94 years old, my grandparents have been married for 70 years and they STILL live in their home together. I’m simply amazed by them and cherish each moment we have to share in their wisdom and laughter.

I pray about and appreciate the effort our grandparents and great-grandparents have put into knowing our kids. They are investing in our family and giving us so much! I WANT my children to hear their stories. I NEED my boys to understand what their generation endured in order for our current reality to be realized.

Each night the boys pray for all their grandparents. Hearing our guys pray for the ones that have gone before us makes me smile because soon the tables will turn and I will be the Grandma – I pray I will measure up to the examples in our life! I also hope my grandkids will pray for me – I’m sure I’ll need it

One day my boys will be someone’s grandpa and I want them to know what it means to be a good parent, grandparent and family member. It’s all cyclical – I just can’t wait to see what’s next on my little orbit around the planet of parenthood.

No matter what comes my way I know I’ll make it because I have an amazing support base and for that I am truly thankful.

I hope you’re able to think to the future just long enough to appreciate your past and present. We can’t live in the future and worry about controlling things, but I think we can be mindful of what’s coming in hopes of appreciating what is and what has been.

Kasey

Kasey

At the end of November, I asked my three-year-old son what he wanted for Christmas. His response: “A candy cane, Mommy. I want a candy cane.” I should have left it at that.  But naïve mother that I am, I pressured him for more. “No, Rylan, what toys do you want? Like, do you want a bicycle? Or some new cars? Or a Thomas the Train? What toys do you want for Christmas?” My suggestions must have sparked his imagination, because from that day forward, his Christmas list grew. It went from candy cane to IPad, golf clubs and scooter. That’s right. My three-year-old asked for an IPad (he didn’t get one, by the way).

Thus began my new job of teaching my preschooler about money—teaching him that we can’t always get everything we want and sometimes we have to sacrifice a desire for the good of the family. A lesson with which many of us still struggle.

For some reason, even though we live in America that’s supposed to be such a rich nation, money is nonetheless a problem for many people. Blame it on rising costs of living, a lack of education for young adults, greed, or various other reasons. Whatever the cause, you and I don’t have to remain in this constant struggle to make ends meet.

I’m a stay-at-home mom, and my family lives on one income (and I should add, that one income is a minister’s salary). To say money is tight for us is an understatement. Even still, we’ve never missed a payment and have no debt outside of our home. I say all this not to brag (believe me, it’s only by the grace of God and the help of a few wonderful teachers that we are where we are), but to let you know it’s possible. Money doesn’t have to own you. As the New Year begins, it’s the perfect time to make some changes in the way we handle our money—changes that I hope will last long past 2012. Let’s start with these five money-saving tips:

Make a budget.

The time invested in the first few months is well worth it. Sure, it’s a pain in the beginning. But once you’ve developed a system, you’ll find that you’re not only aware of where your money is going, but also able to give and save more. Budgets aren’t supposed to make you feel trapped. They’re supposed to provide you the freedom to spend your money only on those things you really want to spend money on.

To get started, track your expenses for a few months. Keep track of every single penny you spend. Then, by looking at your typical spending habits, make a detailed budget. Here are a few categories you might need to include: housing, car payment, insurance, groceries, phones, utilities, cable, spending money, vacation, eating out, birthday presents, Christmas, gasoline, giving money, etc. Based on your typical paycheck, divide your income into categories so that every dime is accounted for before the month begins. One thing to remember as you prepare your budget—your expenses cannot exceed your income.

Plan your meals in advance and then shop with a list.

I cannot emphasize this enough. My husband and I have a family of four and spend less than three hundred dollars a month on groceries and toiletries combined. And I have two kids in diapers! The only way I’m able to do this is by planning my meals and making a list.

Meal planning, though, does more than save money. It also helps get rid of that after-work/end-of-day stress. Instead of pilfering through the fridge at five o-clock every night, scrambling to come up with a decent meal, you already know exactly what you’ll eat every night of the week. I plan my weeks with a couple of easy meals and a couple of more detailed meals. That way, I can switch up my menu based on how I’m feeling each day.

A third benefit to meal planning is that it allows for healthier eating. When I don’t know what I’m going to cook (or worse, don’t even have the ingredients I need), we’ll go out to eat. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with eating out on occasion. But if it’s an every night event, it can easily break your budget and your scale.

Pay with cash, not credit.

For some reason, paying with cash hurts more. When you’re holding a one hundred dollar bill in your hand, it’s a lot harder to let go of than it is to run a piece of plastic through a machine. Paying with cash causes you to think harder about purchases and make sure they are really worth the cost.

I’m not anti-credit card. My husband and I often use our cards—especially for large purchases so that we can take advantage of reward programs. The key to using a credit card is to pay it off every month. If you can’t pay off a purchase, don’t buy it.

Plan now for end-of-year expenses.

December is always a budget-killer in our household. This past Christmas was even worse. (That’s actually an understatement. I asked for a Dyson vacuum cleaner, so our budget didn’t just take a hit. It sank completely.) But…because we had prepared for December in January through November, we were still able to pay all of our bills without having to go into debt.

Here are a few categories you might want to add into your budget every month: Christmas, new tires (we always seem to need new tires right around Christmas time), car tags (again, ours fall in November and December), property taxes, and car insurance. Simply budget a certain amount of money into these categories every month and store the cash in an envelope or special savings account. When December rolls around this year, you’ll be ready.

Give.

I know it doesn’t really make sense. How can giving money away help you save? I don’t really have an answer for that other than this: the Lord promises that when we give to Him, he will give back to us. Granted, it’s not always in money. But sometimes it is.

When my husband and I were first married, we made a commitment to give ten percent of our income (which wasn’t much) to our local church. We were college students with part-time jobs, so making this commitment was difficult for us. One time, when we literally had no money in our bank account and very little gas left in our cars, someone left an anonymous gift in my mailbox at school—just enough to get us through until the next paycheck. One of the primary reasons my husband and I have never had debt and never missed a payment is this: we give to the Lord. And He gives back.

Along with these five tips are many more: create a babysitting swap instead of paying for sitters, buy generic, use coupons only if they actually save you money, eat in rather than out, bring your lunch to work, etc. If you’d like to read more tips from me, I have a free downloadable document at my blog: http://www.lindsey-bell.com. Stop by anytime. I’d love to chat with you more!

The wisemen traveled over 800 miles to follow the star they saw in the East. This group of scholars was accustomed to meeting Kings and dignitaries during their travels.  Being the type-A, plan-every-step and test-every-theory folks that they were; the men carried perfumes, precious metals and spices with them on this long but very important trip.  Scholars believe that Jesus was a toddler by the time the wisemen arrived, thus the placement on top of the refrigerator.

As a church we celebrate the wisemen’s arrival during the Season of Epiphany.  In fact, this Friday, January 6th we will celebrate the 12th day after Christmas – Epiphany.

The term “epiphany” means to show, reveal or have a sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.  This Friday we will celebrate how the wisemen revealed Jesus to be the Lord of Lords and the important revelation of Jesus to the Gentiles.

The wisemen recognized who Jesus was and after hearing from an angel not to return to King Herod (Matthew 2:12) they obeyed and protected this precious child.

Most of us have heard these stories before but I wonder if we’ve really taken time to apply this story to our own life.

Isn’t it interesting how God told the shepherds versus how He told the Wisemen? I couldn’t stop thinking about the shepherds, in the field, their faces illuminated with the glory of the angels singing praises to God and announcing Jesus’ birth. Can you imagine their amazement and excitement?  I think (this is my opinion, not a theological statement) God knew that the Shepherds needed to hear the specifics of who they were going to see, why it was important that they go and how to find the child. The Shepherds were brave, but not necessarily educated people. This isn’t to say they weren’t of great value – Jesus referred to Himself as the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:14) and He cares for us just like those men watched over and protected their sheep.

I have learned in my short parenting life that God sends “angels” to tell me what is happening, where to go, what to look for and how to respond. These angels come in the form of my family members, my husband, my friends and the many wonderful authors that I learn from. Sometimes I need God to make things super clear and help me in my journey toward an epiphany.  I’ve experienced some of my best ”ah-ha” moments while listening to other moms share their stories and strategies.

I think God knew that the Wisemen would be looking to the stars in the Heavens before they would ever believe in an angel or look to God for guidance. He used something of this world, astrology, to help these men find their way to the Christ. They knew enough of prophecy to make a connection. The men had to bring King Herod up to speed when they quoted Isaiah 7:14 to Herod and asked where the king of Jews had been born (Matthew 2:2-6).

The Wisemen and the shepherds knew the King of the Jews would come – but they didn’t know how or when. Through angels and stars both groups discovered their Jesus and how the world was going to be changed forever.

So the real question for us is: how has Jesus changed our home? What Epiphany has occurred because Jesus has been discovered and welcomed in?

Maybe this year we’ll decide a television show or radio station isn’t allowed into our home or minds. Maybe we’ll renew our commitment to our spouse and find time to look at each other and just connect. Perhaps we’ll discover something new about our child’s personality or interests and in turn help that child discover more about their role in making this world a better place….it really is amazing what could happen when we allow Jesus to be our Epiphany! He works in so many wonderful ways doesn’t He!?!?!

I love that the Christmas story doesn’t end on December 25th, we get to celebrate again on Friday!

It might sound a bit odd, but this year I’m going to participate in a ‘m going to participate in an old European tradition of marking the doorway of our house with these symbols:

20+C+B+M+12

The numbers represent the year: 2012

The Crosses between each symbol represent Christ

The letters serve a dual purpose: They are the initials of the traditional names of the Three Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. They also serve as an abbreviation for the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless the house.”

This marking isn’t meant to be something that is worshipped, but instead I want it to be a reminder to me that I’ve asked Christ to bless my home and in turn I want to be a blessing to the people who live here.  Maybe you have something written on your wall or hanging above your door that serves as a reminder to you too…the wording isn’t as important as the intentionality and meaning behind the symbols.

No matter how you chose to celebrate I hope you’ll find time to talk with your family about Epiphany and hear from them how they would like for Christ to reveal Himself in their lives this coming year.

This is a beautiful time of discovery – would you leave a comment about how your family is celebrating or discussing Epiphany?  Have you had an epiphany of your own concerning how Jesus fits into your home and your calling? Please share with us – we need to hear and be encouraged through you!

You are wonderful!

Kasey

So in honor of 100 posts I’d like to say some words of thanks:

To my family…from my parents to my mother-in-law to my husband and children – all of them have sacrificed time with me and listened to me dream out loud for hours and hours. Thank you for being supportive and full of wisdom and grace.

To you, our readers…I say “our” because even though I write the posts – I’m not alone in my efforts. Some of you give me the best ideas and then there are others that share your precious time reading and responding to such posts. You inspire me and keep me going. When I see that I have a comment on the blog it makes my day! You guys make me smile and I love reading your thoughts.

To the groups I meet on the road…When group leaders allow me some time with their members I feel incredibly honored and full of anticipation. I’m continually amazed when God leads my heart and mind in a certain direction and then I hear from the women in our meeting about why they needed to hear that particular message. To GOD be the glory – great things He is doing with all of us!

To God… I am still amazed that God thinks I can fulfill this kind of calling. My passion and heart for moms and for women hasn’t dimmed once over the last three years and the ideas in my head and spirit are continuing to flow! I am completely inadequate and unable to do all this without God’s constant leading. He keeps me humble, focused and dependant on Him.

This ministry means the world to me and I’m working hard to fulfill my part of this whole thing while praying that God continues to write the timeline.

Thank you for believing in Smarter Moms, for always striving to learn something new and for helping our community grow.

You are such a blessing to me!

Kasey

If you receive our newsletter you know that I had goals and activities set up for this month (to read the entire post click here)…to review they were:

Week of December 5th: Finish decorating Christmas tree, hanging lights and decorating inside the house … Make Banana Bread … Play educational games on the computer

Week of December 12th: Play Doh creations … Make a Pecan Pie … Make cards and gifts for teachers

Week of December 19th: Take boys to dollar store to pick out gifts for family members (this is a tradition where the boys get to choose a gift that is just from them to each grandparent and to us) … Make a fort … make cinnamon rolls from scratch

Week of December 26th: Painting … Find a place for new toys

So here’s an update on how that plan worked out:

Each week I was amazed at those moments when I saw the boys starting to get on each other’s nerves or getting edgy from being inside all the time. When the moment happened I didn’t get frustrated with them, I turned to my plan. The only thing we didn’t accomplish was the pecan pie and that’s okay.

I make plans in case I need them not because I have to do them. We also added something – I found these great little activity sets at Wal-Mart. They were cheap and had all the parts in them.  I kept them up high in our closet and when the boys were dying to open the presents they could see under the tree I pulled these out – it was awesome to see the boys create something and yet I didn’t have to take them to the store or try to make something old seem exciting – it was a $15 investment that saved my sanity!

This week we are finding new homes for all the toys the boys got for Christmas. I love this part of the holiday, here’s why:

If you have read anything I’ve written or heard me speak you know I’m a huge believer in containers that have lids.  The lids are important because they provide limits to the amount of items inside. Just today the boys had some tough choices to make, but they couldn’t argue with a container…so it wasn’t dramatic or difficult.  They kept trying to put in their new toys with their old and although we cleaned everything out back in October, some of the toys they opened are bigger or have more pieces than they were expecting.

The rule in our house is that the lid has to latch closed. The boys were more than happy to get rid of some of the old toys on the bottom of the bin in order to make room for the new, exciting toys.  You see – my goal for this week was not only realistic, but necessary. Once the boys go back to school next week it will be even tougher to keep them focused on putting things away and keeping them organized.

The pictures on some of our bins have changed and that’s a good thing! I didn’t have to buy new containers, just switched things around. I’ve never organized so many Bay Blades, Star Wars characters or Monster Trucks; but alas that is my world now and it’s a good thing

We didn’t end up painting at all this week – mostly because we stayed in Texas for an extra day and that was the right thing to do for all of us.  So I let it go – I don’t feel like a failure because something I had planned wasn’t accomplished…nope – I’m glad I did what I needed to do to help everyone have a great vacation week and I could relax because I knew if things got tough I had some options.

I’m sure you can look back at this month and see how having a plan made memorable instead of stressful moments. If you have a strategy or activity you used this past month would you mind sharing it with us?  I love to have new ideas and hear what you are doing with your kids and the stuff in your house.

2012 is going to be awesome and you guys have helped make my 2011 fantastic! We’ve made it this far and I know we’re going to make great things happen next year too.  Thank you for being so wonderful!

Kasey

Plot is important, but for a book, movie or show to be really good – I have to fall in love with the characters.  If I can identify with or become curious about the characters you can bet I’ll be returning to that particular story again and again.

Each year we revisit the Christmas story and I think the characters in this story are some of the best around!  Let’s travel back in time and put ourselves in the shoes of those involved. Perhaps we’ll find something new, or maybe just remember what it means to have faith in a God-directed, Hollywood-style story. I’ve put my own ideas and story-telling into this review, I hope we can picture the people, places and events in a new way and enjoy a quick reminder of why Christmas is so special to all people everywhere.

Dim the lights, roll film and let’s begin with a very usual, quite ordinary, boring day…

Mary - She’s a young girl (between 14 and 16 years old), talking with her friends about her wedding dress and the wedding feast. They giggle and point at Joseph as he waves to his betrothed across the marketplace.  A girl, in love, whose body is just beginning to show a woman’s form.

Joseph - A young man exhausted from hearing his Father’s lectures about providing for his bride, fulfilling the duties of a good Jewish man and how to one day raise a family. He loves Mary but is nervous to become a husband and provider. He prays in the Temple for wisdom and finds peace while he is working with his tools. He’s started building a table for them to use in their new home and his friends are planning a bachelor party.

The Shepherds - Simple men of the wilderness they miss their families but are thankful for employment. The flock of sheep on the hillside are their livelihood. Between thieves, wolves and disease the Shepherds are constantly on guard against anything that would compromise the herd. The hot sun beats on their backs and they rely on story-telling to pass the time.  One shepherd tells of his days serving a royal family, remembering what it meant to have consistent food and a warm bed.  Each night the flock is called into the sheepfold.  The sheep come because they recognize the lead shepherd’s voice.  They enter into the gate and are counted as they pass under the shepherd’s staff. Knowing all the sheep are accounted for and with their slings loaded the men decide who will stay awake and keep watch during the night.

The Wisemen - Lounging on their pillows the men debate and hypothesize about the stars that are appearing as the night sky begins to form. Following their calendar and comparing notes the men feel a sort of excitement and expectation.  Something new is happening in the heavens and tonight they are awaiting the alignment of two planets and wondering what the result will be. Their shepherds wait with the camels and sheep in the cold night and look up at the same stars their Master’s chart and worship.  The months ahead are sure to bring new discovery and challenge to this group of wise scholars and astronomers.

The Angels – They gather in Heaven, around God’s throne and watch in anticipation as He says good-bye to His Son. Jesus looks at the angels with assurance and peace in His eyes. They watch as Gabriel is called aside and quickly leaves for earth – He has messages to deliver.

Nine to Ten Months Later…

Joseph and Mary are exhausted. Although they are married, they have yet to consummate the union. Over the last 40 weeks the couple has found a union that surpasses any physical intimacy here on earth. They’ve watched Mary’s belly grow and Joseph has been amazed to feel his son’s strong kick against his hand. Neither wonder if their son will portray physical features from their family line. Instead they live each day, amazed at God’s willingness to trust them with His Son.

As they enter Bethlehem they realize the days of waiting are over. Mary prays aloud to her God for strength as the pains of birth grow in strength.  Joseph simultaneously prays for wisdom. Wiping his son’s face clean, Joseph lifts the baby up so that Mary can share in this joyful moment.  Their smiles are paired with tears as they hear their son’s first cry and the silence of sin’s darkness is broken.

The Shepherds continue with their daily routine and the wisemen watch the stars and planets in the vast sky.  The angels watch God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, beaming with pride. They wonder if another message will be sent to the people of earth. God smiles at the thought of His Son once and for all saving His creation from sin.At times His smile fades into solemn thought as He anticipates what is yet to come. But for now all of Heaven buzzes with excitement, like a family celebrating in the maternity ward waiting room.

A beautiful child had been born and this boy was their Jesus.  The angels couldn’t wait to declare His entrance into the world and the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy:

For unto US a Child is born,

Unto US a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

WE are now the characters in the Christmas story. WE are now the active participants in God’s plan for saving this world. I pray we will be like Mary, Joseph and the angels – they were so obedient, full of faith and action. Next week we’ll look more at the shepherds and wisemen, the role they played and I know God will have a new epiphany for each of us.

I hope you enjoyed a beautiful Christmas with your family and friends. You are wonderful!

Kasey

Click Here to read the First Post in this series!

Click Here to read the Second Post in this series!

I love that He is a God of limitless power and yet He takes the time to keep us informed and prepared along the way. Reading scripture is like having a backstage pass when it comes to who God is, what He desires and what His plan is – it’s all very cool I have to admit.

This week we’ll take a lighter approach to our discoveries.  For now it’s all about perspective and we get to meet the four men who wrote down the many stories that occurred between Jesus’ birth and death.  I hope you have fun with this – it’s all so interesting and new to me – thanks for joining in and passing this along to your friends – now, let’s get started…

The first four books of the New Testament are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  They are called the four gospels (the word ‘gospel’ means good news).

Although each man brought a unique perspective to their writing, one thing is clear. Every gospel writer shows Jesus to be God’s Son.  The differences come when we see how each author portrayed Jesus coming to earth to be the son of man.

Meet the gospel writers:

Matthew was a tax collector before he became one of the first disciples called to be an Apostle (Matthew 9:1 and 10:1-4).  He had a front-row, eye-witness approach to each miracle and event that happened during Jesus’ ministry. Although Matthew recorded many of the same events as the other writers, he tended to focus more on Jesus’ explanation of God’s heavenly kingdom (for example: the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5)

Mark wasn’t a member of the 12 disciples. He actually wrote down Peter’s account of who Jesus was, what He did and where He went.  Mark writes more like a Pastor trying to reach both the Jews and the Gentiles with the message that Jesus WAS the Messiah.

Luke was a doctor and he worked with Paul. Like any good physician, Luke liked research.  Through eye-witness testimonies and interviewing people who were with Jesus while He was on earth. Luke worked hard to dispute any rumors or false stories about Jesus.

John and his brother, James, were part of the 12 disciples and enjoyed a very intimate and close relationship with Jesus. John, James and Peter were able to see, hear and experience moments with Jesus that other disciples missed out on.  When Jesus was dying on the cross He committed His mother Mary to John (John 19:26-27).  John also lived longer than all the other writers and had a beautiful perspective when it came to Jesus’ teachings and how they impacted the church and society.

Now that we’ve met the players we have an opportunity to apply what we know to what we read about the Jesus’ birth. If you have your Bible close I’d encourage you to look at the beginning of each gospel as we discover the details involved in each. There’s something about seeing it ourselves that helps make these kind of discoveries permanent in our understanding and growth.

Matthew does a wonderful job of recording the genealogy of Jesus all the way from Abraham through David and finally to Joseph, “the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus” (Matthew 1:16).  Any Jew wondering about the prophecy from Isaiah would read this list of names and find concrete proof.  Matthew doesn’t tell us about Mary’s encounter with the angel.  He jumps right to Joseph and the situation surrounding their engagement, her pregnancy and the fulfillment of a virgin birth.

What Matthew might miss in the female side of this situation he makes up for  by telling us the story of the Magi visiting Jesus.  He is the ONLY gospel writer to record their visit and I love that he included it – I just wonder who told him about it! Some answers I just won’t know until I get to Heaven…or maybe one of you know? Please share if you do!

Mark gets right down to business and now that we know his background it makes sense. Paul and Mark were focused on winning people for Christ, so his gospel begins with the Isaiah prophesying that God would “send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare you way” (Isaiah 40:3). We meet John the Baptist (the messenger that God sent ahead of Jesus) and then we immediately meet Jesus as a 30-year-old man ready to being his ministry.

Luke’s medical background helps us appreciate his attention to detail concerning Mary and her baby’s development. Luke is the only writer that recognizes Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother.John the Baptist’s Father -  Zechariah – didn’t have the strongest faith. When the angel came to him with the news of Elizabeth bearing a son Zechariah responded: “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” (Luke 1:18).

I don’t know about you but I’d rather not hear my husband refer to me as “well along” – but this detail shows Luke’s appreciation for the fact that Elizabeth’s child-bearing years were most likely behind her and this was truly a work of the Holy Spirit.

When the angel came to Mary he not only told of her impending pregnancy, but the angel reminded her that she wasn’t alone: “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:35-37)

I love that God knows what women need to hear. Mary needed to know that she wasn’t alone and she wasn’t the only experiencing a pregnancy miracle – what a wonderful story!

Luke also records one of my favorite passages when it comes to being a Mom and our response to pregnancy. In Luke 1:46-56 he writes down “Mary’s Song”. It’s a beautiful testimony and again, because of Luke’s attention to detail, we learn that Joseph and Mary are apart – Mary has been staying with Elizabeth.

When we’re pregnant we love hanging out with other pregnant friends. We all know how each other are feeling and we don’t feel so alone and overwhelmed. Mary had Elizabeth and I’m so glad Luke told that part of the story.

Remember that Luke is interviewing people – he’s like a good reporter gathering all the facts and perspectives he can. After telling us about the birth of John the Baptist Luke goes on to tell about the angels singing to the shepherds, Jesus being presented in the Temple and Simeon and we even follow Jesus during his 12th year of life. (Luke 2:41-52).

Can anyone think of a better reality television show than the one we’ve just read!?  It’s wonderful to hear the stories in different ways and I love that each man focused on certain details more than others. The Holy Spirit led these men in their writing and I think it’s a beautiful testimony to how well God knows His children.

Some of us need facts and concrete connections to the past to believe the present and future and that’s fine. While others want to see the humanity wrapped up in the supernatural.

I hope you not only learned something new, but found a greater connection to some of the characters involved in the telling of the Christmas story. Next week we’ll look at the shepherds and wise men and the role they played.

This is such a fascinating journey for me – I hope you are enjoying it too.  Thanks for sticking with me during this series and have a wonderful day!

Kasey

This month the lovely folks at Hearts at Home presented a great question to all of us Blog Hoppers.  They asked us when we realized that we weren’t alone on this journey called motherhood.

You know that old saying “Three’s a crowd”? Well, I whole-heartedly disagree, at least when it comes to being a Momma.

When I discovered I was pregnant I began the ever-familiar struggle in my heart and mind: to stay home or keep working.

I sought out everyone’s opinions and began planning for both scenarios. One of my students came to me after class to share that her mom ran a Daycare out of their home.  After touring other child-care centers and picturing me and our baby in the house all day I was truly relieved to meet my student’s mother  – Connie.

Connie, Matt and I made a great trio while raising our son, Matthew.  I had no idea how little I knew and how much help I would need.

I realized that Connie wasn’t there to replace me, she was there to help me raise my son.

I followed her lead, asked her questions and relied on her to tell me when the next milestone or schedule change should occur.

She was a support for me and she never made me feel bad for working full-time…she was simply my partner in parenting.

When I was able to stay home and raise our boys I found support through my friends, but I truly believe that my initial days of parenting would have been a very difficult journey had it not been for Connie and the wisdom she shared with me.

I hope all of us have a Connie in our life. Someone who is just a few milestones ahead of where we are and can help us navigate the treacherous path of parenthood.

Enjoy the journey!

Kasey

Thank you for taking this journey with me and I pray God speaks to each of us in a new and fresh way as we celebrate His Son coming to earth -  let’s get started!

My favorite part of a musical is the Overture – it’s like a sneak-peek for the audience.  The orchestra plays a continuous song made up of small melodic sections from the songs that will ultimately be heard during the production. Unless you’ve seen the musical before, these melodies will seem new.  But the Overture has done its job by introducing you to the songs so when you hear the performers sing them you can enjoy it even more!

If I’m familiar with the musical I listen to the overture and sing along as each song is quickly introduced and then passed over. I smile as I remember the character and plot action that will occur during that particular song – it’s a wonderful time off anticipation.

Well, God has done an even better job of writing an Overture that is so very important to consider when preparing for and anticipating the Christmas season.

I love being a student – I would go back to school right now if I could – but the “school” I’m currently attending is one of being a mom, wife and writer. So in my pursuit to know as much as I can about Christmas I started doing some research concerning how we really know Jesus was the true Christ of Christmas. I hope you enjoy this time of discovery as much as I have enjoyed preparing it.

Let’s use the minds God gave us and continue to learn more about the one person that loves us more than anyone else – our Creator, God. Thinking caps on?  Good – this is gonna be fun!

The Virgin Birth

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, tells us that God had a plan from the beginning. In the 3rd chapter of Genesis we find Eve believing Satan’s lies and she eats from the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” in the garden. Like all good parents, there are consequences for disobeying.  God spoke directly to the serpent (Satan), to Adam and to Eve.

To Adam He basically says that Adam will have to work the ground of the earth to produce food, that the sweat of his brow will be required and God will no longer meet their physical needs for them. He also tells Adam that he will die and return to dust (vs 17-19).

To Eve He says she will endure painful childbirth, that she will desire her husband alone and he will rule over her (vs. 16)

And to Satan He predict and prophecies about Jesus coming. Genesis 3:14-15 God says to the serpent: “Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush  your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Three things to notice here:

1. The word enmity means “a deep-seated, often mutual hatred”. I don’t know about you but I hate snakes and even more than that I hate Satan and what he tries to tempt my children and other people’s children to do.

2. God references “her offspring” when usually a child comes from a man and a woman.  The King James Version says “her seed” and many of the commentaries I studied believe strongly that this is the first reference to a virgin birth – a woman who will give birth without losing her virginity.

3.  The pronoun “he” refers to this being a single man who will “crush [Satan's] head and that Satan will strike his [Christ's] heel”.  When Christ was crucified Satan struck at His “heal” but He DID NOT WIN (can I get an amen!?). We know the end of the story and when Christ returns He will indeed crush Satan and all of his descendants.

Still with me?

Good, because it only gets better…

Fast forward beyond Noah, Moses, David and we arrive at Isaiah and Micah.

Quick synopsis of what’s going on in the lives off the Jews during this time:  These events are happening between 710-680 BC, the Jews have been released from Babylon by Cyrus the Great and told to go back to Israel.  Two enemies and larger powers surround Israel. To the North is Assyria and to the south is Egypt. These two countries are desperate to rule Israel or at least set up a strong presence there so they can be closer to and more powerful than the other.

Throughout the Old Testament God has to communicate with His chosen people through prophets. These are people whose faith was in God alone. They observed Jewish traditions according to the instructions given to them from God and they refused to be swayed by fast-talking, profit-promising rulers of that time.  Sometimes prophets brought direct messages from God and sometimes they shared prophecy from Him. The important thing to remember is that these prophets did not claim to know these things through their own education or strength.  Some of them even tried to run from their calling – they didn’t want to be the one delivering the news God had shared (read Jonah chapter 1 and 2).

It wasn’t a fun job, but someone had to share God’s commands, truths, warnings and promises with the Israelites – God’s children.

Isaiah was a prophet that warned the Jewish people against believing that their current ruler, Uriah, would provide more for them than God could. He prophesied that those rulers would be brought down and their false religion and idols would fall.  God sent word though Isaiah that a Messiah, a Savior, that would truly provide for the people was going to come.

God didn’t say he might come. He gave very specific ways of how, when, where and why Jesus would be born.

Isaiah 7:14 says: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel”.

Immanuel means, “God with us”, and I think it is absolutely amazing that 700 years before Jesus was born God was letting us in on the plan he had for saving the world and exactly how it would happen – through a virgin birth.

Born In Bethlehem

The prophet Micah was also warning the jews about following the latest and greatest regime to promise an easy and profitable life. He was trying to help them remember who they were as God’s children and the judgements that would come on anyone that didn’t follow the one true God.

Micah 5:2-5 wrote that a ruler would come from Bethlehem. God said through Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD,  in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace.

WOW! God named the town and said that this ruler shepherd his flock. John 10:11 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”. Jesus brought peace to those who recognized Him as the Messiah and He was born in the town that God had chosen so there would be no question about who Christ was or why He had come.

The Messiah Would Come Through The Tribe of Judah

Back to the beginning of the Bible (around 1400 BC) in the book of Genesis we meet Jacob and his twelve sons. Jacob’s son, Judah, was blessed with this prophecy:  “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.’(Genesis 49:10).

Jesus’ ancestry is directly traced back to Jacob’s son, Judah, in the book of Luke (chapter 3).  The King James version uses the word “Shiloh” instead of the pronoun “he” within the last sentence of this verse. ”Until Shiloh comes and to Him shall bethe obedience of the people.” Easton’s Bible Dictionary provides these definitions for the word Shiloh: “generally understood as denoting the Messiah, “the peaceful one,” The Vulgate Version translates the word, “he who is to be sent” in allusion to the Messiah.” (Easton, M. G. “Shiloh”, Easton’s Bible Dictionary. Blue Letter Bible. 1897. 24 June, 1996 13 Dec 2011. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm? pe=GetTopic&Topic=Shiloh&DictList=2#Easton’s)

The Messiah Would Be A Descendant of King David

It’s not the most invigorating reading but if we look at the books of Matthew and Luke we can see Jesus’ “family tree”. His genealogy is clearly traced back to David and this is important because along with Isaiah and Micah the prophet Jeremiah had something to say about the coming Messiah.  In Jeremiah 23:5 he writes: ” Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.”.

In verse 6 Jeremiah goes on to share God’s words with the people when he writes: “In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called:  THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

After reading a ton of articles, listening to people much more intelligent than me debate and praying I’ve come to a conclusion: no matter how clear God made things, how specific He was about who Jesus was, what He would do and how He would come – people would still doubt.  Only through a relationship with Christ and the clarity that the Holy Spirit brings will we be able to see the truth.

I think it’s okay to disagree and debate – but one thing is clear – God isn’t incidental, He’s intentional! His desire to love us, have a relationship with us and allow us to discover Him is what drives everything He does. We might not understand all that happens but I hope through our time in scripture today we have a new appreciation for the details and dedication God displayed when providing a Messiah that would save us from ourselves and our sin.

Now go drink some coffee and enjoy a very simple conversation with your child – we’ve stretched our brains enough today!

You are wonderful!

Kasey