Deckin' the Halls

Twinkle lights are the best... we went blue this year and we like it.

We hang mistletoe on the Mexican bells, so watch out for them bells!

Jesus is the center our our Christmas, but it takes some doin' to make a baby scene equal other decorations. Lights and greenery make some weird collision of tradition and honor. The baby is represented by the longest surviving doll from over 3 decades back. Beauty wasn't a factor since the stark amazingness of what God did began so humbly.

The tree guards the manger like the multitude of angels shouting Halleluia... only really, really different.

Our house wouldn't be complete without numerous mini Nativity scenes, one of which must be set in the backdrop of hot rods. "Let everything that hath (or hath not) breath, PRAISE THE LORD!"

Does that sound crazy?

Dad said it better in his newsletter.... I shall quote him being starkly un-inspired this Saturday morning...

"I always enjoy this time of year. Look around and see all the preparations that are being made for Christmas - it seems like stores are preparing earlier and earlier each year...

I like to see these things because so much pivots around the birth of Jesus Christ, around whom pivots all of history and even the whole universe.

The one who takes the prize for preparing for Christmas, though, is God Himself. Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, the Bible prophesies of where Jesus would be born, that He would rule over Israel, that the circumstances of his birth would be unique, that the child would be a male, that he would be God dwelling with humanity. Angels were used for some announcements. Some of the arrangements were made by world rulers (Caesar called for the census), and other rulers took part in the celebration of his birth. Satan even tried to kill him as he tried to kill Moses, stirring up Herod to kill the young boys in the region.

Of course, none of this is news to you because God has made sure you know this information. I bring it up to accentuate the idea that the long-term preparations God made far exceed what we see today.

There is another way He excels. It has to do with how great the quality of his character is.

People had ample opportunity to raise up a Godly line in the four thousand years before Christ.

Adam and Eve were in a perfect, sinless enviroment until they corrupted it with sin.

None of the great people mentioned in the Bible could live a perfect life, let alone raise up a Godly family that produced after it's kind.

Now, compare that with the incomparable superiority of God. Whereas we humans had millions of opportunities to raise up a Godly race, God didn't even have a contingency plan. He reached down from heaven and planted one, only one, Seed. Because with God, once was enough."

Bring on the decorations!!!!! We celebrate YOU, God!!!!