Christmas Eve Musings!

 

Just days before Christmas and all through the room,

Not a person could stand or a cleaner could broom!

The gifts, stuffers, boxes and packages awaiting their wrappings

Were seasonal reminders of loving and celebrative trappings!

Santa's Helper!


One of Santa’s most dedicated helpers was full of Christmas passion

As she studied, contemplated and talked through her every abstraction.

Would this match up better with a preteen grandchild or younger?

Or… should I bestow this special surprise on a larger age number?


The time is counting down without a way to stop the clock.

Getting these sacked and delivered is causing me obvious shock!

I’d ask Mike to help but he’s bossy, difficult and dismissive!

I’ll just plod on my own and pretend to be short of taping adhesive! 🎄🎅🤶

It is for sure that I am not the rhyming writer of our family, but I couldn't resist this little verse! Monique has been writing the family Christmas newsletter for more than thirty years now. We usually send it out a few weeks before Christmas with a picture to our friends far and near to give them an update on the M.J. Keppler's. As our family has grown what started out as a single page is now running two with a smaller font each year! I fear that we will soon be putting a disclaimer on it to warn: "This is a long letter! Proceed with caution! Take frequent breaks while reading!" I have a friend who sent us a comparable letter with the acronym prominently handwritten beside the signature: "TMI." (meaning... too much information!!)

Wrapped and Ready for Delivery!

No one I know is singing this refrain, "I'm dreaming of a Covid Christmas!" 🎵 Yet, this is our reality! Presents were mailed earlier to family members who chose not to travel because of the health crisis of the past ten months. Gifts have been delivered to the doors of family members who are local so as to avoid congregate gatherings. There will not be the usual traditions this year for our family. It is a different kind of Christmas than we could have imagined one year ago at this time!

As we read Luke's account of the Christmas story, we cannot fully appreciate all the sacrifices and hardships that Mary and Joseph endured in making the journey from their home in Nazareth to register for the Roman census in Bethlehem. They traveled this distance of ninety-miles by foot at the time Mary was ready to deliver her firstborn, Jesus. When they arrived at their destination, the only accommodation available was a modest cave barn that housed animals. Jesus would be born and swaddled into a manger cradle. 

This would become the humble setting for the greatest miracle of human history! Incarnation! John used vivid language in his gospel account to explain it, "So the Word became human (flesh) and made His home among us! He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness" (John 1:14 NLT). Christ literally "pitched His tent" among us! How and why did all of this occur? The miracle defies explanation, but the reason is succinctly stated later in the gospel by the same apostle, "This is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life! (John 3:16 NLT).

Mary and Joseph took Jesus "on the road" that first Christmas! While many of us have decided to stay close to home this season, this different kind of Christmas celebration nevertheless has been rather portable. We have mailed and delivered, called and texted our greetings! We continue to find creative ways to connect and communicate because this celebration can't be stopped! This Good News can't be suppressed!

"Let Christ be born in you. Let Christ be born in you. Let every heart prepare him room and every heart be opened. Christ be born in you. May Christ be born in you." ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C94tbaZ36vM ) May each of you have a very Merry Christmas!!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor, 
active churchman and
doting grandparent. 
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com




 


 

Comments

  1. The DuckwilersDecember 25, 2020 at 9:50 AM

    Mike, thanks for your good wishes and I hope your entire family are blessed with health, joy and peace. I was thinking about the rapture and its coming soon. My prayer is along with the old song "JUST A LITTLE LONGER PLEASE JESUS" so we can win our neighbor's over to Jesus. Our time may be short so our calling to go is very urgent. God bless!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike KepplerDecember 27, 2020 at 11:01 AM

      "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20).

      Delete

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