Our church member who gave the communion meditation at church yesterday, reminded us of December and kicking off the 'gift giving' season.

Nobody gives like God does! We give because He gave! The Bible verse he used was a familiar one to us:

"For God loved the world
so much that He
GAVE
His only Son
so that anyone
who believes In Him
shall not perish 
but have eternal life.
God did not 
send His Son
into the world
to condemn it,
but to save it!

~ John 3:16 & 17 LAB

***

Today is National Giving Day! We can give money. But we can also give compliments, thank yous, a note, a Christmas card to someone who you wouldn't normally give a card.

Happy Giving Day!

"Share each other's troubles
and problems,
and so obey our Lord's command.
If anyone thinks
he is too great to stoop to this,
he is fooling himself.
He is really a nobody!"

~ Galatians 6:2 & 3 LAB

*

Bible Commentary;  "No one should ever think he or she is totally independent and doesn't need help from others, and no one should feel excused from the task of helping. The body of Christ---the universal church---functions only when the members work together for the common good. Is there someone near us who need help in a task of daily living? Is here a Christian brother of sister who needs encouragements? Humbly and gently reach out to that person Any who feel they are too busy to help others take their work far too seriously."

***

Today's Max Lucado in my computer inbox this morning. A follow up to yesterday's National Day of Giving. And perfect for this time of year.

WHEN WE ARE GIVING 

"Oh, the things we do to give gifts to those we love. But we would do it all again. The fact is, we do it all again. Every Christmas, every birthday, and every so often we find ourselves in foreign territory. Grownups are in toy stores, wives are in the hunting department, and husbands are in the purse department.

"And we do the most unusual things. We assemble bicycles at midnight. We hide new tires with mag wheels under the stairs. One fellow I heard about rented a movie theater so he and his wife could see their wedding pictures on their anniversary.

"And we’d do it all again. Having pressed the grapes of service, we drink life’s sweetest wine—the wine of giving. We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving."

***

Today's entry from Anne Graham Lotz:

THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN

"I am the light of the world.
He who follows Me
shall not walk in darkness,
but have the light of life"

~ John 8:12 NKJV

"Jesus said, 'I am the light of the world.' and He also said we are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14) The sole light in Heaven will be the light that comes directly from God through Jesus Christ, and that light will be reflected in the life of each one of His children! The entire city will be saturated with the glorious light of His life, truth, righteousness, goodness, love and peace--through you.....and me!

"Praise God! The light of the World is the Light of Heaven!"

****

Second serving of "Side Notes' from the current issue of OUR IOWA magazine:

"Every time we love,
every time we give,
it's Christmas."
~ Dale Evans

*
"One thing about snow---
it makes your lawn
look as good as your neighbors."

*
"A good timber never 
grows with ease;
it needs strong winds
to give it strength."

*
"Be someone else's sunshine.
Be the reason someone
smiles today."

* 
"My landlord wants 
to talk with me
about high heating bills.
I told him
my door is always open."

*
"A word of encouragement
can make the difference 
between giving up
and going on."

*
"Nothing should be prized
more highly
than the value
of each day."

*
"Put everything in
God's hands
and eventually 
you will see
God's hand in everything."

****

Sometimes we can read a few verses in the Bible and turn them into a prayer. Today's 'korner' is taken from Colossians with Paul as the writer, talking to the people of Colosse.

I am including it here, as my prayer for you today:

"We are praying, too,
that you will be filled with his mighty,
glorious strength
so that you can keep going
no matter what happens---
always full of joy of the Lord,
and always thankful to the Father
who has made us
fit to share all the wonderful things
that belong to those
who live in the 
kingdom of Light.
For he has rescued us out
of the darkness and gloom of
Satan's kingdom
and brought us into the Kingdom
of his dear Son,
who bought our freedom
with his blood 
and
forgave us all our sins."

` Colossians 1:11-14 LAB

***

Yesterday's entry in my computer inbox by Max Lucado:

LINGER LONGER

"Christianity was born in one big heavenly interruption. Just ask the Bethlehem shepherds – they had no expectations of excitement. These are sheep they’re watching. We count sheep to go to sleep! Shepherds, however, treasured the predictable. This was the night shift. Any excitement was bad excitement—wolves, lions, poachers. Just because they wanted a calm night, didn’t mean they would get it. Luke says, 'Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord shining around them, and they became very frightened.'

"Change always brings fear before it brings faith. We always assume the worst before we look for the best. Good thing the shepherds lingered. Otherwise they might have missed the second verse: 'Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ the Lord.

;"I hope you’ll do what the shepherds did. Linger near the manger"

***

"For in Christ
there is all of God
in a human body,
so you have everything
when you have Christ,
and you are filled with God 
through your union
with Christ.
He is the highest Ruler,
with authority
over every other power."

~ Colossians 2:9 & 10 LAB

*

Bible Commentary:  "The totality of God is embodied in Christ. Christ alone holds the answers to the true meaning of life, because Christ IS life. He is the unique source for the Christian life, therefore, no Christian needs anything He has not provided."

***

Today's (December 12) entry from Stephanie Sample and her "365 Days of Prayer for Women":

PEACE ON EARTH

" Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace
among those with whom he is pleased."

~ LUKE 2:14 ESV

"Lord, don't you get tired of your children fighting all the time? I don't understand this world, who the people are who love to stir up trouble. Harmony is so much better, and peace------I can only imagine a world where everyone gets along. And how I love imaging it! It reminds me of what I've read of heaven, where even the lion and the lamb are friends. Just to think about walking down any street in the world on any night of the year with nothing to fear takes my breath away. I pray for peace on this earth, Father, I honestly can't wait."

"Can we take courage today, knowing that eventually there will be peace on earth?"

*****

Rarely do I look back at my archived 'Karen's Korners' but I did this morning. I was scrolling through December 2004; twenty years ago.

This one was from December 14. It's longer but I liked it:

Today is Tuesday, December 14th, 2004; Karen's Korner #437
Because the war on terrorism continues in lots of places around the world and because we have soldiers in lots of places, several 'hot' emails for the Christmas holiday say somethings about these young men and women.

This is an email that we received last week from Jim's sister, Melvene:

My sister, Jill, who lives on the west coast to be near her family, often tells stories about her young grandchildren. Video clips and texts are common. Jill told a recent cute story about her two granddaughters. 

She is good writer so I asked to retell it for Karen's Korner readers:


My daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters go to a large community church in Snohomish Washington.  So large it has seven Christmas Eve services!  The girls have been asked to be in church videos on occasion, the last a Mother's Day video where they recounted all of the things their mom does for them.  This year, in late October, my daughter got a call.  Would the girls be interested in being in a Christmas video?  Of course!!
 
Raegan is 7 and very extroverted,  Carinna is 3 and a half and a Covid baby - not so outgoing and more quiet.  On a Wednesday afternoon around Halloween my daughter and her friend took the girls in their best Christmas dresses to the church for the video.  Although I won't see the video until one of the Christmas Eve services, this is the account from my daughter's friend.
 
Once they got to the church, they sat on small chairs.  The videographer asked if one of them could tell the Christmas story.  Carinna, the smaller, quieter one, said "Raegan will talk".  And she did.  The Christmas story according to Raegan: 
 
"Mary was going to have a baby, baby Jesus.  But she and Joseph had to go to Bellingham (a city on the Washington/Canada border) to pay their taxes.  When they got there, they were tired, but all of the hotels were full.  So, they had to stay in a barn with the animals.  Then Jesus was born!  And a golden star appeared in the sky.  Four wise men and two shepherds saw it and came to the barn.  The shepherds took care of the animals around the baby and the wise men brought gifts. One brought gold, and another brought franken, franken, maybe Frankenstein.  And there was a mean king who wanted to kill Jesus, but God saved Him."
 
The essence of the story was correct.  The location had a Washington flavor.  Carinna had said nothing during Raegan's account.  She swung her legs and rolling her eyes as the camera panned to her as her more extroverted sister took center stage.  But in her own way, she was contributing to the video.  And isn't it interesting that Raegan's last sentence was "but God saved Him".  She was right!  God sent Him and saved him from the mean king to save us!  Remember that this season! 

Merry Christmas!

Our Wednesday Bible study, tomorrow, is looking at a couple brief verses from Matthew and Luke.

Today's 'korner' is the one taken from Luke:

"And while they were there,
the time came for her baby to be born;
and she gave birth to her first child, a son.
She wrapped him in a blanket
and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them
in the village inn."

~ Luke 2: 6 & 7 LAB

*

Bible Commentary:  "Stables were often caves with feeding troughs (mangers carved into the rock walls. Despite popular
Christmas card pictures, the surroundings were dark and dirty. This was not the atmosphere the Jews expected as the birthplace of the Messiah King. They thought their promised Messiah would be born in royal surroundings. We should not limit God by our expectations. He is at work wherever He is needed in our sin-darkened and dirty world."

***

A Max Lucado writing from several days ago in my inbox:

MAKE ROOM

"Some of the saddest words on earth are, 'We don’t have room for you.' Jesus knew the sounds of those words. He was still in Mary’s womb when the innkeeper said, 'We don’t have room for you.' And when he hung on the cross, wasn’t the message one of utter rejection? 'We don’t have room for you in this world.'

"Today Jesus is given the same treatment. He goes from heart to heart, asking if he might enter. Every so often, he’s welcomed. Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites Him to stay. And to that person Jesus gives this great promise: 'In my Father’s house are many rooms.'  (John 14:2).

"We make room for him in our hearts, and Jesus makes room for us in his house."

I don't read these every day but I liked yesterday's (December 18). "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample:

SLOW DOWN

"The wise see danger ahead and avoid it,
but fools keep going
and get into trouble."

~ Proverbs 27:12 NCV

"Lord, I've taken on far more than necessary, and a little bit more than I should. I've run ahead of you----far enough I can't hear your warnings or take shelter behind your shield. It's like I'm on a treadmill moving faster than I can sustain. Please, God, help me slow down. I crave simplicity, yet every time it's within my grasp, I sabotage it by adding just one more thing---pushing my speed back to the limit. Lord, if I am running straight into trouble and am too weak or stubborn to stop this treadmill on my own, please stop it for me. Take something away, even if I complain. I trust you, God, to simplify my life."

"In what areas might we need to slow down?"

***

A Billy Graham Christmas thought, from "Hope for Each Day":
 

GOD WITH US
 
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive
and bear a Son,
and shall call His name Immanuel."
~ Isaiah 7:14

 
"I never come to Christmas without thinking of the thousands of people who are lonely and troubled at this time of year. I have had psychiatrists tell me their schedules are overloaded with people who find the Christmas season almost more than they can bear because of their loneliness and isolation.
 
"Christmas is God's reminder that we are not alone. God revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus a reconciling love that rescues us from separation and loneliness. We are not alone; God has come down from Heaven to tell us He loves us!
 
"At this Christmas season you can be assured that Jesus Christ is here. He is here to give us hope, to forgive our sins, to give us a new song, to impart faith, and to heal our spiritual wounds if only we will let Him.
 
"The Christmas message has not changed after two thousand years. Christmas still reminds us that God is with us. If you are lonely this Christmas, welcome Christ into your life. Then ask Him to help you reach out to someone else who is lonely, and show that person His love."

***

At our worship services yesterday, we looked at a number of Bible verses surrounding the birth of the Christ Child. Here is one of them:

 "Entering the house where the baby and Mary His mother were, they (astrologers or wise men) threw themselves down before Him, worshiping. Then they opened their presents and gave Him gold, frankincense and myrrh."

~ Matthew 2:11 LAB

*
Bible Commentary:  "Jesus was probably one or two years old when the astrologers found Him By this time, Mary and Joseph were married, living in a house and intending to stay in Bethlehem for awhile.

"The astrologers gave these expensive gifts because they were worthy presents for a Future King. Bible students have seen in the gifts symbols of Christ's identity  and what He would accomplish. Gold was a gift for a king; frankincense, a gift for deity; myrrh, a spice for a mortal man who was going to die. These gifts may have provided the financial resources for the family's trip  to Egypt and back.

"The astrologers brought gifts and worshiped Jesus for who He was. This is the essence of true worship---honoring Christ for who He is and being willing to give Him what is valuable to you. We are to worship God because He is the perfect, just and almighty Creator of the universe, worthy of the best we have to give."

****

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

In the several decades of writing and sending out Karen's Korners, it is only the past month that I have spent much time looking back at 'old ones'!

Tomorrow I will show you how you can do the same thing!

Here is one from Christmas Day of 2013:

Today is Wednesday, December 25th,  2013;
Karen's Korner #2723

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Christmas Day 1776
(Something emailed to me earlier this week - in part)
 
"On numerous occasions, George Washington openly testified of God's protection over him. He recognized that his life existed only as a result of ' the miraculous care of Providence'. He also understood that the important part he had played in America's formation was by the direction of God, acknowledging 'I have only been an instrument in hand of Providence'.
 
"Washington's bravery in the face of death and his trust that his life was in the hands of God are especially seen on Christmas night 1776. His military campaign of 1776, which began well with the British evacuation of Boston, had turned into a disaster. His untrained, undisciplined army was quickly defeated by the professional British forces and the ruthless Hessian (German) mercenaries on Long Island and Mount Washington. In the retreat from Manhattan and during various skirmishes, he had lost New York, practically all of New Jersey and thousands of troops. By the time Washington's army escaped across the Delaware River into Bucks County, Pennsylvania, his army had declined from 28,000 to 2,400 on Christmas Day and was literally in rags and near starving. American morale was very low, desertion rated had been high with a prevailing sentiment that the cause was already dashed. On New Year's Eve, almost every soldier's term of service would expire and Washington would be left with an army of approximately 1,200.
 
"This was Washington's reality; he had to do something bold. He determined he must attack and defeat the 1,400 Hessian soldiers posted in Trenton on the eastern bank of the Delaware, or he would die. He purposed to cross the quarter mile of the Delaware River about nine miles above Trenton on Christmas Day. 'Victory or Death' was the password for the surprise attack.
 
"It was an increasingly dangerous plan. Transporting eighteen field cannon, 350 tons of ammunition, draft horses, and 2,400 men across the river in the black of night through and unrelenting sleet and snowstorm ended up taking 14 hours. By the time the army was across and ready to march the nine miles to Trenton, it was 4 a.m. -- too late to launch the planned predawn surprise attack. But to retreat would be even more dangerous. If the troops were discovered mid-river, they would be easy targets for British marksmen. There was no turning back.
 
"Many of Washington's bedraggled soldiers did not have boots. Some used burlap bags or rags toweled around their feet. Providentially, the snowstorm was so strong that the German troops believed no one would be out in such horrible conditions on Christmas night, so they didn't send out any night patrols or post a dawn sentry. When Washington's troops arrive at 8 a.m. to storm the town of Trenton, the Germans were caught completely off guard. In the battle that ensued, over 100 Hessians were killed or wounded and 918 captured, with several hundred more who managed to escape.
 
"At the same time, the Americans suffered two fatalities and five wounded. At noon, Washington's victorious army marched out of Trenton through slushy roads to the river crossing with their prisoners, six brass cannon, approximately 1,000 arms, and much-needed ammunition.
 
"It took them 12 hours to recross the Delaware. When the Continental troops finally collapsed into their tents, they had gone 48 hours without food, almost as long without sleep, and had marched 25 miles in frightful weather. They had won an extraordinary critical victory for independence. The effect of the Battle of Trenton was out of all proportion to the numbers involved and the casualties as it galvanized the colonial effort. For the first time, Washington's forces had defeated a regular British army in the field. Within 2 weeks, 15,000 volunteers showed up and Washington began to drive the British across New Jersey. The Revolution had been saved.
 
"Christmas Day 1776 helps us all remember the sacrifices that others gave on our behalf for our freedom. The same picture of 'sacrifice for freedom' is shown through the death of Jesus Christ, the sacrificial Son of God, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. God's heart....His desire is to save us from the tyranny of sin and deliver us into true and complete freedom. This is why we embrace the gift of Christmas where our Father demonstrated His love for us that He would send His one and only Son into a dark world...to save us. God is constant in His heart and in His desire for a world, individually and collectively, to yield our hearts and to turn our focus to Him. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who stands at the door of our hearts and knocks."
 
*****

This is a follow up to yesterday's Karen's Korner and what happened to George Washington and his troops on Christmas Day; what part it played in the history of America and establishing our country.

Move ahead two hundred years and the fight to save America during World War II. My dad, Stanley Zirbel, was part of U.S. Army. He and some of his military friends were fighting in the Battle of Bulge.

He would tell about what happened to them on Christmas Day in 1944. There was a gentle snowfall overnight. Troops were sleeping in tents on the battlefield. When they woke up that morning, there were boot prints all around their tents. No U.S. soldiers had been awake. They figured it had to be Germans. Why they had not been captured or worse, no one knew! Was it because it was Christmas Day?

God has protected the United States - when we were being formed as a nation; 80 years ago (celebrating our country's victory in 1945), and today!

Thank You, God, 
for being part of our lives - 
Now
And Always!
Thank You, Jesus,
for coming to earth
and changing everything -
Now
And Always!
Amen.

As I promised several days ago, readers can access any past Karen's Korner (all 5275 of them!) by going to www.karens-korner.com (no capitals, no apostrophe, and a dash - not an underscore). Look on the left side of the screen, under 'archives'.

Web site was built by our son-in-law Tim Champion, many years ago! Thanks, Tim!

They are organized by month and year; not be subject. Suppose you want to see what a 'korner' was for your birthday in 2010. Scroll down and find the month and year. They are organized within the month!

Have fun checking!

*

I was given a small "Everyday Blessings" book written by Max Lucado, as Christmas gift.

This is what Max has to say for today's date:
 

"(They) put him to death by nailing him to a cross.
But this was God's plan which he had made long ago."

~ Acts 2:23

"The cross wasn't a tragic surprise. Calvary was not a knee-jerk response to a world plummeting toward destruction. It wasn't a patch-up job or a stop-gap measure.

"The moment the forbidden fruit touched the lips of Eve, the shadow of a cross-appeared on the horizon. And between that moment and the moment the man with the mallet placed the spike against the wrist of God, a master plan was fulfilled."

***

"Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better.

If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he is alone, he's in trouble."

~ Ecclesiastes 4:9 & 10 LAB

*

Bible Commentary:  "There are advantages to cooperating with others. Life is not designed for isolation, but companionship; not for loneliness, but for intimacy. Some people prefer isolation because they feel they cannot trust anyone. But we are not here on earth to serve ourselves, but to serve God and others. Don't isolate yourself from others and 'go it alone'. Seek companionship; be a team member."

*

In a day of having 'hundreds of friends' on facebook, nothing is better than actual friends. And working together on a project or as part of a team!

I read one time, and often repeated, "It is said that one horse can pull five tons; pair that horse with another horse of similar size and together they can pull 32 tons!"

God knew it. He designed it!

Thank you for being part of my 'korner' team!!

A prayer to close out 2024, from Sarah Young and her "Jesus Calling:  Enjoying Peace in His Presence". Her December 31 entry:

"As this year draws to a close,
receive My Peace.
This is still your deepest need,
and I, your Prince of Peace,
long to pour Myself
into your neediness.
My abundance
 and your emptiness 
are a perfect match.
I designed you to
have no sufficiency
on your own.
I created you as
a jar of clay,
set apart for sacred use.
I want you 
to be filled with
My very Being,
permeated 
through and through
with Peace.

"Thank Me for 
My peaceful Presence,
regardless of your feelings.
Whisper My Name
in loving tenderness.
My Peace,
which lives continually 
in your spirit,
will gradually work
its way 
through your entire being."

~ Taken from Isaiah 9:6: 2 Corinthians 4:7: John 14:26 - 27

****