Who Needs the Wrapping?

Tonight we begin the first of four Christmas Eve services called, "This Changes Everything..."

It's absolutely incredibly done! Broadway calibre! I stand in awe as I watch it. Yes, I am the one that can't stand to watch movies twice, but I was completely drawn into this performance despite knowing I will watch it again tomorrow night with my family. Our church that sits a few thousand people, full!!! And it's not even our most popular service time. Gotta love it!

Switching Topics: (ST)
I want to be vulnerable with you in this blog if it so brings glory to God, but I also want to be mindful that not everyone needs personal details of my life, including my family, pasted across the web.

So I'm going to include little "pulsecheck" surveys at the side of the blog every couple days. This is important to me to gauge how I can best support, encourage and inspire you with what you so desire, rather than what I think. So if you will take the time to check your answer then I will get the results. And even if the question seems odd... know that I have a purpose in it. I simply ask that you answer honestly, as I have no record of who it's coming from.

I woke up this morning feeling a desire to have your involvement as much as possible in this blogging time. It is an investment of time to write almost daily, but honestly, your emails, and responses have SO ENCOURAGED my heart that I feel it time wisely spent.

Also I don't want you to hesitate writing a comment or a question (which many of you have already confessed to me...) out of worry about what others think, or even myself. If you send a comment it actually comes to me personally first, so know that. If you'd rather comment only to me or ask a question without everyone seeing it, just let me know and I won't post it.

As I share my life openly expecting nothing in return, I hope you will know you can trust me.

Today I'll leave you with this thought God gives to me,

Remember how of late I've been stirred that it's about what we do with this gift of life we've been entrusted with. We come with nothing and leave with nothing.

Then I think of Jesus birth and his death. The very first thing He knew as a babe, was to be wrapped by Mary in swaddling clothes and lying in a manager. (Luke 2:7) The angels even declared to the shepherds that THIS would be the sign.
Luke 2:12
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Now interesting that that our Saviour wrapped in cloth, would again be wrapped by Joseph after he took Him from the cross only 33 years later.
Mark 15:46
So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock.

The parallel being the cloth and someone wrapping Him each time. The first wrap was the gift of God's only Son, His word now in flesh (John 1), the second wrap was His body given up for you and I to live. The gift of eternal life.

What has left me in awe, is that even the cloth He didn't take with Him. But rather when everything was done and the disciples entered the tomb they found it there, FOLDED. Completely finished and cleaned up, perfectly tended to that even the cloth was folded so neatly. ??? wow....

I wonder if it was the angel that folded it or our Lord? Doesn't really matter, I just love Him so much I long to appreciate more the thought behind everything He did. For even the cloth that served it's purpose shall be left on earth, for in heaven none of the things we see that are temporary, will be of any value.

May we remember this even this Christmas as we seek to focus on our heavenly home where you can count on me bringing some GLAD TIDINGS!!! WOO HOO!!!!


"Lord, this Christmas wrap my heart around you that I may behold you a new and a fresh. That whether the freshness of your new life, or the smell of your blood stained body would be treasured in me for as long as I shall live. For in you I have all things."