My life experiences in the good times and in very difficult times will hopefully inspire, encourage, and motivate others to take time to laugh, reflect, and seek God when difficulties in life arise.
Snow covered the ground. Freezing winds cut my face. I stooped lower on my bike protecting my eyes-the only thing exposed on my face. The balaclava kept me warm. Whistling winds whipped around me howling over the dark-grey skies. Lonely trees in the distance echoed winter’s presence. Slowly riding by, I could see the oncoming frost and cold blast. Battling the frigid cold my thoughts raced to a crackling fire in the living room fireplace. Back to reality, in spite of the onslaught of gusts, flurries, and cold, I pressed-on to my destination enjoying the otherwise silence that only snow can bring.
The act of giving comes from the love of God. All humans have a portion of God within. Many don’t know it. When we give, whether we know God or not, we’re imitating Him. At the start of 1994, our NY-based church, Metro, added a second-story to their storage room to fit their Christmas stockings. They had had 39,000 stockings for boys and girls, and were expecting to double that number by the next year, which they did. We were allowed to take some for kids we knew or to distribute. I calculated enough for my students, all the kindergarteners ,and first and second graders. Each group picked a day and time to visit our room, receive a stocking (red for girls, green for boys), and to have their class picture taken in front of our tree. A few teachers also joined in! My students, in addition to having their pics taken also received gifts from me. And all Paraprofessionals would yearly receive a huge Rome apple-the largest I could find. I’d shine it up and pass them out. Additionally, each student was allowed to bring to class their favorite stuffed animal to have by their side each day during the Christmas season-regardless of their grade (first -fourth). Because God has deposited His goodness in us, in general, we’ve inherited inklings from Him to give to others. God’s the most generous being in/out of this universe. We give to be like Him. Givers love to give-every chance we can! This new year, be a giver (or give more)! You’ll get unbeatable satisfaction! God loves giving and loves a cheerful giver (original rendering: God loves a hilarious giver- 2Corinthians 9:7)! Merry Christmas! Sam
After gifts were added, students and groups posed in front of tree
It was on the evening of January 14, 1978 that the guys on the block were headed to a small party at Edgar’s house. Edgar grew up with us, along with his two brothers. The day was frigid cold at 32 degrees and the roads were all iced-up. Light snow was falling. Sidewalks had fresh-fallen snow, actually, 13.7” of it and the air was sharp and frigid. As we walked, the winds bit our faces. As silence filled the air, Gil and I headed to Edgar’s apartment. The rest of the guys would arrive later. There, in a crib, we saw Edgar’s new baby boy. Wow, he had the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen!
We chatted a while, drank and ate, as music played in the background. Later, we headed out. The weather kept us from getting gifts, but our presence did due-diligence. Whether small or big, parties are good for mingling, and, if it’s Christmastime, for exchanging gifts.
Though no one knows the exact time of Jesus’ birth, we do know of the events that transpired. Probably a year after the first Christmas, Wise Men from the East journeyed in search of the Messiah, Jesus, and after being guided by a star, found Him nearly two years after His birth. I know this may seem odd because it’s not what ‘tradition’ teaches, but it’s what the Bible says.
It is also possible there were up to a hundred Wisemen in the group. Scripture never mentions three wisemen; tradition does. Check it out:
“Now when Jesus (Yeshua) was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wisemen from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:1-3).
Verse 11 reads: “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold and frankincense, and myrrh.”
Notice a few things:
1. Jesus was already born.
2. He was found in a house, not the manger
3. He wasn’t a baby but a child.
4. They worshipped Him, not Mary
Scripture says:
“Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wisemen, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wisemen” (Matthew 2:16).
The reason King Herod had children ages two and under killed is because Jesus would have been in that age range when found by the wise men and the lapsing time. Herod wanted to kill Jesus, which isn’t too different from what man wants to do today. In the spirit of the holiday, Christ has been killed off by Santa. Santa gets all the glory. Afterall, “Magical things happen at Christmas through Santa,” they say. Man tries everything possible to silence Jesus’ followers and His message of salvation. Think of it. Commercialized Christmas is prettier and more festive than a poor and humble couple with a small child in unappealing quarters. The manger had no colorful lights, no background music, drinks or food, and no Christmas tree. Not much of a party…
But the Wise men found the savior! And the first thing they did? No, they didn’t give Him gifts! Instead, they knelt and worshipped Him! They acknowledged His Kingship. They didn’t even worship Joseph, just the child; the Son of the Most-High God.
This Christmas season whether you party or not, gift or not, whether it’s freezing, snowing, or you’re in the Caribbean, remember the true meaning of Christmas is giving. God gave us His most beloved treasure-His Son to save us. He gave us not a hundred kings not even three; but One; The King of Kings (Revelation 19:6)! If you too have been traveling long and far, and have seen His star (signs in your life that you need to find Him), He’s here! Worship Him! Then lay your treasures (your life, hopes, dreams, and your family) at His feet.
I remember the many years going Christmas shopping with my parents. In the early years it was for toys for cousins, brothers, and nephews. As we grew older, we shopped for clothing. I remember the cold and the winds beating upon us as my brother and I waited for our parents in front of a building stoop on Moore Street. My parents would return loaded with gifts, drop them off into a large box we had, and then return for more. One time, we probably waited two hours all bundled up. We then had to walk home lugging the loaded box.
At home, the coats, scarves, boots, and gloves came off. The nice heat from the radiator warmed us up. We’d have hot chocolate while our parents had coffee. The gifts were then wrapped, labeled, and placed under our tree.
Thousands of years ago, God went shopping. In fact, He’s been trying to get us back to Him since Adam and Eve sinned, but we have rejected Him ever since. He’s sent prophets, kings, and judges, but we’ve rejected them all. Two thousand years ago He sent His Perfect Son to look for us poor lost souls. In spite of the cold, the snow, the ice, the frost, the wind, and the sin that thwarted man from making his way to God, Jesus searched for just the right gift to take home to the Father. The Godhead concluded All of humanity deserved being taken back to the Father.
And so, Jesus paid our ransomed price! The cost was not cash, credit cards, bars of gold, silver, or even crypto! The cost called for perfect, untainted blood- an impossible price for man to pay, but God in His infinite wisdom was able to pull it off through Jesus’s life and perfect blood; untainted by sin. The Perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, through the virgin birth, entered humanity but without sin.
Thirty-three years later, He laid His life on the cross after saying, “I’ll take them all” (John 3:16). And so, He died for us all taking our souls to the tree and nailing us and our sinful nature to the cross. He then presented us to the Father.
However, not everyone wants to be wrapped in the blood of Christ! Not everyone wants to be presented as a gift to God! Some people think they’re too good-they think they can make it on their own-but they CAN’T DO IT! And others think they’re not good enough. They think He doesn’t want them. But you’re the perfect gift for the Father! He loves you unconditionally! That means YOU are precious to Him No Matter What you’ve done or where you’ve been! Give yourself to Him, He’s made you righteous through Christ.
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).
This Christmas, will you place yourself under the tree? Will you lay down your life as a sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1)? God has a new name for you (Revelation 2:17)-might even be scripted on a stocking hanging on His fireplace…
I love Christmas colors of red, green, and gold Against a backdrop of white; I’m sold! Love the bells and Christmas balls,
The crisp fresh air as snow lightly falls! I love the trinkets and items of old, They calm my nerves, let it be told!
Sparkling lights glimmer signs of hope, Lifting my spirits, helping me cope. My tree they infuse with serenity and calm It’s truly therapeutic; what a balm!
I love the cold outside And the warmth from the fireside Sweet smells of apple and cinnamon Beckon people to stop by and come in!
Christmastime is unequalled in beauty! With blizzards and snowstorms in all their fury. Warmth, coziness, family and friends, Timeless memories that’ll never end.
Antique décor of years gone by Pull my heart and cause me to cry Tears of joy and satisfaction; Of Christmastime gatherings Amidst all the distraction.
Wonderful colors reminiscent of Christ’s birth, Who left heaven’s glory for this fallen earth. Red for His blood, green for renewed life, Gold for His crown of victory over death! White for the purity of all that it’s worth!
I love the silence that envelopes me As snow-swirls dance forever free! Christmastime is here! With Christ, there’s nothing to fear!
Our apartment on Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn was very small. Our bedroom was adjacent to the living room. It had no door, only a heavy curtain. On this particular Christmas eve, somewhere around 10:30 at night, I kept hearing banging and metal pieces clanging. I called Mom to see what the fuss was. I told her I heard what sounded like my brother Ruben, a cousin…“Shh, Santa needs some help,” she said. WOW! Could you believe that? After much more clanging and voices of my dad and a cousin or two, my brother and I were allowed to see what was going on. “Santa” had delivered my all-metal blue jeep pedal-car with a bright yellow star in the middle of the hood! I was allowed to try it out back and forth in the tiny living room. Soon afterwards, we were snoring again anxiously awaiting Christmas morning. When it arrived, it wasn’t a dream! Everything that had happened was real. Along with many other gifts, my jeep was parked there under our tree!
Many Christmases ago, in a manger, laid baby Jesus. No gifts were there other than One for the whole world: The King of the universe! Other than His parents, His only visitors were shepherds that, while out in the fields keeping watch over their lambs, like me, heard fussing and noises that night. Suddenly, they beheld the glorious angelic announcement of His birth from an angelic chorus worshipping the new King in song and praise! With excitement, the shepherds headed to the manger near the inn to behold the tiny king who was born to save the world. It wasn’t a dream! He was there as real as the angels said! They headed out to tell everyone what they had witnessed (Luke 2:8-20)! It was a marvelous first Christmas! Merry Christmas! Sam
