In 2004, Baby Girl and I partnered to lead a Sunday School of 4th-6th grade girls named The Princesses Of The King Sunday School Class. Princess Diaries was the movie of the day and we used many of the items that were shared in the Hathaway film for the basis of our class. We used diaries weekly and the 10 Commandments for the basis of our curriculum. We went to the movies and had “class” in the lobby.  We signed songs in worship.  We attended a Revolve concert.  Titus 2 Mystery Guests were invited every 6-8 weeks to lead the girls in learning life skills that would grow their faith:

– Mary Kay consultant taught them how to wash their faces with a discussion of their countenance.

– Librarian shared what books were appropriate to “set before your eyes.”

– Grandmother to share the importance of beginning a legacy of faith and practical ways to start that.

– Stamping Ministry Leader to teach how to use the written word to “build each other up.”

– A Personal Shopper to teach what to look for in clothing that would honor them as young women and still be in fashion.  Their mantra:  If my clothing draws attention from my face, it is not modest.

All this is to say that I came across 2 paper bags last week while looking for my copy of an old textbook. In these paper bags were 45 envelopes. All but 2 envelopes were sealed. Every envelope was addressed in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade handwriting.

On September 19, 2004, we led a class on Choices. If I recall, the focus was the importance of each decision we make today MAY have a profound influence on the women we will become. These precious young women, 45 in number on that particular Sunday, each wrote a letter to themselves. They were to list 5 things they would choose today (9/14/2004) they fully intended to keep for themselves from that day forward.  I made a commitment that I would mail these letters to them when they were seniors in high school.

It’s time.

I have watched many of these young women of 9-11 years old in 2004 grow into powerful young women of faith. They serve their local church and many have served in the mission field. Many attended Baby Girl’s wedding the summer of 2010.

The 5 years we were a part of the Princesses of the King Sunday School class set the tone for my confidence in Children’s Ministry.  And provided an intentional movement within my soul for giving youth the opportunity to lead NOW by leading those that are coming up behind them.

Baby Girl was a sophomore in high school when we started the class and she served through her 2nd year at Reinhardt College .  She knew every name of the 65 we had on the roster each year.  She knew every birthday.  She knew every band and she knew every song on the High School Musical soundtrack.  She could engage in a way that I never could.  And it was thrilling to see her grow into her ministry calling right before my very eyes and before the eyes of many young women who spent time in the Princess Class.

I will be mailing these precious letters the day after Christmas.

To God be the glory, GREAT things He has done!

That was the question that was asked by an inquisitive young girl as we were practicing for the children’s Christmas program. At the time, we laughed it off with a, “Well, since we are telling the story of the stable in this program, they are all busy hanging out with the shepherds in the fields.” Having found multiple boxes of angel costumes and wings while cleaning out the KidMin supply closet, I could only assume that there may have always been an angel presence in these things in the past. This year’s program was more about the farm animals. This allowed any child with a desire to be in the program, the chance to wear a farm animal headband and be a part.

Then, this morning, while reading Dr. David Jeremiah’s, “25 Reasons Why We Celebrate The Nativity,” he asked me the question, “Why The Angels?” He shared out loud, on the printed page, that “we tend to place the angels on the periphery of the scene, almost at a distance.” He goes on to say, “In truth, however, the angels cannot be an afterthought.” No kidding. Angels were all over this.

We really know very little about the appearance of angels in the scriptures. The artists of the Middle Ages rendered them glowing, wearing white, toting around huge wings, with their heads encircled with halos. Whatever they looked like, it must have been terrifying. Their first words in the scriptures were usually, “Do not be afraid.”

Yep, angels were all over this one. Why angels? I’m thinking that the close parties in this series of events were not likely to ignore the advice of such fabulous messengers.

Angel to Zechariah in the Holy Of Holies… Angel to Mary… Angel to Joseph in a dream … Angels to the Shepherds… even Angels to the Magi to “go home a different way.”

What really hit me this season is that these Angels were busy carrying out the urgent work of God. They brought messages of critical importance to God’s people. There was a sense of urgency, and God’s people responded…immediately:

Mary went to Elizabeth (later we find that Jesus never sent out His disciples to take on a task alone, but always in groups of 2 or 3.)

Joseph took Mary as his wife. (Even when it seems hard to obey, we can trust that “God’s got this one.” And maybe, just maybe, pleasing God and not others should be the priority.)

The Shepherds left their flocks to find the Christ child and told everyone who would listen of what they had seen. (If He truly is LORD of my life and Savior of the world, shouldn’t there be a sense of urgency to tell others of this God of love and surprises?)

The Magi went home another way. (I’ll let you figure out how you’ll go home a different way this season.)

Hebrews 13:2 reminds us that in showing hospitality, many have entertained angels without knowing it. I’m thinking that Angel activity is ongoing. We may not see them, but we can surely follow their lead:

By staying busy with the work of heaven.

By telling people that God is still in the business of creating and resurrecting.

And sometimes exploding in the simple joy of seeing the miracle that Christ is alive in our world is enough to hold us through the dark times.  Especially when we sit, holding our heads in our hands, and exclaim, “This is not what I had planned.” (Getting a “Joseph.”)

Joy to the world…Joy to my world.

Merry Christmas!

I love how the 2nd chapter of Matthew shares some extra details about the Christmas story the gospel of Luke never touches: Magi

Some great insights into the Magi that make me smile . . .

1. We really don’t know how many wise men were in the entourage, only that there were 3 gifts. But allow me to share a precious friend’s insight…there were really 4 gifts.

Go ahead, I’ll let you run to your Bible and check out Chapter 2, verse 11.

Yep, the first gift was WORSHIP. THEN, they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of frankincense and of myrrh.

Do I offer the gift of worship first?  Is worship a priority?

2. Mary and Joseph were Jewish. Shepherds? Jewish. Magi? Not Jewish.

This event was choreographed by a great God who invited those outside the Jewish faith to participate. This is where WE, the Gentiles, come in.

Am I living up to my starring role?  Or am I satisfied with being an “understudy” in the story He has for me?

3.  The Magi did not arrive at the stable as all of the Nativity scenes suggest.

Verse 11 continues, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary.”

This realization was a huge turning point for me many years ago.  While visiting what would become our home church during our time in New England, the preacher taught that the Wise Men didn’t come to the stable.  I just knew he had it wrong and went home on a mission to prove it.  Upon every reading of all 3 bibles we had in the house at the time, I discovered that I’d been relying on someone else or a plastic scene to tell me the truth of the scriptures.  I confessed it as sin and said, “No More!”  My journey through the scriptures and the life it gives began that very day.  Jesus was no longer on the flannelboard for this Jesus Girl.

4.  Verse 12 shares that upon being in the presence of the Savior, “they returned to their country by another route.”

After I am in the presence of the Lord, do I go home a different way?  I sure hope so.

Several friends have shared how this affects their Advent Celebrations.  One exclaims, “Three gifts were good enough for Jesus, then three gifts are good enough for each one of my kids. ”  That just makes me laugh…and think.

And then a young mother shared how her family models what the Magi brought Jesus in 3 gifts:

Frankincense (used by priests in their offerings to God, pointing toward Jesus’ role as our high priest) – the gift should be good for your mind…books, museum tickets, lessons, learning opportunity, learning kits, etc.

Myrrh (a spice for a person who is going to die) – the gift should be something to aid healing or a practical gift…clothes, shoes, conference, a box of medicines for that college student who has let himself get run down due to final exams, a Bible or something that encourages the recipient’s spiritual journey.

Gold (a gift for a King – or maybe a princess or son of The King) – something extra, fun, shiny, sparkly…toy, game, jewelry.

Your thoughts and ideas?

When I began teaching Children’s Sunday School beaucoup years ago, I soon discovered that I’d be teaching Christmas every year. Not a big “AH HA” to some, but it was to me. The Bible is a huge book and surely there are enough stories in it to teach little people that I’d only have to repeat every 10 years. On the fast track of devouring the scriptures to know God and make Him known, I found myself stopping once a year to tell this story. This was when my Bible became a “pop-up book.”

Remember the pop-up books? These are the books that each time you turned a page, items on the page began to pop up and jump off the page always to the delight of the reader.

If I was going to share the Christmas Story every year, it was important to share it with a sense of enthusiasm and excitement because somebody was going to hear it for the first time. So each year I seek to learn something new about the Christmas story. Then when the time comes to share, I want the story to pop-up from my Bible.

Details I have learned over the years . . .

1. There is no mention of a donkey in the Christmas story. There is donkey in the Easter story, but not in the scriptures for the Christmas story.

2. There is no Drummer Boy in the scriptures (although I really like the song)

3. The wise men did not come to visit Jesus and His mother at the stable (no matter what the nativity set tells you)

4. Elizabeth was the first Believer

5. The scriptures have much to say about Joseph, but none of his words (perhaps your actions ARE enough)

6. There is nothing cute and darling about a feed trough

7. After the wise men were in the presence of the Lord, they went home a different way (nuff said)

What has popped-off the pages for you this year?