Cooperland

It’s here again.  Another Christmas Day.  Another Christmas to spend with friends and family and watching your kids tear open their nicely wrapped presents.

So, Merry Christmas.  I hope and pray that you have a great day.

As of last night, Bridgett and I are officially finished with all of the Christmas parties that we had for Life-Givers Ministries.  We had the church dinner on 12/3, the drama team party on 12/11, and the Beyond Youth party on 12/12.  And I’m spent.  Tired.  Ka-put.  Done.  But…

…I have church this morning which entails a youth small group, and I’m excited about what we’re discussing.  Grace.  Not only grace through Jesus being born as a baby, but the illustration of grace given by Joseph to Mary.  Joseph could have easily had Mary tried and stoned for her alleged adultery, but he didn’t.  Instead he chose grace to give to her by choosing to divorce her privately.  That led to Gabriel envisioning himself to Joseph in a dream and to his belief in Mary’s story about being impregnated by the Holy Spirit to birth the long-awaited Messiah: Jesus.

Oh how God has a way of picking the right people at the right time in the right way, and making it all work out.

How did I miss this movie?  We watched The Nativity Story tonight at our Christmas party for the Crossover Drama Team, and I’m still in awe over the details that this movie brought forth.  A couple things that I thought of:

• What great faith Joseph and Mary must have had to not only know that Jesus was the Messiah, but to also endure the ridicule, mockery, and alienation from Mary’s illegitimate pregnancy.
• How did Joseph muster the love and grace that he showed to Mary upon learning of Mary being pregnant? He could have easily turned her over to being tried and stoned.
• King Herod was a jerk.  I use jerk because another adjective wouldn’t be appropriate.
• Jesus’ arrival made me tear up. Through his life, death, and resurrection I am made whole and set free so I get emotional when I talk about or am faced with remembering that he was a humble man.  But he’s also my savior, and how I love him and owe him my life.  Even now, I think I have dust in my eyes.

When you read, hear, or watch the Christmas story what are some of the thoughts that run through your mind?