AD 336 - The earliest historical mention of Christmas being celebrated in Rome on this day is found in a book written by Furius Dionysius Philocalus in AD 354
800 - The Holy Roman Empire begins as Charlemagne is proclaimed emperor by Pope Leo III
1223 - St. Francis of Assisi creates what may be the first "Christmas crib" (the forerunner of the nativity scene) in the town of Greccio, Italy, to allow the community to better picture the miracle of Christ's birth in Bethlehem
1651 - The General Court of Boston, Massachusetts, makes it a crime to observe Christmas and levies a five-shilling fine on anyone caught doing so
1799 - French empreror Napoleon Bonaparte's new constitution goes into effect, giving him powers to create laws, nominate officials, control finances, and conduct foreign affairs.
1830 - French composer Louis-Hector Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique premieres in Paris
1896 - American composer John Philip Sousa completes "Stars & Stripes Forever"
1923 - The US White House has its first Christmas tree lit exclusively by electric lights
Christmas Day, 1776
During the American Revolution, Patriot General George Washington crosses the Delaware River with 5,400 troops, hoping to surprise a Hessian force celebrating Christmas at their winter quarters in Trenton, New Jersey. The unconventional attack came after several months of substantial defeats for Washington's army that had resulted in the loss of New York City and other strategic points in the region.
At about 11 p.m. on Christmas, Washington's army commenced its crossing of the half-frozen river at three locations. The 2,400 soldiers led by Washington successfully braved the icy and freezing river and reached the New Jersey side of the Delaware just before dawn. The other two divisions, made up of some 3,000 men and crucial artillery, failed to reach the meeting point at the appointed time.
At approximately 8 a.m. on the morning of December 26, Washington's remaining force, separated into two columns, reached the outskirts of Trenton and descended on the unsuspecting Hessians. Trenton's 1,400 Hessian defenders were groggy from the previous evening's festivities and underestimated the Patriot threat after months of decisive British victories throughout New York. Washington's men quickly overwhelmed the Germans' defenses, and by 9:30 a.m. the town was surrounded. Although several hundred Hessians escaped, nearly 1,000 were captured at the cost of only four American lives. However, because most of Washington's army had failed to cross the Delaware, he was without adequate artillery or men and was forced to withdraw from the town.
The victory was not particularly significant from a strategic point of view, but news of Washington's initiative raised the spirits of the American colonists, who previously feared that the Continental Army was incapable of victory.
Christmas Day, 1914
Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. It started with the song "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" (Silent Night, Holy Night). At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.
At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man's-land, calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.
The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare.
Isaiah 9: 2-7
2 The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation
And increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of Midian.
5 For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle,
And garments rolled in blood,
Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Micah 5:2
2 “ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Which means, God with us.
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Getting Lost in the Race
Okay, I'll admit it.
I have difficulty with directions.
Mind you, as a female, I'm inherently better than a guy at directions. Mainly because I'm willing to ask for them, and when I receive them, I do try to follow them to the best of my ability. The level of ability is something else to be questioned entirely.
The other night I was driving Hannah, Autumn and myself back to campus after a nice little Sunday road trip. I had driven it before, and I had directions. Clarification: I had the "to" directions. I hadn't written out the "from" directions. But come on - all you have to do is reverse them, right? How hard can it possibly be?
Rather difficult, in fact.
I ended up having to turn around several times, getting more upset with myself each time. Finally, I gave up. I turned around one more time to get back to the intersections of a couple of routes. I pulled over and gave my dad a call. We both took out maps, and he pointed out to me how to get back. I double checked on my map to make sure I knew where to go, and discovered it was incredibly easy. I had thought I was off in some unknown part of the state and I thought it was going to take a complicated route to get back. Nope! Just hope on 63 North up to 19, then take 19 South all the way back. Wow. Even though I might have stumbled across that eventually, he found it so quickly. Probably because he had done construction work for so long, and knows half the atlas like the back of his hand. I knew that if I gave him a call, he'd find a solution and tell it to me.
When I got back to campus I gave my parents a call to let them know how I was doing. Then I was talking to my mom about some of the struggles I've been facing. My mind keeps coming under attack, the clouds of anger and self-doubt keep taking over, and I feel like so often I come to the end of the day bruised and bloodied. And my mom, in all her great wisdom said:
"Well maybe it's time you pull over and ask your Dad for some directions."
You know, when mothers really want to bring it, they bring it. I wouldn't say it was exactly an "ouch" statement, but all the same, it was so simplistic and obvious, it was rather humbling.
I often wonder if we get caught up in the complexity of the Christian life, something that while it is complex, doesn't need to be. Too often we set up for ourselves quasi-idols, those great "heroes of faith" that we are supposed to follow. Abraham, Moses, Joseph, the Disciples, Paul and of course, Jesus himself. We think that our life needs to be like theirs, that we need to follow in their steps and run the race just as they did. And we do. But they didn't start out are heroes. They started out as ordinary people - many of them outcasts from society. When God called, they answered. They took each step as it came. Just look at the disciples - they couldn't even figure out Jesus' death until AFTER He rose from the grave. But listen to what it says in Hebrews:
"These were all commended for their faith, yet non of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:39-40)
Wow. That's pretty powerful. The author has just gone through a rather extensive list of the "heroes of faith" (a side note: I highly doubt ANY of them would like to be categorized as such, but that's just my inference), then points out that they aren't made perfect without us. I don't fully understand what that means, and I won't pretend to say this is the "correct" way to interpret this scripture, but in a way, it makes me feel pretty cool. We're not at a place below these people in the Body. They can't make it up themselves - only together in Christ are we "made perfect".
What does this mean?
We can't give up. We're surrounded by that "great cloud of witnesses". They're not there to judge us, but to encourage us along the way. God did not give us their stories to say "Hah! Look at how amazing the people were that I used in the past. Betcha you can't live up to that!". NO! He says to us "Look at the people I used. All they had was faith. You also have faith. You can make it through this race".
The suffering is temporary. The blood will eventually clot. There will come a day when we will be free from all of this. It's so hard to see it now. There are times when all I can see are the times when I've failed Him. But He's always there, ready to help me get back on the right track. But though He is ever-ready, I have to be willing to turn to Him. So often we are continuously hurt and continuously fall simply because we won't turn back to Him.
"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive." - C.S. Lewis
"I take hope in Jesus' scars....Scars never go completely away, but neither do they hurt any longer" - Philip Yancey
"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies whose who have faith in Jesus" Romans 3:21-26
I have difficulty with directions.
Mind you, as a female, I'm inherently better than a guy at directions. Mainly because I'm willing to ask for them, and when I receive them, I do try to follow them to the best of my ability. The level of ability is something else to be questioned entirely.
The other night I was driving Hannah, Autumn and myself back to campus after a nice little Sunday road trip. I had driven it before, and I had directions. Clarification: I had the "to" directions. I hadn't written out the "from" directions. But come on - all you have to do is reverse them, right? How hard can it possibly be?
Rather difficult, in fact.
I ended up having to turn around several times, getting more upset with myself each time. Finally, I gave up. I turned around one more time to get back to the intersections of a couple of routes. I pulled over and gave my dad a call. We both took out maps, and he pointed out to me how to get back. I double checked on my map to make sure I knew where to go, and discovered it was incredibly easy. I had thought I was off in some unknown part of the state and I thought it was going to take a complicated route to get back. Nope! Just hope on 63 North up to 19, then take 19 South all the way back. Wow. Even though I might have stumbled across that eventually, he found it so quickly. Probably because he had done construction work for so long, and knows half the atlas like the back of his hand. I knew that if I gave him a call, he'd find a solution and tell it to me.
When I got back to campus I gave my parents a call to let them know how I was doing. Then I was talking to my mom about some of the struggles I've been facing. My mind keeps coming under attack, the clouds of anger and self-doubt keep taking over, and I feel like so often I come to the end of the day bruised and bloodied. And my mom, in all her great wisdom said:
"Well maybe it's time you pull over and ask your Dad for some directions."
You know, when mothers really want to bring it, they bring it. I wouldn't say it was exactly an "ouch" statement, but all the same, it was so simplistic and obvious, it was rather humbling.
I often wonder if we get caught up in the complexity of the Christian life, something that while it is complex, doesn't need to be. Too often we set up for ourselves quasi-idols, those great "heroes of faith" that we are supposed to follow. Abraham, Moses, Joseph, the Disciples, Paul and of course, Jesus himself. We think that our life needs to be like theirs, that we need to follow in their steps and run the race just as they did. And we do. But they didn't start out are heroes. They started out as ordinary people - many of them outcasts from society. When God called, they answered. They took each step as it came. Just look at the disciples - they couldn't even figure out Jesus' death until AFTER He rose from the grave. But listen to what it says in Hebrews:
"These were all commended for their faith, yet non of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:39-40)
Wow. That's pretty powerful. The author has just gone through a rather extensive list of the "heroes of faith" (a side note: I highly doubt ANY of them would like to be categorized as such, but that's just my inference), then points out that they aren't made perfect without us. I don't fully understand what that means, and I won't pretend to say this is the "correct" way to interpret this scripture, but in a way, it makes me feel pretty cool. We're not at a place below these people in the Body. They can't make it up themselves - only together in Christ are we "made perfect".
What does this mean?
We can't give up. We're surrounded by that "great cloud of witnesses". They're not there to judge us, but to encourage us along the way. God did not give us their stories to say "Hah! Look at how amazing the people were that I used in the past. Betcha you can't live up to that!". NO! He says to us "Look at the people I used. All they had was faith. You also have faith. You can make it through this race".
The suffering is temporary. The blood will eventually clot. There will come a day when we will be free from all of this. It's so hard to see it now. There are times when all I can see are the times when I've failed Him. But He's always there, ready to help me get back on the right track. But though He is ever-ready, I have to be willing to turn to Him. So often we are continuously hurt and continuously fall simply because we won't turn back to Him.
"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive." - C.S. Lewis
"I take hope in Jesus' scars....Scars never go completely away, but neither do they hurt any longer" - Philip Yancey
"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies whose who have faith in Jesus" Romans 3:21-26
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Variety of Thoughts And Feelings: God, Friends, Music, Fun
I can't really collect my thoughts to write an entry, but these little bits summarize my life
"Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers in heavenly places. But you wouldn't know that from the way we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ"
“If we begin with certainties, we shall end in doubts; but if we begin with doubts, and are patient in them, we shall end in certainties.” -Francis Bacon
“Their manners, speech, dress, friendships, -- the freshness and candor of their physiognomy -- the picturesque looseness of their carriage -- their deathless attachment to freedom -- their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean -- the practical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizens of all other states -- the fierceness of their roused resentment -- their curiosity and welcome of novelty -- their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy -- their susceptibility to a slight -- the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors -- the fluency of their speech -- their delight in music, a sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul -- their good temper and open-handedness -- the terrible significance of their elections, the President's taking off his hat to them, not they to him -- these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic and generous treatment worthy of it.” -Walt Whitman
“Those of us we have been true readers all our life fully realize the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors” - C.S. Lewis
NYC Weather Report - Five for Fighting
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from all these thinkers... drinking up my thoughts again
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from all these choosers, losers... all my best of friends
Sit back New York City
You're not cute but you're oh so pretty
When the rain comes you fall up again...
SUNNY... You are a part of me
SUNNY... You are the heart of me
Got to get away from here...
No Rain - Blind Melon
All I can say is that my life is pretty plain
I like watchin the puddles gather rain
And all I can do is just pour some tea for two
And speak my point of view but its not sane, its not sane
I just want someone to say to me
I'll always be there when you wake
Ya know I'd like to keep my cheeks dry today
So stay with me and I'll have it made
And I don't understand why I sleep all day
And I start to complain that theres no rain
And all I can do is read a book to stay awake
It rips my life away but its a great escape...escape...escape
All I can say is that my life is pretty plain
You don't like my point of view
Ya think that I'm insane
Its not sane... its not sane
I just want someone to say to me
I'll always be there when you wake
Ya know I'd like to keep my cheeks dry today
So stay with me and I'll have it made
“We may live without poetry, music and art; We may live without conscience and live without heart; We may live without friends; we may live without books; But civilized man can not live without cooks”
"I take hope in Jesus' scars....Scars never go completely away, but neither do they hurt any longer" - Philip Yancey
"Reality is like fine wine. It will not appeal to children"
"Are modern forms of Christian spirituality producing better Christians than days long ago, when people didn't use formulas, and understood, intrinsically, that God is a Being with a personality and a will of His own? Martin Luther didn't believe in formulas, and neither did John Calvin. Were they missing something, or are we?" - Donald Miller
"Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers in heavenly places. But you wouldn't know that from the way we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ"
“And Something's odd - within -That person that I was - And this One - do not feel the same - Could it be Madness - this?"” -Emily Dickinson
“If we begin with certainties, we shall end in doubts; but if we begin with doubts, and are patient in them, we shall end in certainties.” -Francis Bacon
“Their manners, speech, dress, friendships, -- the freshness and candor of their physiognomy -- the picturesque looseness of their carriage -- their deathless attachment to freedom -- their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean -- the practical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizens of all other states -- the fierceness of their roused resentment -- their curiosity and welcome of novelty -- their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy -- their susceptibility to a slight -- the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors -- the fluency of their speech -- their delight in music, a sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul -- their good temper and open-handedness -- the terrible significance of their elections, the President's taking off his hat to them, not they to him -- these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic and generous treatment worthy of it.” -Walt Whitman
“Those of us we have been true readers all our life fully realize the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors” - C.S. Lewis
NYC Weather Report - Five for Fighting
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from all these thinkers... drinking up my thoughts again
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from all these choosers, losers... all my best of friends
Sit back New York City
You're not cute but you're oh so pretty
When the rain comes you fall up again...
SUNNY... You are a part of me
SUNNY... You are the heart of me
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from all these people who need people... You know it really makes me sick
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from expectations, recreations, just for the sake of it
Sit back New York City
You're not cute but you're oh so pretty
When the rain comes you fall up again...
SUNNY... You are a part of me
SUNNY... You are the heart of me
Sit back New York City You're not cute but you're oh so pretty
When the rain falls you come up again
Sit back New York City friend...
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from what I'm thinking...I'm thinking...it's too much for anyone...
Got to get away from here... Got get away from what you're drinking... you're drinking...so I'll take another one...
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from expectations, recreations, just for the sake of it
Sit back New York City
You're not cute but you're oh so pretty
When the rain comes you fall up again...
SUNNY... You are a part of me
SUNNY... You are the heart of me
Sit back New York City You're not cute but you're oh so pretty
When the rain falls you come up again
Sit back New York City friend...
Got to get away from here...
Got to get away from what I'm thinking...I'm thinking...it's too much for anyone...
Got to get away from here... Got get away from what you're drinking... you're drinking...so I'll take another one...
No Rain - Blind Melon
All I can say is that my life is pretty plain
I like watchin the puddles gather rain
And all I can do is just pour some tea for two
And speak my point of view but its not sane, its not sane
I just want someone to say to me
I'll always be there when you wake
Ya know I'd like to keep my cheeks dry today
So stay with me and I'll have it made
And I don't understand why I sleep all day
And I start to complain that theres no rain
And all I can do is read a book to stay awake
It rips my life away but its a great escape...escape...escape
All I can say is that my life is pretty plain
You don't like my point of view
Ya think that I'm insane
Its not sane... its not sane
I just want someone to say to me
I'll always be there when you wake
Ya know I'd like to keep my cheeks dry today
So stay with me and I'll have it made
“We may live without poetry, music and art; We may live without conscience and live without heart; We may live without friends; we may live without books; But civilized man can not live without cooks”
"I take hope in Jesus' scars....Scars never go completely away, but neither do they hurt any longer" - Philip Yancey
"Reality is like fine wine. It will not appeal to children"
"Are modern forms of Christian spirituality producing better Christians than days long ago, when people didn't use formulas, and understood, intrinsically, that God is a Being with a personality and a will of His own? Martin Luther didn't believe in formulas, and neither did John Calvin. Were they missing something, or are we?" - Donald Miller
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