What I like about Christmas

I thought I was going to spend Christmas in a stable this year, but just before the holiday-season my work at the farm was done. I am missing the work and the cows, but it´s very good to have a week of rest.

Luke 1:46-49

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Luke 1:76-79

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercy of our God,

whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Christmas: filled with traditions

The story of Jesus birth is what I like best of Christmas. It has to be part of "my" Christmas.

At my christmas-dinner, I read that story aloud for myself, in Dutch and in English.

Reading the Christmas story at the dinner-table was not something I got from my family in the Netherlands, but I picked it up from one family here in Norway, that I got to celebrated Christmas with a few times.

Into darkness

This time when I read the story, I was especially moved to read that God sees people in their humble situations. And that He is sending His Son as a saving light to people that live utter darkness.

It moves me to be a "visiting light" to those that don´t know and see God like this. The value that the Christmas of the bible gives me, is something I want others to see too.

Luke 2:29-32

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Silenced nights

In the last week before Christmas, we have lost a young friend, Lars Kristian Kvåle. He had to battle leukaemia in the last years, and in the end his body was not strong enough. His spirit was alive, even in the hard fight against the cancer. In the end, he had all his hope in Jesus, and he lived and shone this hope every day. It was a joy to see him on the stage singing and playing guitar.

Now that he is in heaven, I will try to shine a light with the same hope and love that he had in Jesus.

For those that never got to meet him, and for those that not have met Jesus.