and learn something new from it often. Gotta love it!
This morning I thought, "This account was before Jesus was born. God gave special, holy insight to Luke to write this true account."
As I feel my age first early in the day, I sympathize with Elizabeth. She was 23 years older than I. How could she:
1. conceive
2. carry and birth a baby
3. patiently raise a boy to become a godly man????
God amazes me constantly.
I was raised in a family that NEVER mentioned the Bethlehem account or Jesus at Christmas. How could that be? I mean, CHRIST MASS. The very name of the day should have been a clue. But their traditions were built on the tree, sweets, a present or two. Instead of a candle light service on the eve, we listened to John Barrymore (an aging actor long before your time) dramatize the story about Scrooge. I still have memories of all of us huddled around the radio, night time with only the tree lights glowing, hanging on every word. That was every year!
Mother put up a faded and bent fake brick, cardboard fireplace against the wall. She hung 3 pair of Dad's white work socks from the mantle (I had two sisters); late that night she placed one orange and a couple walnuts (still in the shell) in the sock. Oranges when they were available or we could afford it. I'm thinking they weren't sold during the war years...sent to the troops?? I would have been 4 to 8 years old during the war time.
I was a new believer when my children were young, but I always tried to center the season around the Christ and the manger account. (Do you notice I always say 'account'? Not story? It really did occur and that's important to remember.)
One of my daughters over 50 yrs. ago.
"... there was a priest named Zechariah,... And he had a wife ... and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Luke 1:5,6 (liberties taken by me).
