5 Days Til....

5 days and counting......

What are you doing for the next five days??

finishing Christmas cards to friends and family far away (some of them may be mailed on Dec 26)
preparing Christmas eve dinner list and checking it twice (that reminds me I have to take the turkey out of the freezer)
wrapping up those last minute gift items  (one more trip to the mall?)
wondering if and wishing we'll have snow on the day
smiling at the thought of having all of the kids in the same house for more than 24 hours
answering a 5 year old's questions about Christmas and Santa and cookies for the jail and life in general
baking cookies and other goodies and nibbling without guilt

but most important, I want to continue Celebrating the birth of Jesus my Savior and I pray that like Mary, I can truly treasure these things in my heart.  The important things that last.  Christmas really is the best story ever told and it's more than a story, it's a gift for each person to accept and unwrap.

I love Matthew Henry's Concise commentary from Luke 2 quoted here:

2:8-20 Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. God's good-will to men, manifested in sending the Messiah, redounds to his praise. Other works of God are for his glory, but the redemption of the world is for his glory in the highest. God's goodwill in sending the Messiah, brought peace into this lower world. Peace is here put for all that good which flows to us from Christ's taking our nature upon him. This is a faithful saying, attested by an innumerable company of angels, and well worthy of all acceptation, That the good-will of God toward men, is glory to God in the highest, and peace on the earth. The shepherds lost no time, but came with haste to the place. They were satisfied, and made known abroad concerning this child, that he was the Saviour, even Christ the Lord. Mary carefully observed and thought upon all these things, which were so suited to enliven her holy affections. We should be more delivered from errors in judgment and practice, did we more fully ponder these things in our hearts. It is still proclaimed in our ears that to us is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord. These should be glad tidings to all.