Christmas Cookies....

  I always look forward to Christmas.

My mother and I spend a few days downtown Chicago just baking Christmas cookies.  The cookies require a lot of planning, preparation, waiting, mixing, beating, shaping, rolling, pressing, heating, cooling and, decorating.

But in the end they come out as beautiful and delicious goodness :)

Each cookie has distinct features caused by the differences in the technique used to prepare them.

Some are nutty.

Some are a fruity. 

Some are pretty.

 Some are chewy.

Some are rich.

Aome are just plain scrum-didli-upmtions ;)

You may like one, I may like another.

Each cookie is unique.

 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,
    Israel, whom I have chosen.
This is what the Lord says—
    he who made you, who formed you in the womb,
    and who will help you:
Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,
    Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
    and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
    and my blessing on your descendants.
They will spring up like grass in a meadow,
    like poplar trees by flowing streams.
Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’;
    others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
    and will take the name Israel”

-Isaiah 44:1-5

Shaping and Molding hurt.  

We may get a little brown or burnt in the process of conforming to our Maker's likeness but, without His light, love, shaping, and preparation we can never become the most beautiful, illuminate, strong creation our Father intends for us to be.  Often we struggle to expose ourselves and be changed by the light.  Darkness hides things.  It masks our mess-ups.  The dimness makes us look prettier on the outside, can hide our blemishes and brokenness.  If we never get to know Him we just remain ingredients stuck on the shelf never getting the joy of sharing in communion with Him and his other creations.  Upon learning of Him, if we do not let Him work on and in us, we stay soft, potentially sickening (because of the raw eggs of course ;), and only half made creations.  Never meeting our full potential, never fully alive. 

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

-John 3:19-21

Once we make the decision to follow Him we need to be careful not to be too much, over sugared, like the pharisees.  Staying away from hypocrisy and haughtiness.  Or too little like the seeds that fell on rocky ground and choked out by the weeds (Matthew 13).  Afraid and never maturing, growing, sharing.

as

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.  For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

-Romans 12:1-8

We want to be like the seed that fell on rich soil (Matthew 13).  Creating environments that allow us to be encouraged while encouraging others. Surrounding ourselves by others who enrich our lives rather than those who choke us out and put us down.  Striving to be like the worker who turned doubled the talent his master gave him (Matthew 25:14-28).  Then, sharing with those who do not know about the greatness of our God.  Using the gifts He has given us to bring Him glory and shine His light on this dark world. 

Christ has come.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

- John 1:1-3;14

He died, rose, saved and paved the way for us to love, live and shine His light on Earth.

It is not going to be easy.  It may be messy, burn and hurt but His finished product is something our hearts and minds can only imagine the beauty and goodness of.

I am excited to fully see His glory one day. And thankful for the glimpses He has given me here.

Christ came, let us remember...

Let us remind those who do not know or have forgotten... gently… lovingly.

Let us be thankful.

A new life, bringing new life, real life.

He is good, so good.

Merry Christmas.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 ‘Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’

 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’”

-Luke 2:10-15