Just this week, at our Home Group, someone asked me about my most memorable Christmas. Picking one is tough, and I seem to gain more to pick from each year, but the one that stands out the most was the year that I was sick for Christmas. If memory serves me correctly, and I’m quite confident it does (I don’t have THAT many Christmas memories to sort through), it was the year my family got the Atari 2600. COME ON! How cool was that? And I had my head buried in a… nevermind, you don’t want that description.
We all have Christmas memories. Some good, some bad. What I am interested in each of us exploring this Christmas season is what our voice speaks of this season. When did it become real to you? How has that reality impacted your story, your life, your voice?
Voices have been ringing throughout the pages of history about this “coming” - this “child”. Have you ever stopped to listen to what the voices say? What did the writers of ancient Scripture say about this event that would reveal God’s heart? Why was it so evident to some that Jesus’ arrival was significant, while others heard no voice at all? These are ideas we’ll explore during this Christmas season as we examine the voices of the ancients, as well as the voices of Matthew, Luke and John. Amidst all of this we must ask, “What will my voice be heard to say in the cacophony our modern culture?”
Just to have a little fun, drop us a line here on the blog and tell us about a favorite Christmas memory from your past… Let your voice be heard!
November 29th, 2007 at 11:17 am
I remember the best Christmas we had growing up was when we couldn’t buy any gifts. All gifts had to be hand-made that Christmas and it was great. I am the youngest of 5 kids and we all were secretly finding places to work on our beautiful treasures that we would give to each other. There where whispers and “do not disturb” signs on doors… and then the day came. We were all so excited to share what we had made. I can’t even remember what all the gifts were… but I do fully remember the anticipation and excitement of thinking about each person as I made each gift. It was a great idea my parents had!!
November 29th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
The one that stands out quickly, and I think because Dean suggested it, was when we got our Atari 7800. Hours of Pole Position II playing. Nothing beats racing through the roads of Japan with a beautiful pixelated “picture” of Mt. Fuji in the background. Pole Position
November 29th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
December 24, 1977. We always got to open one present each on Christmas Eve. Three brothers, three light sabers. Needless to say, we turned the lights off right there in our family room and dueled.
November 30th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Josh,
Are you trying to one-up me by dropping the Atari 7800? Come on! I never had much as a kid as it was, now your making me feel inferior for what little I did have.
November 30th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
John,
Interesting to hear your 1977 story because my kids relived that same story in 2006. The circle of life, huh?
December 1st, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Talking about the cycle of life…our firstborn son (John) was born Dec 2, 1985, and now he and his wife await their firstborn due Dec 22. The Christmas John was born was my best Christmas ever…I appreciated the sheer enormity of God’s love to give us HIS son in a way I never had before. It made the whole story of what Mary and Joseph went through more “real” to me too…
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:58 am
As a teen,my favorite Christmas memory was when I used to wait until everyone else in the family went to bed and then I would sit in front of the tree with the lights in the room off and listen to “The Little Drummer Boy” first and then whatever Christmas music Mom had available. I have 4 siblings and never had much time to myself-that’s why I was a night owl! Anyway, it was a wonderful time that I looked forward to every year. As an adult, my favorite memory is when we lived in Colorado in 1984 and had NO family around-we did what we wanted and didn’t even get out of our jammies until late pm because we wanted to go sledding with the girls. It was awesome…oh ya, it was a memorable one for Al too-just ask him about “the Barbie Christmas”!!!