Tag: Christmas Eve

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Christmas holiday

The Light is Coming

“In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” Francis Bacon

Happy Christmas Eve! The light is coming tonight!

“In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.”

Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon Quotes.” BrainyQuote.com. BrainyMedia Inc, 2021. 24 December 2021. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_bacon_119506

I took this photo several Christmas Eves ago. It was a snowy night and I noticed how our lamp shone in the darkness so brightly. It was a beacon to all who were coming to our house that evening. Without the lamp, it would have been easy to slip and trip.

Photo of a lamp on a snowy Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve, 2010 in Indiana

In the background, a neighbor has his Christmas lights going. Many of us love to put up Christmas lights. Of course, that can get some of us in trouble! But we are willing to take the risk in order to bring a little brilliance to the darkness.

Last night, I was wrapping things up at work and left around 6:00 PM. I was surprised when I left because it was so dark outside. It felt like it was the middle of the night. I was thankful for the parking lot lights. I rarely think about them any other time. Most times, I am gone before they light up. But I was thankful for them that evening.

Unfortunately, we don’t think much about illumination until we need it. Then we can be caught off guard. We grab our flashlight only to discover the batteries are dead. We can’t find the candles we stashed away, nor a lighter. Then we think of our cell phone light only to remember you needed to charge it. Light is something we take for granted until we are stumbling around in the dark, seeking it.

So this Christmas Eve, let’s remember that the light is coming. May it light our ways and remember there is hope, joy, and peace for those who seek it.

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Christmas holiday

Clearer Christmas Requests

It’s a foggy Christmas Eve morning in Ohio. Somebody better get Rudolph ready just in case Santa needs to make a last-minute stop at the Waffle House.

Foggy winter morning in Ohio

I sure hope you sent your letter to Santa before the fog set in. because time is running out! Wait a minute… do kids send text messages or email to Santa now? I guess that would buy a little more time. Who knows how long it takes to get a letter up there, or the cost of overnighting it!

How we get a message across is important. Sometimes, it can be easy to speak a request.

  • Santa, I want a pony.
  • Honey, please clean up this mess.
  • Please don’t bring your fruitcake.

Other messages are much more subtle and leave room for interpretation.

  • Mom, how much does a pony eat?
  • Wow! Look at this mess!
  • Are you bringing fruitcake again?

The second set of statements is much less clear. Family Christmas gatherings can be filled with nuanced conversations and foggy statements. I will resolve to make my point clear if I am wanting a specific outcome.

By the way, Mom and Dad, I don’t want a pony for Christmas anymore. If you get me one, it would only end up at your house.

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Christmas Coloring Page holiday

Reindeer and Snowman Coloring page | Merry Christmas!

Thumbnail of coloring page: reindeer looking at snowman in a sleigh

Thumbnail of coloring page: reindeer looking at snowman in a sleighMerry Christmas! Here is a coloring page for you and the kids. Click on the image and you can download a PDF of these two little guys.

Either Santa had to take some time off this year or he needed a little extra help. I picture snowmen as frigid scarecrows, like in the Wizard of Oz. They are always ready to help, and they would be more effective if they only had a brain!

Continue reading “Reindeer and Snowman Coloring page | Merry Christmas!”
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children's ministry cartoons Christmas church cartoons holiday

For unto us is a need for nursery workers

Cartoon of a pastor at a podium. He says, "For unto us a child is born. So we need nursery workers."Christmas time is here. And with it comes a need for more nursery workers. I salute all the volunteers who bravely serve during the Christmas Eve services. And since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, there will be dedicated volunteers that answer the call while others are in the sanctuary, drinking piping hot coffee with mint-flavored creamer. 

One day when I read Isaiah 9:6, this idea came to mind. With more children comes more of a need for nursery workers. That’s how your mind works when you are the spouse of a children’s pastor. 

Have a merry Christmas!

I drew this for the December 2016 CHOG News E-newsletter.

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Christmas holiday webcomic

Have a Merry Christmas Joy Ride!

cartoon of mischievous elves in Santa's sleigh

Cartoon of Santa chasing a sleigh full of mischievous elvesCartoon of santa running after his sleigh. Elves are in the sleigh and they look like they are having the time of the life. The caption says, “Thanks to a joy ride, Christmas was nearly canceled!”

I loved this cartoon when I first wrote it because it reminded me of a childhood fantasy. I used to wonder what it would be like to take a ride in Santa’s sleigh. Wouldn’t it be great to take a ride across the countryside on Christmas Eve? All the Christmas lights and moonlight would reflect on the new snow, Smoking chimneys fill the air with the smell of hickory, oak and pine. Never mind that there is probably no seat belts in the sleigh and the airbags have never been tested!

By the way, don’t try this at home, kids. You can’t get a hold of Santa’s sleigh and the only joy ride should be with certified, licensed elves.

May you have a blessed, Merry Christmas!