The title gives it away. There should be no question who my sermon will be about in my A Grand Production series. 🙂
Life is full of surprises as we all know. Christmas morning is full of surprises. When I was growing, when I still believed in SC, Christmas morning in the Grandi household was one big huge surprise. We went to bed with nothing except lights in the windows. No tree. No gifts. No train. N.O.T.H.I.N.G. But when we woke up life was full of wonder and surprises. Our living room had been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. A well-lit tree. Gifts under the tree. A running train (my dad’s pride and joy). Even up to the day she died mom had pictures which showed our surprise as we hit the top of the steps and then came down to see what wasn’t there when we went to bed. I now know-or should I say I no longer wonder-how mom and dad stayed up all day. Oh yeah…coffee. Lots of it. I know they had to have stayed up late at night, maybe most of the night putting everything together to make a magical surprise.
I don’t imagine there could be anyone more surprised than the shepherds when the angel and the host of angels visited them on the hillside with an announcement which shook their world. And to see how the wise men followed the star which took them from their home in the east to Bethlehem by way of Herod’s court is the stuff of legends. Come to think of it both of them are the stuff of legends even though we know nothing more about them than what we are told in Luke and Matthew.
I am afraid we have sometimes lost our wonder. Like the young man in Polar Express, we go through a crisis of belief and settle too easily for the mundane. Excitement awaits us if we follow Jesus.
I’d appreciate your prayers if you are able and would love to have you join us via live stream.
I will be joining you on Sunday, Bill!
Blessings!
Thank you Martha!
I remember that scene clearly.. years later it would de-evolve (is that a word?) into waiting until 12am, sometimes even 11pm on the night before to open our gifts.
Your so on point about the excitement. After all these years it’s still brand new!
I think we all have those memories Ed. Glad you still do.
I agree, we have lost the wonder probably because we focus on buying gifts, or I should say, the right gift. And then worry how we will pay for it. Thats why its good to have little kids there with their wide eyes, shaking boxes, rippping the paper off. I am thinking about buying my son family, all of them, Mom and Dad too nerf guns with lots of extra bullets. should be a blast. In case I am not on much, Merry Christmas brother.
We have lost the wonder Betty. I’m glad to hear from you. In case you aren’t able to be on I pray you and Ace and family will have a fantastic Christmas filled with a whole lot of good stuff. 🙂