Take the Cookie

This past Sunday (December 11th) was a beautiful day here at Asbury!  After Sunday School and Worship, we enjoyed the food and fellowship of our Birthday Lunch, accompanied by Mike Exner (Ansley's dad) on his saxophone.  Then we moved back into the Sancturary for the choir's Christmas program - O Little Town - written, directed, and choreographed by our very talented Minister of Music, Ansley Dennis. 

After such a long, but beautiful day, we all were very tired, and sometimes our fatigue can prevent us from observing some of God's most simple, but most wonderful blessings!

As I was leaving the church to go back home, Ansley's dad was carrying Ansley's baby, Novelle.  Novelle loves to play with Ansley's keys, and this day was no exception. 

But something extraordinary happened!

Ansley offered Novelle a cookie.  Instead of reaching with her free hand, so that she could have the keys and the cookie at the same time, Novelle dropped the keys and took the cookie.

Not only does that action demonstrate Novelle's intelligence, it demonstrates a profound message to us!  We need to get our priorities in order.

Christmas is the celebration and remembrance of the Incarnation of God.  Period!  That's all, nothing else.

Although they are cute and fun, Christmas is not about Santa, reindeer and elves.  Christmas is not about nativity scenes on courthouse lawns.  Christmas is not about maxing out credit cards to save retailers from going out of business.

Christmas is about God becoming flesh and living among us.  Christmas is about renewing the Incarnation of God in our own lives.

When we get caught up in all the other stuff, we need to drop the keys and take the cookie.

Have a Blessed Incarnation Day!
Pastor Mark