A New School YearWritten by Kimberly Chastain
Depending on where you live school will be starting this month or next month. A new school year is usually exciting and scary at same time. Most children won’t admit it, but they are ready to get back to school and see their friends. As much as I love not having a rigid schedule in summer, I do miss structure of school year. We get up later in summer and go to bed later as well.When you think of a new School Year what are your first thoughts? Back to school shopping for clothes and school supplies. A big transition from elementary to middle school, or to high school, even college. A new teacher who you heard is strict or not strict enough? There can often be lots of anxiety with a new school year for parents as well as children. Can I offer a few suggestions for your back to school list? Remember whose children they are. Yes they are our children, but they are God’s children. He cares about them and loves them more than we ever could. Pray for your children. Pray for their academics, choice of friends, study
| | Another View of Christmas Written by Kimberly Chastain
Christmas is a blessed time and one when we honor birth of our Savior. We often have warm fuzzy feelings when we look at nativity scene. I think we need to take a closer look. Mary, mother of Jesus, gave birth in a cave with animals all around her and really no privacy. Can you imagine smell in cave? She certainly did not have any drugs to relieve pain of childbirth. Some Bible scholars believe Mary was 14 years old. Picture being 14 and giving birth in a cave. All she had was Joseph to be with her, no mother or sisters to comfort her. She was very alone. Yet, she was not alone – God was with her.Mary was trying to recover from childbirth and had to worry about clothes to wrap Son of God in and keep him warm. Mary was exhausted, but greeted by shepherds and angels. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart – Luke 2:19. When Jesus was 8 days old he was circumcised and taken to temple. Listen to what Simeon said to a very young mother still recovering from childbirth “This child is destined to cause falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke 2:34-35. Wow, a sword will pierce your soul. We are not told how Mary reacted, but can only imagine. Often when our children are born it is a very happy time, but Mary was already hearing and knowing what would happen to her son.
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