The True Meaning of Christmas

So as of today I am officially “ready” for Christmas to arrive. The presents are all wrapped and hidden; the refrigerator and cupboards are overflowing. And my heart is full of love and gratefulness for an amazing year. As a family we have definitely had our share of heartache this year, but that has been overshadowed by the generosity and love of family and friends.


I want to take the next couple days to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. The really meaning of Christmas is to me is the fulfillment of God’s prophecy. God sent his son Jesus Christ be born so he could then die upon the cross for our sins and then be resurrected. By his resurrection he has opened the way to heaven to all who receive him by faith.

The historic record of the birth of Christ can be found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1-7

Fa La La La La

Christmas music...I love it! How about you? I start listening to it before Thanksgiving and keep listening well into January. I have XM radio in my car so I have been listening to the Holiday Tradition station. Have you heard Robert Goulet or Mel Torme sing Christmas songs? Not really my style, but it makes me laugh!

Yesterday I attended church with my mom and I very much enjoyed singing Christmas carols.

E-Book Publishing

So...I have this fictional book that I wrote.
I tried contacting publishers and having it published the old fashioned way, but I have had no luck. I am thinking of publishing it myself, in E-book format. Any chance that any one reading this blog has published a book electronically? If so, please comment or email me as I have some questions.

New Years Eve Dilemma

Thinking ahead to New Years Eve and trying to decide what to do. Go out with friends, go somewhere with only Mr Marsh, spend the evening with family, or just stay home. I need some inspiration...what are you doing?

17 days...

The time is drawing nearer...Christmas is almost here. I am almost done with my shopping, wrapping, and am looking forward to holiday parties with friends and family in the coming weeks.

Advent Devotional

Every morning I receive devotions through my email. I love it! Its a great way for me to get into the bible one little snippet at a time. The service I use is Bible Gateway and it is free! Now through Christmas they are sending out an Advent devotion. You should join!

The Promised One

by Nancy Guthrie

When someone promises us something wonderful, we can hardly wait for that promise to be fulfilled. If the promise is something good, we want it now! We really don't like to wait. And yet the very best things are worth waiting for.

A long, long time ago, God made a promise to his people, Israel. In fact, he made many promises to them. But God's most important promise--the promise all his other promises depended on--was that he would send the Messiah, the Anointed One, who would save them from the difficulties of living life in this world broken by sin. The Messiah would not be an ordinary person, but God's own Son. The people he made the promise to had to wait, putting all their faith in the One who made the promise.

The season leading up to Christmas is called Advent, which means coming. During Advent, we remember the thousands of years God's chosen people anticipated and longed for the coming of God's salvation through the Messiah. Then, at Christmas, we celebrate the fulfillment of the promises God made. Jesus--the Savior God had promised--was born to us. No more waiting. Jesus came.

When John the Baptist was born, his father, Zechariah, recognized that the long years of waiting were finally over. God gave him a special understanding that his son, John, was going to prepare the way for the promised Messiah. Zechariah celebrated that God was about to fulfill his promise. He said, "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago" (Luke 1:68-70).

God promised that he would send a Savior, which he did when Jesus became a human baby. And while Jesus did everything necessary to save us when he came the first time, he also promised to come again. Then all God's promises will be completely fulfilled. So again we are waiting. Waiting patiently for God to fulfill his promises is what it means to have faith.


Putting faith in God's promises is not something a person does only one time on the day he or she becomes a Christian. The essence of being a Christian is placing all our hope in God, knowing we can trust him to fulfill all his promises--even the ones that haven't been fulfilled yet. We are willing to wait, trusting that "God's way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true" (Psalm 18:30).