The Gifts of the Nativity Podcast

Nativityornament, editedWhat can we learn from those God called to play a part in the birth of Jesus? Mary, the Magi, the shepherds, Joseph, and Jesus all have important gifts to give us as we seek to understand their roles in the story of the Nativity. Join Mary Kane and Jane VanOsdol of OnlyByPrayer.com as they explore The Gifts of the Nativity in today’s podcast. Prepare your hearts for Christmas as you delve more deeply into the birth of Jesus. Be sure to download your free viewer guide. This podcast is available as both an MP3 and in video format.

To listen to the MP3 audio version, click at the top of this post.  To watch in video format, click below.

 




The Sacred Everyday No. 2: Purls of Wisdom

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Captivating colors

                                                 and

                                                   tempting textures

of luscious yarn never fail to lure me into big or little knitting shops I happily stumble across. Such was the case the other morning, and I, entranced, open the door and follow my eyes to the skeins posing on the shelves.

I walk back and forth weighing my options, considering my ever-growing list of people to receive knitted Christmas gifts. Poking around the shelves, I find a perfect project to knit up quickly. With chunky yarn on big needles, even I, a notoriously s-l-o-w knitter, will finish five of them with time to spare before Christmas.

The bell jingles and the door shuts behind me as I head back to the car. The glinting sun illuminates the display window, stopping me in surprise. A Scripture glistens off the glass. Funny, I hadn’t noticed it on the way in, two of my favorite things juxtaposed like this.

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This unexpected gift of scripture and yarn knitted together makes a happy spot in my soul. Why haven’t I ever thought about the work of my hands as being something sacred? Might my hands actually capture a bit of His beauty, reflect a bit of His creativity in every stitch, every pattern I make? My heart says “yes.”

God snuck in this Sacred Everyday at Always In Stitches today. Where have you found yours?

Pray on!

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Christmas and Advent Roundup

Christmas, one of the most meaningful times of the year, is only a few weeks away. I’m scurrying around trying to get the house ready for one of my favorite seasons. It’s always a good reminder to me that as I bask in the twinkling lights, glistening tree, and stockings hung by the fireplace and smell the fresh fragrant pine and freshly baked goodies of Christmas to remember my spiritual preparation as well.

I’ve looked back over Christmases past and rounded up several Only By Prayer Christmas resources that will help you prepare for Christmas during this season of Advent.

God With Us—This is one of Mary Kane’s free Bible studies that will help you put your focus on our Savior this Christmas.

Something to Celebrate—This is a blog post I, Jane, wrote about adjusting my vision and focus at Christmas.

Advent 2011 Podcast—Mary and I recorded this podcast and filled it with suggestions on how to make Advent a special time in your life and in the life of your family.

Christmas Story: God Uses Every Day People Podcast. In this podcast, Mary and I discuss many of the people in the Christmas story and look at how God uses everyday people (like you and me!) to bring about His plans and purposes in the world.

You may also want to check out my More Than a Baby: An Advent Devotional. I wrote this e-book a few years ago, so the dates won’t line up exactly, but I’ve packed this devotional with scripture, photos/artwork, music, a daily focus, and prayer.

Mary and I hope these resources bless you as you prepare for Christmas.

Merry Christmas!




Something to Celebrate

O Come Let us Adore Him

These words have been ringing through my mind today as Christmas draws near, and it’s more than the obvious reason that I’ve heard this Christmas carol on the radio or that Christmas is only five days away. Much more. God has been readjusting my vision this Christmas.

Christmas 2011 will be a different Christmas for us. It’s the first Christmas that we won’t have both of our children with us. For the past 23 years, the four of us have always been together to celebrate. We have our traditions, our special things that we do together as a family to welcome Christmas Day. They’re very much a part of what makes Christmas Christmas for me. Maybe too much so?

As many of you know, our son Jesse is on a walk across America to raise money for the burn center at Riley Hospital for Children where he was a patient in June of 2010. Three months ago when Jesse decided to do this walk, I thought surely he couldn’t be meaning to miss Thanksgiving, his birthday and Christmas. Could he? When I asked Jesse this over the phone, he said, “Mom, how is that going to look if I fly home for Christmas when people are sponsoring me, and I’m supposed to be walking across America?”

The reality that I knew was coming but had been avoiding thinking about had arrived. With the certainty that Jesse would not be home and possibly not Amber either as she now has her fiancé and his family to consider for Christmas plans, I was forced to look at where I was getting my real joy for Christmas from. Was my joy coming from my perfect plans all going according to schedule, or was it from the gift of Jesus in my life?

As I have had to adjust my perception of celebrating Christmas, God has been shifting my focus to where it should be. The priceless gift of having Jesus as my King is coming clearly into focus. To know that He is with me each day in the nitty-gritty good-and-bad that makes up my life is what God is showing me I should be celebrating.

I’m wondering what your Christmas will look like. Maybe you’re struggling through a painful divorce. Perhaps you’re hooked up to a chemo IV. Or maybe you’re blessed this year to have all of your family with you. Whatever your life is or wherever you are this year, Jesus is there. And that’s Something to celebrate.

O Come let us adore Him …

Pray on!




O Antiphons

O Antiphons

 The O Antiphons were written in the seventh or eighth century by monks, using texts from the Old Testament. During the Middle Ages, it became the tradition to ring the church bells each night as the Antiphons were being sung. Each of the O Antiphons uses a different title for Messiah. One is read each evening beginning on December 17. Have your family read the English version together each evening as a devotional.

 ( https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/801/o_antiphons_of_advent.html.)

 

Dec. 17:
O Sapientia
, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter,
suaviter disponensque omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come and show your people the way to salvation.

Wisdom 8:1

Isaiah 11:2-3; 28:29

Proverbs 8:1-36

John 1:1-5

Dec. 18:
O Adonai
, et dux domus Israel,
qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel,
who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.

Exodus 3:2

Isaiah 33:22; 63:11-12

Micah 6:4

Acts 7:30-31

Dec. 19:
O Radix Jesse
, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

 

O Flower of Jesse’s stem,
you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;
kings stand silent in your presence;
the nations bow down in worship before you.
Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Isaiah 11:1, 10

Isaiah 52:15

Romans 15:12

Dec. 20:
O Clavis David
, et sceptrum domus Israel,
qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

 

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
controlling at your will the gate of heaven:
Come, break down the prison walls of death
for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;
and lead your captive people into freedom.

Revelation 3:7

Isaiah 22:22

Jeremiah 13:13; 51:19

Matthew 4:16; 16:19

Luke 1:79

Dec. 21:
O Oriens
, splendor lucis aeternae,
et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.

Isaiah 9:1; 58:8; 60:18-20

Malachi 4:2

Luke 1:78-79

John 8:12

Revelation 22:16

Dec. 22:
O Rex Gentium
, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart;
O Keystone of the mighty arch of man:
Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.

Isaiah 2:4; 11:10

Psalm 47:8; Jeremiah 10:7

Daniel 7:14; Haggai 2:8

Romans 15:12

Ephesians 2:14, 20

Dec. 23:
O Emmanuel
, Rex et legifer noster,
expectratio gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos,
Domines, Deus noster.

 

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations, Savior of all people:
Come and set us free, Lord our God.

Isaiah 7:14

Matthew 1:23

1 Timothy 4:9

Psalm 14:7

Phil 4:4

This list comes from https://catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/Advent-O-Antiphons.htm




Advent Podcast

Happy Advent! Mary and I would love to have you join us as we discuss Advent and how you can get ready for Christmas during this time of preparation.

We’ll be discussing the background of Advent, ways you can celebrate it with your family, and the meaning of Isaiah 7:14. Don’t let the busyness of the season prevent you from truly celebrating Christ’s birth.

To listen to the podcast, simply click the arrow below. You may also subscribe to us on Apple podcasts.

Podcast Notes

Isaiah 7:14

Nathan: to give, to entrust, to bestow
Sign: owth: a distinguishing mark, a miracle, proof, a remembrance, a warning
 Son: Ben: banah: to build, rebuild, establish, make permanent, to be built up
 Name: Shem: name, reputation, fame, glory
 Emmanuel: el Emanuel: God, God with us

 Resources:

www.crivoice.org/jesse.html

www.blueletterbible.com

Also, here’s a link to last year’s Christmas podcast on Christmas Story: God Uses Everyday People

More Than A Baby devotional:  https://onlybyprayer.com/our-products/more-than-a-baby-an-advent-devotional/