Janet Weisiger: Christmas joy

How we all love Christmas! It doesn’t matter our age because since we were tiny babies we heard Christmas carols. And having that history in our memory we know the joy of Christmas.

I remember Daddy holding me as our family sang carols. I remember Christmas morning, Daddy going downstairs and starting the fire in our coke furnace, telling Donald and me to wait on the top step of our staircase until he said, Merry Christmas! And then my brother and I would race downstairs to see what Santa had left under the Christmas tree. Such excitement! I still remember seeing the wonderful tree, glistening with lights and gaily wrapped presents spread at the base of the tree. And then the fun and joy of finding gifts marked “for Janet” followed by my screeches of “oh, I am so thrilled. This is just what I wanted.”

That day showed how much Mommy and Daddy loved me. We were not a wealthy family but Daddy budgeted his monthly pay check at Ford Motor Co., so Donald and I could be happy.

Janet Baird Weisiger

Yes, Christmas is the day we all reach out to each other. And what started all those wonderful times? Jesus was born, remember? God spoke to Mary, a very young Jew who lived in Nazareth. The angel Gabriel was sent by God “to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.” Young Mary was a virgin. Isn’t that amazing? A virgin is going to birth a baby? How could that be? No one had ever heard of that. This is proof that God almighty is able to complete miracles. What do the highest rank of scientists say? O, this could not have ever happened because a baby can only be born if a man impregnates a female. Well, this was God’s miracle and by believing in God you believe in this virgin miracle. God is real and God accomplishes miracles.

Think about how this miraculous event hit Mary and Joseph. They were loyal to God, believed in the Old Testament (that is the only Scripture they possessed and knew) and followed the Lord’s rules. How do you think this news affected them. Mary knew the people of Nazareth would not believe her … ”Mary, you are going to be the mother of the Messiah? How can this be?” And when she gave birth, the people would hear the shepherds and everyone would be dumbfounded. So think about all that and realize people back then did not understand the truth that was happening and continued thinking Mary probably had sex with Joseph or another man before marriage. So Mary suffered during pregnancy, yet here she was fulfilling God’s promise to all people.

Story continues

May we remember how God works. He has his plan and many times we don’t understand what is going on. But if we totally trust God, pray to him continually we will feel confidently in our hearts that God is in control.

Over 2,000 years ago, this miracle of God’s son was born of a virgin named Mary and the world received our Messiah, a tiny spiritual, human baby born in a manger. Let us always rejoice, and never forget that God performs miracles for us so that we are never misled. A tiny baby, who had to be protected, had to be fed, had to be watched over by Mary and Joseph. They knew he was God’s son, so I’m sure they watched over him continually. But surely God gave him protection.

For example, God told them to stay in Egypt until King Herod was dead. And they listened to God. Do I always listen to God? Oh God, forgive me for not listening to you. As I think about all you have taught me. I remember the birth of Jesus. I pray I want to listen to you always and follow You. Please forgive me for my weaknesses and help me to always be faithful to you.

Yes, Merry Christmas to everyone and peace on earth, good will toward men. Dec. 25 is precious because God chose that day to proclaim his one and only son was born to be savior of the world. Alleluia!

— Community Columnist Janet Baird Weisiger is a resident of Holland, residing in Vista Springs. Read her blog at jweisiger.blogspot.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Janet Weisiger: Christmas joy