Well, we're down to the one digits now - just 9 more days until Christmas! Today I have a bunch of Christmassy links that I hope will aid you in your growing of grace! Merry Christmas!
Beholding the Beauty of Christ in Wal-Mart - "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so the old saying goes. Just the same, we choose to behold (read: pursue and acquire) what we think is beautiful. Unfortunately, for so many of us, we have given little attention to what the Bible says about beauty. While Christians may have read the Bible for years, I wonder, when it comes to beauty, how many of us have been shaped by magazine covers, movies, and prom nights more than God's inspired Word?"
Ladies, Do Not Shy Away from Theology - "When I say the word “theology” what scary picture rushes into your mind? ... Let me paint a different picture for you: A woman sitting at the feet of her Rescuer, discovering the greatest love of her life; His likes and dislikes; pushing herself into who He is, relishing every aspect of His beautiful, amazing character. This, my sisters, is what theology is."
Persecuted, Jailed, Passionate: That's My Kind of Santa Claus - This article by James Parker III takes a look at the very real and very ancient St. Nicholas.
Let's Put the Chi Back in Xmas - Now, I know my dad already beat me to it by putting this up on Facebook, but it's still a fantastic post when it comes to the controversy of appropriate holiday greetings. I encourage you to check it out if you haven't already done so!
The Joseph Trilogy: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 - Have you ever wondered what the birth of Christ was like for Joseph? Jon Bloom takes an interesting guess at Joseph's responses and thoughts on the DesringGod blog.
The Name of Jesus - "Over the past 2000 years, more people on planet earth have known the name of Jesus than any other name. ... On the one hand, it’s strange that this single name has dominated the last 2000 years of world history, especially Western history. For most of us, Jesus has a sacred ring to it; it sounds holy and divine. But this wasn’t the case when Mary and Joseph followed the angel’s instructions and gave their baby his name. Granted, it had a special meaning, but it was not an unusual name. "