The Flower of Christmas

I keep an antique mason jar tucked away in my jewelry chest. It contains some of my most precious possessions. To a casual observer, it may appear that the jar is brimming with mismatched potpourri, but, really, each dried flower petal has been placed in the jar quite intentionally over the last twenty years.

Within the antique blue glass are the petals from the first roses that Phil gave me on Valentines Day when we were dating. Also, there are rose petals from my bridal bouquet, our first wedding anniversary, and from the dozen roses that sat proudly in the hospital room after the birth of our first son.

Over the years, more petals have been added. If you look through the hazy glass, you can see miniature buds that once adorned the corsage I wore on Mothers Day after our second son was born. The tiny blossom reminders of my grandmothers funeral are scattered within the potpourri, along with faded blossoms from roses that my sons presented to me at one of my speaking events. Though each rose petal is different in color, texture, and size, what they all have in common is that they once complimented a beautiful rose and each, represent something very dear to me.

There is another Rose, though, which is precious to me that is not kept in my old mason jar. It is a rose that first sprang up in ancient Bethlehem. It blossomed in a humble manger, in the garden of poor, ordinary, faithful parents, beneath the warm glow of a bright star.

The beauty of the rose was first beheld by some humble shepherds and later adored by some very wise men. Both humble and high were granted access to The Rose. In the Song Of Solomon , Christ is celebrated as "The Rose of Sharon”. What a lovely, way to communicate who He is to each of us.

To be a “Rose” shows Christ’s beauty, but it also shows His desirability and accessibility to each of us. The rose is the chief of flowers for its beauty and fragrance. Our Jesus is the preeminent object of our desire, and the sweetness of his fragrant life and words adds beauty to our dull and colorless world.

For Christ to be The Rose of Sharon shows that He is the rose for all. Sharon was the ancient plain in Palestine where roses grew in fields, plenty and lovely. Jesus was not a rose that sprung up in a green house, reserved for the rich or elite. No, He blossomed in a humble manger where all could see, touch, and receive Him. His gospel is for all - rich, poor, old, young, seeker and skeptic.

The Rose of Sharon yields a strong perfume that calls us to breathe in its beauty. If you come to the manger to see The Rose, you will notice that it is moistened with dew - the tears of mourning, that remind us He was The Rose destined to wear thorns, and shed the beauty of His scarlet petals for you and for me.

Even more than the roses that fill my mason jar, He deserves a place of precious prominence in our lives - in our hearts. He has made himself accessible to you so that you would access Him. He wants you to enjoy His beauty, breathe in His fragrance, and hold Him in your heart. Michael W. Smith wrote:”like a rose, trampled on the ground, He took the fall, and thought of me ... above all” he did, my friend. You are the reason He brought His beauty to this earth. You are the reason the beautiful Rose was bruised -- it was for your sin. You are the reason that "THE ROSE" ... arose.

Don’t hide the beauty of The Rose of Sharon in a treasure box with all your other sweet memories or keepsakes. Wear The Rose upon your heart, upon your life. Let Him blossom, for The Rose of Sharon is the beautiful flower of Christmas!

"I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys." "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven" Song of Solomon 2:1 ESV Matthew 10:32 ESV

Jennifer Rothschild, Author of Lessons I Learned in the Dark, and Founder of WomensMinistry.NET http://www.jenniferrothschild.com JR@jenniferrothschild.com

Description: A Christmas tea with sweets and variety of teas and punch with a focus on the Nativity. We have a woman who collects Nativity sets bring her collection to show us. She has about 60 different sets and shared the stories behind several of them.

We created a PowerPoint presentation about the Christmas story and a nativity set featuring a song by Evie, "Move Me Closer."

We had a fun craft time on how to make a nativity set out of paper twist ribbon. We wrapped the event off with door prizes including teas, mugs and a nativity set.

Submitted by: Ruth Cusick, St. Thomas, Ont.,Canada Email: rcusick@stpa.on.ca

Objectives: Relationship building, finding things in common.

Procedure: Number off four separate corners (1,2,3,4) in the room. Make a poster or giant numbers.

Start with the women all in the center of the room and begin by asking a simple question. Age is a good place to begin! :) Round One: Ask the women to go to the corner that corresponds to their age group:

1. 18-29
2. 30-39
3. 40-49
4. 50 +

Once they get into the corners, have them introduce themselves and discuss a question that is posted in the corner for round one. "Do you make New Year's Resolutions? Why not or what are they?" Give them 10-15 minutes to share with each other and then start the next round. We typically play four rounds.

Round 2: How long have you attended our church?

1. Less than 1
2. 1-3
3. 4-8
4. 9 +

Round 2 Question: What is the best gift you have received for Christmas?

Make up your own questions to get women to the corners and discussion questions for one or two more rounds, depending on the time you want to spend on this activity.

Submitted by: Melanie Clardy, Chandler, Arizona; Email: Melanie@ClardyFamily.com

A Busy Woman's Guide to Prayer

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