I'm Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

~Matthew 28:19,20

So what does that mean, "I'm letting the cat out of the bag?" Why don't we just say "I'm going to tell you a secret."? 

According to Grammar Monster, an idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. 

Here in the south where I live we use them all the time and are likely to make up a few of our own.

I’m letting the cat out of the bag on this one. My friend Vonda Bland Hamilton has recently released her book for deaf children to help them understand the idioms we use every day without even thinking about them. Her book is called Letting the Cat out of the Bag. If I signed “letting the cat out of the bag” a deaf child may have difficulty understanding the meaning. Who would put a cat in a bag? The cat would be scratching and clawing and screeching. That’s not the meaning of the phrase at all! It means to share a secret.

Vonda’s book shares the secrets of idioms with deaf and hearing children. The book is set up very logically. The illustrator, Samantha Smith, drew a kid-friendly picture depicting the expression. Then Vonda wrote the idiom beneath the picture. The next page gives the meaning of the idiom with a picture. Vonda then relates the idiom to a scripture verse.

Mrs. Hamilton has an idiom for each letter of the alphabet but there are so many more. She and her husband Steve are missionaries with the Deaf with Expressions of Emmanuel. Her book, which also contains a DVD, can be purchased through Expressions of Emmanuel and on Amazon. You don’t have to be deaf to enjoy Vonda’s book. We can all have fun playing with expressions and learning how to apply scripture to the words we share.

And there's more! Mrs. Hamilton has a new book, As Easy as One, Two, Three, coming spring of 2022. 

You can learn more about Vonda and her family by visiting the website www..expressionsofemmanuel.com

Father God, please give us a vision to reach every person, in every nation, man, woman, and child. 

In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Do you know how to use sign language? I remember learning the alphabet as a child. My friends and I would sign messages to each other. As I got older I encountered people who were deaf. I learned there's more to signing than just the alphabet. The sign for milk is making the motion for milking a cow. How fun!

Sign language is often taught in colleges as a foreign language. But you can get a headstart by learning a few signs now. You can

•  download a poster with the ABCs. 
• visit Mrs. Hamilton's YouTube site
• search other You Tube sites with your parents for learning to sign.
• find a friend to practice with

You never know who you might encounter. Knowing how to communicate is important. Remember Love is the greatest language of all. 

So What Does It All Mean?

 

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

 ~Isaiah 11:1

Has your life been a  frenzy of shopping and decorating for the last few weeks? 

So what does it all mean, putting up a tree, buying presents, decorating with red and gold and blue and white? Is there purpose and meaning in our frenzy?

Putting up the tree can be a family time filled with traditions - Baby's First Ornament, hand-made ornaments, and great grandma's Victorian ornaments. But it can also be so hurried we miss the traditions and the meanings behind the decorations. 

Nostalgia fills the air as we settle down in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate and gaze at the sparkling tree. But WAIT! Did we miss the point? What have we instilled in our traditions to show our families the true meaning of Christmas? 

Instilling the true meaning shouldn't sound like some sort of lesson. A natural mention of how the items and colors remind you of Jesus and His love for us is the most effective way to instill meaning. 

  There are various meanings associated with Christmas. What meanings?
The Decorations

• Red - The color of blood. 
• Gold - The Wisemen brought Jesus gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
• Blue - The color of royalty. Jesus is King of Kings. 
• White - The color of purity. Jesus was without sin. 
• Wisemen followed a star. 
• Angels announced His birth. 
• Ribbons held the breastplate to the ephod on the robe of the high priest. 
• Bells were sown around the hem of the priest's robe so all could hear him as he performed his priestly duties. Jesus is our High Priest.

The Tree

• The tree is made of wood. Christ shed His blood on a cross made of wood. 
• The evergreen needles tell us that Jesus gives us eternal life. 
• The trunk and the branches lead us back to our scripture: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 
• We display our Christmas trees where all can see their beauty. So shouldn't Jesus be displayed in our lives that all can see His beauty? 
• We want to receive gifts. May all the world come to Jesus this Christmas and receive His gift of salvation. 

May there be Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. 

Father God, please show us how to instill in our family the true meaning and purpose of the birth of your Son. For without His death, burial, and resurrection his birth would have been just another baby born one night in Bethlehem. Thank you for sending your Son to die for my sins.  In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

 What else?

What intentional things are you doing to put Christ in your Christmas? 

You don't have to do anything more, only think about the reason you are 

• making cookies
• the places you are decorating
• the reasons for the decorations you are using

Is there anything that surprises you? 

Please share your Christmas stories, surprises, and blessings with us in the comments. And be sure to subscribe to our blog so you don't miss the weekly posts. 

Once in a Lifetime

 

 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ~Luke 1:6

Personal devotion writers encourage us to read a chapter of Luke every day this month and by the end of the month, we will have read the entire book. I usually read a chapter every day and then journal a significant verse(s) the Lord emphasizes to me.  So looking at the first few verses of Luke I thought like me, Zacharias and Elisabeth were older folks. They probably went about their daily routines not thinking much about how many things happen in the course of the day that are once-in-a-lifetime events.

Zacharias was taking his turn serving in the temple. It's my understanding most men didn't get to do that but once in a lifetime because of the number of men available. While he was serving an angel appeared to him. Now that seems like it should stand out as a once-in-a-lifetime event. The angel came with a message from God but Zacharias doubted the message. His doubt caused God to shut his mouth and his ears for a time but it didn't stop God from fulfilling His purpose. 

Then there was Elisabeth who was never able to have a child but found herself pregnant after her husband returned home. Remember she was old too. She hid herself until she was showing, maybe because the other women would accuse her of being crazy. 

I just had a birthday. Every birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime event. I'll never be this age again. Then I thought the things that happen this day will never happen again. Am I missing something that God wants to use to fulfill His purpose? Does God try to tell me the special plan He has for me?  Am I doubting His purpose in my life because of my age? Do I expect God to use me? 

Now, I want to spend my time, not just celebrating my birthday  — but the once-in-a-lifetime events that occur every day, that God will use for His glory and my good if I pay attention. I want to enter each day looking for what God is doing. Can I put my finger on something special every day? Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I won't see it in the future. Maybe the "something special" is that I am recognizing that every day is a once-in-a-lifetime event that I shouldn't waste. 

I came across a quote that sums it all up very well. 

Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. - John Wesley

Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me to participate in Your great plan every day. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Have you wondered what plan God has for you this day? When Jesus was a boy he did many of the same things you do. He played with the other children, learned to read and write, obeyed his parents, and enjoyed being a kid. 

 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. 

~Luke 2:52

What are ways you can increase in wisdom?

-listen to adults who try to help you.
-do your schoolwork.
-think through things before you act.

How can you increase in stature?

eat healthy foods
exercise
think through things before you act.

What are ways to increase in favor with God and men?

memorize scripture
be kind to everyone you meet.
allow your actions to be guided by God's word.

May the joy and significance of Christmas go with you throughout the year

Advent

 

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. ~Acts5:42

Advent, just what does that mean?  The dictionary defines it as the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. Many people anticipate Christmas with Advent calendars. We see religious and secular practices of Advent. Stores sell little boxes that are opened daily to reveal a prize. We see simple calendars where a date is added to help children count the days to Christmas. Others have scripture readings that lead up to Christmas. Advent is a new term for me as an adult. We celebrated Christmas, decorating a tree, baking, getting together with family, but we didn't have a daily ritual that led us to Christmas, except maybe we had a year-long ritual.  

In the beginning of the church, they daily spent time in the temple and in every home teaching and preaching about Jesus. The church grew rapidly. Families sacrificed for each other and the church community. 

Today we see so many secular celebrations of Christmas. There's a manger scene tucked in here and there, but how much tinsel and lights, Grinches and Santas cover the real celebration? 

We hurry to school. We hurry to our jobs. We hurry to stores and buy online. We eat breakfast on the run and drive through to pick up supper. When is the time for the rituals that bring us together as families and as churches? 

Maybe, as Cindy Lou says, maybe Christmas is just a little bit more. Perhaps we need to gather together to sing carols at the doors of shut-ins. Perhaps we need to create rituals to daily lead our families to Christmas. 

One of the suggestions I'm seeing is the reading of the book of Luke for the month of December. If we begin on December 1 we will finish the entire book by Christmas. I realize we are already into the month but it's never too late to start. We can have Luke read by New Year. Oh, and then we can take on another book, perhaps Matthew or Genesis or anywhere else you might like to start. Most habits need thirty days to become a ritual. Could this ritual of Advent reading with our families lead us back to the ritual of daily family Bible reading and prayer?

How can you make this work for you and your family? Might I make some suggestions?

• Get up a few minutes early so everyone is at the breakfast table together to read a chapter and pray.
• Read a chapter and pray at supper time. 
• Turn the TV off a few minutes early. Read a chapter and have prayer together before bed. 

It may seem like chaos in the beginning, to get everyone together. Make it fun. Encourage your family by saying, "Let's celebrate Christmas a little every day."

Father God, please help us to celebrate your Son Jesus every day this Christmas and throughout the coming year that our children may know the God we serve. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids:

What can you do to help your family with Advent? Hope these ideas help. 

• Help your family decide on a time to read Luke
• Remind your family so you don't miss the time
• Pick out a favorite verse from the day's reading
• Draw a picture for the fridge to mark your journey through Luke (at the end of December you can collect your pictures to make a memory book)

Merry Christmas