Gather Moms

We three kings of orient are…WAIT. What? Were they kings or magi and what does it mean they are from the orient? We are taking a deep dive into these three (were there actually three) men that celebrated Jesus’ birth with some famous gifts. There are so many treasures, not just the gold, to uncover in this story and we had the best time with our investigative fun! JOIN US

Mentions:

• Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller
• Orient = From the East; meaning anything in Asia. The wise men were most likely from the area of Babylon.
• Magi = Zoroastrians. Today, we might call them astrologers.

Bible truth:

• Luke 2:21-38 (Jesus circumcised and presented at the temple where we meet Anna and Simeon)
• Matthew 2 (The wise men)

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We can’t help but love and admire sweet Mary, the mother of Jesus. The trust and strength displayed in her story is awe-inspiring. Throughout scripture we see God choosing people to display his glory not because of their greatness, but because of his greatness. Mary, a teenage girl, was chosen to carry the Son of Man but she was just like us with questions, worries, struggles and a desperate need for God’s strength. Big shout out to Joseph, who got his own angel visit and was asked to shoulder the responsibility of getting Mary to Bethlehem and helping deliver baby Jesus. We imagine him kind, determined and humble. The curiosity continues as we wonder did they really spend the night in a stable, were they all alone delivering Jesus and how long did the shepherds have to search for a baby in a manger? Amidst the questions, we do know that God’s promised Savior entered the world by humble means to a lonely, waiting world. The gift of Jesus’ birth was celebrated by a smelly shepherds and wealthy magi. Join us next episode as we take a curious look at the arrival of these wise men from afar.

Mentions:

• Accoutrement: additional items of dress or equipment, or other items carried or worn by a person or used for a particular activity.
• Crèche: a model or tableau representing the scene of Jesus Christ’s birth, displayed in homes or public places at Christmas.
• After birth is honestly on my list of ‘things you don’t talk about’ so feel free to do your own research on Kate’s observations! My few clicks on the internet led to all kinds of interesting and slightly gross articles.

Bible truth:

• Mary’s Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55
• Greek word for ‘inn’ (Luke 2:7) is kataluma which means inn or lodging place. Used 3x in the New Testament and the other 2 times it is translated ‘guest room’ in Mark 14:14 and Luke 22:11.
• Read more here about where Mary and Joseph might have stayed to deliver Jesus.

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We’re reading the Christmas story with fresh eyes this year! Rebecca’s curiosity has her asking all the questions about details left unexplained. Did you know that Mary and Joseph experienced some holiday travel? Each of us have our own stories about getting from A to Z on planes, trains and automobiles. Have you ever traveled via donkey though? Every book or movie you’ve ever seen portrays this sweet couple and one lone donkey making the difficult journey to Bethlehem. What if they didn’t travel alone? One thing we do know that is God’s kindness is sprinkled throughout this beautiful story. Over and over we see God remind Mary, the mother of Jesus, that he was holding her near. Join us today as we laugh about thankful rolls gone wrong, travel catastrophes, donkey basketball and the kindness of God.

Mentions:

• FYI: Eating small amounts of paper is generally harmless, but it is better to avoid it, especially if it has ink on it. Paper has little to no nutritional value and is indigestible by the human body.
• Kate is the master of words so peach, who-haw and teetle-totter all describe Caroline’s baby-girl bottom.
• Donkey basketball is actually a thing! School districts take note; this would be a great team building activity for your teachers. HA!

Bible truth:

• The Christmas story is found in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2
• Where did Zechariah and Elizabeth live? Most believe it was outside Jerusalem in the hill country. Mary could have traveled almost the same route to visit her cousin as she did when she made the Christmas journey with Joseph for the census. Read more here

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Did you ever sneak out to catch Santa in the act? REBECCA DID. She and Kate are talking all about creating the magical moments of Christmas by being present with our kids and slowing down when the world tells us to speed up. AND! The ladies are offering up some healthy Christmas competition during the month of December. Listen in to find out what they are competing over and check out our socials to vote for who you think will make it to the end.

Mentions:

• ‘The Christmas Shoes’ is not just a song, but a Hallmark movie too. Does it bring out strong emotion in you like it does in Kate? Read the story behind it here.
• Miniature Elf on the Shelf
• Star from Afar Christmas Activity Set

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Yall. We know Dax Shepherd does not play for the Cowboys. Listen in as we correct and re-visit some nonsense from episode 54 and take a deep dive into why gratitude matters and, while we have you with us, we’ll go ahead and offer a prayer of thanks to God together. Let’s jump in!

Mentions:

• Turkey gobblers are called SNOODS. What? More HERE
• Adult female turkeys are hens and young females are jennies
• Adult male turkeys are toms and young male turkeys are jakes
• Blog post on Gather Moms with all of the brain research about gratitude
• Verses about gratitude:
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18
  • Philippians 4:6
  • Colossians 3:17
  • 2 Corinthians 2:9-11

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Connect with Us:

Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook