The day after Christmas can be a bit disorienting and chaotic. Trash to throw away, instructions to read, trees to take down, in-laws to chase away, left-over turkey to eat. We wonder, "What just happened?" The truth is the day after was just as disorienting for Mary and Joseph. They were sent to Egypt. The constant for us, as for them, is the presence of God who is with us.

Joy to the World, written by Isaac Watts, wasn’t originally written as a Christmas song, but it caught on anyway. Watts’ vision of joy stretches beyond Christmas, beyond just a celebrated birth. His understanding of Joy is about truth--the truth we need each day.

No song evokes the peace of Christmas like Silent Night. Just the thinking the words “all is calm, all is bright” seems to make the day easier. But the truth is we need peace every day--not just when we sing the song. If the arrival of Jesus brings peace, how do we move past our fears?

White Christmas, written by Irving Berlin, brings all of the hopes and dreams of Christmas to mind. It reflects the longing we all have for that perfect Christmas. We all bring certain hopes and dreams to the season. What are you hoping for this year?

We think we can do life on our own. But our hope, our life, our joy is found in the forgiveness and grace of Christ.

We think we can do life on our own. But our hope, our life, our joy is found in the forgiveness and grace of Christ.

Isaiah paints a picture of harmony, yet we experience dissonance. He challenges us to hold onto the vision of hope, no matter how difficult life may be.

We all have questions about what happens after death. Death is not an ending or a continuation of our current lives. Instead it is a life with God--the God of the living.

Our commitments prime the pump for what God will do in our lives. Our commitments give God the opportunities and the moments to grow in us and work through us. We do not commit to the church; We commit to the work of God.

Jesus calls us to serve others not just so they might have life, but so we can discover new life as well.