It's Looking Like Christmas!

I just received one of my favorite gifts of the season! And yes, I have already opened it! For two decades now, two of our closest friends in Texas have been making our Christmases extra special! They have been gifting us with a yearly Texas State Capitol Ornament. This exclusive and beautiful ornament annually features a new aspect of the vast history surrounding the beauty, tradition, and folk lore behind Texas’s beloved State Capitol in Austin. This series ornament is in its 29th year! The monies generated by ornament sales support the ongoing preservation and interpretation of the Capitol for the next generation of Texans and for over one million visitors who come to the Capitol each year.

"Jingle Bells"
Why all the hoopla about this ornament? You must not be a Texan or have lived in the Lone Star State! Our family is inextricably tied to Texas! Three of our four children were born in Texas during the fifteen years we lived in the Great State while I attended seminary and pastored two churches. Just for the record, that fourth and oldest child was only 13 months old when we arrived. Please don’t try to talk him out of “a technicality” of being native Texan! Today, our middle son and his family of four live in the Austin area. One of our college grandsons attends Texas State University.

School-age children are taught Texas history. They regularly attend history fairs and other events at the State Capitol. Many venerate the Texas flag by flying it outside of their homes. Every kid is expected to be able to sing The Yellow Rose of Texas from kindergarten until they perfect their own version of a Texan accent. I always say, “Texans will make a Texan out of you if you are willing!” And we enculturated very early on in our small Texas town of Granbury where enduring and lifelong friendships were forged!

Made in the USA!
The 2024 edition of the Capitol ornament is themed, “Jingle Bells.” Two little bells adorn the iconic Capitol dome with its 24 k gold finish. These are featured before a field of silver and blue Texas stars wrapped in a blue ribbon. There are sprigs of Yaupon Holly depicted with red berries and white accents. All of this celebrates the Texas holiday spirit! You can find the Yaupon Holly west of the Capitol grounds along with twenty-five historically significant species of trees in the Capitol’s Texas Tree of Trails.

As I write this, Thanksgiving is just days away. Soon we will officially launch into the Christmas Season. This time of year, is a great time to express our gratitude for innumerable blessings! We will gather around our dinner tables on Thanksgiving Day with copious amounts of seasonal favorites to eat. For us, this represents God’s provision for our every need. But not everyone will feel grateful because they live in places of desperation and poverty. Let’s not forget to pray for and share with others.

Jesus left these parting words for His Disciples in the Olivet sermon, “I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, sick and in prison, and you never visited.” Then those being judged said, “When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?” Jesus answered them, “Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me – you failed to do it to me!” (Matthew 25:41-45, The Message).

Who, in your life, is that “overlooked and ignored” person? How can you bless others out of the overflow of your blessings? Let’s express our gratitude by being generous and sharing with others in need. Happy Thanksgiving!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
©2018-2024 All rights reserved.
Serve by Design. mjkministries.com

 

 

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 26, 2024 at 7:41 PM

    Thank you Mike for this reminder to extend care, compassion, kindness, and generosity to those in need - as if they were Jesus Himself! I’ll think of you on Thanksgiving, as you’re someone I’m grateful for! Many blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 30, 2024 at 4:35 PM

    Love this

    ReplyDelete

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