Chanukah

This year we had the amazing experience of celebrating Chanukah in our home. I put up lights and hung a big Star of David in the kitchen. I put snowflakes up in the windows and a basket of pine cones by the fireplace. I made sugar cookies all decorated with blue sprinkles. Best of all, Peter made a unique and special Menorah. Eight candles, one Shamash.



The beauty of our Lord and Savior immersed the celebration. He is the Shamash candle. The Servant. The Light that lends it's flame to each of the others in it's turn. Without the Shamash, there is no light.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:6




As we worked our way through the nights, lighting one more candle each time, we recited the traditional blessings. First Peter would read them in Hebrew. Then in English. I would read a portion of scripture, most of the time a small portion of the Old Testament, then of the New.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ~ Hebrews 13:8

We followed with a prayer. Then we would eat, relishing the lights and watching their reflections dance in the window panes.




We read the story of the Maccabees aloud. The great triumph that caused Chanukah to be instituted in the first place. The freedom of God's people. The re-dedication of the Temple. The oil that lasted for eight days.

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? ~ 1 Corinthians 3:16


Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel. ~Isaiah 44:23


Happy Holidays!