Category: Holidays

The Hope of the Resurrection

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Pt 1:3)

Christmas and Easter are both big celebrations for Christians. Even those who don’t believe celebrate these holidays, too, but in much different ways than we do.

As a child, I didn’t understand the importance of Easter. The church I grew up in was more focused on what you wore than on passion plays or sunrise services. I remember scrambling to arrive at church early so we could find a seat and wearing a new dress (I loved to dress up). I couldn’t figure out where all the people came from. I knew everyone at church, or so I thought. Continue reading “The Hope of the Resurrection” →

Why Do We Celebrate Easter?

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen…” (Mt. 28:5)

Easter, unlike Thanksgiving or Independence Day, is not celebrated on a single day. Instead, the Easter season begins with Lent, a forty-day period of prayer, reflection, and penance that leads to Easter Sunday. It represents the forty days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry. Continue reading “Why Do We Celebrate Easter?” →

Love One Another

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Cor. 13: 4-7)

In February, our thoughts turn to candy, roses, and of course, love. Years ago, I opposed Valentine’s Day. I held the cynical view that its sole purpose was to bolster retail stores’ sales during the slower months of winter and to make those who aren’t coupled up feel bad about themselves. I felt this way even though I was married at the time.

Now that I’m older, I have a different view of Valentine’s Day. Oh sure, it’s still a commercial holiday and makes people feel bad about their relationship status, but now I see the bigger picture of how a holiday about love ties into my faith. Continue reading “Love One Another” →

Christmas Memories: The Gift of Laughter

Posted on by Staci Mauney

This blog post was originally published on December 15, 2019.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” (Ps 126:2)

In 1983, Santa brought me the most coveted of all Christmas gifts that year—a Cabbage Patch doll. She had brown yarn for hair, a plastic head with the sweetest dimples, and a fabric body.

I was six years old and beside myself with excitement. I couldn’t wait to show my grandma. Every year, Grandma gave her stamp of approval on the gifts my brother and I received.

When we arrived at Grandma’s, I clambered out of the car and ran into the house. I bounced on my toes, holding my baby doll out for inspection.

“Look! See what Santa brought me!”

Grandma scrunched up her face. “Well, isn’t she ugly?”

She must have seen the devastation on my face because she quickly added, “I mean, she’s so ugly, she’s cute!”

And then she laughed.

Grandma’s laugh was contagious, and I laughed, too, immediately overlooking the offense that I knew she hadn’t intended. I didn’t really know what “she’s so ugly, she’s cute” meant, but what I did know was that I had Grandma’s approval.

“She’s so ugly, she’s cute” became a running joke between Grandma and me—an inside joke that we enjoyed well into my adult years. Sharing this with my grandma made me feel special. To be honest, Grandma had a way of making everyone in her life feel special, whether we shared an inside joke with her or not.

Most of my favorite memories—Christmas and otherwise—revolve around my grandma.

As a child, we all gathered at my grandparents’ house before Christmas so that each family unit could spend Christmas Day together. My grandparents had six kids, and all but two lived close enough to participate. I remember playing with my cousins, listening to the grownups’ stories, and hearing my grandma’s laugh.

My grandma has been gone for many years now, but what I remember most is her laugh and the joy she brought to everyone around her.

Dear Jesus, thank you for so many good memories from my childhood. Thank you for my grandma’s loving, generous heart, her friendship, and her legacy. Amen.

Silent Night, Holy Night

Posted on by Staci Mauney

This blog post was originally published on December 22, 2012.

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them…” (Luke 2:6-7)

Two thousand years ago, Jesus came to earth in the most unobtrusive, unexpected of ways…as a baby. Our Savior chose to come quietly to be born of humble parents – one a young virgin, the other, a carpenter – even though he could have come with great fanfare to sit high upon an earthly throne, surrounded by riches. Continue reading “Silent Night, Holy Night” →