Dreams play an important part in Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus. There are five of them – four to Joseph and one to the Magi. In Joseph’s first dream, the angel gives him some astounding news: His wife, Mary, has conceived a child by the power of God!
Dreams play an important part in the life of another Joseph centuries earlier (“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”). When he told his brothers about his dreams, they became jealous. Eventually they sold him to a caravan headed for Egypt. Joseph ended up as a servant of the Pharaoh. Later he won great favor by interpreting the Pharaoh’s dreams.
The story of these two Josephs is the story of God working through human beings. God still does that, and I am one of the human beings through whom God accomplishes his plans.
As routine and plain as my life may seem, God acts through me to accomplish great things. They may seem small, but in the eons of God’s plan, they’re like the mustard seed “which when full-grown is the largest of plants and puts forth large branches.”
How did God work through me yesterday?
Christmas Cards
The custom of sending Christmas cards began in England in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole sent some cards to friends at Christmastime. These were not like today’s cards with Christmas or winter scenes. They depicted good deeds such as giving food and clothing to those in need.
The first American cards, were made in 1875 by Louis Prang, a German-born painter. These were more along the lines of the kind in use today. He helped popularize cards by holding contests each year for the best designs.
Which is more important – the picture on the card, or the text? According to Hallmark, it isn’t even a close call. It’s the text by a mile.
Speaking of miles, in the United States, over 2 billion Christmas cards are sent each year. To put that in perspective…if average-sized cards were placed side by side, they would stretch around the world six times.