Good Morning,
Traditions come to the forefront this time of year. Holiday memories begin to flood our minds and hearts. Great grandma's sweet potato pie recipe is brought out of the recipe box. Auntie's first place prized pineapple upside down cake, get the thumbs up by the newest member of the family. Families get together and try to get along for a day or two, everyone putting up with one another in order to keep tradition.
Our traditions are great as long as we don't try to place them in a higher place than the Word of God. Mark 7:13 says, "And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others." Father God has a few of His own traditions that We wants to keep going in His house. Tradition means the act of delivering into the hands of another; the delivery of opinions, practices and customs from father to son, or from ancestors to posterity; the transmission of practices and opinions from forefathers and descendants. We are who we are because of customs and practices handed down from generation to generation. Now, we have a new Father and he has a great posterity to hand down to us. "You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God." (1 Peter 1:23) "Our Father who lives in heaven has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness." (1 Peter 1:3) Not only has he given us all things here on earth, He is planning the most awesome celebration when we all go home. I imagine that it will be packed full of His traditions. He knows how to throw a party!! "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God." (John 14:2, Rev. 19:17) I am sure our supper with the Father will cause the most elaborate Thanksgiving spread look like a microwave meal. Yet, He has a tradition that is greater than eating.
We have a lot to look forward to, here and in eternity. Our Father has given us so much in our new family. Traditions that we need to pass on to our children and our children's children. In order to cause them to posses the great traits and character of our Father. Each generation getting more and more like our new Dad and less and less like the old man. The highest tradition of our heavenly Father is to love. "God (our Father) so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." (John 3:16) To gain a bigger "loving" family He died to give. He turned to us now with great expectation and says, "This is My commandment that you love one another, [the same way] as I have loved you." (John 15:12) As we draw closer to Christmas, remember to learn your new traditions. He would like to see more of His traditions and His nature being kept by His children. His "love" tradition is why you are now part of this loving family. "Love suffers long and is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, boastful, proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable and it does not keep a record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out." (1 Corin. 13:4-6) Learn the love tradition, practice it, do love over and over again until it is a tradition that you can't do without. Then pass it on!!
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 
This is so on time for me. The traditions that I have known during the holidays for the past 33 years have ended this year. As hard as it has been to accept it, I am reminded of all the words on this blog about change and transition. I’m also so thankful that God is there right on time with a word like this to encourage. It’s so awesome to know that he cares about EVERY aspect of our life. Thank you Pastor D!
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