Irene Baron will talk about Christmas from a woman’s perspective. She is the author of Mindreacher, Unraveling the Christmas Star Mystery, and  Mary knew ~ A Biography of Mary from Ancient Scriptures .

Christmas has always fascinated me. There are the stories of Joseph, the three wise men, and Bethlehem. As a blogger, I wanted to see Christmas from a woman’s perspective and someone who has written about Mary.

A former teacher and current pilot, Irene Baron also worked with the Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA), Supreme Command Headquarters, and Research & Development Center in Thailand for four years on Top Secret work while employed by Battelle Memorial Institute as an Information Specialist in Geology & Hydrology, and as an Aerial Photographer.  In that capacity, she directed aerial photography from Air America/CIA Sikorski Helio-19 helicopters and two-winged aerial imaging aircraft. Irene authored the geology and hydrology sections of the now unclassified Mekong River Project book. She also authored the Operational Procedures Manual, Laboratory Material Division (all levels) for that ARPA facility.

I interviewed Irene about the Christmas Star and this time I asked her just one question to explain to me Christmas from a woman’s perspective.

Irene, please explain to me Christmas from a woman’s perspective.

To a Christian woman, Christmas is one of the most significant days of the year. This day celebrates the birth of Christ who was born to the Virgin Mary, the most important woman to ever be born on Earth. 

Mary’s birth was preordained by God. Prior to her conception, she was consecrated by God to be the mother of His Son, the Savior of mankind. Messenger angels instructed Mary’s elderly parents to name their daughter Mary and have their grandson named Jesus Immanuel. They were also told how to take care of their blessed daughter.

Apostle James, Joseph’s youngest son by his first wife, accompanied Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem along with two of his brothers. Unlike his brothers, James was present at the holy birth. Later in life, after Christ’s death, James became the first Bishop of Christian churches in Jerusalem. 

The woman who created Christmas through the birth of her Son, Jesus Immanuel, lived with her parents her first three years of life before going to live in the Jerusalem Temple for over a decade. When told of their future daughter, Angels directed her parents on what to feed her, how to take care of her, and that she was to be kept separate from people in Nazareth so she would never hear arguments, cursing, or vulgarities that might occur on the streets of their home in Nazareth. The few female children with whom she was allowed to play those first three years in her sanctuary had to be vetted to ensure they and their families were pure in their life and activities. 

The only time outsiders saw Mary during her first three years was during the child’s first birthday celebration. All citizens of Galilee were invited to attend. The only persons allowed to see Mary at that event, however, were the Rabbis and Priests during a private meeting. Mary was to never experience anything that could, in the future, be held against her.  The most famous woman to ever live on Earth was also the purest from her birth until she married Joseph after the birth of Christ. She became the only woman associated with the Christmas holiday.

During more than ten years that Mary lived in the Jerusalem Temple, angels daily communed with her and fed her food from heaven. These heavenly hosts ensured that health-wise, Mary’s body was nurtured perfectly to carry the Christ child. 

Christmas represents to many women a time when life could be difficult during pregnancy. Any pregnancy is filled with nine months of hope and love for the growing fetus. In Mary’s time, to be pregnant and not married was difficult for Joseph also. Upon finding Mary pregnant, the High Priest required Joseph to take and pass a life-threatening religious test by the High Priest to prove he had no sexual relations with his betrothed before their marriage and the birth of the Christmas child. His test was one of two ways it was proven Mary was a virgin.

Except for Mary, until chromosome tests originated a few thousand years later, women were not aware of the sex of their child before birth. Since all of Galilee, including every Rabbi and Priest who knew about Mary’s future by her first birthday, also knew she would bear a Son who was destined to be the Savior of mankind. As the mother of Jesus, Mary became the definitive Christmas mother figure. 

When American archaeologist, Ron Wyatt, found the Ark of the Covenant in Jeremiah’s grotto beneath the crucifixion site in 1982 after several years of excavation, he discovered a few dark drops on the surface of the Ark. He reported the blood of Christ must have dripped down after the earthquake at Christ’s death. The earth under the cross had cracked allowing a few drops of blood to drop onto the Mercy Seat below the Cross.  Angels told Wyatt to take a sample of the dark material from the Mercy Seat to the university to have it examined. 

When Wyatt returned days later to learn the examination results, those in the pathology lab hushed at his entrance.  One incredulous technician asked where he obtained the sample. When he told them about finding dark material on the Mercy Seat of the newly discovered Ark of the Covenant, they understood what they had found concerning the dark material. 

Totally in awe, they reported the dark material was not only blood, but the most unique blood ever witnessed in written history. The laboratory personnel stated the blood cells each contained the correct number of chromosomes from the mother but only one chromosome from the father. God supplied only one holy chromosome to create His Son, Jesus Immanuel, the Christ.  Mary was very important in that her body held the pure female chromosomes needed during Christ’s creation. She protected that creation in her womb through gestation.

At the laboratory, when Ron Wyatt asked for the sample of Christ’s blood to be further tested, everyone was overwhelmed that the cells began mitosis, the natural dividing that takes place in living cells. The blood, over 2,000 years later, was still alive. It is true that Jesus lives.

Although God was with Jesus for most of His life, God’s presence was withdrawn for a short time when Jesus was being crucified. Jesus then felt all the sins of mankind that had occurred up to that point in time and all the sins of the future. We can never begin to imagine the pain He felt as He became the Savior of mankind. 

Before Christ was born in human form on Earth, people could only communicate with God if they had a sacrifice at the altar. Christ became the sacrifice for all future contact with God. Prayers to God from that time forth had to be said through the name of Jesus Christ to reach our Heavenly Father. Therefore, prayers to God now begin or end with, “… I/we pray to thee in the name of Jesus Immanuel.”

The beginning of Christmas story began with the angels announcing Mary’s birth and the future birth of Christ. It is that birth of Christ which is celebrated at Christmas, the birth of a God carried through gestation by the pure human female, Mary, and born to her in Bethlehem.

Christian women know we are to love God and pray to Him through Jesus Christ. This is one of the reasons Christmas is so special. Love abounds everywhere and is shown to others as at no other time of year. We were told to love and Christmas is the perfect time to show His love to the world. 

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”   Mark 12:30-31 

 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Corinthians:6-7 

When I discovered Apostle James’ written and signed testimony about Mary, I was enthralled learning the facts about the mother of a God being born on Earth. Bible Scholars state James’ testimony was not put into the Bible because it was either too sacred or because it was ‘about a woman.’ 

As I read the facts about Christ’s birth, I could only think about how other women would be captivated to learn what miracles happened at the birth of Christ.

Many people are not “readers” and find scripture hard to read. That’s why I put his scripture in an easy-to-read ‘historical narrative’ format in the book, MARY KNEW – A Biography of Mary from Ancient Scriptures. 

The story is so phenomenal; men and women alike can’t put the book down. They report they go to read a few paragraphs to see what it is like and can’t stop. They read through meals all day and night until finished, even if it takes more than one day. They are enthralled with the story. They learn the background and facts about the birth of a God. 

Females can’t help but be proud that Jesus Immanuel, the Son of God, was born to an Earth-bound mother. God had him born to a human so the child would have the human experience. But it was not exactly a human birth. Learning the details, I think women who have given birth nod and say, “So, that’s what happened.” We women have always wondered how a child can be born and the mother remains a virgin. Being an eyewitness to the event, James cleared that up. I often wondered if men were as curious as women about that birth. 

Almost every mother I know wants all their acquaintances to know they gave birth.  I think deep down, we are awed that the birth of Christ was announced to everyone on Earth with a celestial GPS-type marker showing the birth location. There were earlier announcements showing who was being born at that location and on that date and how important that child would be to the universe. 

When I searched the skies for the Christ child’s birthplace using NASA astronomy programs, I examined the skies directly over Bethlehem at six o’clock in the morning because the ancient astronomers observed the celestial heavens in the predawn hours, not at night like present-day astronomers.  That is why current astronomers never found the Christmas star previously. They were searching for an evening star position, not dawn like the ancient astronomers.  Using the correct time, latitude (declination), and longitude (right ascension), I located not only the GPS star marker for Bethlehem but previous other star positions which told WHO was being born to Mary, the most important woman, and mother to ever be born on the earth.  

The post Christmas From a Woman’s Perspective appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

What would Christmas be without traditions and gifts?

It has taken nearly a decade for the Christmas tree in front of the house to grow up. I look forward to putting ornaments and lights on it. I look forward to spending time with family and friends and playing catch-up. It is also a time to reflect on our own life.

Four Columns believes in getting views of women from across the world.

Nora Breyer from Austria the creator of Vividly Christmas talks about Christmas traditions and gifts.

Nora tell me a little about you and what is Vividly Christmas all about? 

My name is Nora, born in the 80s; I am married and have a wonderful daughter. I work part-time at the hospital as a radiology technologist at the nuclear medicine department. I have been blogging on the side for three years. I started with my Christmas food and crafts blog Vividly Christmas, in February 2021, so it is still a very young blog. It was created out of my enthusiasm for Christmas and the decorating, baking, and cooking that goes with it. And it gives me an insane joy to write it. 

For me, Christmas has always been the most beautiful time of the year. The baking, crafting, cooking, and decorating, always brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. During the annual cookie baking with my grandmother, I learned a lot and inherited many recipes.

Christmas itself, the time that is the most hectic of the year for many people, fills me with peace and contentment. I can switch off so wonderfully when baking and cooking, and thanks to the blog, I can now do that all year round. (Even if it is only part-time.) 

Talk to me about what Christmas is all about and why it is important to have traditions? 

It’s winter; as nature rests, I try to de-stress this time at the end of the year. For me, Christmas is a time of reflection and joy. To be a lot outdoors in the cold, breathe in the wonderful cold air, and then rest in the warm room with coffee, tea, or mulled wine, beautiful Christmas music, and wonderful homemade delicacies. 

But, to have this serenity, in this time and to be able to preserve, it needs, in my eyes, a good preparation. For example, appointments that still have to be done this year will be completed by the end of November at the latest. As far as possible, to carry out the Christmas preparations until the end of November, to keep December as a contemplative time free. To then have time to do the things that make you happy. 

Christmas, the festival itself, which is celebrated in Austria on 24.12., is for me a celebration with the closest family. The holidays afterward are then in a larger family circle.

Traditions create lovely memories, and the anticipation of them is almost as incredible as the tradition itself. I also think it’s a beautiful thing to be able to pass these traditions on to future generations. 

For example, I inherited the annual cookie baking tradition from my grandmother. 

Since my daughter was born, my husband and I started the annual Christmas photoshoot as a tradition. 

A tradition I have taken over from my mother is that we create a different Christmas menu every year, and months before, we think about what delicious food we will cook this year. 

Let’s see what traditions my daughter might adopt and which she develops herself? I am already very excited!

Let us talk about gifts. Walk me through some of the gifts for mom, dad, brother, sister, and our spouses? 

Tastes are so different, and what gives pleasure to one may not be liked by the other! It is also best to listen to your heart and be attentive to your loved ones here. 

If it should be difficult with the gifting and not stand there entirely without a plan, my husband and I have a shared Google spreadsheet that we use for our wishes. We enter what we like throughout the year, and we can always fall back on this list if all else fails. In this sheet, we also have a tab for our daughter and the grandparents. When they tell us about stuff they adore, we add them to the list and then have it a little easier for gift planning. 

Should we call our family and say let us give gifts only for the kids and for a certain amount? 

We have here among the adults the agreement, one gift per person. For example, my husband gets one gift from me, one from his mother, and one from his mother-in-law. So in total three. And so it counts for all of us.

Why are cards such an important part of Christmas? 

The thing I love about Christmas cards is that they are so long-lasting. They are a wonderful reminder of past celebrations. For example, I have a box where I keep all my Christmas cards. From time to time, I pick up this box and look through the cards, which brings back such beautiful memories of the celebrations and events that it is an absolute joy! 

Help me understand what are some of the things we can write to encourage people? 

Of course, it depends on the person to whom the encouragement should go and what you should encourage him or her for. But in principle, it is about emphasizing the wonderful things that make up this person, his/her strengths and wonderful qualities. To show the person what a wonderful, unique person he/she is so that he/she emerges built up and strengthened by these words. 

Are there big no-nos of gifts? 

As long as the gift comes from the heart and you think about what makes the other person happy, then you have done a great job. 

What are some of the ways we can de-stress during the holidays? 

As I mentioned before, I think you should start de-stressing as early as the beginning of December. You will get much more out of the wonderful winter and Advent season and be perfectly prepared for the Christmas holidays to enjoy them to the fullest. 

Talk to me about what woman empowerment means to you? 

In principle, just like men, women have the same right to decide about themselves – to have the same rights and duties as men. To be treated equally, be it in terms of opportunities, payment, education, etc. For example, men should also have the same possibilities as women to be at home with their children because that is not yet the case. 

As long as there is a big difference in salary between men and women in the same job, women (if they want to) will not have the opportunity to pursue their career and men (if they want to) will not have the opportunity to be at home with their children. 

This is one example, and of those, there are many others where there is no equality. And as long as such things are not clarified, one still cannot speak of equality. We women have come a long way to have an equal right as men. Nevertheless, the goal has not yet been reached. So we have to keep on fighting for equal rights. 

The post Christmas Traditions & Gifts appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.