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This blog is a collection of articles written by Times of Faith creator, Heather Ruth Pack.

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Showing posts from December, 2025

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7 Surprising Ways Jesus Teaches Us to Have a Happy New Year

December 28, 2025

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Jesus Never Asked For a Christmas

“And this new commandment I give unto you. Be it unto all nations that ye shall commemorate my birth yearly. This shall be done in remembrance of me. And wo unto any among you that do not obey this command, for they shall be cast out and judged with a harsh judgment.” Are you wondering where this scripture is in the Bible? Well, you aren’t going to find it because I made it up. Jesus never asked us to celebrate Christmas. In fact, the Jews of that time didn’t traditionally celebrate birthdays. This was a custom popular among Egyptians, Persians, Syrians and Greeks, but not Hebrews. This doesn’t mean they didn’t ever mark the occasion. A feast was held when a child turned two and was officially weaned. This would be a big deal since the infant mortality rate at the time was 28% before the age of one. So surviving infancy was something to be celebrated. Another milestone was becoming an adult. For young boys this was around age 13, and for girls it was aroun...

Making Room for Christ: A Tale of Two Innkeepers

On the first night of His life, there was no room for Him at the inn; on the last night, there was. I’m sure most of us have seen that cute nativity play where a young child dressed in a bathrobe says to the weary Mary and Joseph, “There’s no room at the inn.” Then, ever so sweetly, offers their barn for the Christ Child. I’m sure most of us also know that isn’t how it would have actually happened. Mary and Joseph weren’t looking for a room at a hotel or a lodge. They would have most likely been staying with family. The word kataluma in Greek is translated as upper room or guest room. It is also loosely translated as a lodging place or inn. Because of the Roman census, the kataluma in the home was most likely crowded—not a great place to give birth. For the sake of this article, I’m going to call the person who owned the home an “innkeeper;” however, I know it wasn’t someone who ran a Motel 6. What we normally don’t talk about is a second innkeeper—one who shows up ...

How I Reinvented Christmas

A few years ago, I realized that I didn't feel the same joy about Christmas as my 3rd great grandmother did. After reading her journal, I knew I needed to make some changes. To read her journal entry about Christmas, click here. #1- I don’t decorate my home in Christmas colors. I just don’t like red and green, and especially when combined. I gave away most of my Christmas decorations and now I put up a tree in October that I take down in February. I call it my “Winter tree” and it is in my favorite colors of chocolate brown and Tiffany blue. It is covered with snow-themed ornaments and woodland creatures. I absolutely love it. #2- I don’t do Christmas cards anymore. Instead, I strive to write a handwritten note to each family that sends me a Christmas card. This takes me months to get done, and I don’t always get to all of them. I thank them for their card and comment on how much their family has grown (if applic...

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