1 SAMUEL 1:1-28
Hannah Asks the LORD for a Child

Elkanah lived in Ramah, a town in the hill country of Ephraim. His great-great-grandfather was Zuph, so Elkanah was a member of the Zuph clan of the Ephraim tribe. Elkanah's father was Jeroham, his grandfather was Elihu, and his great-grandfather was Tohu.  Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Although Peninnah had children, Hannah did not have any.  Once a year Elkanah traveled from his hometown to Shiloh, where he worshiped the LORD All-Powerful and offered sacrifices.  Eli was the LORD's priest there, and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas served with him as priests.  Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he gave some of the meat to Peninnah and some to each of her sons and daughters.  But he gave Hannah even more, because he loved Hannah very much, even though the LORD had kept her from having children of her own.  Peninnah liked to make Hannah feel miserable about not having any children, especially when the family went to the house of the LORD each year.  One day, Elkanah was there offering a sacrifice, when Hannah began crying and refused to eat.  So Elkanah asked, "Hannah, why are you crying? Why won't you eat? Why do you feel so bad? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" 

When the sacrifice had been offered, and they had eaten the meal, Hannah got up and went to pray.  Eli was sitting in his chair near the door to the place of worship.  Hannah was brokenhearted and was crying as she prayed, "LORD All-Powerful, I am your servant, but I am so miserable! Please let me have a son. I will give him to you for as long as he lives, and his hair will never be cut."  Hannah prayed silently to the LORD for a long time. But her lips were moving, and Eli thought she was drunk.  "How long are you going to stay drunk?" he asked. "Sober up!"

"Sir, please don't think I'm no good!" Hannah answered. "I'm not drunk, and I haven't been drinking.  But I do feel miserable and terribly upset. I've been praying all this time, telling the LORD about my problems."
Eli replied, "You may go home now and stop worrying.  I'm sure the God of Israel will answer your prayer." 
"Sir, thank you for being so kind to me," Hannah said.  Then she left, and after eating something, she felt much better.

Samuel Is Born

Elkanah and his family got up early the next morning and worshiped the LORD.  Then they went back home to Ramah. Later the LORD blessed Elkanah and Hannah 20with a son.  She named him Samuel because she had asked the LORD for him.  Hannah Gives Samuel to the LORD.

The next time Elkanah and his family went to offer their yearly sacrifice, he took along a gift that he had promised to give to the LORD.  But Hannah stayed home, because she had told Elkanah, "Samuel and I won't go until he's old enough for me to stop nursing him.  Then I'll give him to the LORD, and he can stay there at Shiloh for the rest of his life."

"You know what's best," Elkanah said.  "Stay here until it's time to stop nursing him. I'm sure the LORD will help you do what you have promised."  Hannah did not go to Shiloh until she stopped nursing Samuel.  When it was the time of year to go to Shiloh again, Hannah and Elkanah took Samuel to the LORD's house.  They brought along a three-year-old bull, a twenty-pound sack of flour, and a clay jar full of wine.  Hannah and Elkanah offered the bull as a sacrifice, then brought the little boy to Eli.  "Sir," Hannah said, "a few years ago I stood here beside you and asked the LORD to give me a child. Here he is!  The LORD gave me just what I asked for.  Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will be the LORD's servant for as long as he lives."

PROVERBS 23:22-25
-16-

Pay attention to your father, and don't neglect your mother when she grows old.   Invest in truth and wisdom, discipline and good sense, and don't part with them.  Make your father truly happy by living right and showing sound judgment.  Make your parents proud, especially your mother.

PROVERBS 31:10-31
In Praise of a Good Wife

A truly good wife is the most precious treasure a man can find!  Her husband depends on her, and she never lets him down.  She is good to him every day of her life, and with her own hands she gladly makes clothes.

She is like a sailing ship that brings food from across the sea.  She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and for her servants.  She knows how to buy land and how to plant a vineyard, and she always works hard.  She knows when to buy or sell, and she stays busy until late at night.

She spins her own cloth, and she helps the poor and the needy.  Her family has warm clothing, and so she doesn't worry when it snows.  She does her own sewing, and everything she wears is beautiful.  Her husband is a well-known and respected leader in the city.

She makes clothes to sell to the shop owners.  She is strong and graceful, [b] as well as cheerful about the future.  Her words are sensible, and her advice is thoughtful.  She takes good care of her family and is never lazy.

Her children praise her, and with great pride her husband says, "There are many good women, but you are the best!"

Charm can be deceiving, and beauty fades away, but a woman who honors the LORD deserves to be praised.  Show her respect-- praise her in public for what she has done.

LUKE 1:26-56
An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus

One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee with a message for a virgin named Mary.  She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David.  The angel greeted Mary and said, "You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you."

Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant.  Then the angel told Mary, "Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, and you will have a son.  His name will be Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High.  The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was.  He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end."
Mary asked the angel, "How can this happen? I am not married!"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you.  So your child will be called the holy Son of God.  Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37Nothing is impossible for God!"
Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said." And the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea.  She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth.  When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.  The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth.  Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have.  Why should the mother of my Lord come to me?  As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me.  The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.

Mary's Song of Praise

Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
He cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
He drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
He helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.