Growing towards the Light

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty and Marvelous is our God, Monday!  A couple of weeks after Christmas we put all the decorations away at church.  Someone had donated quite a few poinsettia plants, but didn’t want to take them home, so they were up for grabs.  I had wanted one for my office at work, but Kim and I were going to be out of town for the whole week, so I didn’t think I should take one.  One friend was pretty persistent that I take one, so I finally told her why I was so hesitant.  She said so what, just take it home, water it, and it will be fine; take it to work when you get back.  So I did….now February 8, it is still beautiful!  It’s beauty is amazing, but what I have really noticed about it is that it grows to the light.  I have it on a coffee table in our lobby, we have big double glass doors, so there’s lots of natural light.  When I put the flowering plant on the table it was straight….but in a week or so, it seemed like it was leaning towards the glass doors….the light.  I didn’t say anything, but just kept watching it pointing to the light. I kind of wondered if it was just me imagining, until a co-worker said to me, “Looks to me like the poinsettia is growing towards the light.”  Wow, I wasn’t imaging it, the beautiful flower is growing towards the light!  We made the joint decision to turn it around and see what happens.  I turned it, so that it was leaning towards me, rather than the light of the doors….It’s been less than a week….the flowering plant is now upright again, with just the slightest lean towards the light….I would say in just a day or two it will once again been leaning….towards the light.  WOW!!  All week I have pondered this plant…smart plant!  As I sit at my desk, admiring yet another beauty of God’s creation, I cannot help but think that I need to take a lesson from it….I too need to grow towards the LIGHT.  The LIGHT of the world….Jesus our loving Savior….our LIGHT and our LIFE…..He tells us in John 8…..”I am the LIGHT of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a good way to go!  Father, help us to grow to the LIGHT of the WORLD Your SON our SAVIOR.  Nourish us with light of Your word, so that we grow strong, ever faithful.

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1.  “Arise shine, for your Light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  See, darkness cover the earth and thick darkness is of the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you.  Isaiah 60:1.  Your word is a LIGHT to my feet and Light for my path.  Psalm 119:105.  This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you:  God is LIGHT; in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as He is the LIGHT, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His son, purifies us from all sin.  1 John 5: 5-7.  “…God is LOVE.”  1 John 4:8.

Love you all!

 

Christmas is never over!

Good Morning Friends!!!!  Marvelous is HIS love, Monday!   Merry Christmas!!!!  No, I have not gone completely nuts….but I have spent a lot of time taking down Christmas decorations the last few days….Yep, I begrudgingly hauled the storage containers into the house thinking Christmas is over….time to get this stuff down and packed up for another year!  I figured the task would not take too long….take it down, put it in container and go one to the next thing right…..Well, about the third little ornament I held in my hands I realized the job was not quite as simple as I had first thought….Each decoration had its own story….memory….some were made by our children or grandchildren, some given to me by precious friends, some I picked out myself….each one telling its own story…..suddenly I didn’t want to take them down and pack them away….I wanted to keep them out where I could see them and remember their stories……but I thought that’s silly, Christmas is over!  At that moment, I could hear our Father, I could feel HIM close to me…..I could feel baby Jesus in my heart….alive and well…..CHRISTmas is never over!!!!  We may just officially celebrate once a year, but our hearts and lives must celebrate every day!!!!  Oh gosh, let’s not ever pack Jesus away…..let’s love HIM, serve Him, worship and praise HIM every day….in every way we can….Let’s keep Christmas on going all year long….. "On the 364 day of Christmas my JESUS gave to me….love and forgiveness…..every day of CHRISTmas HE loves and forgives us and that’s not an easy task…so let’s not pack HIM away…never ever!  Father, thank you for the gift of YOUR SON our SAVIOR, help us to live our lives every day with the true CHIRSTmas Spirit…..Joy to the World, The Lord has Come and is staying!

 

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as bride adorns herself with her jewels.  Isaiah 61:10.  Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  Psalm 100:1-2.  And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  Luke 2:7, “  She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”  ”…….There was no room in the inn, but oh yes….there must always be room in our hearts for HIM!

Love you all! 

It's not the wrapping, but what's inside that counts

Good Morning Friends!  Wondrously wrapped in HIS loving arms Wednesday!  Well, yesterday we took care of the shopping, now it’s time to start wrapping!  Last night as I sat in the middle of the living room floor surrounded by gifts waiting to be wrapped I thought….oh gosh….what a job!  I have never been real good at wrapping, I love to see beautiful packages, fancy bows and ribbon, tight crisp edges, but I just never have been able to conquer that art!  My husband says I don’t have enough patience…..I say it’s just not my forte!  So consequently, the gifts under my tree and especially the ones being sent in the mail just don’t look all that pretty…..Well anyway, as I was saying, as I sat in the middle of the floor wrapping the thought occurred to me…..well you know…..I wasn’t alone, HE was there twinkling in the lights of the tree….so HE was guiding my thoughts….And this is what HE came up with….”My child, don’t you know that it’s not how the package is wrapped that counts, it’s what inside!”   I felt a smile welling up inside of me, from deep in my heart…..Oh goodness, we spend so much time worrying about how we look, getting our hair cut, colored, new style, painting our nails, and clothes…crazy how we worry about what we wear, oh let’s not forget all the wrinkle creams, diets….so we look good….on the outside…..And so what if we do look awesome all “wrapped” up in our styles and creams….Our Father doesn’t even see all that, HE is looking to what is inside.  What’s in our hearts and minds, what shows through our words and actions….that’s what needs to be pretty!  Sure is a relief to know HE doesn’t care what we look like on the outside (cause my wrinkles are out of control)….I was still smiling as I finished my wrapping for the evening…..smiling to think that the receivers of my gifts will delight in what’s inside even if the “wrapping” isn’t so pretty!   Thank you Father for looking past our wrinkles and gray hair to what’s inside….help us to always be “pretty” on the inside….to Your glory.

 

This will be a sign unto you:  You will find a baby “wrapped” in cloths and lying in a manger.  Luke 2:12.  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is great worth in God’s sight.  1 Peter 3:3-4.  The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7. 

Love you all!

 

The most perfect gift

Good Morning Friends!  Totally taken by His love, Tuesday!  Seems like so many conversations right now are all about Christmas shopping….what to get who….how much does it cost…..and then every other commercial is about some big old fancy Christmas gift and the stores and sale papers….gee whiz….easy to get stressed out.  We stress out over getting the perfect gift for our family and friends, the hottest new toy, or biggest tool, buying the perfect paper and matching bows…..people actually go in debt buying Christmas presents that they cannot afford……BAM!!!!  This morning it hit me……..each of us have already received the most perfect gift….many, many years ago……no it didn’t come from a high-dollar department store and wasn’t wrapped in shiny paper……didn’t cost us one cent….not one single penny……..This gift was born in a stable…..wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger…..a stable….for animals….donkeys, sheep, cows…..now I love all my little critters but a night with Chloe and Eyore….no thanks.  This gift God’s Son, born in a manager for us, lived, died and rose again for us…..died that we might live…..Our Heavenly Father gave us the PERFECT GIFT….His only Son…..our Savior…..This Perfect Gift was a gift of LOVE…….unselfish……total LOVE for each of us.  The gift of LOVE, wrapped in swaddling clothes….The perfect gift comes from love……not how much money was spent or the name brand…….So go ahead finish your shopping, but remember the Perfect gift comes from love.  Father, thank you for giving us, the Perfect gift, Your only Son who died to save us from eternal death…..Fill our hearts with Your Love so that everything we do brings glory to You.

 

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Luke 2:11-12.  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John3:16.  This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  1 John 3:16.  We love because God first loved us.  1 John 4:19.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:12.

Love you all!

Our Sauce

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Magnificent is our God, Monday!  Wow, can you believe that this is our last Monday of 2013…..where has the time gone?!  I am really excited about the New Year….but I’m not letting go of CHRISTmas, nope not for one day!!!!   So, speaking of Christmas…..one of my favorite Christmas treats is Kathyrn’s homemade Chex mix!  Optimum word….mix!  The tasty snack delight is truly a “mix” of all kinds of salty, crunchy, grainy, crackers, chips, cereal in all shapes and sizes, all mixed together in one big bowl then tossed with a wonderful blend of spices and Kathyrn’s secret sauce….In her words, “I drizzle the sauce and stir till I know that every piece is covered.”  Then she bakes it crunchy!!!!  Yummy!  Last night as I was smacking my lips, munching on a handful…the thought hit me…..A delightful mix….round, square, rectangle, flat, puffy……all covered with the same sauce…..and it’s wonderful!  Aren’t we…..God’s children a mix….all kinds of us…..young, old, doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, secretaries, supervisors, homemakers…..and we come in all shapes too, short, tall, plump, skinny, light hair, dark hair, blue eyes, green, or brown…..a mix…..in a big bowl….the world…..our bowl is the world…..what is our sauce?!  Our “Sauce” is the Love of our Heavenly Father…..the blood of HIS SON JESUS poured over each of us, covering us from the inside out…..JESUS Born on Christmas…..lived and died for us…..the perfect spice in our Sauce, is that Jesus, rose from the dead….giving to us life everlasting with HIM!  Each of us, in our own unique way, have so much to offer to the “mix….” God’s children in life’s bowl, covered with HIS LOVE…..Hmmm, our turn to be yummy for HIM…..The Chex mix is really yummy, makes me happy eating it…..Father, help us to mix together in service for YOU…..making others happy through Your love to Your glory!

 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power  until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  1 Peter 1 3-5.  Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  Psalm 34:8.  Therefore rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.  1 Peter 2:2-3.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  1 Corinthians 12:5.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10.

Love you all!

The Most Important Christmas Choice

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully loved by Him, Thursday!  This meditation really touched me and I know I could not put the message into better words, so sharing with you!  Praying your choices always reflect Christ.  Love you all!

December 4, 2013 The Most Important Christmas Choice Tracie Miles "Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'" Luke 2:13-14 (NLT) Tis' the season to be merry... and stressed. Although it should be a season of peace, this month can often make us feel more tangled up inside than a messy string of Christmas lights. Some people dread the hustle, bustle, and emotional rustle this time of year brings, knowing that irritability, loneliness, or depression will threaten. While there are others who may love the Christmas season, but worry, busyness, family conflicts, and unmet expectations take their toll. In either case, we have a decision. We can choose to get bogged down with stress or we can choose to bow down in worship. Scripture gives us a beautiful picture of praise in Luke 2:13-14. When Jesus was born, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds sharing the good news. Then many other angels joined together and praised God. "Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'" (NLT) That's not the only place the Bible records angels worshipping the Lord. In Hebrews 1:6 it says, "And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, 'Let all of God's angels worship him.'" (NLT) And Revelation 5:11-12a says, "Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus." (NLT) Angels serve as role models of worship. They bow down before Jesus. They shout with incredible joy as they sing songs of praise. Through worship, angels spread the news of God's glory and exhibit holy reverence. Angels intentionally and deliberately spend time praising God. Keeping Christ in Christmas is more than just a cliché. It is an intentional act of worship. It requires a heart of adoration, much like the angels had. When Jesus is the focus of our holiday, we're centered on His love, peace, and joy. This prompts us to be His hands and feet to others in need. When worship fills our hearts, it leaves little room for aggravation in long lines at the store. We focus on what Christmas is truly about—the amazing gift of a Savior—rather than stressing out over buying the perfect presents. We exhibit grace to someone when we'd rather do otherwise. Worship turns our attention to giving thanks to Jesus for all He has done, rather than letting stress strip His joy from our hearts. And it might even mean joining in with the heavenly chorus to sing praises to Him, even if we can't carry a tune! The holidays can bring a flurry of heightened emotions and can often result in an unhealthy level of stress which can prevent us from engaging in worship and praising the One we are supposed to be celebrating. There will be lots of choices to be made during the month of December: where to serve, what gifts to buy, and how many events to attend. The most important choice we can make is to worship and sing praises to our Lord. For His gift. For His love. For His peace. And when our hearts are at peace, our holidays can be too. Lord, I choose to intentionally worship and praise You during this Christmas season. Help me stay focused on You and Your goodness. Amen.

May 14, 2013

Good Morning friends!  Thoughtful and meticulous is our God, Tuesday!  This morning driving in….oh my what a beautiful morning, clear skies, green grass, trees full of leaves, and dots of colorful wildflowers….orange, blue, yellow, white….Couldn’t help but be happy….sing praises!  Sunday afternoon we went to our little cabin in the woods to relax and have a special mom’s day dinner prepared for me by my sweetie.  As soon as we got unloaded and set up I plopped myself in a lawn chair in front of the fire!  We had not been up at all since spring had made an appearance, so I was just in awe of the beauty around me.  As I scanned the view in front me, I couldn’t help but notice all the different shades of green from the ground up…..stark, deep-dark green, pale shades almost translucent, medium, luscious shades of cool comforting green….green as far as my eyes could see….a rainbow of greens.  My first thought of course was just the sheer beauty of God’s creations, until this morning driving in….so beautiful our world….and then all the greens were parading through my mind.  You know God could have made just one shade of green, but he didn’t….He could have created just one or two different trees, flowers, birds, animals…..but He didn’t.  He meticulously created infinite shades and varieties of everything for us…..I just had to lift my voice to HIM, Thank you Father for making our world so interesting…..how can we ever be bored or discontent with all the “shades” You provide for us.  Take off our blinders of anxiety, hectic, selfishness, self-pity, impatience, lack-a-daisy and help to see….really see the beauty around us!  Father, help us to see YOU in every blade of grass, flower, leaf, bug, bird, critter……Fill us with a love for YOU so that our joy overflows to everyone around us!

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  And God said, “Let there be…..And God saw that it was good.”  Genesis 1:1. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  Psalm 100:4.  I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.  Psalm 34:1. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  Psalm 100:1-2.  There are different kinds of service, but eh same Lord.  1 Corinthians 12:5.    God has made everything beautiful in its time.  Ecclesiastes 3:11. 

Love you all! 

December 26, 2012

Good Morning Friends! Wondrously wrapped in His loving arms Wednesday! “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…….” I am sure you recognize that old familiar tune and I wonder how many times we heard people say, “Oh I hope we have a white Christmas or I’d give anything if it snows on Christmas.”? Well, here in Oklahoma those dreams of a white Christmas came true! And yes, I must say, that yesterday sitting in the living room, big fire in the wood stove, sappy Hallmark Christmas movie on TV, watching it snow….watching the dry brown pastures turn a pure, magical white was wonderful…..Pure like the baby born in the manager on that first Christmas night……I could feel His love wrapped around me….His peace filling my heart and mind…...lifting my spirit in joy and praise…blessings abounding…..joy, love and peace…..Later in the day we headed to Cooper and Katy’s for dinner and an evening of family fun….more love, more blessings….We started for home, still snowing a bit and so cold; the roads were already beginning to ice up and temperature was dropping…..couldn’t help and wonder about driving to work in the morning. At 1:30 am I got up to go potty, so I called the weather line for work….offices would not open till 10 am….that meant driving conditions were worse…..the Christmas dream was quickly becoming a nightmare…..Roads were one big sheet of ice this morning, cars were slipping off roads into the ditch, accidents everywhere…..utter chaos…….Oh how easy it is too lose our Christmas peace when life gets chaotic….when the bills, pile up, relationships cause pain, sickness, and sorry over take us…..we feel lost and forsaken.....This is when we need to go to the manger…..humbly kneel and give ourselves over to Jesus…..be still and feel His perfect love wrap you close……close your eyes and be filled with HIS peace……Christmas is not just one day of the year……CHRISTmust…..live in our hearts and minds everyday…….when He is there….in our hearts……He can quickly comfort us when the ice storm of worldly woes overtake us….Father, help us keep Jesus in our hearts and minds every day, in every way…….help us to glow with His love, warming everyone around us.

And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Gory to God in the highest and on earth, PEACE, goodwill toward men. Luke 2:13-14. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell I safety. Psalm 4:8. The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. Psalm 29:11. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7.

 

Merry CHRISTmas! Love you all! (be safe)

December 21, 2012

Good Morning Friends! Forever His, Friday! A few weeks ago we decorated our front lobby for Christmas (remember I am the receptionist). We put up a big tree and as a final touch to the decorations we hung candy canes all over, our plan was to offer everyone, little and big a candy cane from the tree. Oh what a pleasure I have had offering young and old alike a chance to take a candy cane from the tree….bright smiles, sincere thank yous….simple pleasures….Christmas joy! Candy canes have been a part of Christmas for as long as I can remember….how about you? Did you know that there’s real thought and meaning behind the candy cane? The candy cane was invented by a candy maker in Indiana, his main purpose to make a candy that would really represent the true meaning of Christmas….a witness to our Greatest Gift….JESUS….THE REASON FOR THE SEASON….Here’s his analogy…..the first candy canes were all white to represent the virgin birth and the holiness of Jesus…..the candy is hard to represent THE SOLID ROCK of our faith. The candy, first is in the shape of a J….for JESUS; when you turn it over it becomes a cane….a shepherd’s cane to represent that we are children of the GOOD SHEPHERD….who takes care of us, nurtures and protects us and brings us back to HIM when we stray. Last, but certainly not least, he added the red stipe……red to represent JESUS blood shed for us…..no price for us….freely HE gave HIS life for us……We need only put our faith in HIM, the Good Shepherd, our Solid Rock! So in the next few days when you come across a candy cane….remember the candy maker from Indiana that shared so wonderfully the REASON FOR THE SEASON…..and share HIS PERFECT LOVE with someone…..Father, help us to remember the true gift of Christmas every day! Not just once a year...and help us to share the message of the candy cane!

I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord. This will a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in “swaddling” clothes and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! 2 Peter 3:18. 

 

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones….Love you all!

December 20, 2012

Good Afternoon (I was in class this morning) Friends! Thankfully His, Thursday! This morning, not far into my commute I saw….well smelled first, a skunk that had been run over…..Once I got over the smell, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the skunk was….shiny black coat with the bright white stripe….so very pretty to look at….but the smell, oh my goodness. As I drove by him, I had a silly thought…..I look like a skunk today…..all dressed in black and white…sure hope I don’t smell as bad as he does…..Well, my mind didn’t stop there….skunks are so pretty to look at, but they smell so bad and they will eat my chicken’s eggs and even kill the chickens…..so pretty to look at, but……not so pretty in so many ways…..Hmm….didn’t I just say I look like a skunk today…..Do we look prettier on the outside than what’s inside of us, inside our hearts and minds? Do we put off an offensive odor of arrogance, greed, or unconcern? Are we more concerned about putting up the biggest tree, elaborate decorations, and buying the fanciest presents, so that we “look pretty” rather than sharing simple acts of love…..Christmas is the greatest LOVE….God gave us HIS Son…..He does not care about how pretty we look on the outside…..He cares about what’s inside….inside our hearts and minds…..He wants us to ooze with the sweet fragrance of His love penetrating the hearts and minds of everyone around us, especially those that might be sad or lonely, hurting….in need of a sweet little Christmas miracle….a touch of love from our Heavenly Father from the inside! Heavenly Father fill us with Your love and faithfulness so that we are pretty for You on the inside.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that our your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gently and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. 1 Peter 3:3-5. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7. A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. Proverbs 15:30. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun....Psalm 37:4-6

 

Love you all!

December 18, 2012

Good Morning Friends!  Totally wrapped in His loving arms, Tuesday!  The verses below are from Luke 2, King James Version.  Even though for most of my daily reading I use the New International Version of God’s holy word, the story of our Savior’s birth I love to read in the King James.  The words I am most intrigued by today is “swaddling clothes.”  I have read that verse, Luke 2:7 all of my life, but never until this year has it touched my heart in such a warm and loving way!  The reason being, my great grandson Tucker; Tucker’s mommy has “swaddled” him since he was born.  She actually has swaddling blankets……Tucker is most at peace, calm and secure when he is “swaddled”…wrapped tightly in his warm blanket….now I mean real tight, his little arms are inside the blanket too…..Tucker loves to be swaddled!  Now my Hailey might think that swaddling is a new concept…that the “swaddling blanket” is a current concept, but take a look at verse 7…..Mary wrapped baby Jesus in “swaddling clothes”  now is that awesome or what!  2012 years ago, Mary wrapped Jesus in a “swaddling blanket.”  When I read that this morning….a quiet peace and warmth went over me……I thought of baby Jesus wrapped tightly, looking like a little burrito, just like my precious Tucker…..Oh my……that’s when the “light” came on….the LIGHT of Jesus LOVE……the LIGHT of JESUS LOVE “swaddles” us….He takes us in His arms and wraps us ever so tightly….cuddles us…comforts us….protects us…forgives us…..Swaddled in His arms we are at peace, calm and secure….Thank you Father for the gift of Your only Son….for Your love that swaddles us in His Perfect love….Your Son the light of the world!  And Father, thank you for the precious gift of grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

⁵ To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Jesus said, “A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  John 13:34.  Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:2.  In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.  Psalm 33:21.

Love you all!

December 10, 2012

Good Morning Friends!  Marvelous and miraculously blessed, Monday!   Last night Kim and I watched the 10:00 news, mostly to hear the weather….we knew the cold was coming, but when he said there might be a dusting of snow during the night we both laughed.  This morning we were once again watching the weather and indeed they said it had snowed….I got up and looked out the window, of course it was dark but I could see some little piles of white….I said  “all’s I see is the ashes you dumped”  Once again we laughed.  I had just gotten in the shower when Kim came into the bathroom all excited.  He said, “it did snow!”  Cooper just called all excited and said’ Papa it snowed outside, can we go out and play in it?’ “  I had to laugh, but this time laughing at us for thinking we are such smarties!  Yep, Cooper had to call Papa when he saw the snow and ask him if they could go out and play…of course, Papa explained to Cooper that it was really cold outside; way too cold to go out and play in the snow.  I felt a little flutter in my heart as I thought of Cooper calling Papa, so excited and asking him about going outside.  And Papa, my goodness he was all excited that Cooper had called him to tell him the exciting news and asked him a question….made him so proud…..happy…..his heart definitely fluttered too.  As soon as I got out of the shower I ran to take a look outside…..Wow….sure enough, Cooper was right, there was snow!  As I closed the door and went to get ready for work, I again smiled…this time I was thinking of someone else that gets excited when we call on HIM!!!  Oh yes, our Heavenly Father loves us to call on Him, to come to Him about everything….. even the snow!  We are His children, we can talk to Him about everything……He wants us to, not just when we are troubled or hurting, but in the happy times too….He likes to hear our Praises and thank yous!!!!  He would love to hear us thank Him for the beautiful snow……the glistening ice……..moisture that is so needed….We should ask Him to be with the people that had accidents this morning…..and also that He watch over and guide our fireman, EMS, and policemen as they work to protect and help us…..thank Him for the blessing of friends at work that get you coffee when you are unable to leave your desk……for the children that come in the office and are so excited to get a candy cane off of the Christmas tree……ask Him to comfort those that are sad right now….lonely, grieving, financially stressed…..Praise Him that we have plenty of food and warm houses….heck a warm office too……Thank Him for the love of family and friends….Make HIM smile….His heart flutter…call Him a million times today!  Father, thank you for always taking our calls.

And He took the children (we are all His children) in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.  Mark 10:16.  This is the confidence we have in approaching God:  that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.  1 Johns 5:14-15.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.  Psalm 28:7.  Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.  1 Chronicles 16:8.  Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in EVERYTHING give thanks.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Love you all!

December 6, 2012

Good Morning Friends!  Time to sing His praise, Thursday!  Last night our Administrator and Directors hosted a Christmas party for all of us in the Housing Division.  Lots of food, music, games and tons of prizes!  We were each given a ticket when we got there and all through the evening tickets were drawn.  We all sat on the edge of our seats hoping our number was called!  Some at our table won…some didn’t….but we all had a good time.  This morning a friend that sat with me, told me she got the greatest prize last night…..kind of odd, I thought, since her number was never drawn…..As she began to tell me her story, I got goose bumps…..she kept company with an angel….I am just sure of it….As she was leaving the party she was approached by a young woman, she just figured she was a co-worker; she asked if she could get a ride to the Dollar Store to get some medicine, that she was really sick and it was a long walk…..my friend moved things out the front seat and the young girl got in.  My friend asked her which department she worked in and she told her “oh I don’t work, I just go to college.”  At this point I think I may have been a little nervous and my friend said she had never done anything like this before, but she just started the car and headed to the Dollar Store.  The young stranger was at awe with my friend’s car…said she had never seen anything so fancy, especially loved her heated seat…..They chatted on the way to the store and when they got there my friend asked her if she had money for medicine.  She told her she had $3 and when she called the store they said that should be enough.  My friend said she was compelled to open her purse and give her more money…..the girl insisted she couldn’t take it, but my friend kept telling her she wanted her to have it….the young girl finally gave in and they parted ways. And the young girl said, “God bless you.”  My friend said she felt an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness and had not been afraid for one second……When her husband called her later he asked her how the party was….”did you win anything?”  She joyfully told him, “I won the greatest prize of all!”  After explaining the situation to him, he had to agree….she told me she slept all night, for the first time in years…….I told her you had the company of an angel……we were both crying by this time……crying because she had taken a giant leap of faith and Jesus caught her in His arms……Jesus is the Reason….for every Season.  Father, strengthen our faith so that we are always ready to take the leap for You!  And thank you for special angels that let us know how very blessed we are.

Jesus said, “Then the King will say to those on this right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a strange and you invited me in, (gave me a ride and money for medicine)….Then the righteous will answer him, Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?.....The king will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”  Matthew 25:34-40.  Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.  1 Samuel 12:24.  We live by faith, not by sight.  2 Corinthians 5:7.

Love you all!

December 4, 2012

Good Morning Friends!  Totally taken by His love, Tuesday!  Seems like so many conversations right now are all about Christmas shopping….what to get who….how much does it cost…..and then every other commercial is about some big old fancy Christmas gift and the stores and sale papers….gee whiz….easy to get stressed out.  We stress out over getting the perfect gift for our family and friends, the hottest new toy, or biggest tool, buying the perfect paper and matching bows…..people actually go in debt buying Christmas presents that they cannot afford……BAM!!!!  This morning it hit me……..each of us have already received the most perfect gift….many, many years ago……no it didn’t come from a high-dollar department store and wasn’t wrapped in shiny paper……didn’t cost us one cent….not one single penny……..This gift was born in a stable…..wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manager…..a stable….for animals….donkeys, sheep, cows…..now I love all my little critters but I night with Chloe and Eyore….no thanks.  This gift God’s Son, born in a manager for us, lived, died and rose again for us…..died that we might live…..Our Heavenly Father gave us the PERFECT GIFT….His only Son…..our Savior…..This Perfect Gift was a gift of LOVE…….unselfish……total LOVE for each of us.  The gift of LOVE, wrapped in swaddling clothes….The perfect gift comes from love……not how much money was spent or the name brand…….So go ahead finish your shopping, but remember the Perfect gift comes from love.  Father, thank you for giving us, the Perfect gift, Your only Son who died to save us from eternal death…..Fill our hearts with Your Love so that everything we do brings glory to You.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Luke 2:11-12.  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John3:16.  This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  1 John 3:16.  We love because God first loved us.  1 John 4:19.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:12.

Love you all!

November 28, 2012

Good Morning Friends!  Wow, it’s a wonderful Wednesday wrapped in His love!  Seems like we spend so much time worrying about balancing….balancing our diet…..you know making sure we get healthy stuff go along with the junk.  Balancing our budget so that we make sure we can pay our bills before we buy a new dress….balance is important in so many ways in our lives.  Yesterday I was responding to a missionary in Turkey that our church sponsors; I was telling him about all the activities we were planning at church and Sunday School for Christmas and as I listed them, I began to feel overwhelmed……unbalanced so to speak.  I finished my email and as I hit send, my thoughts returned to all the things I had ahead of me, programs, costumes, decorations, Hanging of the Greens, shopping, decorations, wrapping, cooking, cards, letters……Oh my gosh….I felt like screaming.  That’s when “Balance” hit me……I need to do more than balance my diet and budget….I need to “balance” my priorites….my time…..Number one priority for this season of Advent and Christmas is JESUS!!!!  JESUS is the Reason for the Season!  Without our precious Savior there would be no season worth celebrating.  So without further ado, I am asking our Heavenly Father to help me balance my Christmas activities….after all, it’s all for naught without HIM!!!!  Without JESUS…..there’s no need for a tree….the tree points to heaven, reminding us where Jesus came from and the green represents the eternal life we receive from HIM…and the lights, well….HE is the light of the world!  So, as you shop for the perfect gift for loved ones….remember the perfect gift of Jesus life….Thank Him, Praise Him and love others as He loves us…..That’s the reason for all the fuss and muss……We will all be busier in the next month, that goes without saying….but with God’s help we can “balance” our business and joyfully celebrate the birth of our Savior…..The REASON FOR THE SEASON!”  Father, thank you for the gift of your Son and the joy of celebrating His birth….keep us focused Father on what is really important and Go Tell it on the Mountain!

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and place him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped cloths and lying in a manger.”  Luke 2:6-12.

Love you all!