Glory to God in the highest.....

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to son-ship.  Galatians 4:4-5



An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were afraid. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:9-11





This will be a sign unto you: you will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12









Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth, good will to men." Luke 2:13-14

And that my Friends is the real........

reason for the season!

May God bless you this day!

Kicking Jesus Out and Calling it Xmas

For Christians all over the world, we are in a season of rejoicing over the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ who came to us as a gift from God to save us from our sin.

Sadly, for too many people, it has nothing to do with Jesus. Instead, it has become just a "holiday." A day to take off work, to indulge in going into debt to give gifts. Sometimes gifts we can't even afford to give. 

The stores that we spend our money in, light up way to early-some before Halloween even to attract us into buying into the Christmas Season for the benefit of spending our money to boost their profits.

"Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" are there to begin us thinking and buying into the "holidays." To entice us to spend, spend and spend some more for the best deals that we can find.

And in the mean time, many businesses close down for "holidays" rather then to give us a day to celebrate the "birth of Christ."  Schools give our kids time off for winter break, instead of calling it what it should be called. 

Why is this? 

Because we have kicked Jesus out of the real reason for celebrating his birth.

We ask questions like "Where was Jesus when officer Joseph Seals was gunned down on December 10 in Jersey City, New Jersey? Or if there is a God, why does he let all the violence go on in this world? Why all the school shootings, parents that kill their children and domestic abuse?

We surmise that because all of this goes on daily, there must not be a God. And who wants to be under the authority of a supreme being anyway? We want to do our own thing. Be our own boss. There is no baby come to earth to grow up and die for our sins. Or even if there is, who wants to serve someone that lets all this evil to exist? 

So we have taken him out of our homes. Out of our schools. Out of our businesses. 

Out of our celebrations. 

Might as well just call it it as it has become. Xmas. Right?

Well, I don't know about you, but it is not Xmas to me. This time of year is celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ who was born in the most lowly of ways, so that the sins of all the human race can be forgiven. 

Don't get me wrong. I am not against giving gifts, decorating for Christmas, or singing carols. Not at all.

What I find sad, is that we sometimes put all of that ahead of why we should be celebrating the day. And worse yet, for kicking Jesus out of it at all. 

I don't know how the saying JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON, got coined. But in fact, it did. And it is the truth. Let us not forget it this year but while we are buying those gifts, and putting up our decorations, to not just have Jesus in the back of our minds (or not at all) but to be ever mindful indeed that He is the reason for the season!

Tips for making Christmas Stress free

Don't overspend. I know I have a problem with that. I had come to the conclusion that I had finished my shopping a couple weeks ago. And yet, one evening a few days later I went shopping for some items that were unrelated to Christmas, that I needed. So I went down the candy aisle that trip where all the Christmas goodies were and ran across these real cute little stuffed animals that held little candy canes. I have two grandchildren that live nearby that I thought of when I saw them, and I thought they would make such nice little toppers for a gift for them. They were only $3 each, so of course I had to buy them. And I did. It wasn't going to break the bank. And these children are adopted and had come from a background where they did not have nice holidays of any kind, so it wasn't going to hurt to make them happy. The problem is that if I don't watch it, that kind of thinking could get out of hand, and could break my bank. So it is where I have stopped. So far anyway. lol. Anyway, it is a given, that we want to give nice gifts to those we love. But it is wise to set a budget and stick to it so that we aren't overdoing it and charging our credit cards with what we can't afford. 

All of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and you shall call him Jesus, because he will save the people from their sins. Mathew 1:22-23

God bless you as you go forth today in your celebrations of the Birth of our Savior Christ Jesus

A Supranational and Unusual Request

Sometimes, God will ask us to do something we don't necessarily want to do. We may argue, bargin, or even get down right angry with God.

 Perhaps we will even refuse something that God wants us to do for him.

But think about it. What if Joseph would have done any of those things when the angel went to him in a dream to tell him that the girl that would be married to him, was going to have a baby?

Would he have bargained with God to not put him through this? Would he have tried to argue way out of it? Would he have gotten angry with God for this situation because not only would Mary be embarrassed, but he would be too.

And then why did he not have had her stoned? Because, he could have.

He didn't have her stoned because he was an honorable man, and so he did not report her pregnancy. And the angel had told him how it was that he and Mary happened to be in this unusual predicament.

But did Joseph have a secret problem with her pregnancy or did he just take it that God knew what he was doing and he wanted to be obedient to him?

Maybe at first he did, because he had actually considered putting her away.(Mathew 1:18) However, after the angel had given him the news, Joseph did has God wanted him to do. He married Mary. No arguing. No bargaining. No anger. Just plain obedience.

When Jesus was born, Joseph raised him as his son. Just like he did the children he and Mary had later. God had indeed chosen the perfect parents to bring Jesus up even though they, being human themselves, were imperfect.

What if Joseph had not obeyed God? What if he had had Mary stoned? What if he had simply just broken up their engagement and claimed not to have had any relations with her. Because, he hadn't.

Of course, it wouldn't have happened those ways or any other then what it did. God did know what he was doing. He was asking Joseph to trust in him to participate in a most supernatural and unusual request
.
What about us? What do we do when God asks us to do something? Do we argue? Bargain?  Get angry?

Do we refuse?

God sees our own lives in full. He knows who is going to be obedient to him. He knows who will not. But when he asks us do something, he has reasons for it. Maybe we don't even know why he is asking something. But when he asks us to do something for him, as with Joseph, we must trust him. We must obey him.

And we do know one thing if nothing else. If we don't do what he asks, he will ask someone that will. Because, no matter what. He will get done whatever he wills. With or without us,

He was with God in the beginning. John 1:2


Hello Friends. I am sorry that I have not been around for several days. I am back to continue on with what I know God is asking of me.

Tips for a stress free Christmas.

Sometimes we are at a real loss at what what kind of gift to get someone that has about everything. Maybe instead of a gift wrapped in paper, you would consider a special outing to take a person on. Recently my daughter and her husband took us to EPCOT as their gift to us this year. Now I know that something like that is quite expensive and not everyone can afford it.
You might consider some other outing. A special Christmas movie at a theater, a trip to a Christmas festival, or you might consider volunteering with someone in a soup kitchen, as a way of giving a gift to others in their honor. Christmas gifts do not have to come wrapped up in pretty paper and bows. They should surely come from the heart. Just as God's gift to us came as a baby that grew up to take our sins away, His gift came from His heart. We can follow His example and give from our own.

Til next time, God bless you and yours today!

A Christmas Tree and A Cross

Isn't it ironic that while we celebrate the birth of Christ this month, that we bring a Christmas tree into our homes and decorate it with beautiful ornaments. And we put pretty packages filled with things we want to give others, underneath them.


 And yet, the birth of the baby whose birth we celebrate grew up to hang on a tree for our sins. How ugly it was, that he was killed in such a gruesome way, with his life's blood running down the cross.

His friends and family may have gathered underneath watching him die.Or perhaps near by.  Not understanding why fully. It was truly a sad day for them. No wrapped gifts under that tree.

There was surely nothing pretty about it if we look at that aspect of it. But, when we reflect on why he did it, it becomes something that is beautiful. He gave us a gift, not wrapped up with pretty bows, but something more meaningful to be sure. Something that would never die. Something whereby we could live forever.

Why do I put the two of those together. The birth and the death of Jesus Christ, during this month? Because we can't have one without the other. And more importantly then those really, is the fact, that death did not hold him. These three events all go together whenever we think on Jesus and why he came to earth as a babe in a manger in a barn. And that is what is beautiful, during the Christmas and Easter Seasons of our celebrations.

And so while you are enjoying this season, decorating your tree and putting gifts under it for your loved ones, remember the tree that held Jesus with the nails in his hands, and be ever thankful that he was willing to do that for you and me. Because... he didn't have to.

Tips for a stress free Christmas

Hey Mom and Dad, do you run yourself ragged during the holidays, trying to get too much done, too many places to take the kids?

The tip for today, is just to slow down a bit. Don't try to cram a lot of things into the season. Pick out some of the things you really want to do, and plan them out. There is always next year to get to the ones that you don't do this year.


Other then that, pray, pray, pray. It helps to keep your mind on heavenly things, while you are participating in earthly activities.

December 6, 2019  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. John 1:1

Thanks for stopping by today Friends. I hope your Christmas Season has been blessed so far. God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! Until next time....take care!

No Defense

In my last post, I referenced the story of the birth of the Lamb of God, with the nursery rhyme. Of course, we know that there is no comparison of the two. But for some reason, that rhyme had come to my mind that day, and it wasn't just about what I wrote about that day. I had some other thoughts about it as well.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as sheep brought before her is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Isaiah 53:7.

If you know anything about lambs and sheep, they are pretty dumb animals so I am told. I never had much experience with them myself, although we did have a couple 4-H sheep one year that our son's took care of. But we had a neighbor that had sheep and he told us that if a wolf finds sheep in a field, it will attack them and the sheep don't even know to run away. They will let the wolf kill them.

When Jesus was led away by the Roman Soldiers, he did not fight back. He knew what they had come to do, and he let them take him and finally nail him to the cross without defending himself.

If ever there was a Christmas gift for humanity, this would be it. Jesus didn't have a lawyer. He didn't defend himself. He laid down his life for you and me.

Listening to a preacher on tv last evening, he said that Jesus, born in a barn with only the dirty smelly animals there as witnesses, he was glad that that baby made it possible for all these years later, for him to be where he is today. ( not an exact quote}

God gave us a gift, Jesus carried out his father's will, and because of the love of both, we can be thankful that we are where we are today.

Because you know what? Not everyone can say that. How sad that many reject the gift that God has given us. I don't know about you, but I am thankful that the baby Jesus was born in that barn, with the dirty smelly animals as witness, so that all these thousands of years later, I am where I am. What a gift is that?

Tips for working towards a stress free Christmas Season. (hopefully)

1. First and foremost in our attempts to be stress free at this time of year, is to get up every morning before others get up, and meet with God. Thank him for what he has done for you, and for what he is going to do for you. Tell him what you need and pray for others. And ask him to give you a good day and get you through the stress of whatever it might be bringing that day. If you give God the first part of your day, he will bless you because he really does want to have a relationship with you.

2. Have you ever had a good belly laugh? Sometimes those comes at a time that we are going through a very stressful situation. I have found when it happens, it is hard to stop laughing. Stress can build up so much that it needs to be released and what a great way to let it go. 

So my suggestion is that no matter what you are going through, find something funny to laugh at each day. Even if you have to keep a book of jokes to lay by your bedside to get that laugh at the end of the day. And when you find something funny, be sure to share it with someone else. Try it and it will be another way to ward off the feelings that can mount up during this time.

December 5, 2019 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Thanks for coming by today Friends. Have a wonderful evening and God's blessing on you and yours!

Can We Have A Stress Free Christmas Season?

Can Christmas be streefree?

Really?

If someone had asked me that some 30 years ago, (has it really been that long?) when my four children were all eleven years old, I probably would have laughed at the idea. Just day to day living was tough, let alone holidays. And money was certainly stretched, as far as each penny could be.

While times are not as much like that for us anymore, I know that that is still a fact for many families in today's world. So starting tomorrow, (December 5th)  and for the next few days along with a short devotional/story/fun fact (all about Christmas)  I will give you a tip on how you can make your celebrations more stress free. I hope you will join me.

Until then, may your day be blessed!

Mary Had A Little Lamb....

Mary had a little lamb, his fleece was white as snow, 

and every where that Mary went, that lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to school one day, which was against the rules

 It made the children laugh and play, to see a lamb at school

And so the teacher turned it out, but still it lingered near.

And waited patiently about, til Mary did appear. 

"Why does the lamb love Mary so?" 

 the eager children cry. 

 "Why Mary loves the lamb you know,"
the teacher did reply

Indeed, this sweet little nursery rhyme was taken after a true story behind it's writing. But, there is another story of Mary having a little lamb many many years ago. And it is that story we will be talking about for the month of December. 

The birth of this child was foretold in the book of Isaiah. In chapter 7, and verse 14 to be exact. His name would be Jesus and he would grow up to be a lamb. In fact, he would be the Lamb of God., And his birth was told in the gospels of Mathew and Luke. 

But lets go back to that nursery rhyme and make some comparisons for a few moments, shall we?

First, the lamb in the rhyme was an animal. Now that is not to put lambs down at all. In the Old Testament, they had a purpose out side the fact that fed and clothed people. Some of the very best lambs were used for a sacrifice to God, for the forgiveness of sin. It was a requirement of God because his Son, the future Lamb of God, had not come to earth yet.

The Lamb of God came to this earth with a purpose all his own.

His story is well known in the gospels. He was born to a virgin, also named Mary and although  was expected to come to earth as of King, he was born in a barn. His guests attending his birth that night, were the animals that resided there. 

He would grow up as a sinless but a sin sacrifice for the human race. Your sins and mine. And all those that were before and will come after us, until he comes back to take his rightful throne on earth as King. 

In the rhyme, Mary's lamb followed her to school. Why? Because she loved him and he no doubt wanted to be with her.

During his ministry on earth, Jesus had many followers. Many were just curious, but many loved him, and wanted to learn from and be with him.

But just as he told his disciples one day about how a Shepard will go out from his flock to find one lost sheep, our Shepard searches for us. He draws the hearts of man, because he is not willing even one lost soul to be lost.

In the rhyme, the teacher turned him out. Isn't that just like humanity today?  Isn't that just like us at times? We don't want to obey him. We just want to do our own thing. We reject him. We turn him out. Some turn him out forever.

But just as Mary's lamb in the nursery rhyme, Mary's lamb of the bible, the Lamb of God, patiently waits for us to come to him.

Why? Because just as in the nursery rhyme, he loves us and he wants us to love him. He wants to be with us. But that rhyme has an ending. The Lamb of God doesn't. And he is still waiting for us. Everyday he waits for those that have not answered his call on their hearts. He waits patiently because he loves us.


As we go forward in this month that we celebrate his birth, among all the man-made rituals and traditions that we follow, may we first follow the Lamb that came to Mary on that night and grew up to save the world.

December 2, 2019 And she shall bring forth a son and thou shall call his name Jesus; for he shall save the people from their sins.

Thanks for coming today Friends. Until tomorrow, God bless you!