Forgetting Those Things That Are Behind....

...one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly calling in Jesus Christ  Philippians 3:14

The apostle Paul had a real excuse to not want to press on to a higher calling. He had been persecuting the Christian Church. Until that day that he met Jesus, and was converted to Christianity himself. After that, he stopped killing Christians and started preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But things didn't always become wonderful when he met Jesus. In fact, his life probably got worse. He was beaten, robbed and shipped wrecked from all kinds of people in his travels. 2 Corinthians 11:25

So if anyone had an excuse to get mad at God after they had been saved, it was Paul.

Just because we  become Christians, it does not mean our lives are suddenly going to be wonderful. And yet, sometimes that is what we think. But God does not promise that to us. What does he promise?

In the world, we will have trouble. But he tells us these things so that we will have peace in him, and to take heart because he has already overcome the world. John 16:33.

How was 2018 for you?

Peaceful? Happy? Wonderful?....or was it......

Unsettled? Chaotic? Unhappy?

If it has been a bad year for you, it can get better. Sometimes it depends on our attitudes, Are we grateful to God, giving him thanks for the blessings we do have, like the apostle Paul. Or do we sit around feeling sorry for ourselves, or begrudging the fact that if God really did love us, he would not put us through the troubles we find ourselves in.

The bad things happening in the world or in our own families even does not have to define us as unhappy people, Tomorrow can start us off on a year long search for those things that God wants to teach us. And during the process, we can have the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10.) Because in the long run, that is really what he wants to give us. His strength to get through whatever it is that we are going through.

Start off the new year right. Spend time learning the things of God. Teaching them to your families. The eternal lessons of life, are more important then anything that comes in whatever is second in our lives. When we get that into our spirits, we can begin to get that peace that only Jesus can fully give. And God will help us find the answers to those things that may be making us unhappy and depressed. He has the answers that we need. We just have to look to him for them.

Have a Happy and Blest beginning to the New Year, Friends.

How To Have The Peace Of God

Christmas Day is over. The excitement has settled down. The stress of the holiday season is over. At least for the most part since there is still the New Year that people look forward to as well. And until that is over, the kids are home from school.

What ever you are feeling, whether still stressful or relief, Jesus is not just the reason for the Christmas Season. He is the reason for every season. We can find rest in him for our weary bodies. For our weary minds.

If we bother to sit down and take the time to find it.

Remember the quote, "Wise men still seek him." It is for for every day of the year.
55:6 When we meet with Jesus everyday, we can expect to find him and the rest he promises to us. As a start I give you a couple of those promises to think on for this moment.


I said, "Oh that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest." Psalm 55:6

 Come to me all you that are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Mathew 11:28-30.


In peace I will lie down and sleep. For you alone Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

The Lord replied, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.  John 16:33



Have you ever wished you could have the wings of a dove, or even a butterfly so that you could just fly away and shake the troubles off them? I think most of the human race has felt that way at some time or another.

Well, we don't have the wings of the doves or butterflies. But we have something so much better. We have (or can have) the promises of God that gives us that peace when we trust in him. But to have that, we must know Jesus first. And then, we must learn from him and spend time with him. That is the secret to shaking the troubles of this world off our minds. And how much better is that?

If you don't know Jesus, you can today. You can right now. Just pray this following prayer. It doesn't matter where you are, or what you are doing. God will hear you, if you sincerely want Jesus in your life today.

God loves you and may his blessing be in your life today and always! Until next time...

A Different Kind of Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Jesus!

While we know that December 25th was probably not the real birthday for our Lord, Jesus Christ-we can agree that his birth was unlike any other that was, before or after. He was conceived in the womb of a human woman, by none other then the Holy Spirit. His father Joseph was what we would call today, his step father. They were good people that kept the law and yet, they were people that loved God. Had he been any other kind of man, he would have undoubtedly put Mary to death. Which he could have done, as that was what a man could do if he found out his intended was with another man. 

They could not find a place for her to have the baby, and so Jesus was actually born in a barn. A barn with probably only straw for bedding, and a animals trough for a bed.There were no balloons, streamers, or cake for his birth. Most of those in attendance were the animals whose home he was sleeping in. 

Imagine that. The long awaited King of the Jewish people was born in a barn full of smelly animals. 

The pictures we see, the Christmas Cards we send,  and the living nativity displays shows us not much of what really went on that night. Yes, there is Mary and Joseph, baby Jesus in a manger, and animals standing around looking on. But they don't really tell us that he came to earth and did not  allow himself the grandeur  of what an earthly king really was. And then to grow up to do what he did for the world. Really. What kind of king would do that?

But he did it. He did it all. For you and me. For the world. And even for those that refuse him or just plain don't believe in him. He did it for them too. 

Today as we celebrate Christmas with our dinners, gifts and families, let us remember that had this event not happened, we would not be celebrating it at all. Jesus was born long ago, and he died a violent and cruel death so that all these years later, it could still have an effect on those of us that believe in him and ask him into our lives. 

May your day be blessed as you spend it with your families and friends.

A Christmas Appeal

As some of you know/remember, we have relocated from our home state, to one that we have only been to for times of vacation when we visit our kids and their families that live here. It has been part out of necessity because we are getting older, but also part of a desire to be around our family. It will be the first Christmas that we will have been able to spend the holidays with them, in quite a few years. Our daughter and son both met their spouses here and ended up marrying them and beginning their lives here.

I was up early, as I usually am everyday of the year. And I was putting the finishing touches on the gifts of two grandchildren. (I have 4 here, and actually have 9 total) All of my grandchildren are special to me. However, these two particular ones came to us from a different family in which they eventually ended up in foster care. My son and his wife not being able to have their own, adopted them a year ago. For about a year or so, they have began to see what having real holiday celebrations are like. 

And I am glad that this year, I am able to be a part and share in it with them as well as my daughter and her family too. 

And yet, when I was working on their gifts this morning, my thoughts went to the three grandchildren that I left behind when we moved. If I was still there living there, I would  be doing this kind of thing for them. And I have to say, , it made the tears flow. 

Why? Because, their dad is not speaking to my husband and myself. In fact, he has not spoken to us for at least two years. He (their dad) has cut us off from most of our contact with the boys. And it has been very hard for me because I love them so deeply that is has almost been like a death of someone I love so much that I grieve for them often. I am allowed email contact from them and a occasional video chat. And I can send gifts.

My appeal to any of you that are separated from any of your loved ones is to please forgive them and try to restore your relationships for those that have hurt you, or that you have hurt. 

We all make mistakes. I have made many. More then I have even realized. I guess we hurt people sometimes without even knowing it. And we should be able to say we are sorry if we have.

Jesus was born to save us from our sin. But he also came to set the captives free. When we allow ourselves to be bound up by forgiveness and hate, we are not free. We are allowing ourselves to be held hostage or to hold hostage those people that we have those we have hurt or been hurt by. 

I know. It is not easy. Especially when the other party does not want to have anything to do with us. We can only do so much ourselves. But even when we do what we can do, that can unlock much of the burden that we do have. And in the mean time, we can pray for God to restore our relationships in his time and in his way.  And trust him that he knows best. There may be something that we are to learn from what we have been through. Or for the other  person too. We don't have the big picture, as God does.

My greatest gift I could receive this year, would be a call from my son and his family wishing me a Merry Christmas even if there are no "I am sorry" from my son. Just hearing his voice again would be the ultimate gift and is something that I long for. The tears would flow, but they would be happy ones.

Please. Please. If there is someone in your life that you have not spoken to for whatever reason, please give them a call this Christmas Day. They may be sitting on the other end of their phone, waiting for you. Believe me. I know.

And remember, Christ forgave us first. Do we have the right to withhold it from others?  And yet sadly, sometimes we do.

Tips for a stress free Christmas:

If you have children or just have a big crowd coming over tomorrow, get to bed early. You will probably need it. I hear ya out there, duh. lol)

May God continue to bless you today and always!

Wise Men Still Seek Him

Their names were Gaspar/Caspar, Melchior and Baltthasar/Balthazar. It is assumed that there were three because of the three gifts that they took to give the baby Jesus.  Gold, incense and myrrh  Mathew 2:11. (An interesting combination of gifts, they were to give to this child. I heard a message from a pastor on a tv program just yesterday, about why these gifts might have been given. Maybe I can try to find more about it and share it with you later this month.)  Anyway,  it has been believed that there were only three kings that visited Jesus and his parents, but the Bible really does not say one way or another.

It is also been said, that the three wise men had visited Jesus in the barn the night of his birth.  However, Mathew 2:11 also says that when they visited him, it was not in a barn, but a house that they went into and there they fell down and worshiped him and opened their treasures and offered them to him.

They had come hundreds of miles from the east to find him. Probably from Persia or modern day Iran. (interesting huh, with all that goes on in that country yet today). They were directed by what they called "his star"  (Mathew 2:2), the "Star of Bethlehem."


Herod had told them that when they found the child, they were to tell him where he was, so that he could worship him too. However, Herod did not want to worship Jesus. He believed that Jesus meant to overthrow Herod's own government and he could not let that happen. And so, his evil plan was to kill the Christ child  but God had other plans. He warned them not to go back to Herod, and so they left Judea and went another route.

Herod's plan had been  thwarted by the Almighty whose plans were not to be interrupted by the likes of an evil king or even the devil himself. The baby Jesus would grow up to accomplish what his Father sent him to do. He died on the cross for your sins and mine, and rose from the grave that was meant to hold him. But praise our God, it couldn't and because the wise men-however many there were-obeyed God and disobeyed Herod, the baby Jesus grew up to become a Savior to you and me.

We don't have to be wise. We don't have to be kings. We don't have to be rich, famous or special. All we have to do is seek him, and that makes us wise as those men that traveled hundreds of miles to worship God's Son.


Tips for a stress free Christmas

Enlist the help of your family and don't try to "do it all'  yourself. Make things fun. For Thanksgiving this year, my 12 year old granddaughter helped by making each one a name sign and put them where each person would sit. I made sure she knew I had noticed as well and told her how pretty they were. She was happy that I took the time to recognize her work.

Hello Friends. Well, Christmas morning will soon be here. I pray that you are getting to that time as stress free as possible. God bless!

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