Tag Archives: Christmas

Giving Thanks, Guests

Onward

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Our official celebration of Thanksgiving is behind us; now it is onward to Christmas. Our visit with my brothers and family was relaxing and fun. Just what I needed. Two years without seeing my siblings had been too long!

This morning I am bringing a guest to you. My You Version devotional reading this morning is right on the money. :)

A HEALTHY CLIMATE

The home must provide a climate in which love, trust, honesty, and security can flourish. If it does not, then all the material things parents provide have no meaning and actually make children frustrated and angry.

Trust and tenderness are fragile things. They cannot survive battering and bruising. For a person to love, he must give himself to another; if he is betrayed or taken advantage of, he will withdraw in pain and anger. God has structured the home so that all family members may learn to give their love without being hurt or taken advantage of. The home helps us develop those Christ-like characteristics God wants us to have. It is most significant that when God sent His only begotten Son into the world, He was careful to place Him in a healthy and godly home. If we want our children to fully realize their potential, we must provide the emotional climate to help them do so.

Of all God’s creatures, the human needs the longest time to grow up. A cat is a kitten for a relatively short time. Likewise dogs, birds, and other animals need only a short time to mature. Yet, God in His wisdom has ordained–not months–but many years of growing and learning before the human being can be put in full control of himself. And that’s what family life is all about: helping our little ones learn to control themselves.

Well, my friends, laundry, the grocery store, and more awaits me! Blessings of joy and peace to you today.

ABBA, thank You for a just what we needed celebration with family and friends. And now that we are back to life routines, I pray we will do them with a greater eagerness so that we will exalt JESUS. I pray our Christmas preparations will be holy and prepared with joy. We are remembering the grieving; this season often brings bittersweet memories; You know that well and You are able to empower and bring peace in the midst of them all. Thank You, ABBA. I pray we will lean on You. So for every Reader and Pray-er who comes to visit today, I pray for peace and growth of love and devotion for You and others in JESUS name.

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.   . . .

via Ephesians 1 NASB – The Blessings of Redemption – Paul, an – Bible Gateway.

Blessings of Joy and Peace,

 

Celebrations, You Tubes

Birthdays

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Our Bradford Exchange catalog came yesterday. It is a tribute to Thomas Kinkade. It is filled with items displaying his beautiful work.  I have enjoyed Kinkade’s work for many years – I was saddened when he died in April of this year.  But I’m off point.

The catalog is filled with items to purchase and, yes, the promotion of Christmas is predominant. And in all the predominance JESUS gets one page. One page! And whose birthday is Christmas supposed to be? And so I have been singing a song this morning. Let me share it with you.

But today is not Christmas. Today we do not officially celebrate the birth of our Savior – but we should!

In fact, celebrating that JESUS is would make Isabel’s birthday all the more fun!  She is the big 10 today!  So today is a day of celebrating.

For sure. For sure. Each of us has something we can celebrate today.

So today’s challenge: What are you celebrating today?

John 3:16    21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

via John 3:16 KJ21 – “For God so loved the world that – Bible Gateway.

Thank You, JESUS, for coming for me! Thank You for abiding forever for me.  I love You, LORD. And, ABBA, thank You, for ten years ago today. The birth of joy to this family. It is my heart’s desire that all her days she lives to give You glory. That she grows to be a godly woman, a woman with kindness on her lips and deeds of good walked out with feet bearing Your Gospel and hands helping the poor and the lost.  And not just Isabel but all of us who have received You as LORD and Savior. Make it so, LORD. Make it so.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, Guests

Back to Work!

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Officially our play days are all but gone!  My beloved gets to go back to the office in the morning. I will miss having him around here underfoot :) It’s been good to relax and lay much of my routines aside for a spell, but tomorrow it’s back to business.

On Sunday my Pastor (Roy Hill) gave a superb sermon. I’d like to share his five major points:

Five Resolutions every Christian should make:

1. Do the things I told Christ I would do on the day He saved me.
2. Love Christ more. And here’s how: Love Him FIRST. Love Him MOST. Love Him DAILY. And there’s more. To do this means DAILY I will spend time in the WORD. DAILY I will seize time for talking to Him. DAILY I will invest time LISTENING to Him.
3. Share my faith. Look at every person I see as someone Jesus died for and when the HOLY SPIRIT prompts and opens the door, TELL THEM JESUS died for them.
4. Be the family member God wants me to be. For me, that’s being a godly wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, or cousin.
5. Be the church member God wants me to be. That means show up and let JESUS show out in me.

And here at the close of day 2, I could have practiced these better BUT tomorrow His mercies are fresh and new and practice makes perfect!! :)

Lamentations 3: 21This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope:
22 It is through the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.
24 “The LORD is my portion,” saith my soul, “Therefore will I hope in Him.”
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
via Lamentations 3 KJ21 – I am the man that hath seen affliction – Bible Gateway.

JESUS LOVES YOU,
Kathie