Saturday, December 23, 2017

The 25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 23



She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21


We have carried our sins with us for so long. Why would anyone think that we could live any other way? We have grown complacent and numb to the pain that is caused by those sins.

And when the Torah is read, we say that we love Your Law, Yahweh, and yet we leave the synagogue to berate our neighbors and steal from our customers. 

O Father in Heaven how long can we go on, living this way? 
When will You send Messiah? . . . 



To read more of this post,
and the thoughts of a people in waiting
so long ago,
please join me over at 


with my friend Ifeoma Samuel.
Christmas is only two days away!
Are you prepared 
to welcome the Savior?




~~~~~~~~




And this is the last day to join in
with the great #Holyhaiku challenge
hosted by my friend Susan Shipe

@hopehearthome 

where the prompt is
"Jesus as a child."




  

I Pray that you will
have the most
Blessed Christmas
of all~~to find
the Babe of the manger
to be
your Lord and Savior!



And may you have
A New Year
filled with
HIS GIFTS OF GRACE.


I will be taking a small break,
and return back here in early January, 
sharing with you
the #Oneword for 2018
that I believe the Lord has
been whispering to me. 


I am so thankful for the gift
of getting to know each one of you! 




I am linking with:




 

Thursday, December 21, 2017

The 25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 21


“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11




 The gifts we give each other at Christmas can sometimes feel too little or mis-matched for the persons intended. We put such judgment on our gift-giving, trying to find the perfect present for each person. But when the Wise Men gave their gifts, the most perfect match was made. Gifts that spoke of royalty, Godliness, and even the Savior’s future death, were placed at the Child’s feet . . . 


To finish  reading this post, please join me at


where my friend Ifeoma Samuel and I 
have prayerfully prepared 
short devotions and activities
for your family.

May these last few days 
before Christmas
be full of blessings for you! 




~~~~~~~~




The #HolyHaiku has only a few
more days left!
 Join my friend Susan Shipe,


over on Instagram 
to see more of this challenge.
 Today's prompt is "Shepherds."




Have you met
the LORD who came that night?

He gave us everything
when He gave His life.

He longs to know
you
and 
me

He wants to meet
us
in 
the
secret place
where love is born.









I am linking with:










Tuesday, December 19, 2017

25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 19


“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” Matthew 2:10




Christmas morning comes bright and early to homes where little children live. No one has to tell those little ones to get excited, or to be joyful. Their eyes sparkle as they dance and twirl before the glittering gifts waiting to be opened.
 
Our Father sent us the Greatest Gift of all when He sent His Son.
 
And those early players in the story of His birth were taken with great excitement as they watched the story unfold before them. 

The Shepherds REJOICED. 

The Wise Men were OVERJOYED. . . . 




to finish reading more of this post,
please join me over at

Purposeful and Meaningful 

where I am sharing with 
my friend Ifeoma Samuel
short devotions and activities
for your family.

May your Christmas Season be blessed!




~~~~~~~~




Today's #HolyHaiku prompt on Instagram 
is "Emmanuel." Come join
my friend Susan Shipe,


for more 
beautiful Haiku this Season. 







Into the days of Holiday Busyness,
I found myself sitting
with the nurse
as she taught me the technique
for yet another injection
for new medication. 

Emmanuel?
Are you with me even here?

"Yes, my daughter, even here"
as His Presence
carried my heart,
and brought joy
in the midst of hard.

May you find Emmanuel,
the true Gift of Christmas,
in the midst 
of your days also.





I am linking with: 
#TeaAndWordTuesday 
#Sittingamongfriends 


Monday, December 18, 2017

Happy Birthday Jesus!






“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16 NIV



The snow was falling and the Christmas lights were sparkling on our tree.  My father had recently passed away, and my mother had come to spend Christmas with us so that her days would not feel so empty.  And our home was anything but empty those days.  We had just started homeschooling our 9 and 11 year old, and our 16 year old was busy working his first job. In spite of the busyness, there were days that I felt I just wanted to skip the Holidays that year. How could I find the joy that I knew belonged with Christmas?  I found myself going through the motions, and asking the Lord to keep me standing when I felt like collapsing.

  

Yet even in our grief we tried to hold onto some of our family traditions. One of the constants that we maintained was our nightly gathering around the Christmas tree. Ever since our older son was a baby we had tried to find the time, no matter what else was going on, to sing at least one Christmas Carol together before our evening family prayers.  Sometimes it would be a fun carol, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” sometimes a traditional hymn, “Silent Night,” or even our own simply created, “Happy Birthday, Jesus, We Have a Merry Christmas Tree.”  It was a moment of peace in the midst of hectic days. . . . 


To read more of this post,
please join me over at


where I am so blessed to be sharing
with my friend, Anna Smit, and the team there
as we encourage and love
prodigal hearts.




I am linking today with:

 




 


Sunday, December 17, 2017

25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 17



“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.” Matthew 2:9




A miracle led the way for those Wise Men. But the miracle appeared in the sky, as a star. It was the same night sky that they had watched every night. 
 
It was the same charts that they had poured over every day. The miracle came to them where they led their everyday lives. . . .





To read more of this post
please join me over at

Purposeful and Meaningful 

where my friend Ifeoma Samuel 
and I have prayerfully prepared
short Devotions and activities
for you and your family.

Be Blessed during this last week 
before Christmas!




~~~~~~~




And the #HolyHaiku on Instagram continues
with my friend Susan Shipe

@hopehearthome,

where the prompt for today is "Hospitality." 







  My Vietnamese daughter-in-law's family
gave me a beautiful gift of 
hospitality
from their HOME.

How can I not give the gift of
hospitality
from my HEART

when the King 
of all the Universe
has come to
dwell with me? 




I am linking with:

 

 

 





Friday, December 15, 2017

25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 15


“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Matthew 2:6



Our Father sent the Angels to announce the birth of HIS true Shepherd, to the humble shepherds in the field that night. It could not have been a coincidence. 
 
God plans every detail of how this world moves—He planned for their knowing and pondering and then rejoicing.

Isn’t it the lowliest among us who often have the clearest view of Heaven?

Jesus himself told us that in order to see Heaven we would need to become as little children. . . . 

To read more of this post, please come join me at


with my friend Ifeoma Samuel. We have prayerfully 
prepared devotionals and activities
for you and your family during this 
Advent Season.

Be Blessed!



~~~~~~~~



And the #HolyHaiku continues with my friend Susan Shipe

@hopehearthome 

where the prompt yesterday was "Search me O God."
Even though I am a day late, I found myself
compelled to ponder this prayer:





In the humblest of days,
In the smallest of journeys,
Christ would come to dwell

in me

and you. 

May we prepare Him room. 
 





I am linking this week with:
#GraceandTruth 
#TuneInThursday 

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 13


“and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2




 The Wise Men: we all place the little statues of them carefully around the manger. But they were not there on the night He was born. 
 
No, they came much later. After the Shepherds had gone, after the mystery of the birth had waned, the Wise Men still were persistent to follow their charts, to trace the star, and worship the King that the star foretold.

When the crowds thin out, when my friends go the other way, will I still follow the path of the KING born that night? . . . 


To read more of this post,
please join me at

Purposeful and Meaningful 

where I am joining my friend
Ifeoma Samuel. We have prayerfully
prepared short devotions and activities
for you and your family this Season.
Be blessed!




~~~~~~~~





And the #HolyHaiku continues
with my friend
Susan Chamberlain Shipe

@hopehearthome 

where the prompt for today is
"Herod."

Earlier this week I thought that I would be
skipping this prompt. But only God would
see how much I needed these words myself.






In the midst of heaviness and pain
will I let the enemy
steal my praise?

Or will I choose to honor
MY KING
and give Him all the Glory
due His Name?

Jesus still reigns eternal!
And He still has my Worship!



I am linking today with:
#SittingAmongFriends 
#Chasingcommunity 
  





 






Monday, December 11, 2017

25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 11



“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:18






 She was so young. The betrothal was well known in her village—it was the way of life, and the expected path to take. 
 
But her heart bowed to Someone greater than just the traditions.

When the Holy One sets before you HIS way of living, how could you refuse?

 She was so young. But she chose the way of Holiness . . . 


To finish reading, please join me at

Purposeful and Meaningful 

where I am so blessed to be sharing
with my good friend Ifeoma Samuel.
We are prayerfully offering
short devotions and activities
for your family this Advent Season.

Be blessed as you prepare for Christmas!



~~~~~~



And the #HolyHaiku continues with
my friend Susan Chamberlain Shipe

@hopehearthome 
where today's prompt is
"Adoration."



Even if the days 
are painful or hard,
I pray that we will come 
before the King
and let Him melt our hearts
with His own Love. 



I am linking with:
  

Saturday, December 9, 2017

25 Days of Christmas ~ Day 9



“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17



We see the Baby in the manger. We watch the story unfold as the Angels sing, and
the Shepherds rejoice. We look with wonder at the Wise Men traveling so great a
distance to worship the King.

Yet even when we are filled with wonder over the miracle that came to be, do we
look deeper to see the true gift that the Father gave?

The world was changed when Grace and Truth stepped into our humanity. . . 



To finish reading this post
please join me at

Purposeful and Meaningful

where I am blessed to be sharing with
my friend Ifeoma Samuel.
We have prayerfully prepared short devotions
and activities for you and your family
during this Advent Season. 




~~~~~~~~





And the #HolyHaiku continues
with my friend Susan Shipe

@hopehearthome 
where today's prompt is "Mary."

Because of Mary's obedience to host
the Almighty,
the free gift of salvation
is available to all of us now,
just for the asking!












 I am praying for you today,
my friend,
to know the blessed freedom
that comes
when our Lord washes our hearts 



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