Christmas letter to all my friends

I haven’t written in a while, but Christmas is always a good excuse to tell others how we are and what we have been up to. Christmas is always a season of hope, the beginning of change that leads to a new year and that brings a time of reflection.
As I thought of Christmas this year I really looked at my life and the way that Christmas has changed. When I was a child I never heard “Happy Holidays” and I do not remember people being offended by the Holy Day celebration of Christ’s birth. Sometime between my childhood and that of my own children all of this began to change. Christmas was replaced with “Xmas” and then “Happy Holidays”, stores used to advertise to Christians or toward the mass of people who celebrated Christmas and now they seem unwilling or afraid to risk the backlash of honoring Christ at this time of year.
I used to be offended that others were offended by “Merry Christmas”, but this year something hit me. Maybe those who are offended and refuse to say, “Merry Christmas” know and understand the meaning of that phrase. By not proclaiming “Merry Christmas” they are taking a stand against what they have come to know or had to have been rightly taught at some point. It makes sense to me because Jesus is offensive. What the bible claims of Jesus is offensive and what Jesus himself claimed is offensive to sin, to sinners, to the ignorant and to the disobedient.
In Matthew 1:23 Jesus was proclaimed to be Immanuel, to be God with us. The implication of that is huge. He is God with us. His birth changed history and altered our calendars. The world has never been the same from that day forward. In his life, Ministry and death he never denied that claim. In fact the opposite is true; he embraced the title and took it to the cross. In John 10:30 he said, “I and the Father are one.” In John 10:38, “though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the father is in me and I in him.”
In Matthew 12:8 he claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath. In Matthew 26:63-65, he declared to the high priest that he is the Christ the son of the living God. In John 14:6-7 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my father also; and from now on you know him and have seen him.”
Statements like these are offensive and at the same time they are liberating. To know Christ as the purpose and reason to celebrate at Christmas is a joyful and rewarding feeling. I think that one reason why the world has turned on Christ at Christmas is because our story has become watered down. It has gone from a day that we remember Immanuel came to earth and was born to die, and become a celebration of angels, virgin birth, Santa and presents. So many stories are told and intertwined that we have lost sight of what really took place and the significance of it. If Christians can’t tell an accurate and true historical account of Christ how can we expect the world to take it seriously?
When the Magi came to visit the Christ child they brought gifts and it was more significant and symbolic then that there were three gifts. Gold was brought and used to build Jesus kingdom while he was here on earth. Frankincense is an oil used in religious ceremonies and myrrh was a burial spice. These men brought provision for the ministry of Jesus Christ. Gold for his material needs, frankincense for his position as high priest and myrrh for his necessary death. They new his life, had anticipated his arrival, saw the signs, followed the star and were expecting his death.
I must confess that as I have gotten older I love and cherish Christmas more and more, because without Christmas there would be no cross and no celebration of Easter. The true meaning of Christmas is that Immanuel, God with us was born. I pray that this Christmas, Christians around the world would begin to fully understand that Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be. That God would grant us all the grace to have the faith to believe that and that that faith would cause us to live our lives with conviction. That it would convince us to worship God in spirit and in truth. Being convinced of that we would strive to better understand the truth so that we can stand up to the devil and his schemes. I pray that we could defend Christmas and at the same time not be ashamed or afraid of speaking truth in love. I hope we can become people who influence our culture and not people who are influenced by it.
If I could change anything in this coming year, it would be that Easter is a bigger and more meaningful celebration then Christmas and that Christmas is thought of as more then a time of economic recovery or toy buying. That Christmas 2010 would not be about Ipods, TV’s or even parties, but rather about remembering the claim that Jesus Christ was and is God with us. Perhaps the greatest of all miracles, greater then fulfilling the 800+ prophecies, greater then the virgin birth, greater then anything else is the miracle that God was with us. He was born, he lived, he died to save, he rose again and he lives eternally that all who believe in him might be saved.
May you all have a most wonderful and blessed Christmas as you celebrate and remember this holiest of the holidays.

Obey and Trust Christ to Provide

From: Truth for life daily

December 19, 2009
Obey and Trust Christ to Provide

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Proverbs 16:33

If the decision about the lot is the Lord's, whose is the arrangement of our whole life? If the simple casting of a lot is guided by Him, how much more the events of our entire life-especially when we are told by our blessed Savior, "Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."1 It would bring a holy calm over your mind, dear friend, if you were to constantly remember this. It would relieve your mind from anxiety and enable you to walk in patience, quietness, and cheerfulness as a Christian should. When a man is anxious he cannot pray with faith; when he is troubled about the world, he cannot serve his Master, for his thoughts are serving himself.

f you would "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,"2 all things would then be added to you. You are meddling with Christ's business and neglecting your own when you fret about your lot and circumstances. You have been trying to do the providing and forgetting to do the obeying. Be wise and pay attention to the obeying, and let Christ manage the providing. Come and survey your Father's storehouse, and ask whether He will allow you to starve while

He has so great an abundance in store. Look at His heart of mercy; see if that can ever prove unkind! Look at His unsearchable wisdom; see if that will ever be at fault. Above all, look to Jesus Christ your Intercessor, and ask yourself, while He pleads, can your Father deal ungraciously with you? If He remembers even sparrows, will He forget one of the least of His poor children? "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved."3

My soul, rest happy in your low estate,
Nor hope nor wish to be esteem'd or great;
To take the impress of the Will Divine,
Be that your glory, and those riches thine.

1 Matthew 10:30-31 2 Matthew 6:33 3 Psalm 55:22

Happiness Is ... Being Old, Male and Republican

Happiness Is ... Being Old, Male and Republican .By Robert Roy Britt, Editorial Director

posted: 15 May 2009 08:26 pm ET
.Buzz up! del.icio.us Digg It! Newsvine redditComments (89) | Recommend (37).Americans grow happier as they age, surveys find. And a new Pew Research Center survey shows the tendency is holding up as the economy tanks.

Happiness is a complex thing. Past studies have found that happiness is partly inherited, that Republicans are happier than Democrats, and that old men tend to be happier than old women.

And even before the economy got nasty, seniors were found to be generally happier than Baby Boomers. Some of that owes to the American Dream being lived by past generations, while Boomers work two jobs and watch the dream wither.

In times like this, it's clear how age can have its advantages. While not all seniors are weathering the recession well, for many the impact is much less severe than it is for younger people.

Why? Many people 65 and older retired and downsized their lifestyles before the economy imploded, according to Pew analysts. Most aren't raising kids and many are not so worried about being laid off. Loss of income can be, of course, a source of stress and displeasure. (While money doesn't buy happiness, a study in February showed cash can help, especially when people use it to do stuff instead of buy things.)

If you're thinking that Republicans are happy just because they perhaps make more money, that does not seem to be the case. The study that found Republicans to be happier than Democrats also showed that it held true even after adjusting for income.

It's those age 50-64 who've "seen their nest eggs shrink the most and their anxieties about retirement swell the most," the Pew survey found. It also finds that younger adults (ages 18-49) "have taken the worst lumps in the job market but remain relatively upbeat about their financial future."

Not everyone in any category is blissful, of course. Other research has shown that happiness in old age depends largely on attitude factors such as optimism and coping strategies. Add financial planning to the list.

In the new Pew telephone survey, taken in March and April of 2,969 adults, here's how many respondents in each age group said they had cut back on spending in the past year:

•18-49: 68 percent
•50-64: 59 percent
•65+: 36 percent.
And is the recession causing stress in your family?

•18-49: 52 percent
•50-64: 58 percent
•65+: 38 percent.
Now for the good news: A study in January found that key groups of people in the United States have grown happier over the past few decades, while other have become less so. The result: Happiness inequality has decreased since the 1970s. Americans are becoming more similar to each other on the happiness scale.

FOXNews.com - SpaceShots: The Week's Best Photos of Our Universe - Slide 1 of 50

FOXNews.com - SpaceShots: The Week's Best Photos of Our Universe - Slide 1 of 50

Posted using ShareThis

THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

I don't know who wrote this. It came to my email inbox, but I thought it was worth sharing....

THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
My husband and I had been happily
married (most of the time)
for five years
but hadn't been blessed with a baby.

I decided to do some serious
praying and promised God
that if he would give us a child,
I would be a perfect mother,
love it with all my heart
and raise it with His word
as my guide.

God answered my prayers
and blessed us with a son.

The next year God blessed us
with another son.

The following year,
He blessed us with
yet another son.

The year after that we
were blessed with a daughter.

My husband thought we'd
been blessed right into poverty.
We now had four children,
and the oldest was only
four years old.

I learned never to ask God
for anything unless I meant it
As a minister once told me,
"If you pray for rain,
make sure you carry an umbrella."

I began reading a few verses
of the Bible to the children
each day as they lay in their cribs.

I was off to a good start.
God had entrusted me
with four children a nd
I didn't want to disappoint Him.

I tried to be patient the day
the children smashed
two dozen eggs on
the kitchen floor searching
for baby chicks.

I tried to be understanding...
when they started a hotel for
homeless frogs in the spare bedroom,
although it took me nearly two hours
to catch all twenty-three frogs.

When my daughter poured
ketchup all over herself and
rolled up in a blanket to see
how it felt to be a hot dog,
I tried to see the humor
rather than the mess.

In spite of changing over
twenty-five thousand diapers,
never eating a hot meal
and never sleeping for more
than thirty minutes at a time,
I still thank God daily for my children.

While I couldn't keep my promise
to be a perfect mother -
I didn't even come close...
I did keep my promise
to raise them in the Word of God.

I knew I was missing the mark
just a little when I told
my daughter we were going
to church to worship God,
and she wanted to bring
a bar of soap along to
"wash up" Jesus, too.

Something was lost
in the translation when
I explained that
God gave us everlasting life,
and my son thought it was
generous of God to give
us his "last wife."

My proudest moment came
during the children's
Christmas pageant.

My daughter was playing Mary,
two of my sons were shepherds
and my youngest son was a wise man.
This was their moment to shine.

My five-year-old shepherd
had practiced his line,
"We found the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes."

But he was nervous and said,
"The baby was wrapped
in wrinkled clothes."

My four-year-old "Mary" said,
"That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly.
That's dirty, rotten clothes."

A wrestling match broke out
between Mary and the shepherd
and was stopped by an angel,
who bent her halo and lost
her left wing.

I slouched a little lower
in my seat when Mary
dropped the doll representing
Baby Jesus, and it bounced
down the aisle crying,
"Mama-mama."

Mary grabbed the doll,
wrapped it back up
and held it tightly as
the wise men arrived.

My other son stepped forward
wearing a bathrobe
and a paper crown,
knelt at the manger
and announced,
"We are the three wise men,
and we are bringing gifts
of gold,
common sense
and fur."

The congregation
dissolved into laughter,
and the pageant
got a standing ovation.

"I've never enjoyed a Christmas
program as much as this one,"
laughed the pastor,
wiping tears from his eyes

"For the rest of my life,
I'll never hear the
Christmas story without
thinking of
gold, common sense
and fur."

"My children are my pride
and my joy and my greatest
blessing," I said as I dug
through my purse for an aspirin.

Jesus had no servants,
yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree,
yet they called Him Teacher .

Had no medicines,
yet they called Him Healer.

Had no army,
yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles,
yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime,
yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb,
yet He lives today.

Feel honored
to serve such a Leader
who loves us

God's Ways are Everlasting

December 12, 2009
God's Ways are Everlasting

His were the everlasting ways.

Habakkuk 3:6

What God has done on one occasion, He will do again. Man's ways are variable, but God's ways are everlasting. There are many reasons for this most comforting truth.

Among them are the following: The Lord's ways are the result of wise deliberation; He orders everything according to the counsel of His own will. Human action is frequently the hasty result of passion or fear and is followed by regret and change; but nothing can take the Almighty by surprise or happen contrary to what He has foreseen.

His ways are the outgrowth of an unchanging character, and in them the fixed and settled attributes of God are clearly seen. Unless the Eternal One Himself can undergo change, His ways, which are Himself in action, must remain forever the same. Is He eternally just, gracious, faithful, wise, tender? Then His ways must always be distinguished by the same excellences. Beings act according to their nature: When those natures change, their conduct also varies. But since God cannot know the shadow of turning, His ways will remain everlastingly the same.

Furthermore there is no external reason that could reverse the divine ways, since they are the embodiment of irresistible might. The prophet tells us that the earth is split with rivers, mountains tremble, the sea lifts up its hands, and the sun and moon stand still when Jehovah marches out for the salvation of His people.

Who can prevent Him or say to Him, "What are You doing?" But it is not only might that gives stability; God's ways are the manifestation of the eternal principles of right and therefore can never pass away. Wrong breeds decay and involves ruin, but the true and the good are marked by a vitality that time cannot diminish.

This morning let us go to our heavenly Father with confidence, remembering that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in Him the Lord is always gracious to His people.

From: Truth for life daily

Going Home

December 11, 2009


1 Thessalonians 5

Heaven is a place where we will never sin, where our battle with the evil one will be over; there will be no tempter to ensnare our feet. There the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest. Heaven is the undefiled inheritance; it is the land of perfect holiness, and therefore of complete security.

But don't even the saints on earth sometimes taste the joys of blissful security? The doctrine of God's Word is that all who are in union with Christ are safe, that all the righteous shall keep to the path, that those who have committed their souls to the care of Christ will find Him to be a faithful and unchanging protector.

Sustained by such a doctrine we can enjoy security even on earth-not the high and glorious security that makes us free from every slip, but that holy security that comes from the sure promise of Jesus that none who believe in Him will ever perish but will be with Him where He is. Believer, reflect often and joyfully on the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and honor the faithfulness of God by a holy confidence in Him.

May God bring home to you a sense of your safety in Christ Jesus! May He assure you that your name is graven on His hand and whisper in your ear the promise, "Fear not, for I am with you."

Look upon Him, the great Guarantee of the covenant, as faithful and true and therefore bound and committed to present you, in your weakness, with all the chosen race, before the throne of God; and in such a sweet contemplation you will drink the cup of salvation and taste the fruits of paradise. You will have a foretaste of the enjoyments that ravish the souls of the saints in heaven if you can believe with unwavering faith that "He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."


From: Truth for life daily