Reasons for the Season

"Little baby on the hay, soon there will be another day when nails shall pierce Your hands and feet as you provide our sin's defeat.

Risen Jesus on the throne, we lift our praise to you alone-for you're the gift that we receive the moments our hearts believe." written by: Roy Lessin



"How can we keep the spirit of Christmas alive throughout the year?"

By living in Faith

Abiding in Peace

and by Reaching out always in Love.



Christmas is my favorite time of the year, well except for Easter. I'm so amazed that God would love us so much and send His only Son to restore a relationship with us, through His Son's love, life, death and resurrection. There is no better gift than salvation!

I love having the kids here, the big meals, but mostly all the love and laughter we're sharing. Mark is happier than he's been in a long time too. It's so nice to hear all their laughter. Family is such a wonderful blessing. There's so much to learn from the love of family.

I hope you and your family really get to experience the love and fellowship Christmas is all about! May you enjoy the peace only God can give. I hope your heart is so full of love for family and friends that Jesus beams out of your heart.

The two verses above are from cards we received. I thought they were especially good ones. Christmas cards are such a wonderful gift from friends and family. I love you all and God Bless.

"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves
esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God and afflicted.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed . Isaiah 53: 4& 5 (NIV)

The Spaghetti Junctions of Life

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you maybe successful wherever you go." Joshua 1:7 (NIV)

Sometimes God will ask us to do things we don't feel equipped to do, doesn't He? There may even be times we cry out, "Wait a minute Lord, I'm not ready for this." But you know He supplies us with everything we'll ever need when He gives us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our lives, coupled with staying strong in His word.

I was thinking about what a wonderful privilege it is to be a part of God's family on my way to Decatur the other day. We're all on a mission given by God in life, or we should be. I imagine Joshua, at times, was shaking in his boots over some of the things he had to face, but he didn't waver because he had the Lord on his side. We have the same Almighty God guiding us today.

We also have each other to confide in and comfort one another. (Read 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, carefully especially verses 13-18.) If you've ever rode down through Atlanta GA. there's an area of road called "Spaghetti Junction,"where the road literally looks like a big pile of spaghetti. In this stretch of road lanes and exit ramps go every which way.

People driving this area better know where they're going. They need to be on a mission and stick to it. Failure to stay on track could lead you into bad areas, where it's possible to loose your life in an accident, or fall victim of a thug. I've met so many different brothers and sisters in life on the "spaghetti junction" roads of Christianity. It's so important to stay on God's path for your life. Deviations can be harmful, and even deadly. Though we have different callings our destination is the same -home with Christ in heaven.

What a blessing all of you have been that I've met on this journey. You've encouraged and loved me; my life has been so much richer because of you. You're part of God's church, also known as the body of Christ and I love you. Hopefully I've helped you as you've helped me. It was so good to be together. I thank God for you.

May we all be able to say like Paul when we approach our destination: "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;

in the future is laid up for for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." Second Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)

Lord please show them the Love of God through my life

"Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SANDS OF THE SEA,IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED; FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, THOROUGHLY AND QUICKLY. and just as Isaiah foretold,

"UNLESS THE LORD OF THE SABBATH HAD LEFT TO US PROSPERITY,

WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED

GOMORRAH."

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is obtained by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at the law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written,

BEHOLD I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,

AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. "

Romans 9:27-33 (NIV)

I'm sure you're saying, "What-those are the same verses she used yesterday. Yes, they are, but they're weighing heavy on my mind again today. Read them slowly, even if you can perform God's wishes to a tea without faith and true belief in Him your works are dead.

Yesterday, I met a lady while getting my treatment who urged with me diligently that she "felt she was a "good person" who practiced a certain religion since she was a child, but doubted God loved her. When I asked her if she felt empty inside her reply was, "You can't even imagine the emptiness I feel inside. I feel so empty, I've tried to kill myself more than five times and almost seceded."

She also informed me that she despised the "church." Her exact words were, "The "church"is full of nothing but "goody two shoes who think they're better than everyone else. They don't really love, or want to be loved. They're just wrapped up in their "church lives" - not in helping or loving others." She said this with so much hate and pain in her eyes, I wondered if I was encountering a demon posed person.

She released so many things in the four hours we were together. I listened earnestly and said little. I did ask her to go home and slowly read and meditate on the book of John. I also asked her to slowly and diligently read Romans after the book of John. I reminded her that if we truly seek Jesus with all our heart and soul He promises to reveal Himself to us. Asking Jesus to forgive my sins and accepting Him as my Savior was the one and only way I ever filled the void and obtained true peace.

How about you, are you following a "religion," or following Jesus as your Savior through faith? The peace that passes all understanding only comes from the stone that the "builders" rejected. What a difference Jesus makes! Just as the last verse says, "And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed." Through life, and even in the presence of death Jesus is there.

Maybe I'll never see this lady again, but I hope she found the love of Jesus in me.

You Are Not Here By Chance

God had a purpose for you before you were ever born. You are not here by chance. There are so many scenarios that could have happened the day you were conceived, regardless of the circumstance, you were made in the image of God to glorify Him. He created you with a purpose.

"For this is the word of promise:" At this time I shall come And Sarah SHALL HAVE A SON."

And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for thou the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." Romans 9:9-13 (NIV) *Note: The capitalized words are what God said.

If you ever doubted you have a purpose please mark these verses in your Bible. If you don't know what you should be doing- ask God you show you through His word and in your life what He wants you to do. You're drawn to God and His word for a reason-you belong to God. Jesus died for you, now live for Him.

"And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He also called, not from among the Jews only, but also from among the Gentiles." Romans 9:23 &24 (NIV)

Every child of God is a vessel of mercy. You must walk by faith, not just by sight, according to His purpose in Christ Jesus. Your life does not belong to you, all of Gods creation was created for His glory.

"but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not arrive at the law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written,

"BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

Romans 9: 31-33 (NIV)

Pursue Righteousness through Faith. Faith is a gift from God. Because of your faith you'll see God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light. No man comes to the Father except through the Son.

(Romans chapter 8 and 9 are chucked full of purpose for any believer! Read it slow and savor every morsel like a tender juicy piece of T bone steak, it will satisfy your hungry soul! :)

He's Present in every part of Life

"I even I , am he who comforts you.

Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction?"

The cowering prisoner will soon be set free; they will not die in their dudgeon, nor will they lack bread.

For I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea, so that it's waves roar-the Lord Almighty is his name. Isaiah 51:12-15 (NIV)

"Shout for joy, O heavens, rejoice, O earth, burst into song, O mountains!

For the Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones." Isaiah 49:13 (NIV)

I woke up this morning with a bloody taste in my mouth and horrible pain in what's left of my intestines. Most of you know I started Chemo a couple of weeks ago to try to put the Crohn's back into remission. This Wednesday, I'll go back for another treatment. I often wonder whether it's worth struggling through for more pain, when it would be easier to just let go, and let this disease finish what it has started.

But, there's another part of me who wants to stay with family and friends a little longer. I'd love to rock grandchildren, make love again and laugh with family and friends. There are so many people I'd love to hug at least once more, so I will fight, at least til God calls me home.

God's constant presence is such a wonderful blessing. There's nothing we have to endure alone. He's there to protect, love and guide every step of the way. God is always so good especially when life is difficult.

I know the holidays can be especially difficult for many of us. We've lost family or friends in death, or severed relationships. That kind of pain can be worse than physical pain. Regardless of the kind of pain we're enduring, we can all reach out to God. He is the Reason for the Season. No one else loves us more. Jesus bridged the gap from sin back to our Heavenly Father through His life, death and resurrection.

"The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those crushed in spirit."

Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

A Train Wreck called Desire

"Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle, or they will not come to you.

Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lords unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." Psalm 32:9 & 10 (NIV)

"Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the people of the world revere Him.

For He spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm."

Psalm 33: 8 & 9 (NIV)

"But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.

Blessed is the nation Whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance." Psalm 33:11 & 12 (NIV)

"So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may posses this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever." 1 Chronicles 28:8 (NIV)

I don't always like to follow directions, many of you who really know me know that. I had my first Chemo treatment last Thursday. My intestines felt so good when I came home. I was giddy, (I felt super relaxed and great.) We never reached Jefferson until after six o'clock, so Mark asked if I'd like some fast food, that was probably a mistake. In the back of my mind I've had a huge breast piece of chicken, two helpings of Cole slaw and a biscuit to sop up the coleslaw juice from Kentucky Fried Chicken for over a month. I love it, but it doesn't love me.

So we stopped in there and got us some. It was so good, I ate every greasy piece 'til it was gone! Latter I topped all that nastiness off, with a chocolate sundae, with three cherries on top and lots of cashew nuts. Mercy it was delicious, when I went to bed I thought I'd died and went to heaven. I felt like a hungry old cat who'd ate all her favorites and went to bed purring.

But then came the morning; have ever had one of those, "Oh poo- What did I do moments?"

Well this was one of mine, obviously the Crohn's didn't go away. My head was splitting and my innards were kicking my hinnie from one end to the other with horrible pain. Rose Anna-Rose Anna Danatana says it best, "I was tired and achy, my whole body felt like, ...well you get the picture."

Desire can be such a deceiving culprit can't it? I'm sure Satan was laughing with delight as I woke up in horrible pain on Friday. Honestly that chicken and ice cream tasted so good, but it hurt so bad. Pray for me I'm tired of eating mushy soft foods, but they really are best right now. Lord knows I don't need KFC or ice cream, I'm not wasting away by no means.

You all have a good day, I'm gonna go drink an apple smoothie, woo-hoo. ;) (They're not that bad, apples, cider, oatmeal and yogurt.)

Less is Best!

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad your whole body will be full of darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:22 (NIV)

I often wonder why people say or do the things they do. In fact, I specifically asked God to show me why. Those words seemed to almost glow off the page as I read them the other day during my first Chemo treatment. Wow-now that makes sense.

If a person truly isn't experiencing God, or His light he or she will not act in the light of reality , they're just doing what they know is best in the dark. Bless their heart, they can't see the damage or pain they're causing. Unless we show them that light, through love, will they ever seek the light? Not until Jesus touches their eyes and heart with sight and love.

Another book I tried to read, but fell asleep after the treatment started working, was a book called, "Walking in the Light" by Leo Tolstoy. I love that writer, he's one of my favorites! Leo was talking about how Jesus asked the disciples to give everything away and follow Him. He pointed out such a basic principle that never really hit me until the other day like a brick. Possessions bind us down with obligations to maintain them. The Less we have in Life the easier it is to be free.

Think about it every house you've owned needed to be maintained, cleaned and added bills to your expenses. Every car you've owned had to be gassed, greased and should have been serviced regularly to drive it without worry. Farms must be planted, cultivated and harvested. Boats are like cars they need maintenance to be trustworthy.

Yes, I understood those verses before, but there's a beauty in rereading verses with age and experience. The Bible never grows old or stale. It's new and practical with every day if your heart and eyes are open. God continually reveals life in a new light through His word. The images of life grow clearer with experience, God's grace and His leading.

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or fathers or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Matthew 18:29 & 30 (NIV)

Think about it-Isn't it easier to focus on people with the fewer "things" you have?

It's easier to keep your eye on the prize with less distractions. People are more important than things.

While I say this I'm looking at a dirty house that needs to be cleaned, :0 and I have about as much energy today as a popcorn fart. See if I didn't have this house-the dirt wouldn't matter to me. :D

Pearls

"The rarest things in the world, next to the spirit of discernment, are diamonds and pearls."

Jean de la Bruvere

Have you ever considered how much work it takes a muscle, or an oyster, to make a pearl? Someone at The Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois wrote a beautiful example of how a pearl is really made. If you ever have a chance to go to The Field Museum, please go, it is an absolutely awesome place. I have been there only twice; but I could spend days, upon days there. You can't imagine how many awesome facts and interesting stories their collections provide!

A mollusk, (commonly referred to as a shell) are known as Bivalves which means they are filter feeders. A mollusk opens it's shell just enough to siphon in water over it's gills. In this process they take in oxygen to breathe and food particles, such as plankton, for energy and growth.

Sometimes an irritating particle becomes lodged in the muscle's tissue. If that irritating piece of food or sand isn't flushed out it becomes wedged between the mollusks shell and fleshy tissue. Ironically, as it breaks through the muscle tissue to the shell layer it makes a hole in that muscle tissue. The natural thing for that Mollusks body to do is to fill in the hole, which it does. Because there's still something foreign there it just keeps layering minerals and proteins on that irritant. Eventually there is a pearl inside that shell from all that festering. Isn't ironic something beautiful can come from a problem?

Just for a minute I want you to think about the trials and illnesses in our lives, for example cancer. Foreign pathogens are constantly passing through our bodies. Most of the time our bodies can get rid of them. But some pathogens find a weak area where they can attach,grow and even multiply. Over time, or left on treated those foreign pathogens kill us. The truth is all living things on this planet eventually die. Regardless of the trials any life presents give God the glory and make the most of the time you're given.

Can't we like the mollusk fester beauty in suffering? With God's grace we can. We will either find beauty or disaster, it is your choice.

"Those that cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

Salvation comes from the Lord."

And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah to dry land."

Jonah 2:8-10 (NIV)

"But just as you excel in everything- in faith, in speech,in knowledge,in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see to it that you also excel in this grace of giving." 2ND Corinthians 8:7 (NIV)

Sometimes giving of ourselves is harder than giving money or things. Whatever God asks you to give do it with happiness for the Lord. Life is about Him not us.

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2ND Corinthians 12:8 & 9 (NIV)

Child of God- you have everything you will ever need, not in yourself, but in Him. :)

Now go shine like the Son.