MERRY CHRISTMAS

Well...here it is. The one. After 30 some photos taken by self-timer on a home-made quad-pod (stacking together three 4 legged stools) This is the one.

Our photo experiences from year to year are maybe the most memorable part of the advent season...sad, I know...I am the last minute planner who is always behind on my own Christmas plans. The men in our home are the goofiest guys when it comes to picture taking. I used to think it was "fun with the photographer" but this year I learned differently......"DO SHARE", you are thinking...well, okay. A small sampling...

In his ever-expressive dramatic way...Ethan "smoking" my battery-operated candle with Dale holding his favorite CARS character. Then there is Dale...nearly never a normal face on the guy...he was born to laugh! Which makes life interesting here for this more serious gal.

So again I say, MERRY CHRISTMAS!! from our house to yours!

Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Is it not profound that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Glorious, Majestic, Magnificent, Holy God was born to us in a barn? Then the angels appeared to the "riff-raff" of society first, the humble shepherds... That tells me something. He came as the most lowly to make the way for the most lowly to be holy. OOOH AAAH

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Be amazed by grace!

The Day

1 Thessalonians 5...
1Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
2for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
5You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
8But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
9For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

I believe "the day" refers to God's glory or Heaven where we will not need the sun because His glory will be our light. His LIGHT. That light that lives in our hearts, that burns within us. In the day of the Lord's return the "sons of the light" will be revealed...

Romans 8:18[ Future Glory ] I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 8:19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

So since we are sons of the day, we should put on the breastplate of faith and love-this means guarding our heart by continually believing God, and by loving Him and others. We are told that in the last days the love of most will grow cold. Probably due to the recurring offenses that we have to forgive in order to keep that light in our heart (keep it from growing cold). Also highlighted is the helmet of salvation, which is guarding our thoughts/ our mind. That means continually renewing it with the Word of God.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ephesians 5: 25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

We notice in the above Thessalonians passage that "self-control" is used twice. In the King James Version, it is "sober". We must diligently guard these two vital areas in order for the light to continue to shine in the darkness mentioned.

Heavenly Father, our source of Light. You are the fire in our hearts, help us keep oil in our lamps, to keep the fire of your love burning bright in our hearts! Thank you that you are able to keep us blameless until that day by the blood of Jesus. Set our hearts on fire! In Jesus' brilliant name, amen.