Merry Christmas

(from google)

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

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Luke 2:1-20

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 their 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 guest room available for them.

 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 that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, 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 heaven, 

   and on earth peace to those 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.

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That little baby boy was born in a manger because no one had room for Him. Born at an unexpected time in an unexpected place. His name is JESUS, our Savior, Intercessor, Redeemer. Thank you Lord, for sending us your Son!

Merry Christmas to all of You!!!

Restored (The Grindstone Song)

This song has been ringing in my head the past few days. It's so beautiful and I just wanted to share it with you all today.

Restored

Cheri Keagly

I’ve been living against the grindstone, where nothing is sure but the Lord

For He gives us the treasures of darkness, where faith’s greatest riches are stored

And in ways that are quite unexpected, I have learned a most humbling truth
That a faith that has never been tested is just growth that is long overdue

So, I’m practicing joy, choosing it daily, putting it on like a favorite cologne
And when life breaks me down, it won’t even faze me
Some call me crazy, but I’m just in love with the Lord
For He has been faithful enough just to fill me
And take me to heights I have never explored
If I’m never broken, how can I be restored

So I’m trading these comfortable choices, For living that’s much more alive

And the more that my spirit rejoices, the more that I grow and I thrive

If surrender is seen as a weakness, then the lowliest beggar I’ll be

I’ll embrace every struggle with meekness ‘cause I know that it’s making me free

Restore me Lord and make me new again, I want nothing more than to soar

So, I’m practicing joy, choosing it daily, putting it on like a favorite cologne
And when life breaks me down, it won’t even faze me
Some call me crazy, but I’m just in love with the Lord
For He has been faithful enough just to fill me
And take me to heights I have never explored
If I’m never broken, how can I be restored

Blessings!


P. S. My cousins are coming over tomorrow so keep a look out for more posts soon!

blessings pouring down, never ending

I've started a list of blessings, gifts, grace. My Savior is amazing, and I am so thankful that He's giving me an opportunity to thank Him with my life and my all. This is my crazy beginning of a lifetime of recording thankfulness.

Waking up to sunshine and a blue sky

Adrian, running into my room and hearing him say "Hi Ayee!"

Sore fingers, trying to remember the chords

The persistent chattering of birds

Hearing Ben singing "Do Everything" throughout the day

Warm chamomile tea in a yellow cup

The crunching sound of leaves

Sun rising, shining over a field and dark clouds

When this 2 year old gives hugs - "I missed you"

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalm 100:4-5

How deep His love

I fail miserably each and every day. I need the One who knows, the Man of Sorrow, who bled. Who's greatest love was that he laid his life down, broken, for me. Not worthy to be called His, yet anointed with His grace. Even when I break, when I snap, Jesus' love is greater.

Many times the most sincere way to walk with Jesus is to say nothing with the lips, but bend the knee and weep the love. -Ann Voskamp

This song has been ringing in my ears the past few days.

"How deep the Father's love for us,

  How vast beyond all measure 

That He should give His only Son

  To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,

  The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the chosen One,

      Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,

  My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,

  Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there

   Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

    I know that it is finished

   I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

  But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?

         I cannot give an answer

  But this I know with all my heart

 His wounds have paid my ransom"

I want to share this post with you. Please make time to read it. 

Have a beautiful weekend friends!

when your broken

Taken from Streams in the Desert - October 15

   God uses most for His glory those people and things which are most perfectly broken. The sacrifices He accepts are broken and contrite hearts. It was the breaking down of Jacob's natural strength and Peniel that got him where God could clothe him with spiritual power. It was the breaking the surface of the rock at Horeb, by the stroke of Moses' rod, that let out the cool waters to thirsty people.

   It was when the three hundred elect soldiers under Gideon broke their pitchers, a type of breaking themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to the consternation of their adversaries. It was when the poor widow broke the seal of the little pot of oil, and poured it forth, that God multiplied it to bay her debts and supply means of support.

   It was when Esther risked her life and broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court, that she obtained favor to rescue her people from death. It was when Jesus took the five loves and broke them, that the bread was multiplied in the very act of breaking, sufficient to feed five thousand. It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pent-up perfume filled the house. It was when Jesus allowed His precious body to be broken to pieces by thorns and nails and spear, that His  life was poured out, like a crystal ocean, for thirsty sinners to drink and live.

   It is when a beautiful grain of corn is broken up in the earth by DEATH, that its inner heart sprouts forth and bears hundreds of other grains. And thus, on and on, through history, and all biography, and all vegetation, and all spiritual life, God must have BROKEN THINGS.

******

Of hay bales and dirt bikes and a determined little boy

The field, on the property that my family and I are temporarily living, was cut recently. This means hay bales! Benjamin and I road his dirt bike down to see these gloriously big golden bales.

They are bigger than they look.

He saw.

He climbed.

He conquered. : )

The smell of a freshly cut field is amazing!

Ol' Faithful. Our dog, Rusty.

A favorite mode of transportation. : )

My 6-year-old cousin, Haydon, has been staying with us for a while and today Mom took him on some errands with her. When they came back, Haydon proudly showed us his "new" bike.

He had never ridden a bike without training wheels so we thought that it would take him a while to learn to ride. Boy were we wrong! Haydon got on that bike and rode like a pro!

He was so excited, so proud that he could do it!

Alright Haydon!

Adrian, on the other hand was upset because he couldn't ride. Look at that face!

I love this boy. He is such a sweet heart, even when he pouts. ; )

He consoled himself when he saw mom's sunglasses.

LOL! Cool dude.

The determination of this little boy was so beautiful to see. He wanted to ride a bike and he rode it. He soaked up our encouragement and excitement for him. This really reminded me of something I posted a while back.

"Woo hoo!" You made it through this post! : )

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its sham, and sat down at the right and of the throne of God."

Hebrews 12:1-2

In Christ Love,

As the Deer

"He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

he causes me to stand on the heights."

Psalm 18:33

"As the deer pants pants for streams of water,

So my soul pants for you, my God."

Psalm 42:1

His,

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

by Charles Wesley

O for a thousand tongues to sing

My great Redeemer's praise,

The glories of my God and King,

The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,

Assist me to proclaim,

To spread through all the earth abroad

The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,

That bids our sorrows cease;

'Tis music in the sinner's ears,

'Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,

He sets the prisoner free;

His blood can make the foulest clean,

His blood availed for me.

He speaks, and listening to His voice,

New life the dead receive,

The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,

The humble poor believe.

On this glad day the glorious Sun

Of Righteousness arose;

On my benighted soul He shone

And filled it with repose.

Sudden expired the legal strife,

'Twas then I ceased to grieve;

My second, real, living life

I then began to live.

Then with my heart I first believed,

Believed with faith divine,

Power with the Holy Ghost received

To call the Savior mine.

I felt my Lord's atoning blood

Close to my soul applied;

Me, me He loved, the Son of God,

For me, for me He died!

"I... heard the voice of many angles, numbering thousands upon thousands." 

Revelation 5:11

I wanted to share with you this immortal hymn written by Charles Wesley. He wrote over 6,500 hymns! This song was written on the anniversary of his conversion to Christ. It's powerful message and joyful tune is such a wonderful reminder of Christ's great love for us!

Blessings,

April's here already?!

Wow. That was quick! We sprung into spring awfully fast! : ) Although the Georgia weather hasn't exactly been Spring-y the signs of it are everywhere!

Hope you all are enjoying this spring season!

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. 

Deuteronomy 28:12

Blessings,

P.S. I'll be posting about a fun event we went to last weekend soon!

Love. . .

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

His,

On the brink of the New Year

      Forgetting the past . . . I press onward. (Phil. 3:13, 14)

Taken from Streams in the Desert volume 2, January 1.

  One of God's glorious gifts to mankind is to bestow upon him the dawn of a new year. New opportunities and challenges are before him. A chance to try again, t make another endeavor to successfully accomplish the ambitions which were perhaps cast aside with discouragement in the year past. Life is full of beginnings. As one stands at the ate and with doubtful hand draws aside the curtain and peers into the unknown, he begins today by taking his first step across the threshold of the new year. It is already a beautiful year because it is another year of Our Lord.

  Gazing at the far horizons and half wondering what the coming months will bring, pause but a moment to reflect over the old volume of three hundred and sixty-five days just ended. The pages may have been marred by mistakes and torn by intentions, but a few more miles have been covered on the upward climb, pressing toward the mark.

Through many dangers, toils and snares

We have already come,

'Twas grace that brought us safe thus far,

And grace will lead us Home.

  It has not bee our own achievement. Great has been our Father's faithfulness; new every morning have been His mercies. He faileth never!  . . . . 

   Standing at the parting of the ways, there is a choice to make, some road to take, we must consider which. How is it that we intend to live? Will it be repetitious of the past?

   "I do not see my way: I do not care to; But I know that He sees His way, and that I see Him." Shining destinies are ahead! We must keep our eyes upon Jesus as we now face the Dawn.

✻✻✻✻✻✻✻

May you all have a wonderful, blessed year!

In Christ's Love,

Merry Christmas!

"For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his

shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

(image from google)

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good tidings 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 the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Luke 2:10-12

Thank-you Lord for sending us your son!

In Christ,

Depraved Indifference

In as much as you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:45

I've seen this on several different sites and wanted to share it with you. 

I couldn't stop crying as I watched this. How soon do we in the comforts of our home forget the hurt, lost, lonely and forgotten. The ones who have never heard the name Jesus. The millions who die every day, without hearing the Word of God!  Oh Lord! May our eyes be opened. 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. What are some of the first things we think of when we hear that word? Pilgrims and Indians? Dear family? Good food? Counting your blessings?

"Let us come before him with thanksgiving"

Psalms 95:2

Thanksgiving is more than a holiday. Giving thanks is what we should do every day. 

Thanksgiving n. 

the expression of gratitude, esp. to God

I am so thankful that God has helped me in times of need. That he guides my path for His name's sake. And that He is the author and perfecter of our faith. God is so amazing. We must thank and honor Him for his amazing work in our lives. Will you thank Him now?

"I will proclaim the name of the Lord.

Oh, praise the greatness of our God!

He is the Rock, his works are perfect"

Deuteronomy 32:3-4

Many blessings!