Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
Listen - Enya - Silent Night, in Irish
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
Listen - Enya - Silent Night, in Irish
Soon it will be Monday morning in Christmas Advent of 2009. Many people have quit reading the news, too many things to do, errands and Christmas traffic.
That's right, it is a burden. Family to buy gifts for who are hard to please, but people will try their earnest best to please them. In the midst of the noise, the errands, the late gift, the trip to the doctor- something from my memory springs forward. My son, when he was in 2nd grade - wanted to know, wanted to know, wanted to know, how can Santa be alive when he really was the 3rd century bishop in Turkey? How? How? The perfect answer sprang forth. (Rather like football when the team from behind intercepts the ball.) " Santa is the Spirit of Giving." It became a mantra.
How perfect is this answer? It is completely win, win!! It pleases the Lord, who is the Spirit of Giving. It would please poor downtrodden St. Nicholas of Myra, a bishop, who was known to be a secret gift giver. St. Nicholas had no desire to usurp the Christ Child. It puzzles the children, it pleases the children, it can be repeated until the child gives up!
It answers all the adult humbug. Yes, it is a burden. Yes, you can give a gift you tried to please with and it might not please. So what! You have pleased the Spirit of Giving. It is really touching to think about the lengths people go to bring some joy to each other.
Gratitude eases the burden - emotionally, financially, and physically. Aren't there lonely people due to poor choices, time and circumstance who would love to have someone to be burdened with? To have someone to care for is a blessing!
The best gift is always love. Even soldiers in the World War I trenches found peace during Christmas 1914 & 1915. Relax and find your Silent Night. Read Luke 2 out loud. Talk about St. Nicholas and how he really was a light of God. Discuss the Spirit of Giving. Get in the car with the ones you love, sing to each other, see some lights, watch "The Bishop's Wife". Cary Grant is angelic & divine with his understanding and love.
God will keep your life. Rest in Him.
Psalm 46:10
It is he who makes war to cease in all the world;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear
and burns shields with fire.
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That's right, it is a burden. Family to buy gifts for who are hard to please, but people will try their earnest best to please them. In the midst of the noise, the errands, the late gift, the trip to the doctor- something from my memory springs forward. My son, when he was in 2nd grade - wanted to know, wanted to know, wanted to know, how can Santa be alive when he really was the 3rd century bishop in Turkey? How? How? The perfect answer sprang forth. (Rather like football when the team from behind intercepts the ball.) " Santa is the Spirit of Giving." It became a mantra.
How perfect is this answer? It is completely win, win!! It pleases the Lord, who is the Spirit of Giving. It would please poor downtrodden St. Nicholas of Myra, a bishop, who was known to be a secret gift giver. St. Nicholas had no desire to usurp the Christ Child. It puzzles the children, it pleases the children, it can be repeated until the child gives up!
It answers all the adult humbug. Yes, it is a burden. Yes, you can give a gift you tried to please with and it might not please. So what! You have pleased the Spirit of Giving. It is really touching to think about the lengths people go to bring some joy to each other.
Gratitude eases the burden - emotionally, financially, and physically. Aren't there lonely people due to poor choices, time and circumstance who would love to have someone to be burdened with? To have someone to care for is a blessing!
The best gift is always love. Even soldiers in the World War I trenches found peace during Christmas 1914 & 1915. Relax and find your Silent Night. Read Luke 2 out loud. Talk about St. Nicholas and how he really was a light of God. Discuss the Spirit of Giving. Get in the car with the ones you love, sing to each other, see some lights, watch "The Bishop's Wife". Cary Grant is angelic & divine with his understanding and love.
God will keep your life. Rest in Him.
Psalm 46:10
It is he who makes war to cease in all the world;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear
and burns shields with fire.
<><
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