Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
Praise the Lord.
Galatians 4
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, “Abba! Father!”
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the Lord.
Advent is the Preparation for Christmas. However, on Saturday, I was at Hobby Lobby buying trim for my den sofa when our puppy Poodles decided to rip up the sofa skirt to get back the tennis ball. And the crowd at Hobby Lobby was mothers and daughters of all ages preparing for Christmas. Seeing very elderly people preparing for another Christmas. And as I've walked in neighborhoods with the puppies, Christmas trees are being put up with early bird Christmas lights.
We just can't pretend Christmas isn't in Preparation Mode.
Recently I was asked why Santa Claus doesn't show up at Church to draw in the little children. We kindly observed Santa doesn't arrive at Church.
Why?
We are the children of God, we sit on His Lap and talk to Father God. Who Loves us!!!
Galatians 4
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, “Abba! Father!”
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
The real story of St. Nicolas becoming the gift-bringer of Christmas was to get young women out of slavery.
Seasons. We don't want to fall back into stockades and say Christmas is just one day. We don't want to delete Christmas Carols and proclaim this is for after Christmas when babies - are - lovingly prepared for. We don't want to have Less Than JOY for all the work Christmas is. Season of Love Comes Forth!!! We just don't want to Rudolph up and forget the Joy of God bringing us Love in the Birth of His Son.
Live the Joy.
Seasons. A few years back, when I was volunteering days a week for Pro-Life and Mothers with Babies and doing STD Testing, we had a very devoted woman volunteer who loved going to Church. All her life, she loved going to Church. It was something she looked forward to doing. Sunday was absolutely the First Day of the week. And her husband fell ill with cancer his mother had died from. When it was discovered it was in the 4th stage. Their Church was close and loving and she said after 2 years - she dreaded and dreaded going to Church. She had to give the weekly cancer report from 5 to 40 people who were in various grim and worried stages for their family from her husband's hereditary cancer. Up to 40 times, good friends wanted to know if he was ok. And then the conversation would decide if they should lovingly prepare her for widowhood or rejoice.
We all prayed for what she should do. And we decided she would say, "If you don't mind, I've talked about cancer all week and, today, I just need to be with the Lord on Sunday." In two months, she said this was really working. Sunday was great again. (Her Husband miraculously of Jesus beat the stage 4 cancer!)
I know this happens today, too. Sometimes people under great stress go to other Churches to be anonymous worshippers. Really, really Support Groups talk about how to survive the support. :)
And never, never be stopped from caring. One Pastor's Wife still talks about the 16 Angels who shared bringing dinner on Chemo Days. The care itself was Survival of Love and Hope.
Seasons. Sometimes in the middle of Joy and Holidays, we find people who have lost a child. Lost a Spouse. In the middle of crisis. And great emotion is going to happen. What better place than Church. One member of our family found suddenly a childhood divorce of mother and family was being re-examined. Suddenly tears happened only in Church. Grief for all things and all times is like a rogue wave that will strike you without warning. And this is only just human growth. Sitting on God's lap in God's house.
Now, I won't finish this thought without this Sincere, Worthy and Profound Message.
Seasons.
Of all the people I know who Cry in Church, these are the people you will find have Miraculous Memories. Miraculous Events. God tells us Joy comes in the New Day. We will find Joy. We will have the Comfort of Love. And the people brave enough to face the emotions in a fairly public place - are going to heal. No sitting in the isolation of a bedroom to mourn. Finding real people have real lives and share and bother and pray and hope and encourage and bother and overcome with Jesus Christ.
There is nothing in the New Testament not dealing with upset, bother, discomfort and then Love, Joy, Peace, Faith and Hope.
Celebrate Your Season. Celebrate Love. Work past what is discomfort. And find in doing so we walk with Jesus in Awe of His Goodness.
Seasons. We don't want to fall back into stockades and say Christmas is just one day. We don't want to delete Christmas Carols and proclaim this is for after Christmas when babies - are - lovingly prepared for. We don't want to have Less Than JOY for all the work Christmas is. Season of Love Comes Forth!!! We just don't want to Rudolph up and forget the Joy of God bringing us Love in the Birth of His Son.
Live the Joy.
Seasons. A few years back, when I was volunteering days a week for Pro-Life and Mothers with Babies and doing STD Testing, we had a very devoted woman volunteer who loved going to Church. All her life, she loved going to Church. It was something she looked forward to doing. Sunday was absolutely the First Day of the week. And her husband fell ill with cancer his mother had died from. When it was discovered it was in the 4th stage. Their Church was close and loving and she said after 2 years - she dreaded and dreaded going to Church. She had to give the weekly cancer report from 5 to 40 people who were in various grim and worried stages for their family from her husband's hereditary cancer. Up to 40 times, good friends wanted to know if he was ok. And then the conversation would decide if they should lovingly prepare her for widowhood or rejoice.
We all prayed for what she should do. And we decided she would say, "If you don't mind, I've talked about cancer all week and, today, I just need to be with the Lord on Sunday." In two months, she said this was really working. Sunday was great again. (Her Husband miraculously of Jesus beat the stage 4 cancer!)
I know this happens today, too. Sometimes people under great stress go to other Churches to be anonymous worshippers. Really, really Support Groups talk about how to survive the support. :)
And never, never be stopped from caring. One Pastor's Wife still talks about the 16 Angels who shared bringing dinner on Chemo Days. The care itself was Survival of Love and Hope.
Seasons. Sometimes in the middle of Joy and Holidays, we find people who have lost a child. Lost a Spouse. In the middle of crisis. And great emotion is going to happen. What better place than Church. One member of our family found suddenly a childhood divorce of mother and family was being re-examined. Suddenly tears happened only in Church. Grief for all things and all times is like a rogue wave that will strike you without warning. And this is only just human growth. Sitting on God's lap in God's house.
Now, I won't finish this thought without this Sincere, Worthy and Profound Message.
Seasons.
Of all the people I know who Cry in Church, these are the people you will find have Miraculous Memories. Miraculous Events. God tells us Joy comes in the New Day. We will find Joy. We will have the Comfort of Love. And the people brave enough to face the emotions in a fairly public place - are going to heal. No sitting in the isolation of a bedroom to mourn. Finding real people have real lives and share and bother and pray and hope and encourage and bother and overcome with Jesus Christ.
There is nothing in the New Testament not dealing with upset, bother, discomfort and then Love, Joy, Peace, Faith and Hope.
Celebrate Your Season. Celebrate Love. Work past what is discomfort. And find in doing so we walk with Jesus in Awe of His Goodness.
Christmas Trees Decorated with Family Photos
Abba,
You renew Your Blessings each day, give us the heart and soul to see all Your Blessings.
Help us to Live Abundantly seeing Your Path in our Life. Our Blessings are like the Path of the Children of Israel to Freedom, You might have flown the Children of God to the Promised Land like Jesus in the Boat - immediately - at the other side in John 6. We have to have Faith to see Your Path is in our desire to Please You.
You are The Good Shepherd. You are The Door. Life Abundant. And in believing You, learning who we are, we find we are more interested and concerned for those around us. In making the Path for 40 Years, the Children of God were willing to work the Gifts of God given to them. This work and this Hope created the Faith and Love You gave us in the Old Testament and New Testament Holidays.
Develop in us Your Willingness to use the gifts and talents You give Your Beloved to make Life Abundant.
We ask for Elliott - who has so much faith - for the continued healing of Your Love and Word. His family is in Awe of You, Jesus Christ. We pray for Peace and Love for all in Jesus Christ.
Giving Jesus our Thanks for His Mission to save the world. For saving the Lost.
The Blessing of asking for more of Your Good Will done on earth as in Heaven. For This Day. This Present Joy. For our Loved ones to know Your kingdom, Your Power and Your Glory.For Nations trusting You. Covered in Jesus. Amen.
You renew Your Blessings each day, give us the heart and soul to see all Your Blessings.
Help us to Live Abundantly seeing Your Path in our Life. Our Blessings are like the Path of the Children of Israel to Freedom, You might have flown the Children of God to the Promised Land like Jesus in the Boat - immediately - at the other side in John 6. We have to have Faith to see Your Path is in our desire to Please You.
You are The Good Shepherd. You are The Door. Life Abundant. And in believing You, learning who we are, we find we are more interested and concerned for those around us. In making the Path for 40 Years, the Children of God were willing to work the Gifts of God given to them. This work and this Hope created the Faith and Love You gave us in the Old Testament and New Testament Holidays.
Develop in us Your Willingness to use the gifts and talents You give Your Beloved to make Life Abundant.
We ask for Elliott - who has so much faith - for the continued healing of Your Love and Word. His family is in Awe of You, Jesus Christ. We pray for Peace and Love for all in Jesus Christ.
Giving Jesus our Thanks for His Mission to save the world. For saving the Lost.
The Blessing of asking for more of Your Good Will done on earth as in Heaven. For This Day. This Present Joy. For our Loved ones to know Your kingdom, Your Power and Your Glory.For Nations trusting You. Covered in Jesus. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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