OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW!

Okay 2015 is hours away for me and I am declaring 2015 as my year.  This will be my last blog of the year.  My intentions have been good for 53 years but intentions are meaningless.  Now I have new direction in which to go.  For too many years I have allowed others words and actions to derail me.  For too many years I have kept silent about who I really am. For too many years I have cowered in the background trying not to ruffle anyones tail feathers.  For too many years I have buried my dreams.  Not any longer.  

This year, 2015, I will not allow anyone's words or actions to derail me because God has a purpose for me and this blog.  I will no longer remain silent about who I am and I will not apologize for believing in Jesus Christ.  I will not cower for fear of ruffling anyone's tail feathers, because God gave me a voice to use and words to write.  I will no longer allow anyone or anything to crush my dreams of writing a book.  I may be 80 when I finally do, but I will someday do it.  

This may seem a little radical for me, but I am who God created me to be.  I am not perfect and never will be and that's okay!  I was bullied as a child in school and was the last girl chosen to be on a team for sports.  I was picked on and teased and laughed at for years.  Now days I can remember those things and thank God for those times because they made me stronger, but to say those things did not affect me would be a lie.   Some of you may not believe this to look at me now, but it happened.  I never thought of myself as a victim but I was and I acted like it.

I am who I am today because of those events and times and I wouldn't change a thing.  My past does not define me any longer.   2015 will bring out a new and more confident me.  Why?  Well I have the Holy Spirit of God living in me and with that comes the power of Jesus Christ.  His words dwell in my heart and His Spirit gives me the power and ability to be a disciple, not just a follower.  Debra Barron is now under a new management.

Funny thing is I have always had this management system, I just haven't tapped into it as much as I should have.  I have been given power to live my life to it's fullest.  I have been given the words to bring life to the hopeless.  Nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior.  

Romans 8:38-39  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

I have a voice, I have a heart and I have power.  I also have a Savior who loves me and 2015 is my year of victory.  I will see my dreams come to pass.  I will no longer allow anyone else to define who I am or which direction I should travel in.  Jesus Christ, through His Holy Spirit that lives in me will be my GPS!  Nothing and no one will ever separate me from His love and His direction.

Lord help my words bring healing and restoration to those who have lived life being bullied.  May those who have been bullied make 2015 their year of victory in Jesus name I pray, amen  

WHICH WAY DO WE GO? WHOSE DIRECTIONS DO WE FOLLOW?

3 days from now we will be welcoming in another New Year.  2015 is just around the corner and approaching fast.  Many of us are seriously thinking about our New Years resolutions.  There is a lot of different directions we can take this coming year.  We can be like millions of others and decide to get in shape and get healthy.  After the first of the year the gyms all around this world are packed with newbies trying to get fit.   I remember when I worked in a ladies work out facility, the place would be packed in January and February,  People who hadn't worked out in months suddenly appeared and had to be retrained and reeducated on the weight machines and cardio equipment.  Hundreds to thousands of newbies would pay a small fortune to get in shape. They had great intentions, like most of us.  But intentions do not determine our destination.

As well intentioned as we may be, our intentions never get us to where we need to be, where we want to be without proper direction.  We become another "wandering generality" that goes with the flow and meanders through life just barely getting by.   Struggles are a normal part of our life, but if our direction is not pointed properly, these struggles can overwhelm us and catapult us into certain destruction.  

Year after year after year we make New Years resolutions without ever intending to keep them.  We know this from looking at our own track record.  How many years have we decided to get healthy until Valentine's Day or Easter.  We fall off the wagon and then comes summer with potato salad and corn on the cob and ice cream.  I know we'll reevaluate those resolutions once fall hits.  Before we know it Christmas has come again along with another New Year and we begin all over again.  Sound familiar?

I have done this same routine over and over again every year and every year I fail to fulfill those resolutions.  My determination was set in stone, my intentions were good but I lacked the proper direction.  Do you also or am I the only one?

My problem, and maybe yours also, lies in the direction I chose to go in.  When I come to a fork in the road, I am very tempted to follow everyone else.   I want to go with the flow and not ruffle any tail feathers.  I chose the direction that is well traveled after all it's easier, right?  My flesh is weak!  My flesh likes to be surrounded by people just like me.  To be a part of the crowd means I am accepted, right?

"Normal people attempt countless goals with limited success.  Weird people focus on just one God given objective with tremendous results."  Craig Groeschel    

This saying hit me right in between my eyes, where my brain is suppose to be.  My intentions were meaningless.  My determination was pointless.  My direction was lost.  My focus was placed in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Ouch!

I have always tried to set goals, but never seemed to accomplish them.  In fact I hated setting goals because that usually means failure for me.  I could try and try and try but never seemed to succeed at anything.  Why?  I would watch others set goals and attain them, but not me.  Why?  My husband is one of those goal setters and achievers.  I felt out of place.  What was wrong with me?  Yesterday I found out!   

At church yesterday Pastor Ben talked about our direction and his talk woke me up.  Although my intentions were good and my determination was good, my direction was focused wrong.  

When I focus on the flesh, I lose, I die!  I lost my direction and my purpose.  My direction was being guided by me and my flesh.  Instead I have to allow the direction of my life to be guided by the Holy Spirit.  That is the only way I can ever succeed at my New Years resolutions.  That is the only way I can ever really be alive and full of peace.  

This year I am going to be weird!  Okay I already am weird but be prepared because I am going to get weirder.  I am going to focus on just one God given objective this year.  I am going to get healthy but I am following the health plan that the Holy Spirit has given me.  You see God has a purpose for me and if I am not healthy, I will die too early in life to be able to accomplish what God has planned for me.  If that happens then someone may miss out on heaven because I had the wrong directions.  I will not allow that to happen.  Who's with me?  

Romans 8:6  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 

Heavenly Father, today I come to you as a sinner who has followed the wrong directions for too many years.  Today I chose health and I will follow your guide for my life.  Set my mind on you and only you as I continue this journey in Jesus name I pray, amen!

A BABY IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM

I had heard the rumors flying around the last 9 months about a virgin who became pregnant by God.  People were laughing and gossip has been flying around for months so I had to go investigate this for myself and report back to you.  As I write this report all I can say is I have seen things this week that has literally blown my mind.  Let me start at the beginning.

The journey for me was quite intense.  Riding a camel for weeks to get to the area they call Bethlehem was quite rough, to say the least.  The dust was flying and at times almost blinding.  The rough roads gave a new meaning to the term potholes.  I won't even begin to explain the shear struggle to ride this dumb camel up and down a mountain side. Oh and water?  Or shall I say what water?  It is as dry as a desert.  I am surprised I made it to Bethlehem alive. 

When I arrived there, the rumors about a pregnant woman who road the path I had just traveled on, astounded me.  According to the rumors she was 8 - 9 months pregnant.  #1 that just seems impossible and #2 I do not know any woman who is 8-9 months pregnant who would travel that path I just finished.  It was treacherous.  But alas I will continue on in my investigation.  I have booked a room at a local inn.  This place is filled with people.  There is some sort of census going on and there are visitors from all over who have traveled here.  I got the last room in the city.  

I have spent some time interviewing people about what they know about the rumors but no one seems to know anything in this city so I am going to journey out to visit with some shepherds.  At least I can do a report on their jobs and this visit won't be a bust, because I think all these rumors are just that, rumors!  I have found nothing here.  So off to see the shepherds.

We were all sitting around a campfire surrounded by sheep.  It was a crystal clear night, not a cloud in the sky.  Stars were bright, as usual, except there was a strange star in the north.  The shepherds noticed it too.  It's hard to describe but I have never seen a star that shined as bright as this star.  It was almost blinding. For a while we all just sat and stared at the star like it was speaking to us, but that's just ridiculous.  Yet something strange came over us.  As we sat there staring at this star, a midst began to surround us. I have to admit it was rather frightening.  

Suddenly this person appears out of no where.  But it couldn't have been a person because he had wings.  Alright I guess it had to be an angel.  I had heard reports about people seeing angels but this is my first one, and to be honest I didn't know what to think.  Then he spoke these words:  

 "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 

Could the rumors have been true after all?  I had to see for myself so I followed the shepherds as they followed the star into Bethlehem.  These shepherds had told me about how a prophet named Isaiah had predicted the birth of this baby hundreds of years ago.  They had been waiting for him to come and now to think they had the privilege of seeing the Messiah face to face was almost too much to bare.

As we journeyed into town, everyone was asleep except us.  There in the distance the star came to rest on a stable, okay let me be honest it was a cave filled with dirty, stinky animals.  How in the world could a so called "Messiah" be born here.  It seems like if this baby was as important as the angel said, he would be born in a palace.  This just don't make sense to me but I will continue on in my investigation.

We come to the entrance to the stable and notice the angel we saw in the desert standing behind this feeding trough.  Puzzled I ventured in to see a baby lying on a bed of hay, wrapped up in swaddling clothes.  The animals were virtually silent as I drew near this manger.  The closer I got, the more I began to realize that this was not just some ordinary baby.  There was something very special about this baby.  As I stood there looking at him, I felt a sense of love and peace so deep that it is hard for this reporter to put into words.  I was awestruck and dumbfounded.  My eyes filled with tears and I knew that at that very moment I was indeed staring into the eyes of God Himself.  

Call me crazy but something happened to me in that stable.  I sensed a presence so real that it enveloped me like a fog.  I dropped to my knees because I truly believe I was standing on Holy Ground.  Let me tell you, this is not easy for this reporter to confess, but what I saw and experienced in Bethlehem was real.  The rumors were true and I have been changed by a baby born in Bethlehem. 

May the pure and innocent love of Jesus Christ, invade your heart this Christmas Season.  

Merry Christmas my dear friends! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM HEAVEN

My dad 

My father-in-law 

Today my journey to the true meaning of Christmas brings up many memories of these 2 men in my life.  Both of these fine men are in heaven celebrating Christmas with Jesus Christ.  This is my tribute to them.

My Dear Loved Ones,

I am writing you from heaven today to tell you Merry Christmas.  I cannot begin to tell you how much I love you and how much I miss you.  I see your face and tears of joy well up in my eyes.  It brings me so much peace to see you continue on with your life and enjoy that life God has blessed you with.  You have so much to live for and so many sights to see and there is a purpose that you are living for, even if you don't see it now.  There are so many adventures waiting for you so please take care of yourself.

Oh, I know there are days when you are sad, you may feel all alone at times but remember I am with you.  I live in your heart and I live in all the wonderful memories we created together.  Some of those memories are painful, but for the most part I want you to embrace all the fun and laughter we shared.  The vacations, the car rides, the parties and celebrations all bring a twinkle to my eyes.  The laughter and the tears we shared were the best.  Remember the good times and let those memories propel you to make new memories.  

I want you to enjoy your life now.  I have seen what God has planned for you and it is amazing.  In fact God and I sat down together under an old oak tree and He showed me the life He has waiting for you and it is awesome.  He has a purpose for you that involves you living a long and healthy life.  Yes, I would love to have you up here with me, but it's not your time yet.  Don't rush it because your purpose on earth can change lives, but if your up here instead of where God needs you to be, then that purpose cannot be completed.  It's very important that you continue on for me and keep going to complete the path God has you on.

Let me tell you that this place is breathtaking.  Wait that is a total understatement.  I wish I could describe in words what Heaven is like but that would be impossible for me to do.   Instead I will tell you that our Savior has collected every one of your tears.  He has heard your cries and He knows you are hurting.  Please don't dwell in the past because I am no longer there.  I am in your future once again.  There will be a day that we see each other face to face again and on that day I will introduce you to Jesus Christ, but until God calls you home, please continue to live your life as a celebration of the endless possibilities that are awaiting you.  

Enjoy your life as you watch our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren grow.  

Celebrate life!  Enjoy life! Live life! 

My prayer for you today is that you allow the love of Jesus Christ to invade your heart and your life today,  May that joy of the birth of our Savior put a twinkle in your eyes and a bounce to your steps.  May you continue to celebrate the life have now and embrace the memories of the past.  In Jesus name I pray, amen!

Until we meet again, know that I love you and I am forever yours!

 Psalm 23:4-6  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 19

For centuries babies have been born out of wedlock and these babies have been labeled by religious and lay people.  These babies have been called illegitimate, bastards, and many other vulgar names.  For centuries these babies were treated differently.  They were teased and tormented along with their mothers.  These labeled babies and women usually ended up in poverty and were the outcasts of society.  Back in the days of Mary a woman could be stoned to death for getting pregnant outside of marriage.  

Now days it is not such a big deal in society but there are still some very religious people who will judge and condemn someone.  Really?  I find it very strange that some religious folks actually think it's okay to label a baby as a mistake or illegitimate or a bastard in this day and age.  If some of us religious folks would have been around back in the time of Mary, we would have been one of the first ones to pick up a stone to stone her?  

Listen I know that families should be made inside of a marriage, I am not disputing that but we are all humans and we all sin!  There is not a one of us who would be left holding a stone when those religious leaders were going to stone Mary Magdalene for being a prostitute.  We have all sinned and fallen short so to say one sin is worse then the other is wrong.  At least in my eyes.  

As a sinner I have no right to condemn anyone!  I have no right to label a baby as illegitimate.  Listen, there are no illegitimate babies and there are no unplanned pregnancies with God!  God has a plan and He is the one who picks the time a baby is conceived.  At least that is my belief.  God's ways are no our ways, His plans are not our plans so who are we to say that a child is illegitimate?

Salvation came through the greatest unplanned pregnancy in the world.  Mary did not plan this, she never asked for this, she did nothing wrong.  Jesus was an unplanned pregnancy in the eyes of those religious leaders but to God He was the greatest unplanned pregnancy.     

Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Think about it for a moment and reread this verse.  God chose an unmarried young girl to give birth to the Savior of the world.  He could have chosen a man and woman who were married but He didn't.  There is reason for everything and there is a reason for every child that is born in this world.  

Israel Houghton, a great worship singer who has wrote many inspirational songs was an out of wedlock baby.  James Robison, a preacher with a heart of love we a product of a rape.  Where would we be without these unplanned pregnancies?  Think about that next time you are quick to condemn and point fingers.  

Love was given to us through the greatest unplanned pregnancy.  Salvation was given to us through the greatest unplanned pregnancy.  Eternity was given to us through the greatest unplanned pregnancy.

Lord, thank you for all those babies born in your time table and not ours.  Help us to be quick to show love and compassion to those who have been hurt and ridiculed by an unplanned pregnancy.  Help us to find the hope and love of the greatest unplanned pregnancy in the world, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 18TH

Oh just the simple thoughts of what a week from now will bring gets me excited.  Not for myself but for my children and grandchildren.  The twinkle in their eyes, the excitement in their voices, the quickness of their steps as they run down the hall to see a Christmas surrounded by presents.  Oh how I remember those days as a child.  The excitement was overwhelming.  Try to sleep on Christmas Eve?  Yea right!  A virtual impossibility, at least for me.  I slept with one eye open.  Anxious and excited I would get up at 5:00 in the morning and wake everyone else up in the house.  My older brother and sister did not appreciate this, but oh well, I was the baby of the family.  

As I had children of my own, my excitement reignited as I would wake up at 6:00 to see if they were awake.  If they wouldn't I would wake them up.  I know I was a little extreme maybe.  But I love Christmas and all it entails.  I love buying presents and wrapping them.  I love opening presents.  The giving and receiving is just simply amazing.  

Presents!  Presents!  Presents!  As I stop to think about presents I can't help to turn my focus on those of us who may have no presents under the tree due to financial problems.  Oh man does that bring back memories.  Jerry and I's first few Christmas' saw no presents under the tree.  With no jobs and no money, that was the last thing we could afford.  Actually one of the first gifts our daughter Beky got from her grandparents was a giant box filled with baby food.  They knew it would really help us out.  It was a hard time for us financially but those memories today are priceless.  

You see what I learned during those times was that it wasn't so much about the presents wrapped under the tree, it was the presence of God that was born to us on that day in a stable in Bethlehem.  

Presents or Presence?  For me it is all about the presence of God.  Imagine standing in the presence of God!  How amazing would that be?  How life changing would that be?   

Luke 1:19  And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 

The angel Gabriel that appeared to Mary was one of the lucky ones who stood in the presence of God.  He was a messenger of God, so I imagine he talked with God as well as standing in His presence.  Back before the birth of Jesus, only a few chosen people (priests) could stand before the presence of God in the Temple, but since Jesus' birth, death and resurrection, we have the presence of God living inside of us through the Holy Spirit.  That is amazing when I stop and think about it.  

We don't need a priest to stand before the presence of God for us, we have the very presence of God inside of us.  We can talk with Him and pray with Him, we can ask Him for His forgiveness and listen to Him and sometimes we can just be still and be with Him.  I have been overtaken by the presence of God and surrounded by His glory quite often.  It is so awesome to have that ability. So often we forget this ability or for some of us we are never taught this ability, but it is real.  The presence of God on my life and in my life is overwhelming, to say the least.  It is something I pray that I never take for granted.  

So this Christmas season instead of focusing on the presents around your tree, focus on the presence of God that lives inside of you.  

May the very presence of God invade your heart and mind this Christmas season.  May you learn to be still and bask in His presence every moment of every day, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 16TH

What are you expecting this Christmas?  Maybe a diamond?  Maybe a new car?  Maybe a long awaited vacation?  Maybe you're expecting a basket of food from a local church?  Maybe you're expecting to find a new job?  Maybe you're expecting to be sitting in a homeless shelter? Maybe you're expecting nothing?  After all if you expect nothing and get nothing you won't have another year filled with disappointments.  

Expectations this time of year can be overwhelming and exciting.  It's a time for dreams to come true and wishes to be granted.  Children make their wish list and teenagers dream big dreams and adults, well we know better than to expect anything.  It can be a tough time for many people.  Financial struggles and medical issues can drive many of us to expect nothing.   Maybe you have been so disappointed in the past that you never expect anything good to ever happen to you.  Maybe you've given up on ever expecting.  

Listen I understand life is hard sometimes.  In fact sometimes life is downright brutal sometimes but never, and I mean never stop expecting.  When we stop expecting, we stop dreaming and we stop praying.  Sure we may not always get what we expect to get, but sometimes that's okay.  Expecting something good to come your way is not offensive to God.  He wants us to expect good things to happen to us and for us, even or should I say especially during a storm.  I know that is the hardest time to expect anything from anyone, but that is when God does the most good, if we let Him, if we expect Him to.

So many of us walk around with a cloud of doom and gloom hanging over our heads.  We complain and whine, moan and groan, we gripe and throw pity parties.  We walk around with our head hanging down and a "woo is me" attitude.  When we feel like that, when we act like that, that is the time we need to get our expectations back up.  We need to start dreaming and praying and expecting God to rescue us.  Listen I have been there in the pits with no expectations, no dreams and even no prayers.  It was a dark lonely place to be and very depressing.  Then God brought me to this verse.    

Luke 2:5  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

Mary was 13, pregnant and scared.  She couldn't tell anyone what was going on because to be honest they wouldn't have believed her anyway.  She was at risk for being stoned and she was the point of gossip everywhere she went.  If anyone should have had no expectations it should have been Mary.  Pointing fingers and whispers made her feel like a leper.   She should have expected more snears, more stares, more whispers and more ridicule.  What good could she expect from this storm she was facing?   

Mary was expecting the Son of God!  Even in the midst of all the negative junk that was happening to her, she was expecting to give birth to the Savior of the world.  She kept her expectations focused on God.  She expected Him to be with her and help her, which He did.  She expected God to work it all out for her good, which He did.  She expected to look into her babies eyes and see the face of God, which she did.  Imagine that!

Expectations are a risk,  We risk facing disappointments, but on the other hand if we expect nothing, we lose out on the possibilities of what could have been if we had kept expecting the best.  So what are you expecting this Christmas?  Me?  I am expecting to find my Savior Jesus Christ invading my heart once again.  

Lord, help us to keep our expectations focused on you.  Help us to keep expecting your best.  May my heart once again be filled with the expectation of the amazing love you gave us that first Christmas Day, in Jesus name I pray, amen! 

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 15TH

Psalm 127:3  Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him. 

Walking around this world and listening to conversations can be quite eye opening, especially at Christmas time.  As I sit and just listen I hear parents and even grandparents discussing how disobedient their children or grandchildren are.  I hear voices that say everything that the child is doing wrong.  I hear the pain in their voice that cannot seem to comprehend why said child is so disobedient.  I hear the confusion in their words as they try to understand what to do in order to get through to this child.  It is hard to be a parent.  To be honest it is the toughest job in the world.  But it can also be the most rewarding.  

The thing I realize is that way too often we are wrapped up with what a child is doing wrong.  We are so concerned about their obedience that we lose track of what they are doing that is right.  

Listen our children and grandchildren are being pressured enough by society and their peers.  To also have this pressure at home can be too much for them to handle.  I know we have to discipline our children, but we also have to build them up and let them know who they are.  We have to tell them how special they are, we have to show them an tell them how much we love them and value them. 

Yelling, screaming and beating a child into submission does not teach them anything.  What it does tell them is that they are worthless, disobedient little jerks.  (Yes, I have heard these words spoken in grocery stores before.)  What it tells them is that unless they obey us, we will not love them.  That may not be what we mean, but this is what they hear and feel.  

Talking about how bad our children are when they are in the room with us is inexcusable.  We may think that they cannot hear us but they do.  They hear the disgust in our voices, they hear the frustration and anger in our voices and they can tell that they can do nothing right, because nothing they can do is ever right.  We sometimes treat our children as adults and expect them to obey when spoken to instead of treating this as a learning process with patience and understanding.  Yes there are times we may have to repeat ourselves 1,000 times, but let me ask you this, how many times has God told you to obey Him?  Did you listen right away and obey?

We expect more out of our children than God expects out of us.  God knew we were not perfect and that He would have to remind us over and over and over and over again that we need to obey Him.  I know for myself that God has had to remind me over 1,000 times to obey Him yet He has never once yelled at me or beat me, even though I deserve it.   He has never put me down or reminded me how disobedient I have been,  He has never pointed His finger at me in anger or disgust.  He has never told me that I am a loser or a jerk.  God, my Father in Heaven, has never really disciplined me the way I deserve.

No, instead He calmly points out my disobedience and patiently reminds me of how I need to behave.  He loving holds me and forgives me over and over and over again for the same mistake.  He doesn't care if it takes Him reminding me 1,000,000,000 times, He just patiently keeps reminding me and loving me and forgiving me.  If God can do this for us, why can't we do this with our own children and grandchildren?  

I have seen a broken hearted child who feels like nothing they can do is ever right.  I have seen the tears as they once again hear about their failure.  I have seen the pain they feel as they hear their parents discuss how disobedient they are.  I have seen the question in their eyes that says, "Am I loved?  Am I a worthless piece of junk?  Can anyone really love me?"

Parents and grandparents; there are other grandparents and parents who have watched the child they love die from cancer or illness or accident.  These people would do anything to be able to hug that child again.  They would move heaven and earth if they could just to tell that child how much they love them.  Don't take that child for granted.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!  TAKE TIME TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN KNOW THEY ARE LOVED AND ACCEPTED.     

After all God loves us and accepts us!

Lord please let me make sure that every day I tell my children and grandchildren how much they are loved.  Help me to be an example of your love and forgiveness.  Help me to see the good things and teach how to change the wrong things, in Jesus name, amen!

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 12

"There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you"

These lyrics from a song called "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang, speak volumes to me about Christmas time.  It's a celebration, a giant party that happens all over the world.  It's a time to rejoice and put on our party hats and ugly sweaters that we only wear at this time of year.  It's time to give gifts and rejoice because we have been given the most priceless gift of all, salvation and eternal life.  Given to us through a baby boy born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, we remember this gift and celebrate it!  

No "bah humbug" attitudes are allowed!  No "poor pitiful me" attitudes allowed!  I totally understand it can also be a very painful time of year for those who have lost loved ones.  We miss them, we wish they were here to celebrate with us, but as believers we should rejoice because they get to celebrate Christmas with the one we celebrate at Christmas.  Imagine that party!!  Christmas in heaven would have to be the most amazing time ever.  The memories, the rejoicing, the singing, and the praising is something I look forward to, someday.  

For me it's not about the presents I receive, its about the presents I give.  It's about buying presents for those children whose parents don't have money to buy their own children presents.  For me it's about giving.  It's about celebrating the most precious and priceless gift of all, love!  

Over 2,000 years ago, love was born in a stable in Bethlehem.  Love was given to us and brought into this world through a virgin.  Love was proclaimed in the star that shined brighter than any other star.  Love was given the name of Jesus Christ.  Love was given to us through a baby boy.  Love was proclaimed by an angel to shepherds.  Throughout all the ages, this love has encompassed us and surrounded us.  This amazing love, this unfailing love, this never ending love is something that requires a celebration!   

Luke 1:46-49  And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 

When I read this verse I can imagine the joy that Mary was feeling.  It had to be mind blowing.  to carry the Savior of the world, had to be indescribable. The amazing thing about Mary is that she was not proud or boastful about it.  She could have went all around bragging that she was pregnant with the Messiah that they had been waiting on for.  "Hey guess what?  I am pregnant with the Son of God!" but she didn't.  She could have made all her friends jealous and sick with envy, yet she didn't.  She remained humble, but at the same time, she celebrated what was happening to her.  She knew that what was happening was a true miracle.  She praised God and rejoiced at being chosen to give birth to the long awaited Messiah.  She knew it was nothing she had done to deserve this, it was all God.  

2,000 years ago, love came down to rescue me and you.  Love came down to set us free from sin.  Love came down in the life and breath of a baby boy.  This love has transformed me, it can transform you also.

Lord, thank you for that gift of love that was born in a stable over 2,000 years ago.  Thank you for rescuing me with your amazing love.  At this Christmas time, help me to share your love with everyone I meet, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 11TH

Luke 1:41 when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Can you just imagine how Elizabeth felt when Mary came to visit her?  Think about it for a moment.  Just a cousin visiting her cousin.  No big deal!  This kind of stuff happens all the time.  What in the world was so special about this visit?  Oh I know they were both pregnant, right?  Well yea but something special happened when these 2 cousins greeted each other.   You all know the story or at least most of you do, but  what amazes me here is something I have missed for my entire life.  This thing I am going to talk about is something I never heard before in my entire catholic upbringing.  Yes I heard about Elizabeth's baby leaping for joy, but I never really paid attention to the last part of this verse, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  Are you serious?

Okay maybe some of you got that before but I never really did.  I mean it's amazing enough to realize that her baby leaped for joy when a barely pregnant Mary greeted her cousin.  It's like Jesus was working even as tiny as He was, secluded in the womb of Mary, He already had power.  Think about it!  I don't know about you but as far as I understand things back then, this kind of Holy Spirit stuff didn't happen much.  

The Holy Spirit, to be filled with the Holy Spirit is something not many religions talk about anymore.  In fact some religions don't think the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for this day and age.  I say poppy cock.  As for me, I rely on the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit to get me through life.  The wisdom and the knowledge that is given to me through the Holy Spirit has changed me from the inside out.   The discernment I have has gotten me out of a lot of rough spots in my life.  My faith (which is a gift) has propelled me to new levels I never imagined possible.    As for the fruits, if I didn't have them, I would  be a basket case.  

As a Catholic I was confirmed in 8th grade.  Supposedly that is when I received the Holy Spirit.  Honestly to me and I truly believe most Catholics, it is just another sacrament.  I felt nothing, and nothing in my life changed.  To be truthful I did not fully comprehend who the Holy Spirit was.  His powers, fruit and gifts were not discussed, yet somehow I knew I was missing out on something spectacular.  I wish I knew then what I know now.  

Listen I am speaking from my personal experience so please do not get offended by what I say.  I knew nothing about the Holy Spirit until I stopped believing in religion and started believing in Jesus Christ and started reading my Bible.  When I started researching the power of the Holy Spirit, I was shocked.  I had missed out on a lot of amazing stuff.  When I verbally and literally stood among 17,000 women and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, I (like Elizabeth) was filled with the Holy Spirit.  I felt a warm rush that overpowered me from my top of my head to the tips of my toes.  From that day forward, my life, my personality and my words began to change for the better.

Like Elizabeth and I, you too can be filled with the Holy Spirit this Christmas season.  If you have never paid much attention to the Holy Spirit, take time in the next few weeks to  do a little research, you may be amazed at what you have been missing out on.

Lord, today I ask you to pour your Holy Spirit down upon me.  Fill me with your Spirit and teach me your ways oh Lord, in Jesus name I pray, amen!       

   

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 10TH

I can hear the sound of Gus-Gus now, "Cinderelly, Cinderelly!"  I have loved the movie Cinderella my entire life but today I have a new take on it that I never really connected until now.  Although this is not a religious movie by any means, yet it does have an undertone of Jesus.  I know this may seem a little far fetched but bare with me.  Cinderella was a servant in her house.  She did all the cleaning, all the washing, all the cooking, she did all the stuff that the wicked stepmother and mean old step sisters didn't want to do.  She served them day and night and night and day.  She was at their beckon call.  All they had to do was ring her bell and she would run and answer them.  She provided all their needs and cleaned up the stains on their beautiful dresses.  The whole time she served, she did it with a gladful heart, hoping some day her prince would come and rescue her.  Now you get it?  Can you read between the lines here?

Okay, get this.  In the end, because of Cinderella's faithfulness in serving an ungrateful group of people, her fairy godmother made her dream come true.  At the end of the movie Cinderella married her prince and lived in a palace.  Her wicked stepmother and mean old step sisters got to watch as all of Cinderella's wildest dreams came true all because she served people who didn't deserve to be served.  She sacrificed for years and led a servants life and in the end she was rewarded. 

Jesus led a servant's life, but so did Mary.  At 13 she was told she would be the Mother of God in human form.  At the risk of being stoned to death for getting pregnant outside of marriage, she became a servant.  In the midst of being gossiped about, she became a servant.  In the middle of being ostracized by all her family and friends, she became a servant.  Instead of a lavish wedding ceremony filled with glamour and gifts, she became a servant.  In the midst of all the could have beens and should have beens, she became a servant.  Instead of giving birth in a comfortable home environment surrounded by family and friends to support her, she gave birth in a cave filled with animals and their droppings.  She gave up the life she could have had to serve God.   

Luke 1:38  And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

I am the servant of the Lord!  Those words are hard to say and very risky.  If you're like me you may cringe when you say those words because to be honest we have no idea what God has in mind for us.  Fear sets in sometimes when we utter those words but why?  It shouldn't!  We should proudly say those words and say them out loud, yet we don't.  The risk involved is high, but the yield is so sweet and profound.  Mary, like Cinderella, endured much ridicule and gossip.  People pointed at her and made rude comments.  People laughed at her and made fun of her, but like Cinderella she just continued to serve.  I want Mary's faith!  I want to say, "I am the servant of the Lord", because let me tell you, the reward we will get in heaven will be greater than we could ever imagine.   I may never get rewarded on earth for being a servant of Jesus Christ, and that's okay.  I am storing up my treasures in heaven.  

As tears run down my cheeks, I am going to surrender all of myself to God as His servant.  Join me today!

God, here I am.  All that I am and all that I have is yours.  Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.  In Jesus name I pray, amen!  

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 8TH

Luke 1:35  And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 

Today as I sit here I am taken back to a time in my life where I thought I knew all there was to know about the birth of Jesus.  But yesterday I realized something that I never fully understood from this verse.  My pastor pointed it out to me and since then it has been turning around in my brain as I try to grasp the intensity of it all.  You see Mary was told that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Most High God would overshadow her.   God came down from heaven and planted a seed of greatness inside of her body and also her heart.  From the moment that angel appeared, Mary's life was never the same again, everything changed.  As God overshadowed her, she was  confused and bewildered.  She didn't understand what was happening or how it was happening, all she knew was that some day it would all make sense. She trusted in God even in the midst of the confusion.   All she knew was that she was carrying the Son of God.  God was living and growing inside of her.  Everyday she became more and more filled with God.  As she allowed her heart, her body and life to be overtaken by God, she grew not only physically but emotionally and spiritually. You see I totally understood that God was living inside of her body, but I never stopped to think that her heart was also being filled with God.  

Okay this may seem totally off track but just bare with me here.  I have flown on many airplanes and when I fly on a cloud and dreary day, it is never as exciting.  As we finally get off the runway and into the air, there is a thick layer of clouds.  There is nothing to be seen.   I can't see the ground because of the density of the clouds and I can't see above for the same reason.  Confusion sets in because I can't see where I am headed.  I feel like I am in a fog with no way out, but then eventually as the plane keeps flying it gets high enough to pierce through the dark and dreary clouds to find a clear blue sky with sunshine. A breakthrough!   Yea!!

Life is like this.  We go through tough times that we do not understand.  We face storm clouds of biblical proportion and expect a breakthrough only to find more clouds and more clouds. We become overtaken by these clouds our life becomes confused and our minds become bewildered.  We are lost and hopeless, overshadowed by clouds of depression that never leave us.  These clouds end up affecting everyone we come in contact with.  Bitterness, resentment, anger, greed, jealousy and envy are just a few of the emotions that can overtake us when we are facing the storm clouds of life, unless we have the seed of God Himself in us.  Sometimes even as believers we forget about that seed, we neglect it and ignore it.  We become ugly and bitter on the inside and outside.  

As a believer, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has come upon me and I have been overshadowed by the power of my Most High God.  Which means that I have the seed of God Himself inside of me(the Holy Spirit).    If I nurture this seed by reading His Word and study His Word, I will have the power of God available inside of me to face any dark cloud because I know that His light is shining inside of me.  It doesn't matter what happens to me on the outside, what matters is what is happening to me on the inside.  Do I appear to have God growing inside of me?  Am I trusting God in the midst of the storm?  What do my words and actions say about me?  Mary had an amazing attitude in the midst of her storm and we need to do the same thing!  

Almighty God and Father, thank you for giving me the seed of hope and love.  Help me to allow this seed to grow and take over my life.  Allow more of you to be seen and less of me, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 5

Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

As I breath in this verse of scripture I am drawn to me knees in praise because of the name God gives His Son, Immanuel.  Which means; God with us.  The other fact about this that verse that puzzles me is that it was written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ.  The shear intensity of this verse is multiplied by this simple fact.  God wanted His people to know that He was sending a miracle baby, His only Son, to be born as a human being.  Just the idea of this is dumbfounding and overwhelming.  God came down as a baby to show us His amazing and unfailing love.  Some of you may argue that God and Jesus are 2 separate people.  While I am not a biblical scholar, I never went to college to study but Bible or history, I do know what God shows me.  Immanuel means God with us, not Jesus with us while God sits in heaven and watches.  I'm not 100% sure how this Holy Trinity thing works, but I believe it!  

God came down to rescue me and you!  He didn't have to!  No one made Him do it!  We did not do anything to deserve this!  God came down to earth as a baby.  Are you kidding me?  God!  God Almighty!  Creator of the heavens and the earth!   He could have came down as an adult on a brilliant white horse with wings, wearing a crown of gold and live in a castle, but no!  He didn't come like that.  He was born in a dark, dismal cave where shepherds kept their animals.  He was born to a virgin who should have been stoned to death for getting pregnant outside of marriage.  His step dad wasn't a king or even rich, he was a carpenter.  I don't even think they would be considered middle class by today's standards.  Mary and Joseph were your run of the mill, normal people with one exception, the had the privilege of giving birth and raising God.  

Imagine looking into your babies eyes and knowing that you are actually gazing into the eyes of God Himself.  That face you kiss and snuggle with every night is the face of God.  I could seriously cry just thinking about this.  My God reached down from heaven so that He could reveal Himself to me and you.  There is no gratitude that will suffice for this.  I thank God all the time for what He did for me, yet it just doesn't seem like enough.  Listen I know for some of you this stuff I'm talking about is hard to believe, I understand.  But this knowledge I have come to understand about the birth of Jesus Christ has changed my life forever and for the better.  I have a peace and a faith so deep that I cannot accurately describe it.  It has amazed me how much God has changed me.  Whether you believe or not is your choice, but also which choice you make you will also have to accept the consequences of those beliefs.  Sorry of that statement offends anyone but it is true with anything.  Any decision, any choice we make, whether spiritual, financial, or physical we have to face the consequences of those choices, nothing different here.

Listen His birth was predicted and prophesied hundreds of years before it happened.  Pharisees and Sadducees had scripture memorized frontwards and backwards and still missed Immanuel.  They knew God was sending a redeemer, a king, a messiah but they were looking in the wrong place.  They knew scripture, but they didn't know or understand scripture, they missed Him!  They were expecting a mighty warrior who would wipe out all their enemies and make Israel a great nation again.  They weren't looking for a baby.  They missed out on their Savior, they missed out on their God.  He was standing right in front of them and they missed it!  Please don't miss out on what God has waiting for you.  He loves you so much that He came down to earth as a baby and died a horrific death for you!  

Heavenly Father, how can I ever thank you enough for coming down to earth to save me?  Words can never begin to express my gratitude so instead I offer you myself.  All that I have and all that I do is for your glory and yours alone, in Jesus name I pray, amen! 

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 4TH

I look at this picture and it makes me stop and think about Mary.  She must have been scared out of her wits.  Think about it for a moment.  First of all an angel appears to you.  Are you freaking kidding me?  Now days Mary would have wondered if someone had slipped something in her morning coffee.  She would have to be hallucinating.  Can you imagine the thoughts that would be running through her mind if this happened to her now?  "Who is this and what is going on here?  Am I being punked?  Where are the hidden cameras?  Am I on America's Funniest Videos?  Seriously who are you and what are you doing in my house?  I'll call 911 if you don't leave now."  Yea this may sound funny but stop and think about it, she was 13 years old.  I totally understood that back then the situation and people were totally different, but again imagine Mary in this day and age.  

What would she tell her best friend?  Would they understand or would she be bullied for being a lunatic?  What if one of her friends posted this story on Facebook?  She would be the laughing stock at school.  She couldn't even mention the name of God at school so how could she ever convince people she was telling the truth?  How many of her friends would try to convince her to get an abortion or give the baby up for adoption?  Listen maybe this seem a little far fetched, but to be truthful, even in her day and age, she should have been stoned for getting pregnant before getting married.  She was ostracized and criticized.  I am sure she was the topic of conversation around many dinner tables.  I can hear the voice of a father of one of her friends now; "I forbid you to have anything to do with Mary.  She is dead to you.  She is a lunatic."  I am sure she lost all her friends and even family members had to think she was crazy.  I won't even venture to try to imagine what was going through Joseph's mind back then.

Luke 1:30  And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 

How could she not be afraid?  She was facing death by stoning, yet she wasn't.  What did she know that most of us tend to forget?   God was in control.  She had a faith in God that was so deep and profound that she trusted that He would work it all out for her good.  Even before those words by Paul were penned, she knew God had her in the palm of His hand and she trusted that everything would be okay.  She knew that with God, all things are possible.  She had heard the story about God parting the Red Sea, so she had faith that this pregnancy would not mean her death.  In spite of all the dreaded scenarios that she faced, she trusted in God without question.  WOW!  That is what I call amazing faith.  Honestly I don't know if my faith in God is that powerful.

The other thing that amazes me about Mary is that because of her powerful faith in God, she found favor with God.  In other words God blessed her in many ways that were seen and unseen.  She had a faith and peace and confidence that got her through some of the toughest experiences ever.  Can you imagine standing there watching soldiers murder your son?  I know I can't imagine it or even begin to comprehend the things she endured as the mother of Jesus Christ.  Yet she endured it all with grace and love and peace.  Her faith was tested over and over many times yet she remained strong in her faith of God.  Simply amazing!  Oh how I long to have a faith that deep and profound.  Trust me, my faith in God is very strong, but I am not sure how strong it is when I compare it to Mary's faith.  

Lord I thank you for the sacrifice Mary made to give birth to our Savior.  Thank you for this example of ultimate faith in you.  May my faith continue to grow so that I may not live afraid any more.  May you pour out your favor upon me as I increase my faith and trust in you,  in Jesus name I pray, amen.

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 3RD

As my journey continues my thoughts begin to wander into the vast meaning of Christmas time.  It is such a busy time of the year.  My calendar for December is already filled.  How do I prepare for something when I already feel overwhelmed by things that need to get done?  I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way.  We all have a list of tasks to be completed.  We all have a list of cookies and  sweets we want to prepare for this magical day.  There are gifts to wrap, presents to buy and cards to sign and mail out.  Really I could become so overwhelmed preparing for these 2 days that I forget the real meaning behind it all, but a few years ago I decided to reevaluate my priorities at Christmas.  After all is it really matter if I bake 10 different kinds of cookies to pass out to family and friends? 

As I reevaluated my priorities, baking cookies and sweets hit the bottom of my list.  I began to focus on things that could change me and my heart.  That for me was a turning point in this celebration of Christmas.  I began to listen to that still, small voice that talked about preparing for the birth of my Savior with a clean heart.  How in the world could I clean this heart of mine to be worthy of what was coming my way?  I couldn't.  I tried and I tried, but nothing seemed to change.  Then that still, small voice whispered to me "You cannot clean your heart unless you truly give your complete heart to God."  Well I thought I was, but to be honest I wasn't.  I held back certain areas of my heart.  I tried to hide them and not deal with the real issues at hand.  Listen to be totally honest with here, being honest with ourselves about ourselves is one of the hardest things to do.  Oh it's easy to be honest about someones heart issues, but when we start really searching our own heart, it can be scary.

By surrendering my complete, whole heart to God is the only way to create a clean heart.  Foolishly I thought I could trick God into thinking I was giving Him my whole heart.  But I realized, through the Holy Spirit, that I had to go into the desert like Jesus did.  I had to get real with myself and deal with issues I had buried for years.  I had to be honest with myself.  God already knew the truth about me.  He knew what I was trying to hide and had already forgiven me, but until I dealt with it myself and forgave myself and the others who offended me, my heart would still be unclean.  Oh this wasn't easy but it was so worth it!  Many times I cried out to God in the wilderness of my heart and because I did, He started working on my heart.  He began preparing me and my heart for more of Jesus. 

Isaiah 40:3-5  The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.  Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." 

Because I gave God complete access to my heart,  He exalted the low periods of my life.  He moved mountains that was keeping me from His best.  He straightened my path and smoothed every bump and pothole that kept me far from His glory.  Preparing for Christmas has very little to do with baking and shopping and wrapping.  It has everything to do with yielding my heart to God so that He can clean the sin from my heart and reveal to me the light of Jesus Christ's birth.  I am preparing my heart for my Savior, Jesus Christ.  That means no more harsh words or criticism.  No more anger and bitterness.  No more grudges and hate.  No more judgement and condemnation.  No more whining or complaining.  No more words that hurt others.  From the mouth, the heart speaks; so lets start watching what we say and let the love of Jesus Christ pour forth from our lips and our heart.

Lord as we continue to prepare for this celebration of Jesus's birth, clean our hearts.  Help us to truly surrender our hearts to you so that our words and actions may exhibit the love of our Savior, in Jesus name I pray, amen!

A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 1

Luke 1:1-4  So many others have tried their hand at putting together a story of the wonderful harvest of Scripture and history that took place among us, using reports handed down by the original eyewitnesses who served this Word with their very lives.  Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, starting from the story's beginning, I decided to write it all out for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught. 

My journey today starts in Luke.  You may ask why?  I don't know a lot about Luke but from what I understand he was a doctor.  Now the doctors I know are not feeble minded people who believe everything they hear.  Doctors do research, they run tests and compile results to see if the statements they hear are true. While Luke was not one of the original disciples that traveled around with Jesus, he was interested in what he had heard about this Jesus character, so he investigated.  Like our reporters do today, he interviewed people who were there.  He listened to the eye witness reports of what had happened and the book of Luke contains what he discovered.   There is no doubt in my mind that Luke was reporting on facts, not fiction.  He was stating with historical accuracy, what he had heard and witnessed first hand from testimonies of those who were there.  I do not believe he just took people at their word, he researched what they said.  

As an investigative reporter, we need to gather the facts, just the facts.  When we try to investigate what is really happening, we don't need drama or hype, we need facts and the only way to get that is to speak to the eye witnesses, as Luke did.  Since we were not there when Jesus lived on this Earth, all we have to go on is from the people who were there.  Luke listened and saw the proof and he believed.  A doctor who listened to scientific data, yes even back then.  A doctor who trusted results and proof, believed.   A doctor who wanted written documentation and data that would back up the results, believed.  He wasn't brainwashed.  He was a brilliant doctor in his days.  So why would a doctor believe in someone he never met or never saw, he listened and saw the proof.  

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, what I have been taught is reliable and accurate.   I will never doubt in Jesus Christ.  Although I have never met Him, face to face; although I have never talked with Him personally, face to face, I believe in Him.  Life is a mystery and we can either go through this life doubting everything we can't see, feel or hear or we can believe.  As for me I chose to believe.  I don't have to prove anything to anyone.  I do not have to defend my beliefs to anyone.  I have read the proof and heard the testimonies, my life has changed because of my beliefs.  

Last week as I struggled to put 3800 lights on this tree, God taught me a lesson in patience and persistence.  Trust me it would have been much easier to give up and not believe that I could do this, but God taught me to trust in Him even in the simple task of putting lights on a tree.  It took me 3 days, numerous cords I shorted out and accepting the fact that a 9 foot tree was too much, but I persevered and conquered the task at hand.  Some may say that this is too much work and effort into a tree that commercialized Christmas,  but for me this tree embodies the light of Jesus Christ.  It lights up my dark living room with just a flick of a switch, just as Jesus Christ  has lit up my heart.  

Christmas isn't about trees or presents or cookies or parties or stress, it;s about Jesus!  So as this season of Christmas begins, if you feel stressed and overwhelmed, stop and remember the true reason for the season, Jesus Christ.  For me the greatest present is my family gathered together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.  

May this Christmas time be filled with peace, joy and love.  May our lives be illuminated by the light of Jesus Christ shining forth from our hearts, in Jesus name I pray, amen!