Inspirations

I love Christmas!!!  Let me say it again, “I love Christmas.”  Sometimes, even now as an adult, it’s hard for me to wait until Christmas.   There is so much excitement in the air.  It’s almost impossible to wait to give those we love that one-of-a-kind gift. We can’t wait to see the joy in their eyes and on their face when they open the gift and see what you picked up for them.  In fact, for some waiting is so difficult that they give the gift early because the anticipation is so great that they do not have the self-discipline to wait.  It’s also challenging to wait for those gifts that you know others chose for you with love.  Little Children awaken at the crack of dawn in anticipation of those treasures that they know are waiting for them under the tree.  Way back in Genesis, God promised to send a savior who would bridge the gap between Him and man that sin had created.  God, however, d...

Babies are full of hope and there are few things more peaceful than a tiny innocent baby.   It all seems so natural to them.  They also bring so much joy to those around them.  In fact, the joy they bring often cancels out the stress and weariness that comes with a newborn.  The joy of this world is temporary.  When we think of the joy that Jesus brought at Christmas, it is eternal.   When God gave us joy, it came in the form of a baby in a manger.  Jesus did not give joy like this world gives. It does not depend on the circumstances of this world.     It is joy in the anticipation of what is to come when we believe God.   At Christmas time and throughout the year, our joy does not depend on whether we get what we want at any given moment, or whether we do all the things we want.  So this year if Christmas is different, people are missing, you can not afford all the gifts you would like, you can not do all the th...

  Peace  I leave with you; my  peace  I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.                 Christmas is a time of love and joy and peace and hope.   Yet often this is when these things are most elusive.  Peace is hard to find the bills are mounting and we are expected to buy presents. Peace hides when the holidays came and people are missing they've gone on to their final home leaving an empty spot. Peace is slippery when it is Christmas and relationships are strained and there is baggage. We can look at everyone's expectations  and our own and as we try to please people and create the perfect Christmas or capture the illusions of Christmas past and somewhere along the way, we lose our peace and buy into everything that the world says about Christmas. We forget that Jesus came to give us peace. Jesus is our peace, all y...

Let the  peace  of Christ rule in your hearts. Colossians 3:15 When we think of peace, the first thing that comes to mind is the absence of strife. It's hard to find peace in our world today. We talk of peace; nations want it; Everyone wants it. Most of us are looking for something that will bring just a little peace. There are so many things in our day that can cause us stress and worry. Our health, or finances. Relationships at work; with parents, with spouses with siblings. they all can rob us of our peace. This is true, particularly at Christmas. Just when we should be celebrating The Prince of Peace we find our own peace gone.  As we travel back to that very first Christmas, we see a scene that could very easily steal peace. First,  an angel appears to Mary, and informs her that she will have a baby. The problem is that she was not married. Yikes!! This was scandalous! However, Mary finds peace and says. "Ok,...

We wait in  hope  for the  Lord ;  Psalm 33:20 Christmas is always an exciting, joyous time.  I love Christmas! Yet at the same time, I know that, at times,  it can also be stressful and sometimes depressing.  Sometimes, in the craziness, we need to regain our hope. Hope is certainty mixed with anticipation.  The Jewish people at the time of Jesus' birth were anxiously awaiting the messiah.  They were hoping he would come, yet when the angels heralded his arrival, only the shepherds came to worship.  The rest?  They saw the star and maybe even saw the angels.  However, I suppose they were too busy to bother with a star shining brightly in the sky, the angels in all their glory, and a tiny baby in a manger.  They were busy with work and the cares of this life pressed in around them.  The could not concern themselves with an insignificant baby.  For them, that day was like any other.  They were looki...

  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for  and assurance about what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1 Most people define hope as a desire, a wish.   I hope for a new car,  a better job,  peace,  a better relationship.   Sometimes, we can make it happen  if we try hard enough  or if we're "lucky" enough.    For us, my friends, hope is something completely different.   For us, hope is a certainty.   At Christmas time we celebrate the hope that was born.   We were lost and separated from God and without hope.    There was no way for us to get to God.   We could never be "good enough" for a holy God.   Yet, two thousand years ago hope was born.   It came in the form of the innocence of a baby.   It came with the certainty that we would have a relationship with the almighty.   Jesus was the hope they had been waiting for and he is our ...

  Even though it's cold and snowy,  I am sitting here in my comfy chair sipping a soda but sometimes it's coffee. On tv, the weather channel is yammering something about another hurricane in Florida. My daughter just ran into the room, tripped over the cat, and fell in a heap on the floor. I must get to bed soon because five O'clock will come early. I'll be sleeping soundly in my warm fuzzy bed  when the alarm blares bringing my slumber to an end. In the past few years, I have turned some corners and life has thrown me some curveballs. I have faced things I never expected to face, and I have seen the faithfulness of God in my life. There have been times that I was sure I would not survive, but every day God shows his love for me. My life is far from perfect and some days are diamonds while others present a challenge but I am blessed and thankful for the life I have and  to God who gives us all things abundantly.