The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
~1 Timothy 1:15-16
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. ~Psalm 37:23-24
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry CHRISTmas
Because Jesus, our Savior, the greatest gift ever given!
Praying you have accepted His amazing gift of eternal life!
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
~Isaiah 53:3-6
Praying you have accepted His amazing gift of eternal life!
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
~Isaiah 53:3-6
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Advent
Tomorrow is the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, and this year for the first time I decided to do an Advent wreath with the kids. I had hoped to have this post published weeks ago, but with two December birthdays things have been a bit crazy.
At the end of November I started looking for a ready made wreath with candles to buy, but I couldn't find one I liked that much and they seemed over priced. So after emailing my dear friend Analisa (who is super creative) to find out what she was doing for her Advent wreath I decided to take her advice and make my own. The kids and I headed to Hobby Lobby (one of our favorite stores), and 20 minutes later we were headed home with Advent wreath materials for the bargain price of $15. A little arranging at home, a place mat I already had, and voila! - a cute and functional homemade Advent wreath (not too bad for this craft and creativity challenged momma if I do say so myself):
After I had the wreath I set about looking for a devotional or list of Bible passages and found several online and as books. I settled on this one from Amazon because the price was right and, well, I love Amazon:) - We Light the Candles: Devotions Related to Family Use of the Advent Candle.
We have all really enjoyed lighting the candles, reading the devotions, celebrating and remembering the true reason for the season - Christ's birth, and of course the kids favorite part - blowing out the candles. This is definitely a tradition we will continue in years to come.
For those not familiar with the Advent wreath (like me) here is a quick overview:
The four violet candles represent hope, joy, love, and peace, and the large white candle is the Christ candle. The circle and greenery represent God's eternal love for us and the gift of eternal life through Jesus. The four small candles symbolize the passage of the four weeks leading up to Christmas (or the four Sundays before Christmas). Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading, prayer, and/or devotion. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until the last Sunday before Christmas when all four candles are lit. The white candle represents purity and is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as a symbol of the birth of Jesus Christ, our sinless and pure Savior. HE is the greatest gift of all!
At the end of November I started looking for a ready made wreath with candles to buy, but I couldn't find one I liked that much and they seemed over priced. So after emailing my dear friend Analisa (who is super creative) to find out what she was doing for her Advent wreath I decided to take her advice and make my own. The kids and I headed to Hobby Lobby (one of our favorite stores), and 20 minutes later we were headed home with Advent wreath materials for the bargain price of $15. A little arranging at home, a place mat I already had, and voila! - a cute and functional homemade Advent wreath (not too bad for this craft and creativity challenged momma if I do say so myself):
After I had the wreath I set about looking for a devotional or list of Bible passages and found several online and as books. I settled on this one from Amazon because the price was right and, well, I love Amazon:) - We Light the Candles: Devotions Related to Family Use of the Advent Candle.
We have all really enjoyed lighting the candles, reading the devotions, celebrating and remembering the true reason for the season - Christ's birth, and of course the kids favorite part - blowing out the candles. This is definitely a tradition we will continue in years to come.
For those not familiar with the Advent wreath (like me) here is a quick overview:
The four violet candles represent hope, joy, love, and peace, and the large white candle is the Christ candle. The circle and greenery represent God's eternal love for us and the gift of eternal life through Jesus. The four small candles symbolize the passage of the four weeks leading up to Christmas (or the four Sundays before Christmas). Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading, prayer, and/or devotion. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until the last Sunday before Christmas when all four candles are lit. The white candle represents purity and is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as a symbol of the birth of Jesus Christ, our sinless and pure Savior. HE is the greatest gift of all!
Monday, December 17, 2012
A Prayer
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
~Saint Francis of Assisi
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
~Saint Francis of Assisi
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Thoughtful Thursday
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
~Zephaniah 3:17
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
~Zephaniah 3:17
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