I Love Christmas Presence

What do you think of when you think Christmas?

It is the time of year where anxiety is high, where budgets are stretched, where expectations are elevated. All of these are adding to the madness but not one help with Christmas presence.

It has been said that for males shopping is equivalent to the stress a fighter pilot undergoes while in combat. Of course this activity does nothing to evoke good Christmas presence.

Yet GOD let his presence be known through a baby.

Have you ever seen a baby just after he's been born?
Being a father of three it is hard to explain.
It's amazing, beautiful, wonderful, gross and disgusting all at once.

There is nothing threatening about a baby, yet nothing as distracting, not a thing as captivating. So when GOD decided to make His presence known he chose the perfect way -a child. THE LORD didn't want to scare humanity so he showed himself as frail and nonthreatening. So man would never have to be alone again. So that in the anxious times of life and in the financial crunches and even in unmet expectations He would and could make it better by being there. The best Christmas presence.

The Lord is with us! Immanuel.

What about you?

DO you love Christmas presence too?

I was shocked by the cashier at WalMart

I love this time of Year!
It's more people than usual out in the malls and in the stores.
I enjoy the extra time I get to speak with my wife or talk with someone in line. I also enjoy the overall nice attitude everyone seems to have (except in the parking lot for some reason). I always want to leave each of the new friends I meet with a meaningful farewell it seems that "Happy Holidays!" -seems extremely secular (though I have been told it may have originated from Happy Holy Day), "Merry Christmas!", doesn't quite get it my thoughts were interupted while I was out the other day as I was finishing loading my purchases I was shocked by what the cashier at Wal-Mart said. He said with a big grin and jolly heart "God Bless you!" I beamed as I went out to the parking lot. The Lord himself it seemed answered my quandary. So that is what I will be saying this year and beyond any holiday season. I want to be a person who sends hope to those who are broken to lift those that are down to bring more than just chatter to the ears of the listener. I want the Lord of the universe the creator of all that is, my personal savior and theirs too if called upon and my best friend to bless them with His presence, peace, supply, and power so I'll say, "God bless you!"
How about you what do you say? Why?

What is there to be thankful for?

It seems that in despair and hardship it is often quite difficult to distinguish the clouds silver lining. Two people come to mind in the book of Acts. Paul & Silas were in a down time in a down place all while trying to serve Jesus.

It seems that they came around that evening to thank God in song. Which in turn The Lord Jesus shook the foundations physically, and the gaurd on duty spiritually.

What amazes me is why they were excited. They discovered the joy in looking at there plight from God's perspective. He(The Lord) saw they could handle the trial they currently faced (They were stronger than they thought). It was in that they began to be thankful.

Rejoicing comes from taking your circumstances and letting Jesus show you things from His view.