A Baby Changes Everything

This song is beautiful and an awesome way to share the Gospel. I hope it will bless you as it has us. Merry Christmas!

Happiness is a Choice

The first time I heard, "Happiness is a Choice," almost 20 years ago, it really riled me up. I was in the midst of rough time of my life and I was sure it was because of circumstances.
Now I am older and hopefully wiser and have learned that I cannot control circumstance, but I can choose my response to them.
I was reminded of this when I got this short email from my Mary Kay Director, Kathy Lee:

NO MATTER WHAT - CHOOSE HAPPY TODAY!
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS HOW YOU'RE DOING SAY,
"I'M HAPPY!" DO IT EVERY TIME & JUST SEE HOW HAPPY
YOU BECOME ...THEN HOW MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL
YOU WILL BE!!!! IT WORKS!
CHOOSE TO LOVE YOUR LIFE!
CHOOSE TO CREATE THE LIFE YOU LOVE!!!!!

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to
success."

If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."
— Albert Schweitzer: Was a theologian, medical missionary, and philosopher

Please Remember Our Troops

Remember those serving and those who are not coming back.
Pray for the families that they have left behind.
Ask God to heal their broken hearts.

Merry Christmas!!

For as long as I am allowed to say, Merry Christmas, I will. For happy Holidays doesn't capture the love our Father had for us when He sent His only Son.
Merry Christmas!
Got this email. Don't know the author but I support most of it so I thought I would share it with you:
Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.


How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary--especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you..

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :


I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Ring This Christmas Bell by the Way You Live

THE BELL

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know

Who you are?

I was watching a Hallmark movie the other night and a remark caught my attention. The beauty of children is that they live in the present. They don't look back and they aren't worried about the future.
That reminded me of the Scripture, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt 18:3
We have become converted but have not become as little children. A little child is totally dependent on his parents for food, home and safety. Are wee that dependent on our Heavenly Father or do we plow ahead to do it ourselves without His guidance?
Here's a testimony about seeking first His kingdom, then I have added the whole song uninterrupted. Consider whether you are seeking His kingdom or yours?
Enjoy.

Now consider the fullness of the Scripture as she sings all of the song.

Dare to Believe

My Director, Kathy Lee, called the other day. I could hear such excitement in her voice as she shared a Christmas party that she had just attended. Dreams were stirred in all that attended and that hope came from someone who had literally lost everything. She dared to dream again.
Do YOU dare? Do you dare to take back what has been stolen from you?
From Mary Kay Director Liliana Smith's signature line,
"Do you "Bee~lieve"?
How does the Bumble Bee fly?
It's body is too big and it's wings are too small.
God whispered in it's ear, "You can do it!" and it did.

I'm passing His whisper along...... "You can do it!"

1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

So many of us have lost our dreams along the way, but if you know Jesus and have a living relationship with the Father, then you know the power of believing.
The Polar Express tells the story of a young boy losing his hope in Santa Claus. Many of our dreams have been Santa Claus dreams. Not related to reality.
But the message of the power of believing is undeniable. When we know who we are in Christ Jesus, then fear has to go for perfect fear casts out fear. God's love is that perfect love and it is a free gift.
So I invite you to watch this Polar Express clip and remember the God-given dreams that you were given. Dare to believe for you can do it!

Old-Fashioned Christmas

When I first moved here, I compared Thomaston to Mayberry. While it isn't that simple, it is a safe place with lots of good people.
The first hometown parade I saw here was the Fourth of July. It was like being transported back to the 50s with decorated cars and floats without all the pyrotechnics or other blaring electronic devices like a Macy's or even a college parade.
It is real people sharing neighbor to neighbor. I felt so safe that I stood there and cried with joy. They aren't the least bit concerned with being politically correct. They are just real.
We arrived home in time Saturday night to watch the Thomaston hometown parade. It is like a blast from the past and it passes right in front of our home.
First there were the screaming sirens from decorated fire trucks and police cars. These were followed up with tractors with Christmas lights on them. There was a particularly old one that seemed to huff and puff like chitty-chitty bang-bang. There was a gleaming John Deere as well.
All had lights and drivers and passengers shouting, "Merry Christmas!"
There was a horse drawn carriage with lights on its wheels creating a pinwheel effect as it traveled down the street.
We had begun our outdoor Christmas lights and they were the only ones on the block. So the kids would shout, "I like your lights!"
Soon I began shouting, "Merry Christmas!" back at them. It's contagious!
Yet I could not help but wonder how much longer we would have that privilege. In many places Merry Christmas has been replaced with Happy Holidays. Where is Christ in that? I am expressing my heart. Merry Christmas.