December 1000 Gift Challenge

This is a CHALLENGE that I am doing.  I have been reading a blog that a friend introduced me to by Ann Voscamp.  It blesses my soul to it's core everyday and takes me back to the cross. I would love for anyone who is reading this to post your gifts as well in the comment section.

I was a little late starting this so here is what I have so far below...

 

 

 

Day 3: Three gifts shining

1. My Husband who walks out the door to go to work so that I may take care of our home and children

2. My Daughter's smile when she woke up this morning

3. A friend who is fighting cancer and in her walk with the Lord is willing to get me out of my junk today I love her so much, she is a shining light for me today and everyday.

 

Day 4: Three gifts circling, crowning or crafted

1. A green wooden Christmas tree crafted of stars,

2. The desk that I sit at that was made by hand by my Husbands grandfather who now sings with Jesus.

3. The precious button Christmas trees that I watched my Mother make with my two daughters this weekend, I don't know which is better the craft or listening to the laughter and watching the joy while the were creating them."

 

Day 5: Three gifts silver

 1. the 8" long silver Christmas spike hanging in the center of our tree to remind me that the Christmas tree only foreshadows the Christ Tree which only HE could decorate.
2. The tinsel on my tree...a tradition started when I was small, only my dad and I would get to this it was our special moment. Now when I hang the tinsel, I am reminded of him.
3. The glittery snowflakes that hang all over my home."

 

Day 6: Three sweet gifts

 

1. A book from a friend entitled Humility

2. My Husbands sweet voice in the middle of the day

3.  A verse that has gotten me through the day... For even the SON of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give HIS life as a RANSOM for many.  Mark 10:45

 

Day 7-Three gifts from my Savior

1.  The grace that he gives me everyday

2.  His Truth

3.  Allowing some to experience Heaven and bring it back here to share...makes it even more real

 

 

Day 8-A gift hung held or heard

 

My husbands hands that are held when he knows  I am discouraged but doesn't say anything. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 9: Three gift ugly beautiful:

1. my anxiety-it causes me to depend on my Shepherd each second
2.  My 7 year old daughters mouth that is missing 5 teeth but is still so beautiful to me.
3.  The head of a glass ballerina doll that hangs on my tree, it is odd, ugly but it used to hang on the front of my tree when I was little and spin.  It was my special ornament and still is.  That makes it beautiful.







 

Day 18

3 Gifts Miraculous
1.  He loves me.
2.  He knows me.
3.  He gave himself for me.

Day 20
3 gifts angelic song
1. Wonderful Deberah Liter when she sings "Hosanna" It takes me right to the THRONE
2.My sweet Trinity singing worship songs on her own 
3. My precious Naomi's ability to turn any sentence into a song makes me feel as if I am in a Disney Movie!







A Holy Experience

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

What is Christmas?

Do you find it hard to sleep til' night,
Resting by the Christmas lights?
Could there be something you forgot?
Beyond the bows, and mistletoes,
The tree with presents wrapped below,
There's more to this than you had ever thought?
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?

Chorus:
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?

Remember how the story goes,
God's gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Beneath the star, one great and holy night.
The shepherds heard the angels sing,
The wise man brought an offering,
Peace on Earth began in Bethelethm
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com


What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas?
If the angels never sang 'Glory to the new born king?'
What is Christmas without Christ?

There'd be no gloria
In excelsis deo
Gloria
In excelsis deo

What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?
This is Christmas,
It’s all about the Savior wrapped in a manger.
This is Christmas,
Because of Jesus Christ!
This is Christmas,
Because of Christ!
Because of Christ!

~Kutless

Come just as you are.

Did you know that the first recorded announcement of Christ's birth was to the Shepherds?  Surprisingly, it came to the social outcasts of the day.  Rough, belching, beer drinking uncleanly men, these were were the first ears to hear the announcement of the Saviour.  God chose these men.  But why? 
These men represent you and I.  The angels didn't say, go wash your face, comb your hair and sober up before you go and see this breath of Heaven called Jesus.  No they said  ^"And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."  You shall...this says to me GO just as you are.  As unclean as they were the angel made no lists of purity rules and regulations for them to fall at the feet of The King.  The old passed away, a new covenant was being given. We know that in Jesus’ time, sacrifice was required for the forgiveness of sin. Clean animals were sacrificed in a proscribed manner by priests made ritually clean. Only then were a person’s sins forgiven. Until, that is, Jesus comes to give us a new way. That’s because Jesus comes as the new sacrifice. That’s what the gospels tell us. Jesus is called the Lamb of God over and over, beginning when John the Baptist (“John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”). ...to be continued

In Search of the Spirit of Christmas

The house is totally decorated for Christmas. I find that this year I have been thinking about Christmas from a different perspective. It usually seems (before) that I was almost forced to not think about presents and lights and trees and family. This year I have been spending a lot of time really getting to know my Lord. God has brought many precious women into my life whom he has been speaking through not to mention 2 very special books and the most important His Word.

In my attempt to isolate the one and only true Christmas spirit, I have tried to separate fact from fiction.  Like most of us I have a suspicion that much of my emotional attachment to Christmas stems more from my Santa Clause days then the news announced to the shepherds some twenty centuries ago.  So every year I read and study the Christmas Story in Matthew and Luke and try to parrot the cliches of "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" and "Keep Christ in Christmas".  But when all is said and done I wonder...what really fuels my Christmas sentiment?  Isn't there more to Christmas than family get-togethers, decorating, singing in choirs, baking and spending time opening gifts around the tree?  For so many this is what their Christmas spirit is...traditions.

How often is Christmas over and we say...We've done it again.  We have come to the Kings birthday party empty handed.  We all know the story of the first Christmas.  Even those who are not believers know about the first Christmas.  But how deeply have we researched and meditated on each character and what it means in our lives?  More to come...