All the days of Christmas

How many days are there of Christmas at your house each year? Do you celebrate one day, two, even twelve? 

Each family has their own traditions, and yet for all of those, we might still be missing something important when it comes to celebrating Christmas. 

We are missing the point. 

Not always, but often, we miss the true meaning of Christmas, the point of it all - Jesus!

Jesus Christ (The Messiah) came to seek and save the lost. [Luke 19:10] 

That's us before Jesus - lost.

Once we have been found, and forgiven, do we box up the nativity scene and put Jesus on the shelf until Easter rolls around? I pray that we do not! Often we become too comfortable in our relationship with the Christ Child. We love the baby in the manger and the "Goodwill towards men" but stop short of sharing the whole story. Too often we forget that the whole point of Jesus taking on the form of a man was so that He could offer His own life as a ransom for many. 

Let's get our focus back on Christ! 

Several years ago, while preparing for a Christmas Eve service, the question was posed: "Which do you like celebrating more, Christmas or Easter?"  I responded: "Without Christmas there is no Easter! We need them both!"

What would your answer be to that question if you were asked it today? 

Do you realize that without Christ's birth as a man, there would have been no death on the Cross, no burial, and no resurrection? Christmas brings hope to the world, but only if we follow the story through. Christmas by itself cannot save us. Only by accepting Christ's call to repentance of our sins, and accepting Him through faith can we be saved.

I love to celebrate Christmas! I hope you do too. Just remember the reaSON for CHRISTmas.

Christmas points us to the Cross and what Jesus did there. You can never have too many days of celebrating Christmas if you remember it leads to Easter and the resurrection. If you love to sing Christmas Carols, sing them with all your heart, sing the ones that point other people to Jesus. 

I'll be celebrating Christmas long after January rolls round. I'll be celebrating what Jesus did for me on both Christmas and Easter. How about you, will you join me in celebrating all year long? 

His is a love worth singing about.

Luke 2:10-11 Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Matthew 1:23

Home Sweet Life - Week in Review - Christmas 2016

This week I was not planning on doing any schoolwork with Arlene, but it ended up happening anyway. Funny how that is when you educate at home... or with field trips!

Wednesday found us working on textiles. The girls had asked their spinning mentor to help then skirt a fleece they had been given, and to help them get started on washing it so they can eventually spin the wool. It's a rather lengthy process, but they spent several hours on it, and are well on their way to making some fabulous yarn. I've been taking pictures, so I'll be sure to post more about the whole process later (probably January.)

On Thursday Arlene and I decided we wanted to go swimming. Off we went with our gym bag, some snacks, and a little cash. It turned into a whole-day-long-adventure!

After we got done at the gym, Arlene asked if I could drive her so she could see the cherub that sits on top of the clock outside the old L.S. Ayers building in downtown Indianapolis. Since we were already at the gym that has the indoor pool, and it would only be about 10 more miles, I figured why not, it's always fun to see the decorations at Christmas time!  The cherub only sits atop the clock from Thanksgiving until Christmas. There was a big fundraising effort this past Fall by the State Historical Society and several local radio personalities to raise the funds to repair the clock, and fix the works so it would once again tell time. 

Well,  since we were downtown anyway, and the parking garage is the same price for anywhere form 15 minutes up to 3 hours, we decided to take a look at the downtown decorations and enjoy the sunshine and slightly above freezing temperatures!

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument always gets decorated with lights, it's affectionately known as the World's Largest Christmas Tree. Since we were on the Circle, and there just happens to be a South Bend Chocolate Company Cafe we decided to pop in and get a treat to eat on our walk.

We decided on chocolate covered blueberries and began munching as we walked around the circle to see the monument. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of them until were almost out!  They were delicious!

While we were walking around the circle, Arlene stopped to take a picture down the street towards our State Capitol Building. Then we decided to go see if it was open. Lucky us, it was, and since the Legislature was not in session, we had a nice quiet self-guided tour.

The State house is huge, with three massive floors, and a beautiful stained glass rotunda. We agreed that the design in the rotunda reminded us of octopi -LOL!

The Indiana State house underwent a massive renovation in the 1980's and the stencil detail is fantastic. The lights were on in the Senate Chamber, and looking through the glass we got a really good view.  Look at the cool, custom carpet! Indiana was the 19th state to join the union, and out State Flag has 19 stars. The carpet also has a pattern with 19 stars!

As we walked around the Statehouse and talked about the various chambers, what the House and Senate do, what a Ways and Means Committee is, and why we have judges, I realized we were doing a lot of what usually looks like "education" at home, but with better visuals! 

Arlene wanted to take a picture of the Lieutenant Governor's office. Our Lieutenant Governor is now our Governor-elect, as he won the Governor's race when our current Governor, Mike Pence, stepped into the role of Trump's running mate in the Presidential election. For any of you not familiar with Mike Pence by now, we think he has done a pretty good job here in Indiana, and we think he will be a good, solid, level-headed figure as VP.

Today, we did just a little bit of work around the house, and had my Mom over to go see Arlene's quilt at the show at our local Historical Society.

Have a Very Merry Christmas! 

Jesus is the Reason for this CHRISTmas Season!

Linking up over at:

Philippians 1:27

Mom, Are you happy?

Dear Mom of many, and Dear Mom of one,

Are you happy?

I'm not asking about joy here, that deep, abiding joy that comes from Christ. Because if you're not joyful down deep in your heart, then you need to go have a meeting at the feet of Jesus before we can continue.

If you need to go take that time to worship at Jesus' feet, go do it. I'll wait right here for as long as you need me to.

Today I want your honest answer, are you happy?

Happiness differs from joy in that joy comes straight from the heart of God, and happiness comes from our reaction to the circumstances God allows in our lives. 

We are not always happy.

If we are honest here with ourselves, we could be happy a lot more often than we are! 

So often we choose to hold onto some idea or feeling that keeps us from being happy, instead of focusing on our blessings and finding our contentment in all that God has already done for us.

I am guilty of choosing to NOT be happy, when I could choose to be. Perhaps you are too.

Do your circumstances drag you down? Mine have in the past, and I'll let you in on a secret - it was my own fault I was not happy! I chose to hold on to a perceived grievance, or a bad attitude. I chose to hold onto my anger when God has clearly commanded us to let go of our anger. He reminds us over and over again that the anger of man does not bring about the righteousness of God. (See James 1.)

I have chosen to not be happy so many times in the past, but God is so faithful to pull me from the miry clay and restore my joy, even my happiness - when I focus on my blessings.

Today Arlene and I were doing some repair work on the walls of one of our bedrooms. As we worked we were listening to music. Nothing too profoundly deep - just a playlist of songs from musicals. 

As I was listening, I had a new thought about a song I've heard since I was a child. In Mary Poppins, her friend Bert the chimney sweep sings a song: Chim Chim Cher-ee.

Here are the lyrics from the song that struck me:

Now, as the ladder of life 'as been strung

You might think a sweep's on the bottommost rung 

Though I spends me time in the ashes and smoke 

In this 'ole wide world there's no 'appier bloke

Bert was happy as a chimney sweep because he chose to be. He chose to be happy, to find contentment in his work, and although many people might look down on his work, or his position in life, he chose to be happy. 

Dear Mom, are you happy? Can you choose today to find contentment in your life's work? Can you find the happiness that comes with knowing you are choosing to follow God's plan for your family, no matter the circumstances?

Families will soon gather for Christmas. Perhaps you've harbored some unhappiness from past gatherings, or you're unhappy about the hours your husband is working. Maybe you're just unhappy because you wanted white lights and someone else chose blue ones for the tree. Give your family the grace and forgiveness that you know you will one day need for yourself.  Choose to make the very best of the circumstances God has placed you in. Find contentment in your position as a Mom. 

Choose to be happy, and when you find yourself struggling again...remember that Jesus is right there waiting for you, to give you abiding joy and to help you forgive again and be happy.

May this Christmas find you joyful and happy!

Colossians 4:2

How often are we vigilant in prayer?

How often are we earnest?

Each day should find us earnestly seeking after God's will through the reading of His Word in our Bibles and our time spent in prayer. Prayer should be the first thing we do in every situation, but too often, we let it be the last thing, or  our last resort. This is SO wrong and so out of tune with what God desires from us!

God wants us to seek Him. We should be focused on asking for His help with our everyday lives, each decision, each word we speak. I too fail at this. I think we all do at times. What matters is if we stay fallen, or if we quickly realize our sin and repent of it. God is so quick to forgive us. God is so full of mercy. 

Let's determine to seek God first each morning, even before we get out of bed. Let us resolve to continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it all day long! Each time someone comes to mind, pray for them. Each time a situation makes you unsure or anxious, seek God in prayer and ask Him to once again give you His peace.

I know, you are busy, life is moving by in front of your eyes. Yet, you need not close your eyes and hide in a closet to pray. (Although it is a good idea to spend some time this way in deep, devoted prayer.) What we need to be doing is taking every opportunity to pray. You need only close your mouth, open your heart, and pray.

Pray for God to lead you, to Him to provide for the needy, for Him to touch hearts. Pray for His will to be done.

This is a prayer that never fails. Jesus taught it to His disciples in Matthew 6:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

May His will be done in our lives.