Let us be silent so we may hear the whispers of God.......
As we begin the New Year, may the Lord's loving presence touch your heart, rekindle your faith and rejuvenate your spirit.
Happy New Year dear friends!!!
Marie and Ginny xoxoxo
this special time of year
And may the precious gift of life
forever bring your cheer.
What a wondrous blessing
have we to behold
Born to us one Holy night
a union for our souls.
Such delight we've come to know
now that the season's near
A joy and love and peace for all
when Christmas Day is here!
Precious love we share is ours
a gift for all mankind
Born two thousand years ago
by a blessed hand divine.
Blessed be this Christmas time
O, come let us adore!
A wish for peace for all the earth,
and blessings to your and yours.
May your home be filled with the love,
And wonderful peace of Jesus,
Our Lord and Savior, King of Kings,
Lord of Lords Who's with us.
Yes He is the Miracle Babe,
Born in a manger that one night,
While the love of God shone Above,
And the angels sang to invite.
May your heart be filled with a love,
And great longing to see Jesus,
For He came for us, you and me,
And always we'll be His to bless.
Oh love Him and revere His Birth,
He's your Love and your Life all 'round,
And He'll hold you like no other,
His wonderful peace keeps you sound.
May your spirit be filled with love,
Worship Jesus on each day now,
Let the joy of His love be full,
As in His Presence you will bow.
Merry Christmas with love in Him,
His wonderful peace will alight,
When your home is filled with Jesus,
Just as His love that star filled night.
Anon
God, give us eyes this Christmas
To see the Christmas Star.
And give ears to hear the song
Of angels from afar
And with our eyes and ears attuned
For a message from above,
Let Christmas Angels speak to us
Of hope and faith and love.
Hope to light our pathway
When the way ahead is dark
Hope to sing through stormy days,
With the sweetness of the lark.
Faith to trust things unseen
And know beyond all seeing
That it is our Father’s love
We live and have our being.
And love to break down barriers
Of color, race and creed,
Love to see and understand
And help all those in need.
Amen
Look with me for just awhile
at a place called “The Crowded Inn” . . .
You may not recognize it as
somewhere you have been
Does nothing look familiar
stir some forgotten memory . . .
Well, I’m not surprised, we soon forget
it was the same with me
The door so slowly opens
a voice sounding just like doom . . .
Shatters the heavy silence
shouting . . . "THERE IS NO ROOM"
Suddenly my memory’s illumined
with scenes of Christ’s Nativity . . .
Times without end the same words said
except they were spoken by me
I sent Him away to the stable
too busy to make Him a bed . . .
Crowded, oh yes, “The Crowded Inn”
“NO ROOM”, were the words I said
But for His grace and mercy
“NO ROOM” would still be my refrain . . .
His LOVE gave me a manger heart
let me now, dear ones, explain
“The Crowded Inn” today, as then,
repeats those words of doom . . .
Stubborn~willed they close the door
and scream, THERE IS NO ROOM
Crowded hearts, the poorer you,
to send away this King . . .
You fail to recognize Him still,
“NO ROOM ~ NO ROOM” ~ you sing
Your hollow laughter can’t disguise
empty rooms of pain within . . .
Proclaiming fullness, they are bare
SELF is THE CROWDED INN
Will you forget so easily
‘twas to you at first He came . . .
To birth His Kingdom in your hearts
share with you His Holy name
Must He now turn away, as then,
still grieving, as with them . . .
For only lowly manger hearts
know how to welcome Him
In Manger Hearts He feels at home
SELF has been displaced . . .
Immanuel fills every room
with LOVE, fear is erased
The truth, if we’ll accept it
each MANGER HEART must tell . . .
The Crowded Inn, we all once were
self reigned in us, as well
There’s but one difference we know
at last SELF lost the race . . .
Hunger changed The Crowded Inn
to A MANGER HEART, by GRACE!
Anon
Quiet my heart, Lord,
and show me a Christmas
as peaceful and calm as
an old cattle shed...
Slow down my pace, Lord,
and help me seek Jesus,
the Son of Your Love,
in a humble straw bed...
Steady my spirit, Lord,
call me from chaos
in simple surrender
to pray and rejoice...
Breakthrough the busy,
too-bright celebration,
and whisper your message,
"Be still...hear my voice..."
Be still, and know that I am God..."
Psalm 46:10
Anon
O Most Holy Lord, You can do all things. Make of me a tilma.
To show forth Your love to the the peoples of the
New World
You caused the image of Your Merciful Mother
to appear on the cloak of Juan Diego long ago.
If this rough-hewn fabric could attract
Your attention and be useful in Your plan,
Surely a willing soul like mine can serve Your
purpose as well.
Make of me a tilma.
Take from me all that would spoil or distort the
work of Your hand.
May Your Holy Spirit render me clean and ready
to receive so great a gift.
Impress upon me the image of Your pure and
holy Mother.
May her countenance, her presence, her
love be indelibly stamped upon me.
Make of me a tilma.
In this time when pagan culture threatens to engulf
Your people once more and destroy human life,
Let there be a fresh miracle of grace.
Send Your Mother for a new evangelization.
Upon the coarse fabric of my life,
draw this portrait so pleasing to You...
The image of Mary... the one who bears and brings forth Jesus.
May this beautiful Woman, clothed with the sun,
live out her triumph in me...
Crushing the Serpent, radiating Your mercy, and
leading to faith all those who gaze upon her.
Yes, Lord. Make of me a tilma.
Amen.
Patti Mansfield
Who needs 10 lords-a-leaping for Christmas...or two turtle doves. Here’s an updated list.
1. On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a zipper:
It is usually wiser to keep your lip zipped than to compound a problem. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19)
2. On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a calculator:
This is a special calculator, with the cancel key prominently placed in the center of the pad, conveniently twice the size of all the other keys so it is easy to cancel accounts instead of keeping score. Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5).
3. On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a duffel bag:
This model has two handles, one on each side so the load is lighter for both of us. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
4. On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a ballerina doll:
Nothing epitomizes grace and balance like a ballerina, and a good wife even more so. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies….She is clothed with strength and dignity (Proverbs 31:10,25).
5. On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a shovel:
This is a Smokey Bear shovel so we can put out sparks before they become raging fires. In your anger do no sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:26-27).
6. On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a pocket watch:
This timepiece is carried in a breast pocket, close to the heart, so we can remember to give each other time to grow. It was he who gave...to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be build up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
7. On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a Monopoly game:
You can own houses on every street, but you’re still poor without a good wife. Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord (Proverbs 19:14).
8. On the eight day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a candle and sealing wax.
Do not neglect to keep the fires burning or to seal your love for each other. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame (Song of Songs 8:6).
9. On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me some super glue:
Tearing apart two things joined by super glue results in damage to both. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate (Matthew 19:6).
10. On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a spice jar:
That way, we can season our words with grace, encouragement, and love. Do not let any unwholesome take come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29).
11. On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me a washcloth:
This cloth has God’s Word embroidered on it. Husbands, love your wives, just a Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word (Ephesians 5:25-26).
12. On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a turtledove:
Well, maybe they were on to something when they wrote the original version. How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves (Song of Songs 1:15).
By Tom Neven
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
In a world that seems to thrive on war and violence, it is indeed a blessing to have bloggers who share their faith and love of God with others.
T'was the night before Christmas
and all through the town
Not a sign of Baby Jesus
was anywhere to be found.
with Christmas time chores
Like decorating, and baking,
and shopping in stores.
no crib for a bed".
Instead, they sang of Santa
dressed-up in bright red.
Papa drank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hour the presents they'd wrap
When what from the T.V.
did they suddenly hear?'
Cept an ad..
which told of a big sale at Sears.
they all flew like a flash...
Buying things on credit...
and others with cash!
From their trip to the mall,
Did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no... not at all.
with their Christmas time things
No time to remember Christ Jesus, the King.
How could they stop and remember
who died for their sake?
Because they needed more time
to "Shop til they dropped!"
On Target! On Penney's!
On Hallmark! On Zales!
A quick lunch at Denny's
to the stores at the mall
They would dash away, dash away,
and visit them all!
there arose such a clatter
As grandpa hung icicle lights
up on his brand new step ladder.
He hung lights that would twirl.
Yet, he never once prayed to Jesus...
Light of the World.
Christ's eyes... how they twinkle!
Christ's Spirit... how merry!
Christ's love... how enormous!
All our burdens... He'll carry!
So instead of being busy, overworked, and uptight
Let's put Christ back in Christmas and enjoy some good nights!
Anon
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table atmealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.But giving the gift of love will endure.
Anon
"How could you be afraid of anything but sin? Sin alone has the power to bring real death. It, but nothing else, has to be feared with a great fear."
When my mother was dying of cancer she would spend hours laying in her bed staring in rapture at a picture of Our Lady. It was a normal picture of our Lady and I could not understand what my mother stared at with such intensity and adoration.
"God offers us risk, danger and a strange insecurity that leads to perfect security. His security begins when we start loving God with our whole heart, our whole mind, our whole soul and our neighbor as ourselves. I speak of this so often but it is the only message that can never be overstressed. We must clothe the skeletons of our lives with the flesh of his love, or we shall perish."
