A Nativity Puzzle

12/25/12 Such an enigma for so many....."undiminished deity wrapped up in perfect humanity." (GOM, 2012) All God. All man.
For others of us, not an enigma but the" indescribable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:15) Jesus....the reason for the season. God's gift of salvation. (Romans 1:16) 

Hand carved nativity puzzle---it takes a kid to put them all back in the box/stable.

Christmas Eve Traditions

12/24/12 Every Christmas Eve when Hubby & I first married, we would drive to Mom and Pop’s home (his grandparents) out past the floating tree on Lake Windermere in Raleigh. It was like Groundhog Christmas---with same menu and gifts every year. We loved it.

Always country ham and biscuits---with younger ones each year learning to take on what had once been Pop’s “cooking” role. On our last Christmas Eve on Lakewood Dr. cooking that black iron skillet country ham with red-eye gravy became Hubby’s role, with his boys helping him in doing the honors. Always lots of toys for great grandkids, (eventually 21) sweaters for men, Dinstuhls’ candy for women and $$$ for mom. Always a roaring fire----even if it happened to be 70° outside.

After Mom died we invited Pop to our house for Christmas Eve’s country ham and biscuits and Pop’s favorite, deviled eggs. Plus, we started our own traditions---Christmas Eve breakfast with the Cockrell, Gurner & Higginbotham families. The first time (1986, as our gift), we piled all the families (18 of us) in our Ford Econoline tan van and took them to breakfast. Destination—Bryant's on Summer Avenue. It has continued for 27 years, though now meeting in other restaurants, since 2005, when Bryant’s began closing on Christmas Eve.

Moms, Amy and Molly, were only 8 and 7 years old at our first Christmas Eve breakfast.  Now they have  children  of their own.

Another tradition that we seem to have passed on is the last minute assembling of gifts---having been known to work into the wee hours. Just this afternoon neighbors and family felt the “crunch” as elves scurried in our carport to put together a trampoline (took 3 “redo”) and pick up a basketball goal.

Daddy elf is obscured in photo for "security" purposes.

Traditions---what fun!! I think it’s biblical to “be merry.” (Eccles. 8 :15)

We’re saving the country ham ‘til the Texans get here----so they can help Pop-Pop do the cooking---enabling them to someday carry on that tradition!

Nativity

12/24/12 Nativity: Birth, especially the place, conditions, or circumstances of being born. Specifically for Christians it's indicative of the birth of Jesus. Bethlehem: Hebrew for house of bread, according to son Buddy's recent sermon. How appropriate the One who is the Bread of Life to have Bethlehem as His nativity---the place of His birth.

This year our gift "theme" for our grands has been centered around that all important birth. We wanted the gifts to reflect our Messiah's nativity through the forty-two generations from Abraham to Christ, (Matthew 1:1-17) born in Bethlehem.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2: 4, 6-10)

Nativity gifts & decorations for our grandchildren in honor of our greatest gift......Jesus, our Savior.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Christmas at the farm....

12/23/12 ....Full Circle Ranch---always so welcoming. Everyone is invited in but Jesus comes first!

Berlin UMC members and ALL members of the household of faith and the  Old Berlin community always welcome! 

This year's fun decorations for upcoming holiday party are all about the "Light." 

Crooked Tree a story of redemption for children and dedicated to Inge Smith, Stefan's mom, who celebrated 6o years of teaching this year at Smith Pre-School in Franklin, TN . 

“We dedicate our book to Inge Smith, who has devoted 60 yeas toward educating young children of Franklin,” Wood wrote in the dedication. “She leaves and indelible mark on all young ones she teaches and has made many crooked trees stand straight and tall.”

Donning.....

12/20/12 ....for first time in days. Underwire. Deodorant. Real clothes. (TMI, I know) Feeling somewhat better----of course I am, since I'm headed to the doctor. Hope to take a grateful spirit with me ---after all, he is "working me in." It helps that hubby was once Doc's racquetball coach. 

I need to focus on what God has taught me through this "extended" illness (day #11) & be grateful.

Life lessons: 

• Being a complainer  is NOT a good thing----it doesn't help anyone, especially me. 
• I need to cry out to the Lord and not to others. 
• Focusing wile praying without an open Bible is very difficult---almost impossible for me for any length of time. 
• My heart is easily overwhelmed by by tragedy of recent days and I need godly direction on absorbing such info as well as any action to be taken. 
• I need to seek His truth in all physical and emotional suffering. 

I know that joy and suffering are two halves of  the wholeness of my faith. Psalm 61 is where I'm starting to keep this thought at the forefront of my meditation. Psalm 73 also comes to mind. Can't wait to see what the Lord teaches me when I don my prayer shawl, come out from "under the influence" of meds and allow Him to "restore" me.

Smiley gifts

12/19/12 Some gifts just make you smile---this one does because it is a "grand" one----our ID. Grandparents live here! Old men and old women!

Grandchildren are the crown of old men,....(Proverbs 17:6)

Prayers for Michael

12/18/12 Michael B. from IL is at St. Jude today for his scans. Praise the Lord for all the answered prayers for his health as you lift prayers on his behalf today. Please pray for good results and God's best for him throughout his life. They are here only briefly and I am too sick to be around anyone, much less a precious St. Jude patient.

Here are some pix from his last visit in September.

Michael & sister Ellie 

Sharing books (no surprise there) w/ Ellie and camera shy Michael 

Michael turned 5 this year!!!

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

“Who, What, How, Why, Where” meditation needed….

12/17/12 As have most Americans, I have been consumed this weekend with the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut that resulted in the grisly shooting deaths of 20 elementary school first graders.

Innocent children---the age of my grandson, Caleb, and the precious little kindergartener who lives across the street and hurried out this morning to give me a “princess” picture that she had painted, so that I could hang it on my fridge.

Who could even think of such a devastating act? What forces of darkness are we facing in our own country? How could such a tragedy happen in small town USA? Why do bad things happen to good people---especially young, innocent children and caring teachers? Where is God when the hurt is so incredible?

Years ago, I read that evil is live spelled backwards (E. Stanley Jones) and evil is representative of what occurs when we try to "live" with our backs turned toward God.  So how do we, members of the household of faith, respond to those in the midst of horrific pain and  suffering caused by such evil?

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (I John 3:18)

Prayer. Prayer for others. It’s the act of intercession and brings comfort, peace and extra measures of grace, both to the pray-er and the one for whom he prays. God’s love and grace prayed on behalf of others need to be the front line of our response.

Prayer, and its supernatural comfort, is even being discussed on national TV.  Words of comfort don’t seem to be adequate but spirit-filled prayers allow God, by His spirit, to touch the very soul of the sufferers.

But God……reminds us in His word that our battles in this fallen world are dark and the spiritual force of evil is very much present.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

Meditating on that and interceding in prayer for those who have lost so much might be part of the answer to those hard questions. Our actions, armed with God’s truth, are so needed in this fight against evil.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: Austin, TX

12/16/12 “Don we now our gay apparel.......troll the ancient Yuletide Carol”

with all its fa, la, la, la, las, had me asking myself, “What am I donning?” What kind of cheerful countenance am I putting on while lying in bed?

Remember the old Four Seasons song verse, “I’d change my sad rags into glad rags, if I could?” Sounds like a choice to me. So I got up and decided to post Snapshots to remind me of the wonderful “pre-Christmas” days, I had prior to getting sick. “Putting on” positive reflections of God’s goodness---those are the glad rags I am donning.

A-men--Sign said it all! 

Opulent Driskill hotel---built in 1886

In Austin TX, residents decorate trees all along the roadside---this one obviously done by a UTx  fan!

A beautiful state capitol decorated for Christmas with carols playing in both English and Spanish

Whole Foods flagship store with more pepper varieties than I've ever seen

Fun in 78° temps

Tea at the Driskill with Gigi and Bonnie, my young friends

6th street---home of the dueling pianos and lots of "live" music

A "teacup" tree at the Tea Embassy---right up my alley

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

One is really “decked out” with the Lord---so it should show in my countenance even from my sickbed. I felt better just looking at the pics---hope you will as well.

Saturday Summary

12/15/12 “Misery loves company” NOT! This misery wants comfort.

On TV all mysterious afflictions are diagnosed and cured within a 60-minute time span after a BIG dose of antibiotics. Though I’m in the 6th day of my flu-type malady, with lots of drugs, I keep thinking it can’t get much worse,….but it does.

Sleep is incremental, at best. It hurts to inhale. It “stinks” to exhale with a tongue coated with “Halls” blue. Cough pills take 2 hours to kick in, and energy is non-existent.

I want “southern” comfort, not the booze kind---the “bless your little heart” kind that comes with steaming chicken and noodles and iced sweet tea to balance the pain of a burning throat. I want assurance that I’ll be “all better” SOON!

But God….has life lessons for me. He wants to be my comfort. He wants me to learn through this experience that I might offer comfort to others in such affliction so that they might be encouraged and not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) 

He wants me to focus on “nursing care” given by hubby and the sustenance provided by others. He wants me to focus on Him as my Jehovah Jireh, the one who provides.

He wants me to quit complaining----did I hear an “A-men” to that!*

*Hm-m-m-m, I did not increase the size of the font on that last sentence. Think maybe I really need to heed that!