Merry Christmas!!

My beloved childhood piano teacher sent us a Christmas card with the following poem. I have always loved this particular carol and I would like to share it with you sweet friends.

Christmas Bells

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1863

at the height of the Civil War

(five verses)

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of Peace on Earth Good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearth-stones of a continent,

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on Earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men."

Through all the noise and uncertainty of your life, May the bells of hope ring loudly through for you this year!

God Bless and Merry CHRISTmas to you all!!

Meredith

Just for Fun Friday

A week later.........Don't you love it when......

......Your mom goes to the grocery store and asks the staff where the "mad cow" cheese would be..........

Happy Friday!!:)

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

Just for Fun Friday

Don't you love it when......

....You've been working on the bank all day planting shrubbery and when you go to get in the shower, you notice a little spidery friend hanging from your elbow....HOW LONG has he been THERE???

.....You have just cleaned and vacuumed your carpet and your dog comes barreling through the door, only to leave dirty mud colored footprints?!!

....Your hosts graciously set out a vegetable and dip tray and before you can stop him your child bites his carrot and then plummets it back into the ranch dip.....(slo mo camera of mommy running across the room.....ooooohhhhh noooooooo......too late, no one SEEMS to mind)

.....Your 'hang around the house' pants don't fit very well due to weight loss:) and when you sit in the floor to clean out the bottom bookcases you feel a little hand pull back your underpants and a little child's voice say "teetee?".....(No honey, no teetee diaper on this mommy, but thanks for checking)

These funnies are a repeat of some others that I posted earlier this year. To read those funnies

click here.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Prov. 17:22

Thankful Thursday

In this season of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for many things: My home, my husband, my two jobs, my church, my friends, my saviour. Soooo many things.

But when your baby boy, who came to you despite the diagnosis of infertility, collects these leaves just for you?........it is a teary eyed thankful heart that puts them in a vase and takes a picture.

Just thought I would share. :) Have a blessed day!

P.s. He collected this bouquet back in September, I am just late in finishing my draft.

Off to the Ball!!

I know I've already posted once today for the Tuesdays together, but I can't let today go by without wishing my Marine a happy Birthday!! Today is the 234th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Friday the 6th was my birthday, and saturday was the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my husband's homecoming from Iraq. And with veterans day fast approaching I'm feeling a bit patriotic. Fall is my favorite time of year, but now this time of year holds even more special meaning. Ironically the Birthday Ball holds an extra special meaning, as our very first extravagant date was to the Ball many many years ago. I will spare you the picture from THAT ball but you can imagine that we look the same if you want. Subtract 11 years, several dress sizes, and different ranking, and we look pretty much the same.

Some Marines celebrate their first birthday in the field with a piece of pound cake from an MRE (meals ready to eat) and others depending on where they are stationed, celebrate with much pomp and circumstance. By tradition, the cake is cut and pieces are presented to the guest speaker then to the oldest and then to the youngest marine. This is one of my favorite parts of the ceremony. The introduction of the youngest marine always, ALWAYS brings about a collective gasp amongst the guests attending the ceremony. This years marine was born in may of 1990. I was in college. He is just a kid and technically I am old enough to be his mother. He is somebody's baby. And always will be.

So, if you see any Marines this week be sure to wish them a Happy Birthday! Remember them in your prayers. I am so thankful for anyone who chooses to serve their country in our armed forces, but I am especially thankful for our marines of Mike Battery 3/14!!

Happy Birthday!!

Tuesdays Together

Welcome to Tuesdays Together in the Word. We are a group reading the bible together and sharing each week the nuggets that the Lord's Word has left with us. Join in with us, wherever you are. Please visit DeeDee for more Tuesday Together posts!!

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Have you ever watched a movie that did such a good job in taking you "with them" that it stayed with you for hours? days? weeks? You know those movies? The ones where the music, the scenery, the lighting,the acting, the characters, and story line are so woven together that you can't help but feel what the characters are feeling. The 'Lord of the Ring' movies are a good example. The overwhelming despair, the need for hope, the insurmountable task that lies ahead, the burden of being the chosen one, it is all there. Like a big thick heavy woven blanket.

Sometimes when I read scripture my imagination goes into overdrive. I can't help it. Like a movie running across the screen, I try to see and smell and wonder. Humor me and go with me to John 5 from our reading this week.

After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Betheseda in Hebrew, which has five colonnades. Within these lay a multitude of the sick- blind, lame, and paralyzed waiting for the moving of the water, because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had. One man was there who had been sick for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had already been there a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to get well?"

"Sir," the sick man answered, "I don't have a man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming someone goes down ahead of me." "Get up", Jesus told him, "pick up your bedroll and walk!" Instantly the man got well, picked up his bedroll, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath, so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "this is the Sabbath! It's illegal for you to pick up your bedroll." (vs 1-10)

This story always stirs my imagination and my heart. Can you imagine? You are desperate. You have been waiting for 38 years. 38 years!!! Your companions are just as desperate as you are. Longing. Waiting. For waters to move. For an angel who comes time to time. You never make it in first because your ailment doesn't allow you to do so. Someone always moves in ahead of you. Such despair. Have you been there at the water the whole time? How long did it take you to get there? Did someone dump you off? What does it smell like there with all the other desperate people? Do the sounds and smells of the festival disturb you? Does ANYONE minister to you?

We are all spiritually desperate before accepting Christ. But have you ever met anyone who was as desperate as this man? In Christ, the man at the pool found mercy, hope, and a new beginning. He picked up his bedroll and walked. Imagine how his heart might have felt. A longing for help was answered. A miracle took place.

..... And all the hard hearted legalists could say was "it's the Sabbath, it's illegal".

My prayers today are for softer hearts, for longings, for miracles, and for Hope. Hope found only in Christ. May you, if you have not yet met Him, find Christ today and accept the miracle of His cross.

Tuesdays Together

I would love to tell you all that I got it right today. That I did everything just right. But I didn't. I can't tell you such a thing. I would love to say that I read my scripture FIRST thing this morning instead of noon, and that I woke up bright and perky this morning ready for the day! I didn't.

I would love to say that I have excercised already and had plenty of water to drink. That I didn't wait until 1030 to take a shower and only then because I needed to run a quick errand. I would love to tell you that my house is clean and my laundry finished and my to do list completed, but it isn't. That I have been productive and have accomplished great things today. I haven't.

I will tell you that I have been rebellious this morning. And frankly my spirit has been a bit contrary. I have said mean things to myself today. I am under attack. I have been inconsistent with most things important over the past 2-3 weeks and it is catching up with me.

I will tell you that I have enjoyed my screen porch today and the cool weather. AND the halloween candy on the top of the fridge has had a few visits today. I WILL tell you that the Lord has been faithful to me anyway. I went back to Psalm 111.

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.

Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.

He has caused his wonders to be remembered;(v2-4)

The Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him;

he remembers his covenant forever.(v5)

The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.

They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.(v7-8)

Aren't you thankful that the Lord is not inconsistent? Did you catch all that? Great. Glorious. Steadfast. Trustworthy. Forever. Gracious. Compassionate. He has CAUSED his wonders to be remembered.

I asked the Lord to help me get my rear end out of the recliner. He did. I asked him to help me gather up some energy and get something accomplished. He did. I asked him to speak to me. He most certainly did. It was gracious and compassionate. His wonders were remembered. My spirit was renewed.

To Him belongs eternal praise.(v10)

To learn more about our group and Tuesdays Together please visit DeeDee.