Hello my friends! Cold and windy today, but warm hearts and isn't that the best anyway? Spent all day at Lori's office - we did have some good Mother/Daughter time and seeing some of her clients she's had since she began in the massage business, about a dozen years ago. Wishing you all a very positive and blessed Wednesday!
Use your talents. The world would be silent if only the birds that sing
the best would sing. Lord, I will use Your gifts because You chose
them especially for me.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is
not healthy, your body is full of darkness." ~Luke 11:34
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
"If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is
not healthy, your body is full of darkness." The eye of the soul is the
will. If our will is to do the will of God, to serve God with our lives,
to serve God by helping others, then truly shall our whole body be full
of light. The important thing is to strive that our will be attuned to
the will of God, a single eye to God's purpose, desiring nothing less
than that God's purposes be fulfilled. We can try to seek in all things
the advance of God's kingdom, seek the spiritual values of honesty and
purity, unselfishness and love, and earnestly desire spiritual growth.
Then our life will emerge from the darkness of futility into the light
of victory.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that my eye may be healthy. I pray that my life may be lived in
the light of the best that I know.
10 Signs You are in Love with Your Enemy
Anger and love are both such passionate emotions; it’s easy to find
yourself in the surprising predicament of falling in love with the
person you once thought you hated. Here are some of the signs that
what you’re feeling is closer to desire than disgust.
1. You Can’t Stop Talking About Them – Over dinner or at a party
with friends, you’re dominating the conversation, and every single
word is about your “enemy.” When the subject changes, you can’t help
but bring it back around to your new favorite subject. If you can’t
squelch the urge to make everything about them, you might be edging
into dangerous territory.
2. They’re All You Think About – Your house is a wreck and your
inbox is full, because all you can think about is this person that you
hate. You’re consumed by thoughts of your enemy that there’s no room
for anything else in your head. Obsessing at this level is usually an
indicator of attraction, whether you’re ready to admit it or not.
3. You Feel The Urge to Look Your Best – Sure, a snappy comeback
has more of a bite when it comes from someone who’s dressed to
impress. Still, if you’ve added time to your morning routine or funds
to your clothing budget, you’re probably more concerned with the
“impressing” part than the “snappy comeback.”
4. You Analyze Every Conversation – Remember when you went on that
first date with a new person, and you spent the next day picking apart
every sentence? If you’re treating every conversation like an
opportunity for psychoanalysis, then you’re worrying about what
they’re thinking far more than you would if they were someone you
didn’t care about.
5. A Pounding Heart and Sweaty Palms – That rush of adrenaline that
you feel when your enemy approaches can cause your pulse to race and
your palms to sweat, but so can the release of dopamine and
norepinephrine; the chemicals that your brain is flooded with when
you’re in the presence of someone you’re attracted to.
6. You’ve Become a Cyber-Stalker – If your daily routine consists
of Googling every variation of your enemy’s name and creeping their
Facebook page, you’re in big trouble. The desire to gather dirt on
someone you don’t like is fairly short-lived; you find something juicy
and then you move on. When you can’t ask someone for details about
themselves because you’re supposed to hate them, you’re not able to
satisfy that “I want to know everything about you” urge through
conversation. Instead, you’re hitting the search engine like an
addict.
7. You Read Every Email At Least Three Times – Emails and texts
from your enemy are usually read once and then discarded. Holding on
to them and pondering the placement of every punctuation mark
definitely points to attraction, not acrimony.
8. Every Encounter is Carefully Planned – Spending your commute
strategically planning every interaction and scripting any possible
exchanges might be a sign that you’re more invested in this person’s
opinion of you than you’re aware of.
9. Concentrating is Impossible – Asking the people around you to
repeat themselves or having to read the same paper twice to make sense
of it is a sign that you’re preoccupied; if the object of this
preoccupation is the opposition, it’s a sure sign of burgeoning
attraction.
10. Your Friends Make Fun of You – Friends usually know what’s going
on in your head long before you do. If they’re starting to make jokes
about your “crush” or giving you a hard time because you’re focusing
so much of your energy on an attraction dressed in a conflict’s
clothing, they might be onto something.
Coming to terms with a romantic interest in someone that you don’t get
along with can be difficult, but it can lead to a spirited
relationship if you can both learn to keep your temper. If you get the
feeling that your affections are returned, it might be a good idea to
bury the hatchet and see where the passion between you leads.
TWAS THE NIGHT JESUS CAME
Twas the night Jesus came and all through the house, not a person was praying, not one in the house.
The Bible was left on the shelf without care, for no one thought Jesus would come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed, not once ever kneeling or bowing their head.
And Mom in the rocking chair with baby on her lap, was watching the Late Show as I took a nap.
When out of the east there arose such a clatter, I sprang to my feet to see what's the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and lifted the sash.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but Angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
The light of His face made me cover my head, it was Jesus returning just like He'd said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth, I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which he held in his hand, was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as he searched for my name, when He said "it is not here" I hung my head in shame.
The peoples whose names had been written with love, He gathered to take to his Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound, while all the others were left standing around.
I fell to my knees but it was too late, I waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight, Oh, if only I'd known that this was the night.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear, the coming of Jesus is now drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call, we'll find out that the Bible was true after all ...
Christmas Bells
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!
Till, ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The Carols drowned
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.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Good Luck Means God
This is a story about a husband rushing to the shopping center to find a last minute anniversary gift for his wife. Just as he was going through the door of the supermarket, an impatient shopper came rushing out, bumping an elderly lady and sending her parcels flying. No one stopped to help her.
John looked at his watch. In a few minutes the store would be dosed. What should he do? The poor old lady looked so upset.... Well, John helped her gather up everything. She gave him such a sweet smile, that he was charmed into seeing her safely to her bus. Then John dashed back to the supermarket, just as the security man had locked all the doors. So - all he could buy his wife was a bunch of flowers.
One night about two months later, John was hundreds of miles from home, driving through a heavy rainstorm when his tire blew out. He found that his spare tire was also flat. So, dripping wet, he climbed back into the car and waited and waited in the dark.... Finally, he saw two headlights coming down the road.... He waved frantically, and the car stopped. inside, was that same old lady, he had helped some weeks before.
She explained that she was actually on the wrong road. Back somewhere, she had taken a wrong turn. And so it was by pure luck that she happened to be here, just when she could be of help.
Any Christian, of course, knows that there is no such a thing as luck. Luck is another word for God working behind things... like caring for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and the hairs of your head, as Matthew says in 6:28.
December 22 - Jesus Calling
Come to Me, and rest in My Presence. As you ponder the majestic mystery of the Incarnation, relax in My everlasting arms. I am the only Person who was ever sired by the Holy Spirit. This is beyond your understanding. Instead of trying to comprehend My Incarnation intellectually, learn from the example of the wise men. They followed the leading of a spectacular star, then fell down in humble worship when they found Me.
Praise and worship are the best responses to the wonder of My Being. Sing praises to My holy Name. Gaze at Me in silent adoration. Look for a star of guidance in your own life, and be willing to follow wherever I lead. I am the Light from on high that dawns upon you, to guide your feet into the way of Peace.
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
—Luke 1:35
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
—John 1:14
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.
—Matthew 2:10–11 nkjv
A Light from on high will dawn upon us…to shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet…into the way of peace.
—Luke 1:78–79 amp
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