Community Chat

[gloriajean]

We have every reason to be at peace because God will either protect us from
suffering or give us immense strength to see us through it. Lord, I set
aside my anxieties because You care for me every day in every way.

Scripture for the day:

Jesus said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and
rest a while." ~Mark 6:31

Meditation for the day:

God can work through us better when we are not hurrying. We can go very
slowly, very quietly, from one duty to the next, taking time to rest and
pray between. We need not be too busy. We can take everything in order. We
can venture often into the rest of God and we can find peace. All work that
results from resting with God is good work. We can claim the power to work
miracles in human lives. We can do many things with God's help. We can do
good things through God who rests us and gives us strength. We can partake
regularly of rest and prayer.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may not be in too much of a hurry. I pray that I may take
time out often to rest with God.

Greetings my friends! How was your day? Hope it went well and you weren't
too busy. Gosh! it sure was busy in town today! All last minute shoppers
and also at Lori's Massage place too, people came in to buy Gift
Certificates for their wives. Isn't that sweet? The day was busy at work -
and after work we went shopping for ingredients for the pizza supper and
also for the candy making - couldn't find any almond bark anymore so this
year it'll be s'mores. But Low fat ones. Lori found a homemade recipe for
marshmellows using agave nectar. Sounds interesting. Love doing something
different too. Well - today was the two funerals - my cousin, Karen's
husband, and Linus' cousin's son, who shot himself. It was such a sad
funeral, he said, I couldn't go to Ray's but was there for the wake last
night. Today I would have seen my cousin's at the funeral, but that didn't
work out because of the other one. Now I heard that my first cousin, Father
Bernard, was taken to our hospital - by ambulance - he is in the 80's,
around my sister's ages. He's had Parkinson's for many years and is so
weak - it looks like his death is near. Please say a prayer for him?
Sister LaDonna continues to get better - thanks for praying for her! God
does answer prayers, but in His timing. I had to call my sisters tonight to
let them know about Father Bernard. Tomorrow night the boards are down so
there won't be a thread for Christmas Day - so here I'm wishing you all a
very Merry Christmas, and remember the reason for the day we celebrate! May
the Wonder of His Love touch you this Christmas and bring you Peace and
Happiness.

REMEMBER MY BIRTHDAY?
Author Unknown


As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year
there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the
celebration will be repeated. During this time there are many people
shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV
commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that
my birthday is getting closer and closer.


It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people
think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many
years ago. At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all
that I did for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the
reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a
lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration.


I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The
dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted
nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were
many, many beautifully wrapped gifts. But, do you want to know
something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honor and they didn't
remember to send me an invitation. The party was for me, but when that
great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my
face........ . and I wanted to be with them and share their table. In
truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close
their doors to me.


Since I was not invited, I decided to enter the party without making
any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking;
there were some who were drunk and telling jokes and laughing at
everything. They were having a great time. To top it all, this big fat
man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room
yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the
children ran to him, saying : "Santa Claus, Santa Claus"... as if the
party were in his honor !


At 12 midnight all the people began to hug each other ; I extended my
arms waiting for someone to hug me and .... do you know .... no one
hugged me. Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them
one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked
to see if, maybe, there was one for me. What would you feel if on your
birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one ? I then
understood that I was unwanted
at that party and quietly left.


Every year it gets worse. People only remember to eat and drink, the
gifts, the parties and nobody remembers me. I would like this
Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life. I would like that
you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to
this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you. Today,
I only want that you believe this with all you heart.


I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their
party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one
has ever imagined, a spectacular party. I'm still making the final
arrangements. Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an
invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will
make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in
my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to
the party. Those who don't answer the invitation, will be left
outside. Do you know how you can answer this invitation? It is by
extending it to others whom you care for... I'll be waiting for all of
you to attend my party this year...


See you soon .... I love you !




THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3 :20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom 8:31 -34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 )
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans
5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph.
2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected.
(Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's
child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?


Keep this bell ringing...pass it on
'The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
And give you peace...
Numbers 6:24-26.

A CHRISTMAS LETTER

Dearest Friend, I have a list of folks I know, all written in a book.
And every year when Christmas comes, I go and take a look.
And that is when I realize that these names are a part
Not of the book they're written in, but of my very heart.
For every name stands for one who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they've become the rhythm in each rhyme.
And while it sounds fantastic for me to make this claim,
I really feel that I'm composed of each remembered name.

And while you may not be aware of any "special link",
Just meeting you has changed my life a lot more than you think.
For once I've met somebody, the years cannot erase
The memory of a pleasant word or of a friendly face.

So never think my Christmas cards are just a mere routine
Of names upon a Christmas list, forgotten in between.
For when I send a Christmas card that is addressed to you,
It's because you are on a list of folks I'm indebted to.

For I am but the total of the many folks I"ve met,
And you just happen to be one of those I prefer not to forget.
And whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some way you have had a part in shaping things I do.

And every year when Christmas comes, I realize anew
The best gift life can offer is meeting folks like you.
And may the spirit of Christmas, that forever endures,
Leave its richest blessings in the heart of You and Yours.

(author unknown)

Will the Christ Child Come?

One Christmas we had an interesting experience that I would like to share.
Halfway through December we were doing the regular evening things when there
was a knock at the door. We opened it to find a small package with a
beautiful
ceramic lamb inside. We looked at the calendar and realized that the 12
days
of Christmas were beginning! We waited excitedly for the next night's
surprise
and only then, with the gift of a matching shepherd, did we realize that
the lamb was part of a nativity set.

Each night we grew more excited to see what piece we would receive.
Each was exquisitely beautiful. The kids kept trying to catch the givers
as we slowly built the scene at the manger and began to focus on Christ's
birth.

On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were in place, all but the Baby Jesus.
My 12-year-old son really wanted to catch our benefactors and began
to devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate dinner in the minivan,
watching and waiting, but no one came. Finally, we called him in to go
through
our family's Christmas Eve traditions. But before the kids went to bed, we
checked the front step - - no Baby Jesus! We began to worry that my son
had scared them off. My husband suggested that maybe they dropped the Jesus
and there wouldn't be anything coming. Somehow, something was missing that
Christmas Eve.

There was a feeling that things weren't complete. The kids went to bed and
before
I went to bed, I again checked to see if the Jesus had come - - no, the
doorstep was empty.
In our family, the kids can open their stockings when they want to, but they
have to wait
to open any presents until Dad wakes up. So one by one they woke up very
early and I
also woke up to watch them. Even before they opened their stockings, each
child
checked to see if perhaps during the night the Baby Jesus had come.

Missing that piece of the set seemed to have an odd effect. At least it
changed
my focus. I knew there were presents under the tree for me and I was
excited
to watch the children open their gifts, but first on my mind was the feeling
of
waiting for the ceramic Christ Child. We had opened just about all of the
presents
when one of the children found one more for me buried deep beneath the limbs
of the tree.

He handed me a small package from my former visiting teaching companion.
This sister was somewhat less-active in the church. I had been her visiting
teacher
for a couple of years and then, when she was asked to be a visiting teacher,
she requested
to go with me. I had learned over time they didn't have much for Christmas,
so that
their focus was on the children. It sounded like she didn't get many gifts
to open,
so I had always given her a small package -- new dish towels, the next
year's Relief
Society lesson manual -- not much, but something for her to open.

I was touched when at church on the day before Christmas, she had given me
this
small package, saying it was just a token of her love and appreciation. As
I took
off the bow, I remembered my friendship with her and was filled with
gratitude for
knowing her and for her kindness and sacrifice in this giving me a gift.
But as the
paper fell away, I began to tremble and cry. There in the small brown box
was
the Baby Jesus! He had come!

I realized on that Christmas Day, that Christ will come into our lives in
ways that
we don't expect. The spirit of Christ comes into our hearts as we serve one
another.
We had waited and watched for Him to come, expecting the dramatic "knock at
the door
and scurrying of feet" but He came in a small, simple package that
represented service,
friendship, gratitude and love.

This experience taught me that the beginning of the true spirit of Christmas
comes as we open our hearts and actively focus on the Savior. But we will
most
likely find Him in the small and simple acts of love, friendship and service
that we
give to each other. This Christmas I want to feel again the joy of knowing
that Christ
is in our home. I want to focus on loving and serving. More than that, I
want to open
my heart to Him all year that I may see Him again.


One Perfect Star

One perfect star to touch the night
with warmth and promise shining bright.

One perfect light to reach the earth
And show mankind the Christ Child's birth.

One perfect love to lead the way
To peace and hope for us today.

One perfect sign for all to see
One Savior for eternity.

May the promise of that special star
shine its blessings on you
this Christmas season and always.


May the joy of Christmas be yours on Christmas and all year long. Be a
blessing to someone else and God
will bless you in return.
Good night - Sweet Dreams! Enjoy His Birthday Celebration! We used to make
a birthday cake for Jesus - anyone else do that?