Hello my friends! Soon it will be Christmas Eve! As we celebrate His Birth by giving and receiving gifts, let us remember HIM Who is the real reason why we are doing this!!! I love the picture of Santa kneeling by the Crib and praying to the Infant Jesus!!! Last last night we had Darla and Greg overnight, and part to today, had a real nice visit! They'll be back tonight late again for sleeping, they like the bed here, and we have a heated garage and room for their car. Christmas Day we have Greg's parents here - we're making vegetarian lasagna, she's making a cranberry salad, I'll make an apple crisp - if I have time, and I think we'll be playing a new board game! Tomorrow night we'll be at Lori's for our traditional Pizza and opening of gifts. Here's wishing you all well and hoping you all have a very Holy, yes Holy Christmas Eve! What a blessed Event! O Holy Night!!
Love people so much that you will do all that you can to lessen their human
sorrows. Lord, You have shown Your love for me. May I now radiate
Your presence to others.
Scripture of the day:
"A lawyer, asked Jesus a question to test him. 'Teacher, which commandment
in the law is the greatest?' He said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You
shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all
the law and the prophets." ~Matthew 22:35-40
Meditation for the day:
God has a plan for the world we live in. God's design for the world is a
universal fellowship of men and women, guided by God. The plan for our
lives is also in the mind of God. In times of quiet meditation we can seek
God's guidance, for the revealing of God's plan for our day. Then we can
live this day according to God's guidance. Many of us are not making of our
lives what God means them to be, and so we are unhappy. We can miss the
God's plan for our lives.
Prayer for the day:
I pray that I may try to follow God's design for today. I pray that I may
live my life today consistent with God's plan.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, hello, how are you?
I greet you with love,
And I thank you for being available.
Deeply, I breathe your roses,
The twelve fresh roses you place in my spirit
Every morning when I say hello to you.
Full of grace are you,
Grace spilling over Heaven's boundaries
Into my world, living water, bread and wine,
The unmerited favor of God
That you come carrying to me,
Your arms always full of gifts.
The Lord is with thee,
Jesus Christ the Messiah is with you,
And you teach me how to recognize
That the Lord is with me.
Blessed art thou amoung women,
Glowing with love for Jesus,
Pure blessedness never tainted
But alive with holy beauty.
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
The most blessed of humanity,
Delivered through you, Virgin Mary.
Jesus, the most cursed of humanity,
Who became a curse for me
So that I might be blessed
With his resurrection life.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Teach me to value motherhood,
Help me pray for mothers and fathers
To love and support each other.
Show me how God loves you.
Pray for us sinners now
And at the hour of our death.
Pray that I can live each moment
Consecrated to love, to Christ,
That I recognize each now
As the moment of salvation
So that I die prepared for eternal life.
Pray that I can crucify my passions,
Those passions that make me a sinner,
And that I can die to sin on the cross with Jesus
As you look on weeping and praying
But joyous, knowing that resurrection follows.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
by Mark Andrew
THE BIRTH OF JESUS
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken
of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while
Quirinius was governor of Syria). And everyone went to his own town to
register
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of
David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married
to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for
the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She
wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room
for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over
their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said
to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be
for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to
you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a
baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a ."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on
whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to
the one another, " Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying
in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what
had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at
what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising
God for all the things they had heard and seen , which were just as they had
been told. (Luke 2: 1-20 NIV)
-- Author KNOWN!
My CHRISTmas prayer for each of you is that you take a moment out of your
busy life and reflect on the miracle that happened oh so many years ago, and
yet, can happen each and every day in the lives of the ones around you.
May you continue to grow deeper in your understanding of God's love for
you and His desire for you to show His Love to those around you.
Merry CHRISTmas!
Gloria
THE CHRISTMAS TEN COMMANDMENTS
1. Thou shalt give thy heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of thy
Christmas list
2. Thou shalt prepare thy soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts
that thy soul is forgotten.
3. Thou shalt not let Santa Claus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of
its spiritual reality.
4. Thou shalt not burden the shop girl, the mailman, and the merchant with
complaints and demands.
5. Thou shalt give thyself with thy gift. This will increase its value a
hundred fold, and he who receiveth it shall treasure it forever.
6. Thou shalt not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least
expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold.
7. Thou shalt not neglect the needy. Share thy blessings with many who will
go hungry and cold unless thou are generous.
8. Thou shalt not neglect thy church. Its services highlight the true
meaning of the season.
9. Thou shalt be as a little child. Not until thou has become in spirit as a
little one art thou ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
10. Thou shall not forget to share your joy, hope, peace and faith with
those around you.
A reflective Christmas prayer
Father God, When your precious Son became a tiny baby in a stable in
Bethlehem in poverty and simplicity, you changed our world. As we imagine
those surroundings, we join with the shepherds and the wise men in wonder
and praise. We thank you for our material lives, praise you for our
spiritual lives, and trust in you for our eternal life. Amen.
ADVENT PRAYER
Through the gift of your Spirit, O heavenly Father, let that mind be in us
which was in Jesus Christ your Son, when he offered himself a faultless
victim to you and put an end to the religious childhood of humankind. Teach
us to worship you in spirit and truth trusting in your Fatherly Providence,
bearing with one another, and serving one another in charity.
To you, Lord Jesus, I entrust my life, for I believe that you possess all
wisdom and knowledge and are willing to be my Master and Guide. Impart to me
the wisdom I need for myself and my fellowmen, and give me faith enough to
follow you peacefully, even when I cannot understand your ways. Amen.
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