December Monday in Texas

Hamilton Elf & I wish you a festive and blessed Monday!  We're reporting a chilling but sunny day here in North Texas ... just warm enough for a jaunt around the garden and a cup of warm cocoa while we chat awhile.  Won't you join us? 



We Wish You a Merry Christmas  ... we wish you a Merry Christmas ... we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Good tidings we bring ... well, you get my gist ...  Last night our Anchor Sunday School class decided to do some caroling and visit a couple of families needing that bit of Christmas cheer that can only come from the Lord speaking through His people.  We gathered at the church then caravaned to our first destination ... the home of Linda and Ron.  Linda was asleep when we first got there but Ron turned on the light and we sang merrily in the crisp cold air.  We woke Linda ... with our lovely harmonizing voices or our screeching tries ... it doesn't matter.  We had brought joy and comfort as well as food to this well deserving couple who have given so much during their lives.  We had the opportunity to gather around Linda, placing hands on each other as well as her to offer up "popcorn" prayers of  healing and peace.  On Donner, on Blitzen, on Comet, on Anchor class to the home of Dorothy and Myrle...  We welcomed the invitation to come in and spent some time visiting and again, singing and praying for this sweet couple.  Ah yes...it is so wonderful to be used by our Lord to bring His spirit to others this Christmas season!  The lovely dog in the photo is Bella, a rescue ... she added just that touch of specialness to our visits!

December 13, 2010:  My book, GIVE ME 40 DAYS arrived!  Hamilton Elf and I bundled up and headed for the back porch this afternoon to soak up some sun and begin reading.  I am doing a 24 hour juice fast to prepare myself to prepare myself to be open and teachable.  Being a Type A person, I always have my own ideas of how things should be but I am finding that life goes on whole lot smoother asking God what His will is and how I should be.  I have done this study twice before and at the end of those 40 days, my life was changed, not by what I did, but by what God did in me. 

I have always had a mindset of faith.  I don't know why, but I've always been God's child and that has never wavered.  Faith?  What is faith?  For me, it is a complete trust in God knowing He can do what I cannot.  I went through a long time of fear of people...when hurt comes from those you love it is like the knife slicing directly through the heart.  It is always a surprise and comes when you least expect it.  I've had to walk away many a time from an altercation quoting scripture in my mind and heart.  And, by the way, it is true..."Vengeance is mine" says the Lord.  It is odd, though, I used to think that I would be happy seeing God's vengeance but I wasn't ... it made me sad knowing that it didn't need to be that way.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."  ~~ Matthew 6:33

Does God come first in your life?  Really first?  I hear that a lot but wonder...  If I am completely truthful, God doesn't always come first in my life and, with that said, I can also offer a ton of excuses as to why He doesn't.  To be truthful, I didn't read the Bible because if I read the Bible, I would need to examine my choices I was making.  When I came to a complete encounter with the Lord God, all the excuses were stripped away leaving me naked, bleeding and ashamed.  Did He shoo me away?  No, He dried my tears and moved me to repentance ... true sorrow in my heart.  What man would send his son to die for me on a cross?  Have I had to live with the consequences of my choices?  Absolutely!!  However, I have come to know that God has used my life to give comfort and hope to those just like me.  Our sin may be against our fellowman; however, all sin is ultimately against God.

God has a direction of divine order and the number 40 applies to all earthly things and flesh.  Check it out!!  Today, I am getting into position for my 40 Days...

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."~~Ecclesiastes 3:1

Hamilton Elf has been a blessing to me this Christmas.  I was telling him today about the various seasons in my life and how my life changes sometimes at a moment's notice.  Looking back, I also can also see that the constant that never changed was my love for the Lord.  Moves occur,   children grow up and lead lives of their own, there is love and love lost, finances move up and down ...  I don't know about you, but I had to have somewhere to put my feet and know that I wasn't going to fall on my face.  He has been my rock and my anchor.

Speaking of anchors, my favorite song is THE ANCHOR HOLDS sung by Ray Bolz and oddly enough the Sunday School class I belong to is the Anchor Class.  Coincidence?  :o)  Never thought about it much but a also have an old iron anchor....sometimes, I find that I have a lot of coincidences in my life!!

  

I hear that my friends in Minnesota are getting hit by a blast of snow and cold.  I love the snow and cold and, if allowed, can even romance the idea of the whole Winter concept.  Then, reality hits and I think that I am right where I need to be.  

Time is a ticking away in my countdown to Christmas!  I just love this silly old clock I found at Tuesday Morning.  It plays Christmas carols on the hour ... every hour.  I felt asleep on the couch the other night and it kept waking me up to holiday songs.  At first I wondered why Michael didn't turn off the stereo then I realized it was the old clock and I closed my eyes and rested soundly!!

Have a wonderful day ... God bless ... And, remember you are loved and prayed for ... YA YOU!!