JOY TO THE WORLD...

the LORD has come!

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"  
2 Corinthians 9:15

Merry CHRISTmas!!

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
veneal

silent night, holy night

"... 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."  Luke 2:7   

What makes CHRISTmas so special?  The children... especially The One.

No room in the inn for The Child... yet, may we always have room in our heart, for Him, our Savior and Redeemer.  Thank You, Father!

Merry CHRISTmas!!

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
veneal

have you heard?

As many leave school for CHRISTmas Holy-day, i pray you are filled with the love, joy, and peace our Father intends for you.  If you need a little help, try putting this melody of songs in your heart. And speaking of heart, know you are in mine…. but more importantly His.

You better watch out

You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Jesus Christ is all around.

He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Jesus Christ is all around.

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Jesus Christ is all around.  

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." Luke 2:14

Do you hear what i hear?  Good News can be found!
Angels we have heard on high exclaim, " Jesus is coming to town!"
Come all ye faithful, be filled with His joy and love,
A silent, holy night will then give you His Peace from above. 

Deck the halls, we have reason to shout!
Christ the LORD has risen! let there be no doubt.
Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree, your beauty i see,
is about celebrating what Jesus did for you and me. 

So, you better not cry, you better not pout,
Hark! the herald angels still sing it out,
"Joy to the world, the Lord has come!"
Have yourself a merry 'lil Christmas... each and every one!

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live like we believe it,

have a joy-filled day and a glorious Merry CHRISTmas!

Happily His and grateful to be your sister-in-Christ, 

veneal

do not fear

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3  

Last year's decorations had been quickly packed, stored and stuffed in the attic.  It was good enough for most items, but not the glass CHRISTmas bell.  It was totally shattered.  Better wrapping could have saved it.

How is your CHRISTmas season coming?

Shattered bells, shattered lives ~ and CHRISTmas still comes. It's near impossible to live 365 days without changes.  Marriages, deaths, loss of income, sickness, births and other things happen. Some for the better, some not - as least through our eyes.  During trials, i struggle, as my eyes shift down on me and not up to Him.

Father, there are times i am crushed by the world around me.  Life is hard, unpredictable and mean.  And when i tackle it, without You, i shatter like glass.  I need to be completely wrapped, protected and covered in Your Love, Wisdom and Will.  Oh, how thankful  i am for the wonderful CHRISTmas season! 

During this time, no matter what has happened the past 365 days, i am reminded and brought back to what really matters -- You and Your unconditional Love.  Thank You for my Savior... because of Him, we will not fear but give thanks.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
love, JOY and peace to you, 
veneal

there's a song in the air

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Thank You, Father, for your mighty love and song over me, day and night.

Now here's one for You...    a Hallelujah CHRISTmas

Because of Jesus, our hearts are filled with JOY and thanks.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

we are loved and chosen by God, 

may we live like we believe it,

love, JOY and peace to you,

veneal

a Mighty Word ~ love

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Best gift of the season?  You...Be the gift.  Care and love others.

Father, may we keep our eyes on You, as You demonstrate best how to love others.  May we reflect Your image during the CHRISTmas season and every day.  For some, we may be the best or only present received.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
love, JOY and peace to you,
veneal

do you hear what i hear?

"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 manger." 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." Luke 2:6-12
 

He didn't like CHRISTmas, and why should he?  He had never had a tree nor presents -- there were no good memories.  All he knew about CHRISTmas was what the world told him and what he saw around him.  So when asked to write about CHRISTmas memories, he couldn't.  Sensing his emptiness, Mrs. Wesley told him about CHRISTmas, the true CHRISTmas.  He had never heard it, but now he has... and hope is possible where there once was darkness.

If you are stressed, disheartened, discouraged,maybe you need to hear the real CHRISTmas story, again.  Escape the make believe and usher in Truth and Peace -- then we can celebrate no matter what the circumstances.  

For God gave His Son for us to have eternal life... isn't that enough?  If we need to give anything to others, may it be the sharing of Him.

"Hark" the herald angels sings. Glory to the newborn King,

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled;

Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies;

With angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem,

Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!

May we never forget...

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
love, JOY and peace to you,
veneal

a Mighty Word ~ rest

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..." Colossians 3:15

Sgt. Pepper looks like he's had an exhausting week at school.  I bet you know exactly how he feels.

As the weekend approaches and the days before CHIRSTmas dwindle, i pray we keep our focus on the 3 W's -  Why and What and Whom we are celebrating.  And then, maybe His Peace will be ours too.

Father, let it be so with us.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
love, JOY and peace to you,
veneal

a word of caution

"...Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better...'"Luke 10:39-42

My Bible did not fall apart due to misuse or neglect, but due to an abundance of good stuff.  It was jam-packed with bookmarks, favorite passages, notes, letters, and booklets.  The over accumulation of good stuff finally blew the binding apart.  Yes, even too much good stuff can be bad.

How is your holiday season going?  Is it packed with lots of good stuff and happenings?  Supporting friends/family in various programs, attending gatherings, preparing special foods, serving others in need, leading a group, joining committees... how much more good stuff can you do?  How much more can you stick into your days before blowing up?  Even good people (and apparently reindeer) can only take so much, especially during the holidays.

Just because it's good, doesn't mean you should say yes and do... especially if it means not having time at our Father's feet.  After all, it is His Son's Birthday, and all He wants is your presence.  Do you have time to celebrate Him -- with JOY?

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live like we believe it,

love, JOY and peace to you,

veneal

a Mighty Word ~ faith

"But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus'...
'How will this be,' Mary asked, 'since I am a virgin?'
The angel answered... 'nothing is impossible with God.'
'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered.  'May it be to me as you have said.'"  Luke 1:29-31, 34, 37-38

Faith - believing God for the good, even in the face of adversity. 

Now, talking about faith… Mary had it.  

Father, fill me with the faith of Mary.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
love, JOY and peace to you,
veneal

break for peace

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

It's one of the most anticipated and enJOYed decorations in our library... a crackling fire.  While we set the example for students to follow, they sometimes set the example for us too. Recently, nestled next to our "roaring" fire and twinkling lights, Ms. Merry's class soaked in a few quiet, golden moments. Do you yearn to feel that peace too?

Don't let the busyness of the season leave you drained and depleted. Come sit by the fire and CHRISTmas tree -- allow the quiet peace to seep into your soul for a needed moment of sweet relief. 

Stop... rest... refuel.

And be filled with the delight of the season and Him.

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live like we believe it,

love, JOY and peace to you,

veneal

naughty or nice?

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

"He's making a list, checking it twice,

gonna find out who's naughty or nice..." 

What a helpful stanza this for teachers and others to cite at school to get children focused and to stay on task.  If ever there is a time everyone wants to be found on the nice list, it is now.  No one wants to forfeit a single gift from Santa because their name ended up on the naughty list. When all is said and done though, the power of Christmas for desired behavior is seasonal. 

During this CHRISTmas season, i am thankfully reminded that the most incredible gift of all, eternal life, doesn't depend on what i do, but what has already been done for me.  No matter the season, whether i'm in the mood to be good or not has no bearing on my receiving and keeping this gift from God. Once i accepted Jesus as my Savior, my name was placed on His list as a believer, not just for a season but forever. 

The power of CHRIST... all-sufficient, all-powerful, all-lasting.
Thank You, Father.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
love, JOY and peace to you,
veneal

a Mighty Word ~ come

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 

Come ye faithful, and let's sit at the feet of our Father this weekend, for some peace and quiet.  It's what He desires and what we need.

Come let us adore Him, and give Him our thanks.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
Love, JOY and peace to you,
veneal 

do you have room?

"(Mary) wrapped (the baby) in cloths and placed Him in a manager, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7

And what about now?  Is there room for Him...

in your heart
in your day
in your thoughts
in your actions
in your plans
in your prayers

As the 25th gets closer, don't let Him get squeezed out due to stress, projects, programs, busyness, commercialism, shopping and other demands of the season.  The craziness can cause us to flip, if not careful.

Let's be sure to take a daily, quiet moment to securely and tightly wrap God in our hearts, and allow His Light to shine in us.  As we make room for Him in all we do and say, the true JOY of the season will be ours and will radiant to others in need of His Peace.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
love, JOY and peace to you,
veneal

a Mighty Word ~ BElieve

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation... I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13

How to handle a hectic day:

Refocus and remember the true reason for CHIRSTmas.
Believing Him makes CHRISTmas and every day better.  

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
veneal

when hope falls

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

We had almost finished decorating the CHRISTmas, when suddenly our hope fell.  The string gave way and the hope angel hit the floor.  Besides the broken loop, hope was unscathed, and a new loop secured it back to the tree.  Only her beauty reflected on the tree... not her fall.  

Isn't hope like that for us too?  During trials, disappointments and hardships sometimes our hope wavers or falls into a deep pit. But Christ does not leave us there. He scoops us up and reconnects our heart/loop to Him, securely putting us close by His side.  His loving Hands shows up in the form of a friend, a song, His Word, a prayer. The source is not important, but His magnificent Presence is. And others come to see and know Him as they witness His glory through us.

How is your loop?  Is it holding tight or a bit loose?  Rest in knowing God is watching, waiting and willing to do what is needed to strengthen our faith in His Mighty Power. Oh, what a Mighty Foundation is our God.

Hang in there. You are looking good; God will make sure of that.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
veneal

23 days and counting

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel -- which means, 'God with us.'" Matthew 1:23

Drum roll, please.

Don't panic, but there are 6 less days after Thanksgiving this year to prepare for CHRISTmas.  

Six less days to celebrate the Birth of Jesus...
Six less days of singing CHRISTmas carols...
Six less days to enJOY the lights of this holy season...
Six less days of devouring delicious holiday delights...
The only thing i will not miss is six less days of shopping.

Let's turn up our Joy-filled and thankful heart with CHRISTmas music.  We don't want to miss a single glorious second of celebrating this holy season.

If you need some help, here's is a link to a beautiful CHRISTmas song to flame your spirit.
http://m.godvine.com/Amazing-A-Capella-Group-Sings-a-Christmas-Classic-That-You-Will-Love-4330.html

Thank You, Father, for the gift of Jesus! We want to bring the gift of a peaceful, grateful spirit to Your feet. May the rat-a-tat of the drum signal joy and not panic in our hearts.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live like we believe it,
veneal