Christmas Time is Here!

It is Christmas Season! It is the time that we remember the first coming of Christ.  We call this time Advent, which is derived from the Latin word, adventus, which literally means arrival or coming.  Our family does the advent wreath, lighting each of the four candles as the weeks go by. During this Christmas season there are lights all around, reminding us of Jesus, the light of the world.   Christmas is a time of anticipation, waiting for Christ.  It is not about presents under the tree, yes it helps us to remember that Jesus is the greatest gift of all, but Christmas is about the Christ-child who was born in Bethlehem. He came to die for us, to save us from our sins. That is what Christmas is about. Have a Merry Christmas!  

Psalm 1

 

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

 

 

Spring Poem!!!

Spring!

Spring! How beautiful is the
Spring! How wonderful is the
Spring! How majestic is the
Spring! How fantastic is the
Spring! How tantalizing is the
Spring! How glorious is the
Spring! How melodious is the
Spring! How joyful is the
Spring! How breathtaking is the
Spring! How uplifting the
Spring! How happy is the
Spring! How magnificent is the
Spring! How colorful is the
Spring! How tasteful is the
Spring! How memorable was the
Spring! How flavorful is the
Spring! How aromic is the
Spring! How sweet is
Spring! How beautiful is the
Spring!

Alex Fischer

Spring!

 

 

 

It is finally starting to feel like spring here!! 

There has been rain here all day today, and there is rain in the forecast all week.  I guess that the quote " April showers bring May flowers"  is true!!!

 I can't wait until the flowers start to burst out of the ground!!!

Soon the air will be warm, and we will begin to plant our garden, cut the grass, and do other spring time activities! 

In some places though there is not Spring like there is here! 

In Africa, it is warm almost all the time, except when it is the rainy season.  In other places all over the world Spring looks very different!! 

I am thankful for the warmer temperatures, and budding plants and trees that Spring brings. 

Every time that I look out the window or go for a walk outside I remember how great God is!

 

 

 

 

Passover

Today we are preparing for passover celebration tommarow, while we are not Jewish we still believe that it is important to remember the passover.   We celebrate by eating symbolic foods that remind us of what God did for us.  This is what we eat :   (also a main meal and dessert)

1. matzah
2. juice of the vine (grape juice)
3. sprigs of green parsley
4. horseradish (bitter herbs)
5. chopped apples and raisins (called haroset)
6. heavy shank bone of lamb
7. boiled egg
8. small dish of salted water

Each of these items symbolize something important, the salted water symbolizes the tears that the Israelites wept when they were slaves in Egypt.   The matzah or unleavened bread reminds us that the Israelites did not have time to make leavened bread but had to be ready to leave when God said.   The bitter herbs remind us of the bitter slavery that they Israelites were held bondage in.  They also remind us of our bitter sins that Jesus Christ died for.   The green parsley reminds us of our new life in Christ.  All of the items remind us of something that God has done for us. 
   Passover is a wonderful time to get together with friends or family and celebrate what God has done!

Friends!

God has gifted me with many friends!! My friends are encouraging, they pray for me when I am going through hard times, they rejoice with me when I am rejoicing.  Friends are so important to have! But of all my friends there is a friend who sticks closer then a brother!  That is Jesus Christ!! He is always there for me where ever I am!!!!  Jesus is the best friend that anyone could ever have!  Remember that Jesus is always there for you if you are one of his children!!!  May you never forget that he is always beside you where ever you go! Whether things are good or bad, when you are happy sad, or angry, He will always be right there for you!!!

Snow

Today it snowed.  I was beginning to think that it was spring until today!  The snow is very pretty but I can't wait until  its spring!!     As I looked out my window at the falling snow I thought about how wonderful God is.  He has created so much beauty in this world!   Every time that you see something beautiful that God has made take time to  give him thanks!

Blessings........

Blessings

 
     There is so much that we can be thankful for!!   I like to make a list of all my blessings!   Counting our blessings can help us through hard times.   Instead of thinking about all the things that are not going well we can focus on the things that God has blessed us with!   So next time you are feeling discouraged or sad try counting your  blessings!  It can really help! 

~Love~

 

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

 

 

Isn't that a wonderful verse?  It talks about how we are to love one another! God commands us to love one another.  In 1st John 4:19 it says  We love because He first loved us.   That is the reason why we are to love one another because God loved us first.   He loved us so  much that he sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins!  Now that is ALOT of love.    To send your only son down to the world to rescue sinners like you and me is tons of love.   God loves us so much, now let us show a little of the love that He has shown us to others!!  

 

 

To busy for God?

Are we to busy for God??

      It is easy in life to get busy with school, work, etc, but do we always make sure that we spend time with God, talking to him? Praying to him? Reading his Word?   I am guilty of getting "to busy" to not have time to do those things.  I need to remember to talk to him and read his Holy Word daily.  What about you? Do you remember to talk to him daily even if your life is very busy?  Something to remember as you and me go about our daily lives. 

Valley of Vision

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyyXTm_gLcE ~ Song

 

Valley of Vision

 

Words and Music by Bob Kauflin

 

Verse 1
When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Chorus
Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

Verse 2
In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed.

 

 

A little poem

  

This poem reminds me that little things mean so much in life.

By stopping to  cheer up someone who is feeling sad of lonely

is such a little thing, but it can make their day so much better!

But there is also little things that we do or say that can harm people, our friends,family and others.

When we say something unkind or rude 

we can really hurt someone, no matter how small we think that  little word or deed was.

 Little things are so important in our lives!

 

 

 

 

 

Little Things

Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.

So the little moments,
Humble thought they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of Eternity.

So the little errors
Lead the soul away
From the paths of virtue
Far in sin to stray.

Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Help to make earth happy
Like the Heaven above.

~Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney

Latin!

Hello!  I thought that I would post this funny story, for those Latin scholars out there!!  Here it is enjoy!!!

 

 

Carmen Possum

 

THE NOX was lit by lux of Luna,

And 'twas a nox most opportuna

To catch a possum or a coona;

For nix was scattered o'er this mundus,

A shallow nix, et non profundus.

On sic a nox with canis unus,

Two boys went out to hunt for coonus.

The corpus of this bonus canis

Was full as long as octo span is,

But brevior legs had canis never

Quam had hic dog; et bonus clever.

Some used to say, in stultum jocum

Quod a field was too small locum

For sic a dog to make a turnus

Circum self from stem to sternus.

Unus canis, duo puer,

Nunquam braver, nunquam truer,

Quam hoc trio nunquam fuit,

If there was I never knew it.

This bonus dog had one bad habit,

Amabat much to tree a rabbit,

Amabat plus to chase a rattus,

Amabat bene tree a cattus.

But on this nixy moonlight night

This old canis did just right.

Nunquam treed a starving rattus,

Nunquam chased a starving cattus,

But sucurrit on, intentus

On the track and on the scentus,

Till he trees a possum strongum,

In a hollow trunkum longum.

Loud he barked in horrid bellum,

Seemed on terra vehit pellum.

Quickly ran the duo puer

Mors of possum to secure.

Quam venerit, one began

To chop away like quisque man.

Soon the axe went through the truncum

Soon he hit it all kerchunkum;

Combat deepens, on ye braves!

Canis, pueri et staves

As his powers non longius carry,

Possum potest non pugnare.

On the nix his corpus lieth.

Down to Hades spirit flieth,

Joyful pueri, canis bonus,

Think him dead as any stonus.

Now they seek their pater's domo,

Feeling proud as any homo,

Knowing, certe, they will blossom

Into heroes, when with possum

They arrive, narrabunt story,

Plenus blood et plenior glory.

Pompey, David, Samson, Caesar,

Cyrus, Black Hawk, Shalmanezer!

Tell me where est now the gloria,

Where the honors of victoria?

Nunc a domum narrent story,

Plenus sanguine, tragic, gory.

Pater praiseth, likewise mater,

Wonders greatly younger frater.

Possum leave they on the mundus,

Go themselves to sleep profundus,

Somniunt possums slain in battle,

Strong as ursae, large as cattle.

When nox gives way to lux of morning,

Albam terram much adorning,

Up they jump to see the varmin,

Of the which this is the carmen.

Lo! possum est resurrectum!

Ecce pueri dejectum,

Ne relinquit back behind him,

Et the pueri never find him.

Cruel possum! bestia vilest,

How the pueros thou beguilest!

Pueri think non plus of Caesar,

Go ad Orcum, Shalmanezer,

Take your laurels, cum the honor,

Since ista possum is a goner!

 

Gods Love

 

God loves us so much, here is a poem that really speaks of his love!

The Love of God

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
Were every blade of grass a quill,
Were the world of parchment made,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor would the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
                                -By Unknown Author 

Here is  a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fla6EO07I3E

It is very beautiful!

Today I  am reminded of this verse as so much is going on, new births, as well as deaths:

Ecclesiastes 3

New International Version (NIV)

A Time for Everything

3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

 

God has planned a time and a season for everything.

The beauty of snow!

 

Here in the last few days I was beginning to think it was spring, I guess that I thought wrong!  We had something like a mini blizzard here, we have a lot of drifts some of which are about 18 inches deep!   The trees are snow covered weighing the branches down and my window has frost crystals with delicate patterns.  The chickens don't wish to come out today as they sink in the snow. Our dog walks out in the snow and then hurries back into the shelter of our warm house.  When he was younger he used to catch snowballs in his mouth! I think he is to wise to do that now though.  All this beauty it reminds me of how beautiful Gods creation is. It reminds me how great and awesome He is.  He is most surely a God of beauty.