Favorite Christmas Foto #2

You may wonder what this is that I would pick it to be my favorite photo of the past several days! I really wanted to post some of our grandchildren who visited but since I only wanted one picture I settled for this one.

This was at the Christmas Tea that we had at our house several days ago for the ladies from our church. I had made some simple napkin rings from keychain rings and little silk roses and they were obviously very happy with them. When I saw them putting their hands together with the little red roses on them it just looked like the prettiest little picture...which it is!

Born To Die

All over the world today many people are celebrating Christmas. Sadly, very sadly, only a small percentage of those are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, which we know is the real reason for this season of joy.

Very often over the past few weeks I have thought of the reason that Jesus was sent to earth: TO DIE. Yes, He was born to die! That does not bring us sadness but, rather, great joy for it was because of His death that we are able to live.  

A forever life with Him...What a precious and beautiful gift He gave to us and that is why we can have such great joy as we celebrate this Christmas Day!

May you know and experience the True Joy of Christmas this year.

Merry Christmas to all!

"For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.

And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me...that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life..."  -John 6:38-40

My Alabaster Box

I love the Bible story (Mark 14:3-9) of the woman who broke her alabaster box and poured out her expensive perfume on Jesus. Whether it was Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene or some other woman doesn't matter.  The change that Jesus brought about in her life was worthy of the love and worship she unabandonly gave to Him.

I have a little alabaster box that a friend once gave to me and every time I see it I am reminded of this story. Thus I am reminded of the need that I have to give to Him the love, praise and worship that He deserves and desires from me.

What is in your alabaster box? What is in mine? What gift can we bring this Christmas to Jesus Who gave His all, His best, for us? Whatever it is, give it to Him with abandon, with love, with worship...as this woman did.

There is a beautiful song about this story, here are the words...

Alabaster Box

The room grew still
As she made her way to Jesus

She stumbled through the tears that made her blind

She felt such pain
Some spoke in anger
Heard folks whisper
There's no place here for her kind
Still on she came
Through the shame that flushed her face
Until at last, she knelt before his feet
And though she spoke no words
Everything she said was heard
As she poured her love for the Master
From her box of alabaster


And I've come to pour
My praise on Him
Like oil from Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair
You weren't there the night He found me

You did not feel what I felt

When he wrapped his love all around me and

You don't know the cost of the oil

In my alabaster box

I can't forget the way life used to be

I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound

And I spent my days
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box

I'd thought I'd found

Until the day when Jesus came to me

And healed my soul

With the wonder of His touch

So now I'm giving back to Him

All the praise He's worthy of

I've been forgiven

And that's why

I love Him so much

 And I've come to pour

My praise on Him

Like oil from Mary's alabaster box

Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears

And dry them with my hair

You weren't there the night Jesus found me

You did not feel what I felt

When He wrapped his loving arms around me and

You don't know the cost of the oil
Oh, you don't know the cost of my praise

You don't know the cost of the oil

In my alabaster box.

                              -Cece Winans

Favorite Christmas Fotos #1

It will only be Thursday by the time I post this but...close enough, I say, to Friday. This pink Christmas decoration was in the house where we spent the weekend in the state to the north of us and I admired it every time I walked by it. The Christmas greeting photo to the right is a close-up of this one.

The lady of the house was a fellow lover of roses...even PINK ones! Here's another of the decorations that I saw there...

 These kinds of things are gifts from Him to bring joy to my life!

One-A-Day

I can't type as well these days because of a hand injury so I'll just post photos of these little flowers that suddenly bloomed in the corner of our front yard this week...a new one each day for 3 days. Reminds me of the verse which I put below.

I had forgotten that I had planted these bulbs from plants that I found at the side of the road last month, growing wild. What a special delight! Don't know their name but they look like miniature lilies.

                                                                         One...

two....

...three!

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22,23

Favorite Foto Friday #5

From the front of our house a few days ago, not long before sunset, this cloud was all lit up. Beautiful! (Just ignore the wires...)