It's the *Greatest* and *Busiest* Time of Year...

Which explains the lack of posts around here! 

So, what things have I been up to? 

Well, here are a few...

(Did I seriously just make all that rhyme?

That was totally un NOT intentional! lol)

#1

Watching Christmas movies.

This was the most recent:

↑ 

You gotta love these 'wise guys'!


#2

Drinking hot chocolate.

But I have such a hard time choosing which brand of instant cocoa is better! 

OR

I just can't decide!

#3

Reading the TRUE Christmas story

. . . and singing Christmas songs!

Luke 2 and Matthew 1 are read and re-read quite often during this time of year. :)

And some of my favorite Christmas songs include:

• What Child is This?
• O Come, O Come Emmanuel
• Silent Night
• O Holy Night
• Away in a Manger

    And many more! ;-)

#4

Last-minute prep for our church's outdoor drama performance!
.

For the past three years our family has participated in our church's annual Christmas drama on the life of Jesus Christ. However, this year we didn't sign up because we knew we wouldn't be able to fully commit with Dad's health issues. That is, until we found out last Saturday that there were still a few roles that needed to be filled! So... Shelly, Eliza, and I have joined in pretty much at the last minute. Yesterday was our very first practice--and the program is this weekend! Needless to say, we have a LOT to figure out between now and Saturday evening. :)



A scene from last year's drama -- 2009. 
I'm Mary, Shelly is the middle angel on the left,
and Eliza is the middle angel on the right. 
(Sorry... Had to blur our faces! :)



Oh! And I bet you'll NEVER guess what roles we're playing this year.

We're 'disguising' as three of the twelve disciples!!

...Shh!  It's a secret. ;-D

..

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Well, I hope you enjoyed seeing some of what I've

been up to lately. Have a blessed Thursday, everyone!

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Wishing You a Merry Christmas

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 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. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he
will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be?" Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

Luke 1:26-37

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.
Luke 2:4-7


And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel 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 tidings 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...."

...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 2:8-12, 16-20

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Christmas is a time for celebration and for remembering. I'm so glad that God was merciful to us and sent his son Jesus to such a dark and dying world, that we could have life! The same God mentioned in the Scripture above is the same God we serve today. He still works miracles and nothing is at all impossible for Him! This Christmas (and all year long!) let us remember how blessed we are and take time to thank God for sending us the ultimate gift--Jesus Christ. Without him, we would be lost and without hope... But because he humbled himself by coming to this earth and dying as a ransom for our sins, we now share the greatest Hope! Praise God! I pray you all have a wonderful Christmas. :)

Merry Christmas & God Bless You!

All pictures from our church's Christmas drama 2007

A Beautiful Song

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~How Deep the Father's Love for Us~

written by Stuart Townend

How deep the Father's love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That he would give his only son

To make a wretch his treasure

How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns his face away

As wounds which mar the chosen one

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon the cross

My sin upon his shoulders

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything--

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ,

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from his reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart:

His wounds have paid my ransom

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17b-19

Picture taken at our church's Christmas drama 2008

Name Above All Names

Jesus, Name Above All Names

hymn by Naida Hearn

Jesus, name above all names

Beautiful Savior

Glorious Lord

Emmanuel, God is with us

Blessed Redeemer

Living Word

"While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." Acts 3:11-16

"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:30-31

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

The hymn above is one of my most favorites.

There is power in the name of Jesus... Praise the Lord all the earth!

Picture: from our church's Christmas drama last year.

The Blessings of Work

Each year our church has a Christmas program on the life of Christ as an outreach to the community. It is a wonderful ministry and we are always extremely blessed to be a part of it. This year we're having to do things a little bit differently since we don't have quite as many people signed up. The previous years we've done a sort of "drama" with narration, songs, and even a few speaking parts. This year, however, we will be doing more of a walk-through with Scripture signs set up next to each scene and our pastor will be guiding each group through with a bit of preaching, as well! ;) Therefore, we're having to do quite a bit of work getting things prepared for the program! ...December is fast-approaching! (And I really cannot believe it!)

My sister has taken a few pictures from the different work days we've had. I thought I might share a few...

Here I am doing some touch-ups on the signs we used for last year's drama. Obviously, the dates will need to be redone!

This used to be a zebra, actually, but we needed to repaint it to use for a donkey. There are two of them. No one knew how to paint the faces on, and they were all afraid to mess it up! One lady volunteered to do it but by the time she was finished with the first one she was hoping someone else would do the second. I finally volunteered, although, I am definitely no artist!

So I got to painting!

Now he is finished!

(Keep in mind, they will only be seen from a distance, lol!)

Here, the men are putting the brick on the tomb. (The tomb from last year wasn't made with stone and was, unfortunately, torn up by the weather.)

Mortar mix. :)

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 :)

It is a wonderful thing to be working for the Lord! We are his servants, the sheep of his pasture, and the work that we do is done for his glory. It is his Gospel story and the saving power of Jesus Christ that we want to share with others--starting at the manger, then going to the cross! Our goal is to glorify the Lord in all of our work. We do it as unto him!

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands." Psalm 90:17

PRAISE THE LORD ALL THE EARTH!