A New Year, A New Hope

(photobucket)

2010 is coming to a close, and we celebrate the coming of a new year, 2011.

The ebb and flow of our lives reminds me that God is ever with me, and He has

brought into my life the sureness of this promise.

He is with me, and you, through the ups we enjoy and the downs we would rather not go

through. But it is in going through the tough times that we are brought closer to Him,

and we are held close in His arms with a strength only He can possess. In the good and happy

 moments of our lives, it is as if we are receiving a kiss from the Son

 who shines in the beauty of the day, bringing a light into our world

 that fills our very being.

 Both of these times, the tough times and the good and happy times,

are gifts to us that bring us ever closer to Him and into the person He has made us to be.

All we have to do is trust Him, and we can open these gifts without fear that we will

be disappointed and want to return them. These gifts may not be what we think we want, but

God knows exactly, exactly what we need in our lives, and what He gives us will always be

a perfect fit and will not be a hand-me-down.

What does it mean to trust God? For me, it means to believe Him, not just in Him,

and to know that as I stumble and fall or as I skip along the path of joy, He keeps His promises.

 In Jeremiah 29:11, He promises that He has a plan for each of us, a plan with the best for us in mind,

even as we are going through difficult times. He gives us a new day every morning to step into,

 and even though our circumstances may not change, our attitude can.

 He even goes on in verses 12-13 to promise:

 "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

 So 2011 brings a new year, a new hope and future; let it begin today.

"What day is it?"

It's today," squeaked Piglet.

My favorite day," said Pooh."

— A.A. Milne

"It is never too late to be what you might have been."

— George Eliot

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."

— Mother Teresa

"Though we may not be able to see His purpose or His plan,

 the Lord of heaven is on his throne and in firm control of the universe and our lives."

— Max Lucado

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

— C.S. Lewis

"You're off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting,

So... get on your way!"

— Dr. Seuss (Oh, the Places You'll Go!)



Our Anniversary ~ 35 Years Together

On December 27, Lauren and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary.

We met at the University of Northern Iowa where we both got our degrees,

his in social work and mine in teaching. We moved to Montana in 1980

and we have lived in our present home for 27 years. We raised our daughters

in this house and now we are blessed to share it with their families.

Our grandchildren climb the same tree in the backyard and are learning to

ride their bikes and trikes on the same sidewalks as  their moms did.

My dear husband has spent many hours making our home ours, but most of all,

he is a wonderful father and husband, always putting his family first.

He has especially been here for me through the "in sickness and health" parts of our lives,

with the sickness part becoming the part where I have really learned what he is made of.

Lauren is a man of integrity and honesty, and he is steady and faithful.

 I know that it is because he loves the Lord that he is able to show his love to me in so many ways.

I thank God for giving me Lauren as my husband and for giving us 35 years together,

and we are thankful for the family He has blessed us with.

Immanuel

(Photobucket)

Let me tell you a true story of a silent night...

 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire.
This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for.

So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah,
 David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there.
He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.




While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
 She gave birth to a son, her firstborn.
She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room in the hostel.

 

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."


At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over.
 "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us."
They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing.
They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child.
All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.

The sheepherders returned and let loose,

glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen.

 It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named

 Jesus

(which means "the Lord saves)
the name given by the angel before he was conceived. 

God gave us the greatest Gift

the world has ever seen.

What must we do to accept this gift?

(etsy)

 For unto us a child is born,

unto us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

I hope you and your loved ones have a very Merry Christmas this year
as you celebrate the birth of our savior.

Blessings and love,
Laurie
 

Scripture from Luke 2:1-21 The Message
Photos from The Nativity Story

Just for fun

"Snowflakes that stay

on my nose and eyelashes"

(source: Sunday in Bed )

Word-Filled Wednesday ~ His Name

(Source: Heartlight)

JESUS

 My eyes often swell with tears at the sound of His name, and reading it in print

also stirs my heart with such an indescribable peace.

 It is as if everything else disappears and I am in His presence,

and it is just Him and me.

It is no wonder, really, for the name of Jesus means,

"The Lord Saves."

Go ahead...whisper it, this name above all names,

and know the peace of the Savior.

JESUS

Fill your cup with the Word at the Internet Cafe!

WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY.
WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.

Hallelujah Chorus

A friend told me about this the other day and then my sister-in-law sent it to me.
(Thanks, Shilloy and Buffy!)
 Over 100 participants in this awesome Christmas Flash Mob. This is a must see!
 Enjoy!

Advent Calendars

I have been seeing a few advent calendars on blogs and in magazines and catalogs,

and even though I am a little late, here are a few favorites...

(source)

Gingerbread cookies serve as the dates!

(source)

I  love the whimsy this was has!

(source)

(source)

Perhaps I still have a few old number flashcards left from teaching!

 (County Living)

pretty with lace

(source)

(source)

(source, via tumbler)

This one...

and this...

are from Potterybarn.

This last one caught my eye on the PB website, but the cost was a bit much,

so I intended to make my own. I sent away for a few small canvas bags and they arrived, but

the snowy roads have kept me from getting to a fabric store for the backing. I have

a stencil for the numbers but also need to buy fabric paint.

 Maybe this will make a great project to make ahead for next year!

In the meantime, I could hang the bags from ribbon...

How about you? Do you use an Advent calendar to countdown the days until Christmas?

The Angel's Song

by William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585-1649)

Run, shepherds, run where Bethlehem blest appears.

We bring the best of news; be not dismayed:

A Saviour there is born more old than years,

Amidst heaven's rolling height this earth who stayed.

In a poor cottage inned, a virgin maid,

A weakling did him bear, who all upbears;

There is he poorly swaddled, in manger laid,

To whom too narrow swaddlings are our spheres:

Run, shepherds, run, and solemnize his birth.

This is that night — no, day, grown great with bliss,

In which the power of Satan broken is:

In heaven be glory, peace unto the earth!

Thus singing, through the air the angels swarm,

And cope of stars re-echoèd the same.

Or say, if this new Birth of ours

Sleeps, laid within some ark of flowers,

Spangled with dew-light; thou canst clear

All doubts, and manifest the where.

Declare to us, bright star, if we shall seek

Him in the morning's blushing cheek,

Or search the beds of spices through,

To find him out?

Star. — No, this ye need not do;

But only come and see Him rest,

A princely babe, in's mother's breast.

Welcome, December!

(my photo)

An old wool sweater that belonged to my mom,

and old skates that belong to Lauren.

A couple of items we always decorate with at Christmas.

The skates will go on the front porch and hold

a sprig or 2 of greenery and candy canes.

It is such comfort to continue a few of the little traditions

we have done year after year. As the days pass, I will

be adding a few more decoration traditions.

What are some of yours?