Soon

step dad

Step dads don't get a lot of great press.  Generally speaking, they weren't chosen by the child.  Frequently, they act in the place of a dearly loved "real" dad, with all the resentment that carries.  They don't have all the clout or authority they would with a biological child.  It's a tough job, but as they say, someone has to do it...

Jesus was raised by a step dad - Joseph.  As if Joseph didn't have it bad enough, Jesus real father actually IS perfect!!  He is quite the investor, too - designing the entire universe along with His son's assistance.  Though apparently, Joe didn't have to discipline the eldest child in the household.  I wonder if he felt like a third wheel at times.

But that step dad stepped up when the going was tough.  He married a disgraced fiancé, and took some of the disgrace upon himself, though it wasn't deserved.  He ended up running for his life to a foreign country with his bride and step son, again, through no fault of his own.  Joe falls off the Biblical pages long before his son was kindergarten age.  Maybe he was around for Jesus' teenage years and young adulthood.  We don't know.  But we know it certainly would have been a very different Christmas story with that man.

 Here's to a step dad worthy to emulate:  loyal, strong, decisive, loving.  God picked a good one!  And maybe Jesus had a hand in the picking, too, before He left His throne in favor of a cattle stall, that is….

 

Joy

I've heard it said, 

"happiness is a temporary condition 

and joy is a choice."

How often do we miss a chance to choose joy?

How easy is it to miss joy

amidst all the crazy that is 

Advent?


I think God gives us experiences and feelings
to help us better understand the
relationship He wants to have with us.
Tangible.
Seeing my baby holding her baby
made my heart explode.

(Mary's Child by Mark Missman)

I love my husband and children beyond measure.

I also think I need to be deliberate in
finding the snips of joy in the mundane.

Sorry, just couldn't make this one B&W


What's bringing you joy?

  

future plans

Certainly, because I am a mom, I am drawn to Mary at Christmas time.  The miracle of birth is overwhelming all by itself.  I remember when each of my sons were born, gazing on their perfectly formed bodies - the impossibly tiny features (which years later twin grandgirlies demonstrated were not that tiny).  The miracle of life!  The wonder of possibility!

 I don't ever remember thinking one of my son could be president or develop a cure for cancer or any other grand and glorious accomplishment.  They totally could - if that was their bent.  But it was enough to behold the miracle of new life and let time and their ambitions take them where they would.  I wasn't in to mapping out their future.

 But Mary, on the other hand, was granted the heavenly view of who her son would be - and that was a heady thing!  President?  Too mundane.  Cure cancer?  Too pedestrian.  How about Savior of the World!!!  How's that for midnight pondering while nursing your baby who is totally dependent on you?  (Side note: what went through her thoughts when child number two was born?  Hmmm)

 Thank you, Mary, for keeping it together through midnight feedings and colicky nights.  Thank you for mending his clothes and kissing scraped knees.  Thank you for obedience and pondering and staying the course. 

 Thank you for bringing us our Savior.

Lent in Advent?

I was talking with a friend today about 

being deliberate about my

Christmas focus this year.

It struck me that I 

actually get more emotionally invested in 

Easter.

Easter is the culmination, proof, if you will,

of what the angels told us on the night Christ was born.

 Christ came to save us.

The baby in the manger is a promise, 

a hope, of things to come.

So, I'm left to ponder that

Christmas is a season of

trust, 

faith, 

hope, 

belief.

Those are a little trickier to nail down than the

sight of the cross.

Star light, Star bright...

What would it have been like that night?  What would have disturbed the shepherds' slumber?  What would have enthralled the wise men to saddled camel and leave home?  What would have frightened Herod to the point of deception and murder?  A star?  A baby?  A new future?  The promise/threat of power realized?

What is it I seek?  The innocence of a child?  The hope for peace?  A place to dry my tears?  The comfort and familiarity of home?  The reason for life?  A new beginning? 

 

Whatever the answers, if indeed answers are possible, the answer must be "yes!"  and "no..."  The realization of dreams is the realization that our dreams are puny.  When God breaks in, it is in ways that defy prediction and imagination, and even possibility.

Christ's birth is what miracles are made of.  And miracles are what God specializes in.  

May our fondest wishes for the miraculous prove inadequate for the reality of God's love.  Merry Christmas miracles to us all. 

Immanuel

God with us.

Lory and I write these independently
and every once in a while we hit on a
similar thought.

I like where Lory went with this Tuesday.
I had been mulling over
God With Us
as well, but I went a little different track.

I do want to spend time at the manger.
It seems this year, though, as I approach
the manger my view gets wider.

Big Mary's breath prayer is
Jesus hold my hand.

God sent Jesus to be with us,
at the manger
and well beyond.

Jewish roots

This Menorah was a wedding gift to my grandparents from my Grandfather's Jewish secretary - just shy of 90 years ago!  I love it that my totally Protestant grandparents kept and displayed it for all those years until the end, when it came to my house.

Being of the totally Protestant persuasion myself, I assumed this Menorah was to be used during Chanukah - so for the first time ever, I bought Chanukah candles intending to light them this year.  I have only a shadow knowledge of Chanukah, so I took to Google for more information. 

My number one question:  why does my Menorah only have 7 candles, not 9?  Here is my Protestant answer to that Jewish question:  my Menorah is a symbol of Jewish faith, not the one used during Chanukah which celebrates the festival of light with its nine candles.  Now what to do with the Chanukah candles I bought before counting the arms...

Regardless, I treasure this artifact from my history, in large part because of my love for my grandparents.  But also because the One whose lent His name to this sacred time of year was/is Jewish.  Let's get real.  That Baby was not blonde and blue eyed, but olive skinned, dark haired and eyed.  The One who saved the world did not sing God Bless America or even speak English.  It's good to revive perspective every once in awhile!

Merry Christmas, everyone!  L'chaim!

Prepare

Advent is a time of preparation. 

Getting ready to celebrate what God has done for us.

But beyond Christmas, can I constantly be preparing 

to see what God has ahead for me?

And how do I prepare to recognize what He is doing?

With

Is there any greater gift than the gift of time and presence - of spending time with someone else?  In this frantically hurried world, time is a commodity more precious than gold - more coveted than latest and greatest anything that money can buy.  Especially in this season, we dole out our time in precious allotments, hoping to stretch it just far enough, and knowing we are destined to fail in the endeavor.  "Time with" is impossible to wrap, but so precious to slowly, carefully, jointly peal back the layers with another.

Amid the hustle and bustle of the season, it's so easy to forget that God has given us that most precious of gifts.  Emmanuel, God with us.  His son, sent to live among us, with us, giving us the gift of Himself.  May we all spend some time unwrapping that gift, savoring the Savior - accepting His gift by spending our time with the child in the manger.  

Santa Claus, Frosty and Baby Jesus Are Coming To Town

Talk about covering all your bases. 

Just sayin.....

Adds another perspective to Lory's thoughts on
those who seek the Christ child.

A Crowd of One

This is the first sign of Christmas in my house, and the last to come down.  In fact, the Holy Family and a rotating guest or two stays out all year for good measure.  There is such a crowd here, seeking a glimpse of the child in the manger. 

Alongside the many animals who gathered (which includes a German Shepard and a couple of pigs - how odd), are several who didn't make the Biblical recitation of the event.  There are the well-dressed and the beggars, the young and the old, the worshipful and the awestruck.  They are all hurrying to see the Earth's Savior.

The same still happens this time of year: at Christmas concerts and tree lightings and shopping malls.  Hurrying throngs, awestruck and hopefully worshipful.  But even as we all rush in the same direction; the truth is we rush on individually.  Yes, Christ came to save the world, but He does it on a one-on-one basis.  It is the individual heart that must come to him:  young or old, well-dressed or ragged - even well-dressed and ragged.  Regardless of the crowd that presses in upon us, the journey is made in solitude - one Savior, one saved at a time.

Take a break from the crowd this season - just come!

Wait!

Is there ever a minute longer than the one 

you wait for with a microwave?

Or how about that first cup of coffee?

But imagine the Israelites and 40 years!!!

Or

Waiting for the messiah to come!!

Or

Waiting for the messiah to return.

They tell me it's called perspective. 

Angel Songs

"She sings like an angel."  Well, no, no one has ever said that to me - something about a tune and a bucket, maybe, but never an angelic comparison.  I'm not offended.

I wonder, though, what would an angel's song actually sound like?  Beautiful, to be sure!  But maybe too beautiful for mere human ears to take in.  I mean, when the shepherds heard just one angel, that angel had to calm them.  "Fear not," he (she?) assured them.  And let's assume that had a profound effect on the watchers of sheep and they let their fear melt away.  And then an unimaginable number MORE angels made a sudden appearance.  I might be tempted to think the first angel had been speaking sarcastically!

All those singing heavenly voices belting out their best "Glory to God in the highest!"  Imagine the loudest concert you have ever attended, in the smallest room possible, with an enthusiastic crowd singing along, and King Kong on drums, and the biggest and best amplification.  Then raise it to the multitude!  It had to sound like thunder - the kind that booms suddenly and immediately overhead!  The kind that reverberates in your bones!

Imagine Heaven, who had been anxiously waiting for Earth's salvation, bursting into song.  Now THAT is an angel song - one that cannot be even closely approximated by mere human.  But that won't stop me from trying!

Faith

Christmas is Faith.

Sometimes I feel like I have faith like a mustard seed.

And that's good. 

It's not my amazing faith at work but rather

Jesus' amazing work through

that little tiny mustard seed I provide.

Matthew 17:20

dread and anticipation

It starts on the day after Thanksgiving, in the crawl space - that deep, dark, dreaded place where things go to die.  Well, if not to die, at least to ferment.  Nothing that goes in there comes out quickly - except maybe the grandloves.  They are small enough to fit, yet wise enough to avoid that space.  While I, too, come out as quickly as possible, it is never quickly enough.  But since that is where Christmas slumbers from mid-January to November, that is where I must go.

I dread the trip into the crawl to revive Christmas.  I dread hauling the boxes upstairs.  I don't even enjoy the decorating as much as I should - not Grinch-like, but not nearly Elf-excitement, either.

Are two trips into that dreaded abyss within 6 weeks really worth it?  Why even bother? Well, dread is subservient to anticipation:  the anticipation of family and friends, gatherings and joyous refrains, and perhaps a glimmer of the love that brought Jesus to earth so many years ago.  Happy anticipation trumps all - even a trip into the crawl space.

It makes me wonder about Mary, though - a teenaged girl, newly engaged, and mysteriously pregnant.  Dread had to be at the top of her list.  What will the neighbors think?  What will Joseph do?  How is this even happening!?  And yet, the miracle of a child growing within - and more so, the promise of a Savior!  How does a heart hold that kind of anticipation without bursting?

In this Christmas season, may all our anticipations come true, but may we lean into the dread, as well.  We live between the famous duo, as one sharpens the other.  Dread loses its dreary edge in the light of anticipation, even as anticipation's crisp brightness revives us from that memory of where life has taken us against our will.  

Wishing you the Merriest of Christmases, even with, especially with, a side of dread.

25 Days

Wonder if we have it in us.

Facebook has a fun challenge 

going around at the moment.

7 days of black and white pictures

that describe your life.

No people.

No pets.

No caption.

We both took that challenge 
and actually really enjoyed it.

Lory and I took a break from our annual

Advent Blogs last year because,well, 
life.

My Christmas did not go well.

Now, I won't blame the lack of blogs

but I might attribute the lack

of deliberate focus

on the

Reason For The Season

for playing a part in my downfall.

Not this year.

We are challenging ourselves to 

25 Days Of Photos.

Black and white.

Subject: What is Christmas.

Words, optional.

If you want to play along, post your photos

in the comment section 

on Facebook.

Let's see where this goes!

Lasagna Soup

This was wonderful!

And it gave me another plus for the Instant Pot

over a slow cooker.

I'm in and out of the house most days.

When I have something cooking in the slow cooker,

while it smells wonderful,

it makes me hungry ALL day!

 This would have done me in.

https://temeculablogs.com/instant-pot-lasagna-soup/

The only change I made to the recipe was that

I used bulk Italian sausage 

instead of ground beef.

I say, when you see a chance for more flavor, 

take it!

Can You Instant Pot It?

In the spirit of

Good Mythical Morning, 

who love to ask if you can 

(insert word that is not a verb)

it.

Meatloaf.
Can you?

(Photo disclaimer, I am not a food photographer
and don't ever claim to be. Those colors are horrific!)
Nonetheless,

Why, YES! You can!

I looked around to figure out the method

people were using and

determined I could

use my family recipe for meatloaf.

It seems 2 pounds of meat was the 

consistent amount used.

Most of the recipes I found have you cook

potatoes in the pot at the same time

and then mash them.

I imagine, 

in my limited knowledge of all things Instant Pot,

part of the reasoning is, 

you have to have some liquid in the pot 

to achieve pressure cooking status.

I think.

I added 3 smashed cloves of garlic along with

one cup of chicken stock

to about 6-8 quartered potatoes.

I put a piece of foil over 

the rack and built my meatloaf on that

and then placed that right on top of the potatoes.

The recipes I found said to cook on high for 25 minutes.

Mine took more like 30 minutes.

(and do a quick release)

It was also suggested you throw it under the 

broiler for 5 minutes.

The meat is a little pale right out of the pot.

Given that you've cooked it on the foil lined rack, 

transferring it to a sheet pan is not problem

and no mess.

And!!! It slices!!!

I was afraid it would be mushy, all the meat I've

cooked so far has been fall apart tender. 

And the potatoes were amazing!

I may be being won over.....

Instant Pot Musings

I'm pretty sure that my insights into 

this contraption are so profound

that blog posts must ensue.

First, the gasket thing stinks to high heaven.

I don't suppose it's a problem for the general population

 but for me with the sensitive sense of smell

 and migraines triggered by smell, it's an issue.

The smell does not appear to affect the taste of the food

 I cook in it, but I have seen through my internet trolling, 

most people have two gaskets, one for savory and one for sweet.

I think I'm not nuts.

I will store my pot in the basement or garage.

Problem solved.

Second, I'm thinking, 

if some dishes I cook in the oven can be 

converted to this thing 

then my summer repertoire just opened wide up.

Third, if I had to choose between this

and a slow cooker, 

I think this thing wins

because it can slow cook as well.

But then, I own 3 slow cookers.

All varying sizes.

So, maybe if I'm not choosing for me.

Oh! And when they tell you you can cook
whatever in like 5 minutes,
they neglect to mention there are like 10 minutes
of waiting for it to get enough pressure and then
10-40 minutes once it's done cooking
for the pressure to dissipate.
I just feel that's a bit of false advertising
by the community at large.
But that's just me.
Still haven't drunk the Kool Aid.

And these are my deep thoughts

approximately three weeks in.

...Hmmmmm..... 

Instant Pot VS 12 Nights Of Christmas Wine

OK, the Instant Pot never really stood a chance.

But, I gotta say, I was SHOCKED by the number

of my friends who voted Instant Pot when I put it up for a vote.

Have you MET me???

And then the question  begs,

Have you met my mother and aunt?

My husband was the wise man 

who came bearing gifts of wine, 

Mom and Big? The pot :)

So now I am on a journey to determine if I will

drink of the Instant Pot Kool Aid that is 

taking Facebook and Pinterest by storm.

At first I was surprised to learn 

that I had mistaken the word 

"instant"

for

"magic".

It's not magic. 

You still have to prep.

(chop, peel, measure)

It's nice that you can saute right in the pot.

Sweat those onions, brown that meat.

See? Not magic.

I have cooked a whopping three meals in it thus far

and all three were delicious.

I'm still on the fence as to whether it's 

that much better than a slow cooker.

I think you have to decide, do I want to do 

the grunt labor 

at the start of the day or the end.

Most days it's 6 to one, half dozen to the other.

Yesterday may have tipped the scales in its favor.

I walked in the door at 4:30 

and had dinner on the table at 5:30.

This Honey Bourbon Chicken was fantastic.

And don't be mislead, there is NO bourbon in it.

The internet is in a bit of a fight as to why 

it's called this, but bottom line, don't worry when you don't see

bourbon in the ingredients.

It's not there.

Ava loved it, Mike was not as enthused but 

it was a bit sweet, so I will try cutting back on the honey

the next time I make it.

I'm kind of thinking of trying meatloaf in it tonight.

Maybe.

I dunno.

https://onceamonthmeals.com/recipes/instant-pot-honey-bourbon-chicken-traditional-version/

You only kill a king if he has a kingdom.

After Jesus' crucifixion some of the big shots who wanted him dead

became concerned about his followers. 

Should they hunt them down and kill them as well?

Acts 5:38-39

Kingdom Come!

Best Laid Plans

So, I started off 39 days ago with the

 intention to be

intentional

during Lent.

My hope was that by committing to writing
5 days a week 

throughout the season it would
help me maintain my

 focus on Christ.

And while I may not have taken pen to paper

or, actually, fingers to keyboard,

the entire time, I have maintained that focus.

I have spent time every day in some 

form pondering.

And for me, that's a win.

So here we are at 

Holy Week.

Jesus rides into town on a donkey.

Everybody is happy.

They are laying down a red carpet of green.

How quickly things changed.

Do change.

Are changing.

AI Scavenger Hunt

And here is the result of my 

Art Institute 

scavenger hunt.

This is Peter denying Christ as he is led away

in the background.

 This is Christ being taunted by the soldiers.

 This almost looks like a coloring book to me,

but look at the way the cloth is billowing in the wind.

And check out the little guy in the foreground.

This one kind of slams you in the gut.

I saw quite a few renditions of Christ on the cross.

Here is one that intrigued and troubled me, 

it's by Marc Chagall.

He painted it to draw a parallel between

 the crucifixion of Christ and 

the Nazi's killing the jews.

He was jewish and therefor saw Christ as a 

profit, or wise teacher.

Somehow this troubles me, 

but at the same time, 

it's causing me to think, 

and that IS the point of my whole exercise 

these 40 days.

Mary And Her Son.....

OK, now to lighten the mood a bit.

I went down to The Art Institute yesterday

to check out Whistler's mom.

Afterwards I decided to go on a bit of a scavenger hunt

to see if I could make out the whole Easter story

through art.

I came across this piece, and while it's not 

 part of the Easter story, 

it's a good story.

Jesus' first miracle.

It's the wedding at Cana. 

That's the host on the right being amazed

at the wine. 

On the left are Jesus and his mother.

I can't help but see the look on Mary's face as, 

"come on son, take care of this."

And Jesus, 

"Mooooooom."

(with dramatic eye roll)

Jesus became human so he could know our suffering.

Here's the link if you want the deets on the painting.

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/2166

I Am Remade. Every Day.

There are a million ways that
I am not like Jesus.

But here's one of the biggies:

I'm a reactionary.

You hurt me and I will absolutely react.

I wish I wouldn't.

I wish I could stuff the hurt down and carry on.

I wish I could just pray for those who hurt me,

hold my head up, and move on.

My therapist tells me, you have to address these hurts.

Holding them in will fester and eat you up.

The problem is, there is one hurt little girl 

living inside me

and when she gets hurt, 

well, she reacts like a child that has

 been hurt and doesn't feel heard.

And she does it as a grown adult.

Not pretty. 

Well, that's enough self revelation for a public forum. 

I confess these tender parts to explain 

what Satan likes to do with my hurt.

He likes to turn me in on myself.

I think, look at Jesus on that cross.

He didn't lash out.

He didn't send down lightening bolts.

He didn't curse those who hurt him.

God has been speaking to me through song 

during this rough season of my life.

I was trying to explain to Mike the 

battle being waged inside me

and then a song by

Tenth Avenue North

came on.

I am more than the choices that I've made.

I am more than the sum of my past mistakes.

I am more than the problems I create.

I've been remade.

'Cause this is not about what you've done,

But what's been done for you.

This is not about where you've been,

But where your brokenness brings you to.

This is not about what you feel,

But what He felt to forgive you,

And what He felt to make you loved.

Thank you, Tenth Avenue North.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwtcwQwgds

Ahttp://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tenthavenuenorth/youaremore.html

And Then I Just Get Dizzy.....

Going down a rabbit hole.

Ever heard of that saying?

To me, it means a train of thought that 

just turns around and inside of itself.

That's what thinking about Judas does to me.

Christ had to die on the cross.

His betrayal was foretold in scripture.

Psalm 41:9

Someone had to put the wheels in motion.

If not Judas, then someone else, right?

So, I don't mean to try to give Judas a pass,

but I just wonder....

And here my rabbit hole begins.

Life Is Messy

God has been speaking to me through song during

this difficult season of my life.

I sat down this morning to see where God was going 

to lead me today for my lenten devotion.

This song came on and 

it did me in. 

I am worn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulKcYItKIA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2niY4L1bJk

Enemy #1

Doubting Thomas
He comes a little later in the story
but he's there and there for a reason.

There were a lot of doubters all through the bible.
Abraham and Sarah laughed at God (yikes!)
The Israelites, but come on! 40!! years!!
John the Baptist even questioned if
 Jesus was indeed the messiah.

The opposite of faith is not

doubt

but rather, 

fear.

-Philip Yancey

Doubt can help me define my faith.
It helps me strengthen it, to own it.
Fear causes me to run from it.

The struggle between faith and fear
may be one of our hardest wrestling matches.

There is fear that produces worry
but there is also fear that keeps us from stepping out in faith.

What does stepping out mean?
Mission work?
easy answer.

Giving my time and talents?
no brainer.

Showing that person who is different from me love?
that could be uncomfortable.

Cultivating a servant's heart.
You mean, don't put myself first?
getting harder.

Witnessing?
getting scarrier.

Asking God to reveal His will for my life
and then following what He has answered?
There!

No, doubt is not the enemy,
it doesn't pull me away from God.
Fear.

Sneaky thing, that fear is.

Really.

Lord, I believe, help my unbelief

Mark 9:24

We are supposed to pray with confidence 

but sometimes I wonder, 

Really God? 

Will you really do this?

Really God?

Do you have time for this?

Really God? 

Do you care about this?

Really God?

Could this be your will?

Really God?

Could you make me want your will?

Really.

Mark 9:25

Just Pondering....

I have often wondered, 

who had/has it better,

the disciples or us?

Would it be easier to follow Jesus 

if he were right here with us,

or is it easier to follow him knowing how the 

story plays out?

Sometimes I am mystified by the disciples

 lack of understanding

but also am awed at their

commitment.

Jesus was not exactly what

most scholars at the time thought 

their savior would "look" like.

They weren't expecting a 

lamb.

And when Jesus comes again, 

will I recognize him?

He won't be the Jesus I've come to know. 

He'll be more like what the Pharisees

were expecting, 

the lion.

Just pondering.....

Cracked Vessel

"If you are only getting your spiritual food on 

Sunday mornings,

 then You are doing something wrong."

Very wise words spoken to me in love from a dear friend.

Carol said that to me many years ago and 

it is a comment/advice that I have

thought of often.

There's something else that has stuck with me since

the first time I heard it, 

The only way to keep a cracked vessel full

is to keep it under the faucet.

I have been looking through some old prayer journals

to just get a little inspiration for my lenten thoughts.

There are some pretty powerful 

thoughts and prayers in there!

I will admit my seasons

 of deliberate study and time in the word

ebb and flow, but this vessel

absolutely operates better 

when running on full!

Peter, Do You Love Me?

Poor Peter.

To have your lowest moments in your life recorded for all history

in the best selling book in all of history.

But then again,  to have God's grace and love for you

recorded for all history....

I like Peter. 

By many accounts he was 

loud, 

boisterous, 

and prone to stick his foot in his mouth.

I like that God chose to use people I could relate to

to teach me.

Peter was far from perfect but God used him 

mightily.

God sees our weaknesses and waits to meet us 

there and restore us.

Peter denied Jesus three times, 

the risen Christ asked Peter

 three times if he loved him. 

That was no coincidence.

Here we go, I'm going to put me in the story.

Merry, do you love me?

Merry, do you love me?

Merry, do you love me?

Putting Myself In The Story

Yesterday I thought about Mary.

Today I am thinking about some low-lifes.

Barabbas

Criminal #1

Criminal #2

What ever happened to 

Barabbas?

Did he continue in his evil ways?

Was he struck by what happened?

Did he turn his life around and come to Christ?

He seems to have faded into obscurity so my

guess is he accomplished nothing great for God or devil.

Criminal #1.

(Being one of the 2 criminals 

meeting the same sentence as Jesus.)

He taunted Jesus to his dying breath.

Luke 23:39

Pretty sure he had a one way ticket to hell.

Criminal #2. 

He started out going along with the crowd.

He got a couple of barbs in as well.

Mttw 27:44

But this guy has a change of heart.

Luke 23:40

And whereas he held the same one way ticket as

criminal #1, he was able to see Jesus for 

who he truly was. 

Broken, bloodied, and near death,

he could still see Christ.

Broken, bloodied and near death, 

Christ still reached out to this sinner and assured him

he would see him in heaven. 

My breaks and my blood may not be visible

but I am one sinner near death who knows, 

I will see Jesus in paradise. 

That Sleeping Child You're Holding....

Christmas in March?

Yep, little bit.

I love Christmas music. 

I have been known to start listening to my Christmas CDs as early as the beginning  of November and carry on until New Years.

One of my favorites is

Mary Did You Know

I want to spend some time with Mary.

Mary, did you know?

Did you have any idea?

I'm sure the visit from the angel explaining 

Jesus' arrival helped, 

but did you think you were raising a 

warrior 

when actually you were raising the 

perfect lamb?

 Now, by posting this picture of my baby holding her baby 

I am in no way implying either of 

them have been sent here to save the world, 

but if I want to get close to Mary, 

I just need to draw close to the ones 

I would give my life for and just ponder, 

Mary did you know?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwJTIhbYt0s