Sunday Night-The 3rd Sunday of Advent

 Today, the 3rd Sunday of Advent,  we lit the candle of JOY.   "Christ our Joy.  May the joyful promise of your presence, O God, make us rejoice in our hope of salvation. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."

Our prayer of confession this morning in church was:

"Prepare our hearts, O God,

to receive the Christ Child once more.

When we are lost in darkness,

shine Your light into the darkness of our world.

When the gloom clings tightly to us,

shine Your glory into the shadows of our lives.

Overcome our fear, Holy One, and inspire us to leave our flocks,

and seek the Christ Child this night.

Prepare our hearts, O God, to behold your precious gift in awe and wonder of peace and love.

In Christ's Name we pray, Amen."

Yes, Lord, prepare my heart to behold your precious gift of your Son, once again in awe and wonder and in peace and love. Amen.

We had a really sweet service today as our children and young people put on a Christmas musical play. They did a great job. We have a very small church and small group of children, but they each put their hearts into the program and the message came through loud and clear...they shared some "Really Really Really Good News!"  

I wish I could share the video, but it is too long for this format, so just a picture will have to do. I just love these kids' programs. Takes me back to when our kids were young and they performed in many Christmas and other similar programs at church. I must say that I was a little bit teary-eyed watching these kids sing and perform.  Just brought back too many sweet memories, which I am very thankful we have...

Moving right along...Yesterday my hubby's brother and wife and son stopped by for a visit on their way through to the mountains for a little vacation. We went out to lunch and had a great visit. My sweet sister in law gave me "an early Christmas present", because it needs to be enjoyed now and not after Christmas, so she insisted I open it now.  Sadly, we did not take any pictures while we were together, but I took these after I got home and opened the gift and was so thrilled with it I had to take pictures and text them to her...

This beautiful little church lights up and is like a snow globe...it is so beautiful...the pictures don't do it justice:

She also gave me the lovely poinsettia table runner and a couple of placemats that match it.

Such a thoughtful and beautiful gift! I do love little churches...

These are just a few little ones that I have that I enjoy lighting up...along with the angels...

And so this 3rd Sunday of Advent we have great joy in our hearts...and I hope to focus on that and not allow the stresses and hurriedness of the rest of this season to get to me. This week I must focus on getting some shopping done, the few cards that I hope to send sent out, along with our dress rehearsal on Tuesday night for our church choir Christmas Cantata, which will be performed this coming Sunday, and on Wednesday our ladies' United Women in Faith will have their annual Christmas fellowship, which is always a delight. Meanwhile, I will also be helping out at Dixie Cottage most every morning as needed. So it is a busy week ahead, and I need to pace myself and not allow myself to succumb to the pressures of time. It's my own fault that I get into this time crunch each year...I just seem to never learn about planning ahead for Christmas...I think it's one of those genetic cycles that is bred into me and I really don't see any help for it in sight at this stage in life. LOL. It is what it is, and somehow I always manage to get through it. My prayer is that the Lord will help me to stay focused on HIM, the real reason for the season, and not get lost in the hustle bustle.  

Matthew 1:23

23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated,

 “God with us.”

And that is "really, really, really good news!"

A New Perspective

I like to mix things up sometimes just to see things differently.  For instance, at our weekly staff meetings at the church where I work it seems as though we each have our favorite spot where we like to sit.  There are no assigned seats around the large oblong conference table, but each staff member tends to gravitate toward the same chair every week...the seat where each feels the most comfortable and "safe". 

So once in a while I like to get to the conference room a bit early and sit in a different chair so I can have a new view of the room and perhaps sit next to a different person.  By the reaction of the other staff members one would think that I had tipped the canoe over on an icy river!  Oh my goodness!  These intelligent, highly educated, deeply spiritual leaders and workers were suddenly thrown out of their comfortable positions and were having to navigate new waters!  It was an interesting experiment...I found it hilariously funny to watch their expressions as they attempted to figure out where to sit down and by whom they would now be sitting!  Several were very vocal in their protests at having to rearrange their personal comfort zone for something so simple as a staff meeting. 

I couldn't help thinking to myself, "And these are the people who are trying to teach others about stepping outside the box...reaching out to strangers on the street...sharing the gospel with lost souls both inside and outside the walls of the church?"  Now, don't get me wrong...I am not attempting to be critical of my fellow servants for Christ.  It was a lesson as much for myself as for them...and perhaps for you.  If we are to be the light in the darkness...the salt of the earth...the voice of Christ to those who have not yet heard...how can we expect to do that when we are not even able to change positions at a friendly staff meeting without feeling out of place and uncomfortable?

Perhaps we each need to put ourselves to this little test...mix things up a bit in your own situation...try sitting next to a new person or a stranger the next time you are at church, or an office meeting, or a community gathering of some type.  Maybe it would be a good idea to practice this at home first...try sitting in a different place at your dinner table or in your living room and look at things from a new vantage point.  Put yourself in your child's place for a while...try to see things the way he/she sees it...or from your spouse's viewpoint...or any other family member or friend with whom you perhaps do not always see eye to eye.   Carry that thought with you to work next time...if there is a difficult co-worker or even a supervisor...allow yourself the opportunity to look at the job or life from their perspective.  You may come away with a new understanding of why that individual acts or reacts the way they do.  You may actually begin to care more about that person as a real person and not just another co-worker or supervisor.

You know, Jesus has already set this example for us.  When He left His throne in glory, and Christ, the Son of God, stepped down to earth and became One with us...to walk with us, talk with us, and even die FOR us, so that we might have everlasting fellowship and life WITH Him and His Father. 

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  John 1:14 

"Immanuel", "which is translated, 'God with us.'"  Matthew 1:23.

He didn't leave us on our own to figure these things out...He left the Great Comforter, the Holy Spirit, about Whom He said,

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

Maybe this is one of those things...

To lighten things up a bit...
How would you like to see life from the perspective of those two
"love-bugs" sitting on the edge of a daylily? 
I'll bet you didn't even notice them until I mentioned it...

I hope you will look at your life from a new perspective today! Try it, you might like it!! 

"Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

Emmanuel...God with us...

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us.'" Matthew 1:23

I can't believe how much time has gone by since I last sat down to write this blog...Oh wow...where DOES the time fly?  It's Christmas time, and we all have a multitude of things to do... I think I wrote about that the last time...the Christmas lists...somehow I can't seem to get many things crossed off of my list.  It just keeps changing and growing.

This past week we stepped into a new era in our lives...my mother in law came to live with us.  Whether it is permanent or temporary is yet to be determined.  But either way, we are first of all, blessed to still have her with us.  She is 87 years old and full of life.  However, the time has come for her to not be spending so much time alone in her own home as she has been doing for these past fifteen years since my father-in-law passed away. 

Along with this new passage comes the obvious adjustments...space...privacy...time...but one of my facebook friends told me today that her dear mother in law just passed away this week, at the same age.  So we count our blessings. 

As I sit here writing I have been listening to her chatting with her other daughter in law and her youngest grandchildren on the phone.  She sounds so happy about being here...she justs brags and brags on us.  That makes it worth it all...knowing that she is happy and safe and content. 

Whatever adjustments we have to make in this life, when it is for the betterment, protection, and care of another loved one or friend, it is worth whatever sacrifices we have to make.  Life is very short...we must savor every moment as if it could be our last....after all, it could be.

Yes, Christmas is a time for sharing, giving, laughing, and loving.  Our Christmas will indeed be all of that and more.  I am counting my blessings tonight.  This is just one portion of the full list. 

Thank you, Lord, for Your watchcare and protection over our family...and for being here with us...

Emmanuel, God with us! 



The Steiner Clan
L to R first row:  Pam and John Steiner
Back Row: Benton, Peggy, Nicholaus, Bill, Vivian (Nanny) and Shannon Steiner