What Do YOU Do with Christmas Cards after Christmas is Over?

This blog will be short and sweet...I just have one question: (Ok, I may have a few more than just ONE question...)

What do YOU do with your Christmas cards that you received for Christmas after Christmas is over and packed away?  Do you:

• Throw them away?
• Put them away for safe-keeping?
• Use them in a craft project?
• Save them until next year so you are sure to send cards to those people?
• Be sure to write down their address in your address book for next year?

And, IF you save them....for how long do you save them? 

• Do you ever look at them again?
• Do you have a special box, file, drawer where you keep them for year after year?
• Do you catalog them by name, date, year?

And, IF you save them,

• Do you ever ask yourself WHY you saved them?
• Do you actually ever DO what you thought you'd do with them?
• Do you finally decide to throw them away some day?

I know you are probably saying, "What's the big deal about Christmas cards, or birthday cards, or get well cards, or anniversary cards, or congratulation cards...JUST THROW THEM AWAY!"

Well, I have an issue with this...I inherited this tendency to keep things for "posterity", or for a "future plan to do something with them", or, to just plain look at them again someday and say,

• "Oh, I wonder how that person is now", or,
• "I wonder WHERE that person is now," or,
• "I wonder if that person is still living...",   or,
• "Oh, that person is no longer living, so I need to keep this card...", or,
• I really LOVED this card and I just hate to throw it away," or,
• "I really LOVED this person, and I can't bear to throw this card away..."

Ok, friends, help me out here... I have this little stack of cards that I have re-read to make sure I didn't miss something important in their notes, etc.

(Thank you, those of you who took the time to actually write us a note and tell us about your lives...I actually DO enjoy reading those and look forward to hearing from you year after year)

 I've pulled out the pictures of family and friends and put them in a safe place...thank you for sending those pictures of your kids and grandkids and yourselves...it's fun to see how we ALL are changing through the years...

And, I've noticed that we didn't really get nearly as many cards this past Christmas as in years before...but that's probably because so many of us are now communicating on Facebook regularly and didn't feel the need to send cards too...and because we are conserving money on postage and on the price of cards that seem to go higher and higher each year...

And, I've noticed that I know I sent out many more cards than I received this year, so I may also be trimming my Christmas Card list for next year...and pretty soon none of us will have this dilemma of what to do with our cards when the season is well over and we are trying to clean up and make room for, yes, you guessed it: VALENTINE CARDS!!!   Not to mention, my husband's birthday is coming up right after that, and so on and so on...

Thank you for your helpful suggestions...feel free to respond either here or on facebook....I'd really LOVE to hear from you...you may even send me a card! I do still LOVE to get mail...don't you? And I KNOW the Hallmark people really appreciate it as well.

Have a nice day...and why not send someone a card today and let them know you are thinking about them?  Maybe they will save it in a scrapbook or drawer for posterity and to look at over and over again when they are feeling blue and missing you.

Bye for now...

Sweet Fragrance, or Putrid Stench?

"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me."  Psalm 25:1-2

I was just reading some heart-rending revelations from one of my dearest facebook friends, and it has left me feeling a bit perplexed.  This precious friend has endured some of the most severe trials a human being can ever experience on this earth, and yet she lives to give praise and glory to God and to encourage others in their walk of faith.  How does she do it? What has made the difference in her life so that she can be such a sweet fragrance to God and to her fellow man?

Who among us has not had sorrows and tribulations and pain in this life?  The truth is, whether or not we have yet gone through disturbing trials, sickness, disappointments or pain, sooner or later we will.  No one escapes this life without some measure of difficulty. 

I don't mean to be a pessimist or prophet of doom, but just a realist.  No one escapes this life without first dying.  Whether or not that death is peaceful or painful, we really can't predict or plan.  It is all in God's hands.

So, how do we deal with this fact?  How do we handle the trials and heartaches that come our way?  We have two choices as far as I can see...

1. We can choose to go through our tribulations kicking and screaming, cussing and fighting.
2. Or, we can choose to go through our tribulations blessing and forgiving, trusting and praying.

Perhaps we have to experience the kicking and screaming method of coping before we are able to reach the ability to bless and forgive, trust God and pray for our enemies.  For some, the very thought of forgiving and praying for our enemies is anathema...God forbid! How could we?

I can hear some of you saying,  "Are you crazy?  You obviously haven't been through what I've been through or you could never suggest such a thing..."

No, I probably haven't suffered as much as many...I have led a very blessed life...and yet...there have been things that could have very easily destroyed my life, my faith, and my hope.  There have been things that most of you don't know about (and I hope you never do) that I have had to walk through...and I had (and still have in some cases) lots of questions, doubts, and fears...I've asked God, WHY? many times.

"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." 2Corinthians 2:15



As I see it...we have a choice...we can be a sweet savour, or the fragrance of Christ to God and to His kingdom here on earth...or we can become a putrid stench in God's nostrils (and the world's). Which attitude leads to abundant life...both for myself and for those around me?

This is what I come back to after all the disappointments and heartaches and sorrows are sorted and categorized and pored over...

"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me.  Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause." (Psalm 25:1-3) (This is what God's Word says...so it is ok to feel this way I guess)

This is what I pray...Psalm 25:4-5  ~

• Show me Your ways, O Lord
• Teach me Your paths.
• Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For YOU are the God of my salvation;
• On You I wait all the day.

Lord, Help me be that sweet fragrance of Christ, both to YOU and to my fellow sojourner on this earth. Help me to not become a putrid stench in your nostrils...keep me sweet, even in the face of my enemies.  I will trust in You...and I believe You will not fail me.  Thank you. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Do Not Fret...

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm."  Psalm 37:7-8

"Do not fret"...who among us has never been guilty of fretting at one time or another ?(or many times...) 
If fretting is not something you can identify with, then you probably have been living in a bubble kind of world.  But if you are human, you most likely have fretted about something..perhaps even within the past few hours or minutes!

Verse 8 says, "Do not fret--it only causes harm."   How true that is...Fretting is a form of worry, stress and fear.  Stress in particular has been linked to many diseases...heart disease, strokes, gastrointestinal disease and distress, high blood pressure, and possibly even cancer.  In other words, it is a killer....the Bible is correct..."it only causes harm".  It not only causes harm to the individual who continually frets about things over which he (she) has no control, but it causes harm to those who may be the recipients of that worry and stress...the caregivers and family members and friends of the stressed out person.  Those who truly care about their stressed out friend or loved one end up fretting themselves when they are unable to help their friend.  It becomes a vicious cycle...and none of it is good.

So, what is the remedy?  Psalm 37 has the answers: 

• Verse 7: "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for HIM; ...
• Verse 8, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath..."....
• Verse 3: "Trust in the Lord, and do good"
• Verse 4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart."
• Verse 5: "Commit your way to the Lord"
• Verse 5: "Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."
• Verse 1: "Do not fret because of evildoers"
• Verse 1: "Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity"

God says in verse 9: "Evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth."

So, when you are feeling fretful, overly worried, or giving in to stress...think about these verses in Psalm 37.    I like what verses 23-25 say in particular:

• "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He (God) delights in his way.
• "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;"
• "For the Lord upholds him with His hand"
• "I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread."

What have I to fret about?  I know that my God is in control...no matter what...I can trust in Him...He will uphold me with HIS hand!  There can be no safer "bubble" in which to dwell...I do not need to fret.

I believe I can sleep a lot more soundly tonight knowing that my God has all my worries in His hands...
Good night!

"Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

Psalm 27:13-14 "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!"


Have you ever felt like your prayers were never being heard, let alone answered?  Have you wondered if God was even listening...or if He actually cared about the things that concerned you? I am certain we have all felt that way more often than we'd like to admit.  I've noticed that I most often feel this way during the night, when I lie awake struggling to get back to sleep. That is when I find myself laboring over the long lists of things that are troubling me, whether they be viable concerns or subconscious fears that boil up to the surface when I am least able to control them. 

Like the Psalmist in Psalm 119:145-148,

"I cry out with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes. I cry out to You; Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.  I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word.  My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word."

Actually, I would be much better off if I would take advantage of that wakeful time to meditate on God's Word.  I find that I am usually so frustrated at being unable to get back to sleep that I forget to do the very thing that would bring the desired result the quickest way...pray, claim God's promises, and trust in His Word.

Psalm 28:7 says, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him."

So tonight when those voices of fear, doubt and anxiety start whispering in my ear, arousing me from my much needed rest, I will remember these promises of God...I will "be of good courage", I will let my heart "trust in Him", so that I will be helped and strengthened by His love and power.  I pray that I will awaken in the morning with a song of praise on my lips and a heart full of courage.  I also pray that I will remember to "wait on the Lord." Then I will definitely see "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

How about you?  Did you need this reminder today?  If so, it is my hope that God will meet you in your time of need and help your heart to greatly rejoice...and with your song to give praise to Him.  When we deliberately determine in our hearts to praise Him, there is no room for fear and doubt to remain. It has to flee.

Me and My Daddy

Good Night, Sleep Tight! ("don't let the bed-bugs bite")...Sweet Dreams...and May the Lord bless you with His peace.  Amen.

You know you've been away too long when you can't remember your password...

Psalm 145:1-3 "I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever.  Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."


This has to be the longest I've ever stayed away from writing on my blog...and I had to retry my password twice before I could log on...not a good sign.  I posted a picture of my sweet little "Baby Elva" on facebook sitting at my computer keyboard, and someone suggested that maybe she should update my blog for me....I took that as a hint to get back at it quick! 

So here I am...and what do I have to say?  I am not too sure at this point. It has been a very stressful start of the new year for me...both at work and at home...nothing earth shattering, but just a lot of adjustments and pressures that I am finding more difficult to cope with at this "old age".  However, this reminder to get back to my writing has helped me remember the goals that I had set for myself last year around this time...primarily that I would make an honest effort to write something uplifting, encouraging and praiseworthy every day.  Just like the Psalmist above, "I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever....Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever." 

It is already the 8th day of the New Year, and I am just getting around to it...

Lord, please forgive me!  Help me to get back on the right track immediately...and keep me there so I will not go astray in my thoughts and meditations of You.  Even when my body is weak and my mind is weary, open my eyes, my ears, my heart, and cause me to focus my attention on You.  Then I know I will have the words that You desire me to share with others...and You will give me the purpose I need to keep moving forward.  Thank you, Lord, for not giving up on me.  Amen.

"The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season.  You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every  living thing."  Psalm 145:14-16

What new goals and "resolutions" have you made for this year?  How are you doing so far?
It's a good time to take stock of ourselves and think about the areas in which we need to improve...and then ask God to begin the work.  Don't try to do it alone...Let God be your guide and support team...He will never fail you.

"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.  The Lord preserves all who love Him...but all the wicked He will destroy.  My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever." Psalm 145:18-21

Looking forward to hearing from each of you this year...I know that God has great plans for all of us.  Now, let's just get moving!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

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



Who Can Find a Virtuous Wife?

"Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.  The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."  Proverbs 31:10-12

Elizabeth Edwards, 1949-2010

Today Elizabeth Edwards passed from this life into eternity.  Although I did not know Elizabeth Edwards personally, how could I not know about her as her most private, personal life struggles were very much before the public eyes for almost the past decade?  I have not read either of her books, nor have I followed all of her story very closely.  But I admired her courage, her wisdom, and her strength of character in the midst of a very challenging, painful passage in her life.

I did not realize until tonight's newscast that the Edwards' had lost a precious son to a car accident back in 1996, when the boy was just sixteen years old.  Then, Elizabeth's continual battle with breast cancer, followed by the horrendous news that her Presidential-candidate husband had been having an extra-marital affair that actually went beyond just an "affair", but led to him fathering a  child with this "other woman"....all while he was still married to his wife of thirty-something years and the father of their four wonderful children. All this while Elizabeth was battling for her own life, fighting the ravages of breast cancer that today finally claimed her as another victim.

I do not know anything about Elizabeth's personal relationship with God...was she a believer in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior?  Even though she and her husband stood on the more liberal side of the political fence, I can't help but think that she had some very strong beliefs undergirding her throughout her ordeal.  It would be extremely difficult indeed to go through such tragedies without the comfort of a loving, compassionate Savior to carry her through.  But, as I said, I don't know where she stood in relation to Christ...maybe some of you may know.  I truly hope that she had made peace with God in her heart and soul, and that she is enjoying the welcoming embrace of her heavenly Father right now as we think of her...and that she is also hugging and holding onto her long-missed son, savoring the sweet fragrance of his spirit with her once again.

Again, I don't know where Elizabeth stood with God, but somehow I see her in the Proverb quoted above...

Proverbs 31:10 ~ "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies."  

Yes, I can see that.

"The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So HE will have no lack of gain..." (verse 11)...

Yes, I can see that, too.  Her husband trusted her, but unfortunately he himself did not prove trustworthy.

"She does him good and not evil all the days of her life." (verse 12)...

Yes, I see that as well.  Even when he was selfishly pursuing his own foolish desires and dreams, she continued to stand by him and did not speak evil of him.  For the sake of their children, perhaps...or maybe because that's just the kind of woman Elizabeth Edwards was...a true classy lady...one who would not stoop to injure another just because he had injured her first.  She continued to do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Did her husband deserve such a wife as Elizabeth Edwards proved to be? No, decidedly not.  But I pray that her strength of character and demonstration of true love will long be remembered...by her children, her friends, and yes, even her husband.  I hope that in her death he will finally come to realize what a fool he has been, and that perhaps he will find redemption for his own soul.  For the sake of their children...and even the little "love-child" he had brought into this world...I pray he will become the kind of man God wants him to be. 

I pray that Elizabeth Edwards will truly rest in peace.  And may God be with her family who have been left behind, both now and for eternity.   Amen.

Christmas: The Season for Children of ALL Ages

Matthew 19:13-15  "Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' And He laid His hands on them and departed from there."

When you think about Christmas, what are the first things that come to your mind?  Let's make a list based on what I think I can hear you saying...

1. Christmas Shopping
2. Christmas Decorations
3. Christmas Baking and Preparations for Entertaining
4. Christmas Cards to be written and mailed
5. Christmas Music
6. Christmas Gifts for a very long list
7. Christmas Present Wrapping
8. Christmas Giving to others in need
9. Christmas Programs at Church and School (although the school programs are now "Holiday Programs", not Christmas.
10. Christmas lists..........

I am sure many of you are nodding your heads at this list and checking them off along with me. Perhaps you have added a few others, and maybe you have scratched a few off.  Some of you are probably already finished with your shopping, wrapping and decorating. Others of us put it off to the very last possible minute and then make a mad dash to get it done in time. Maybe a few are just skipping the whole ordeal this year altogether because it is just too much.

There is ONE huge omission to my list above...The very reason we are celebrating Christmas in the first place...CHRIST HIMSELF!  Well, maybe He hasn't been left off of the list, as His name is the beginning part of each item on the list.  He IS Christmas personified.  Not the materialistic, mad rush of to-do lists part of Christmas...but the precious, priceless, magnificent, amazing, wonderful, majestic, powerful, beautiful, joyous reason for Christmas.  He is Emmanuel, God with us, God in the flesh, in the heartbeat and soul of a tiny, fragile infant, born to very human, trusting, loving, obedient parents in the humblest of circumstances.

And why did He come to us at all?   I can sum up the whole Bible and purpose for Christmas in just two verses:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16-17

It is as simple as that...God LOVED the world----YOU and ME included, SO MUCH...that He sent Jesus to earth to save us...and to give us everlasting life. What could be simpler than that?  All He asks of us is that we believe in Him.

So, at this Christmas season, my prayer is that we would all come as little children to Jesus, with child-like faith...and embrace the joy of Christmas in our hearts, our minds and our spirits...and share the love of Christ with everyone we meet...and to you and yours, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

What's Next, Lord?

Isaiah 43:2, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you."

For those of you who have been following the progress of our son Matthew over the past six months or so, you know that we have been anxiously awaiting the results of his latest Pet Scan to determine whether or not he is finished with chemotherapy and if his cancer is finally under control.  Well...the good news is, the cancer is definitely in retreat...but not totally eradicated...he has one more scheduled chemo treatment this coming week, and then he will go back to the specialist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston to determine the next step. 

Matthew was able to view his previous two Pet Scans alongside this latest one, and he was definitely able to see the progress that has been made.  He said that the original Pet Scan was extremely scary...it was full of bright red zones...active cancer cells that were glowing like red hot coals throughout his abdominal cavity.  The second scan done after about three months of chemotherapy showed marked improvement...much fewer "hot spots" than before.  And now, after six months of chemo, the most recent scan is more like a burned out campfire, with dying embers disentegrating into ashes.  However, the danger is, if a little wind bellowed up it could reignite those embers back into a raging inferno, so the fire pit must be fully extinguished before it can be abandoned.

The verse quoted above is very comforting...especially the part that states, "When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you."  Even though in this life we often find ourselves in the midst of the fire... and sometimes a raging inferno...we are reminded about Daniel's three companions who were thrown into the belly of the burning fiery furnace because they refused to worship the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar's false god.  The fire was fired up seven times hotter than it was normally heated (Daniel 3:8-30), and they were cast into it bound in their clothing...and even though it was hot enough to totally destroy the men who threw them in there...these three young men were protected and sheltered in the midst of the furnace by the actual presence of the Son of God.  They were brought back out of the fire alive, without even the smell of smoke on their bodies...totally free from any evidence of any flame upon their bodies!

Am I being too literally optimistic to pray and expect that our Matthew will be brought through this fiery trial without a singed spot on his body? Is it even reasonable to expect that he can be completely healed of this rare and deadly disease that has already ravaged and destroyed so many precious children and adults before him?  You may think that I am getting my hopes up way too high and that I will only be hurt in the end.  Well, first of all let me say that I know my Lord and Savior...and I know what He is able to do... just as Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego answered old King Nebuchadnezzar in verses 16-17 of Daniel Chapter 3 when Nebuchadnezzar had asked them "Who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"  They replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.  If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.  But, if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

Yes, I do take God's Word at His Word.  This trial is not only about our son's battle for his physical life, which is precious enough...but it is also about the battle for the soul and spirit of a young man who has stood on the front line of spiritual warfare ever since he was conceived.  His life has been one test after another from day one...those of you who know Matthew know all the battles he has already been through and the victories that God has won on his behalf.  Satan has tried over and over again to quench out his young life and testimony, but GOD has defeated Satan every time.  So what if Matt doesn't survive this battle? Does that mean Satan won and God lost?  No, quite the contrary...whether Matt lives or dies, he belongs to Christ.  His life is secured in the hands of the Almighty...his spirit lives on eternally in victory...so no matter what ...just like those lads in the fiery furnace...our God whom we serve IS able to deliver Matthew from this fiery furnace...but even if He choses not to, his life will go on...and he will be completely healed.  It's a win-win.  He can't lose.

Yes, I pray for Matthew's complete physical healing here on this earth...nothing could make me happier than that.  But I also trust the One Who gave His life for our son...Jesus Christ...our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King.  He will do that which will accomplish His plan in the very best way possible.  Of that I have no doubt or fear.

Photo by Michael Belk, "Journeys With The Messiah" Collection

And that is what gives me complete peace of mind and heart.  I pray that you have that same kind of peace in your heart as well.  If not...ask Jesus to be your deliverer...He will not fail you.

I don't know about you, but I am truly glad that the elections are finally over and we are getting back to "normal"...whatever that is! No more obnoxious, negative commercials and seeing who can outdo the other with crass slurs against their opponents. Regardless of your political persuasion and position, I know you have to agree that this pre-election season was a bit of a strain on all of our nerves. Now my hope is that we can agree to pray for our leaders in government and that we can stand united against our common enemies and foes. There is so much more at stake today than worrying about which party has control and who can solve all our country's problems. We need to get on our knees and pray that God will protect and guide all our leaders and give them Godly wisdom so that our nation can continue to exist as One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for ALL! (That's the end of my political speech for today. You may sit back down. :)

  

I woke up this morning thinking it felt like Christmas since we were getting up so "early" (end of daylight savings time for the winter) and it was so warm and toasty in my bed and so chilly in my house!!

  

I don't know about you, but I want to celebrate Thanksgiving before I get started on Christmas. In my humble opinion Thanksgiving gets overlooked by too much Christmas commercialism. The stores have already "decked the halls with boughs of holly" and are doing their best to lure us in to buy, buy, buy. I understand that they want to give a "boost" to the economy by giving more pre "black Friday" sales and giving a jumpstart to the Christmas shopping frenzy. And I am certainly in favor of lower prices so I can do my own Christmas shopping...BUT...can we first take some time to pause and be thankful?

Thankful for our health...our own, as well as the health of our family and friends. (Yes! Thank you Lord for Matthew's healing...I claim this by faith today)

• Thankful for answered prayer on behalf of others.
•  
• Thankful for our jobs - especially if, like me, you were previously un-employed and God has heard your prayer and given you a job this past year.
•  
• Thankful for shelter and and clothes and food.
•  
• Thankful for family, friends, and good neighbors and co-workers
• Thankful for a year without serious weather problems, i.e., hurricanes, tornadoes, floods...at least for us here in Florida. Others in other parts of the country or world may have had to suffer through some of these things, but are thankful to still be alive and have a place to call home.
• Thankful for our country...even with all of its problems, it is still the best place to live in the whole world.
• Thankful for our military...for the sacrifices they are making on our behalf...securing freedom not only for our nation, but for others around the world who would never have had a chance at freedom had it not been for our men and women in uniform giving up their lives for them.
• Most of all, I am thankful for Jesus, my Lord and Savior, Who made the greatest sacrifice of all for all of humanity...He gave up His life so that we might have eternal life...forever and ever, to live with Him in heaven...there is no greater gift than this. And the best part of this gift is that it is FREE!

Romans 5: 1-8 says,

  

• "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
•  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
•  Perseverance - Character
•  Character - Hope
• Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
• For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
• For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
• But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Yes, I know that I have much for which to be thankful today. Why don't we all start preparing for Thanksgiving by listing these things and giving God the glory due His Name? This kind of holiday preparation doesn't cost a single cent...it only gives back to you the overwhelming sense of joy and thankfulness and peace. Joy in realizing just how much God has done for us...Thankfulness for the gifts we did not deserve, and peace of heart and mind and soul...knowing that just as God has provided and cared for us thus far, He will continue to do so in the future...both now and for eternity! Hallelujah! Praise His Name!!! Amen!

 

Now...are YOU ready for Thanksgiving? Actually, that even helps me to get really ready for Christmas...the true Christmas...but that is another whole story that we'll talk about a little later...after Thanksgiving...