As Christmas nears I see people rushing to buy things for the season. They buy gifts for family, friends, co-workers and others. The stores are full of people who are looking for the perfect gift.
Around Thankgiving I recieved the perfect gift. I will carry it with me for the rest of my life, remember it with smiles and warmness and share it with others when I can.
The gift that I was given didn't cost much yet it took a lot of effort. The gift wasn't wrapped in fancy paper but it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I recieved the perfect gift, the one that so many people rush around looking for but few find.
The gift started when Scott, Matt, Carolyn, Nathan and Will walked into the house on Thanksgiving Day. Soon after Sarah, Matt, Caleb, and Megan followed. Tom and Crystal joined us with Joseph, Makayla and Madeline. We had a full house. Everybody worked together and finished Thanksgiving dinner as a family. I was so full of thanks that I could barely say the blessing.
With so many people in the house we ate where we could find a place to sit and the laughter and conversation filled the rooms. There wasn't a single harsh word, argument or grievance. The house was full of love.
After everyone was stuffed we sat around and continued the family visit until, one by one, everyone went back to their own homes. Scott and Matt had done the dishes so all Joan and I had to do was sit back and glow in the love and closeness that we had just shared.
On Friday, Joan and I left to join my side of the family in Maryland. This was the first time my side of the family had gotten together at my sisters house in Boonesboro so we were excited.
Mom, Randy, Pam, Bo, Tamara, Chris, Jamie, John, Kirsten, Eric, Joan and I sat down to enjoy another family dinner on Saturday. The food was fabulous but came in second place to the knowledge that our love as a family was so great.
While we were in Maryland, Scott and Matt came over and put in a new faucet so my hands could turn on the water, and Carolyn cleaned house. Jan and Craig, friends who are more than friends had an archetech come to the house and draw up plans for making the house wheelchair accessable. There is no way I can express the overwhelming feelings of thankfulness that I have at this time.
Special note:
Do you think that we have the perfect family? Not by a long shot. We have had our share of conflict, worry, and strife. We have had our arguments and fall outs. We have had our share of pain, the same as most families in this world.
Why can we continue to function as a family? The single answer to that question is love. Through it all, the arguments, the problems, and the conflicts we have kept the base of love to fall back on.
God taught us to love. He gave his son to confirm his love for us. He helps us through our hard times and lifts us up when we have fallen. He comforts when we need it and will give us strength.
Want the perfect gift to give for the holidays? A gift that can be useful everyday of the year and on? Give the gift of love. Not an easy thing to do all the time is it? If you have conflict and strife in your life the first step is to learn to forgive. Did someone offend you? Forgive them. Did someone do you wrong? Forgive them.
You don't have to love WHAT a person does to love the person. God taught us that. God loves the sinner but hates the sin. Since we all fall short of God's expectations he has to be able to separate the person from the act or none of us would have the promise of glory. We can do the same thing with people that offend us. At times it seems almost impossible but it can be done.
Note: The visit to John's Hopkins confirmed my diagnosis of Lou Gerhigs.
Got to go horse back riding today. Joan had to help me on and off the horse but I was able to sit the saddle. Made my day and I felt great even though I was sore afterwards. I have put a few of the pictures below.
Got a special request for today. A friend of ours needs your prayers badly. Her name is Ruth. Please mention her in your prayers and ask God to help her through her illness and to touch her life as only he can.
For all of my family. We lost a loved member of our family to a heart attack. Please ask God to comfort her family and help them through this time.
I was able to go riding again yesterday for a short period of time. Thank the lord for small favors.
I asked for everyone to pray for Ruth and you came through once again. We heard that she had been misdiagnosed by two different doctors and they now feel she will be fine. Where they thought there was a life taking cancer they found only torn muscle. Whether the doctors misdiagnosed or not we might never know but the prayers were answered.
Merry Christmas all. If that offends you then your reading the wrong web site. I believe in Christmas and the story of Christ and it's my page. :)
What is it about Christ that offends people? Is it his love? Is it his grace and mercy? Is it the fact that he wants us to all get along and care about one another?
I haven't read in the bible where it says that Christ taught anything that would offend a person wanting to live a good life.
Did Christ tell us to hate anyone? No. Did Christ tell us to stone people who didn't believe in him? NO. He told us to love as we have been loved.
The biggest problem I can see with Christ is the people who feel that being a Christian gives them a right to downgrade the rest of world. Christ didn't downgrade anyone. He told them what they needed to do to be saved and to live a rightous life. He did not give us the right to condemn. That is reserved for God the Father.
Do you know someone who is not living a Christian life? Most of us do. What do you think would be more likely to reach that person and lead them to our saviour. Do you think critisism and condemning will do it? Probably not. Do you think living and showing that person that you have something special will do it. More likely. Do you think actually reaching out to that person and showing them the love that God has shown us would do it? I think that is the most likely.
I met a man a few days ago who was a drunk. He was a total alcoholic and had been in jail a few times for being drunk.
What should I have said to the man? Should I have preached to him the evils of drinking and called for God to heap coals on his head? Should I have taken out my bible and berated him and told him how low of an individual that he was? The answer to both of those is no. Instead, I talked to him like a normal human. That's what he was.
He was a sinner the same as I used to be. He needed God in his life the same I used to. He needed to hear more about what was good in this world than bad, the same as I needed it years ago. He needed hope, not lecturing. He needed to be able to see that life wasn't in a bottle but in the saviour.
Was I able to convince the man that he was lost and to accept the lord. No, but I planted a seed. I gave him something to think about and to look into. I showed him an alternative way and maybe the seed will grow.
I read a story a couple of days ago that I thought was fantastic. It was about a young man who was a preacher. The young preacher met a young woman and they fell in love. They wanted to get married but then the news came out that his wife had a past that was not so good. Apparently she had done a lot of things in her young life that horrified the congregation of his church. The church held a meeting to discuss the situation and the pastuer and his wife to be attended.
During the meeting a lot of harsh things where said to the young woman. She admitted to her past life and was not proud of it. She had accepted the lord since that time and changed her ways but, the past was already done.
Finally the young preacher stood and asked for silence. "I have listened to the talk, the harshness and the things that are on your mind." The congregation listened. "It has come to my attention that you are not really judging my wife to be. You are casting a judgement on the belief that Christ's blood can cleanse us." The congregation didn't say a word. "My wife to be, admits to her faults of the past and has accepted God into her life. She has been made clean by the blood of Jesus and has shown in her life the changes.. If you cast stones at her now, you are saying that you don't believe that Christ can make you pure. You are casting a doubt on the very teachings of the bible, therefore saying that you don't believe what it says."
When the truth of his words took affect the congregation realized their error, apologized and welcomed the young woman as the pasteurs fiance.
During this time of celebration for the birth of Christ, please remember his teachings. This world needs love, compassion and caring more than it ever has. This year and next, instead of throwing stones at our neighbors, show them what God's love is all about. You don't have to like what they do. God didn't like what you did at one time but he still loved you enough to give his only son so we could have the hope of eternal life.
Merry Christmas to all.
The following is an email that I received. It describes the way I feel about being a Christian.
Chritians- By Maya Angelou
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean living."
I'm whipering, "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need his strength to carry on.
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting that I have failed
And need God to clean up my mess.
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible, but
God believes I am worth it.
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches,
so I call upon his name.
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.