If there were ultrasounds 2000 years ago... perhaps Mary and Joseph would have seen this...
Today is a Miracle Day - not only the virgin birth - but the day that God decided to send his one and only child down to earth to live WITH us... fully knowing the rough and rocky path that Jesus would face.
Want to honor Him today? Start by saying "please" and "thank you" and "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you." Remember to say "I love you" ... often. Ask about someone's day. Go the extra step... or the extra mile... to help someone else. Recognize another's pain... and act on it instead of ignoring it.
You don't have to walk on water or turn water into wine or cure leprosy with one touch to be Christlike. You just have to give of yourself: your time, your talents, your energy, your heart. Start with that... see how it feels. That's the magic of the Christ's message.
I am a Facebook Addict... It's my Homepage... It's where I learn all the latest news. If a celebrity dies (i.e MichaelJackson...Farrah Fawcett....Patrick Swayze...), I'll see it on Facebook first. If a snow day is called for my kids, I'll likely read it on someone's post before we even get the call from the school. I play Bejeweled Blitz there - and sometimes Zuma. I love to find old friends - or see how the students I had when they were 6 and 7 have now grown up (talk about feeling O L D some days!). I love feeling "connected" to so many people - how can anyone feel alone when they can visit Facebook and chat with anyone?!! :)
So when this AWESOME video by one of my very favorite groups, IgniterMedia surfaced, I knew I had to share it:
Wow... Props to IgniterMedia - another amazing video. :)
And some food for thought: Can you imagine the impact God has just within Facebook? I have many, many friends who post inspirational statuses, offer comfort to others with a Bible verse, or ask for prayers...
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Proverbs 15:3
I joke with my friends that the only "running" I do is if I'm being chased or about to be mugged. I think the "Runner's High" must be a myth... because the only thing I've felt when running is out-of-breath, hot, and sweaty. But I can appreciate the difficulty of a good race - whether a sprint or a marathon. I came across this video posted on a friend's Facebook page:
I cannot imagine the pain of a torn hamstring - or the crushing disappointment he must have felt when he realized his medal dreams were lost in this race. How determined he must have felt when he decided that injury or no injury, pain or no pain, he was going to cross that finish line one way or another. And how heartbroken his dad must have felt when he realized that not only was his son hurt, but was also being thwarted from his goals.
I love the reaction from his Dad - pushing through the crowd and security guards right onto the track to help his son... Taking on his son's weight to help him cross that finish line.
Put simply, that's what God does for you and me every day.
Jesus Christ came into the world as the ultimate demonstration of God's love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. I John 4:8-10 (The Message)
In two days, we'll celebrate Christmas. We'll gather with family and friends, eat too much, (some will drink too much!), open presents, and have a merry time. Many families will feel they can "check off" the "nativity duties" by attending their church's Christmas pageant, going to Midnight Mass, or donating to some charity organization. Then they are "free" get on with the more "jolly" aspects of Christmas...
I challenge you and your family to not treat Christmas as just a check-list of "TO DO" items. Take 5 minutes on Christmas morning to reflect on the true miracle we are celebrating. Remind your kids (again!) that it's not all about Santa, the reindeer, and the presents, presents, presents. For Unto YOU A Child Is Born... And HE will save the world. That's worthy of celebration!! Merry Christmas! :) Mags
A Nativity Scene was erected in a church yard. During the night, someone came across this... An abandoned dog was looking for a comfortable, protected place to sleep. He chose baby Jesus as his comfort. No one had the heart to send him away so he was there all night. We should all have the good sense of this dog and curl up in Jesus' lap from time to time. This is too sweet not to share...not to mention that the dog breed is a "shepherd!"
First of all, I really hope someone adopted this cute puppy!! And second of all - how powerful is this... that when you're lost, abandoned, or alone, you can ALWAYS curl up in the lap of God and feel protected.
Psalm 4:8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Christmastime is a season of great joy and fun for many, many people... Yet, for others, it's a harder time - a time of loss, sorrow, or hardship. We pat ourselves on the back for donating a toy, or a meal, or a coat to some charity organization, but many of us really have NO IDEA what it feels like to be lost at Christmas. My hope is that everyone can take a minute to curl up in the lap of Jesus... and take a moment of comfort from whatever hard things that affect their lives.
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
May the PEACE of the Lord be with you this Christmas season! :) Mags
WATCH THIS - a video about Jordyn who was treated at St. Jude's Hospital. See if you hear about THE MIRACLE...
Did you catch what cured her? The answer was INSIDE HER all along!!
St. Jude was able to remove her bone marrow (the same marrow that was breathed into her by God when she was formed). Scientists could then facilitate the natural "killer" cells already within the marrow to reproduce into a cancer-killing army, and they could return the enhanced army of marrow back into her. The "killer" cells, backed by millions of new helper cells, could now fight the cancer and put Jordyn into remission.
Scientists and doctors used the very material that GOD had created within Jordyn to cure her cancer. No factory-made medicine, no man-made cure - but a cure based on what God had already created. Frankly, it just gives me chills to think about it!
I've written before about God & Glue, showing that within each of us, there is a special material that is shaped like the cross. Now we have a cure for one girl's cancer - with the possibility to cure hundreds? thousands? more. Both instances where GOD was literally WITH US... for nothing is impossible with God.(Luke 1:37)
I once read an article that offered the idea that all of the "discoveries" or "inventions" of the world were hidden on this Earth by God like little Easter Eggs. With our diligence and unshakable faith, we can find them - i.e. airplanes, space flight, vaccines, cures for deadly illnesses, etc. Man has come up with nothing on his own; rather he has stumbled upon one of these little Easter Eggs whenever a new idea/concept/cure/invention/etc. is discovered. I don't know if that's true, but I liked the idea, anyway. The idea that God has ALL of the answers - we just have to have FAITH and look for them.
In the meantime, it sure looks like St. Jude's Research Center has found one awesome Easter Egg! :) Mags
Our friends, Gary & Beth, do a wonderful job of family Bible study time with their three kids. This seems to be a regular thing for them, and I wish I was that good at incorporating God's Word naturally into activities with our kids.
I was especially impressed when they decided to let their KIDS lead a study or two. Each kid was responsible for coming up with a short lesson to share with the rest of the family.... When their third grader, Leah, had her turn, this is what Gary posted on his Facebook page:
...(I) enjoyed Leah leading our family Bible time last night. So cute seeing her ask questions, request us to look up scripture, explain God's words, then finish by exclaiming........."SUCK IT SATAN!" When asked where she heard that, Seth said "That would be from us" (referring to his brother & self). Crazy kids!
I LOVE THIS!!! I love it when kids just "get it" - and can sum it up in their own language!
And how powerful do you feel when you gather your breath and exclaim, "SUCK IT, SATAN!"
Go ahead... give it a try. Think of a difficulty in your life that you are facing right now.... a sin or temptation you are trying to stand up against. Satan is the ultimate deceiver - instead of being swayed by his clever lies, hold your head high, and tell him off!
"Control yourselves. Be on your guard. Your enemy the devil is like a roaring lion. He prowls around looking for someone to chew up and swallow. Stand up to him. Stand firm in what you believe. All over the world you know that your brothers and sisters are going through the same kind of suffering." 1 Peter 5: 8-9
The Bible puts it a bit more eloquently, but the result is the same. Stand up to the lies, the deceit, the whispers, the sin... say "Suck it, Satan!" and remember that "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." (Romans 16:20).
