rejoice...

rejoice. Christ the Savior is born. I will...

rejoice in His birth

celebrate His glory

delight in His blessings

triumph in His salvation

So, for today I will rejoice and be glad.

pray for peace...

pray for peace. This world needs peace.

There are battles being fought every day. Some are on a battlefield, some are in politics, some are in homes, some are in hearts. For all the battles, wherever they may be, pray for peace. Pray for the end of violence, pain, lies, confusion, distortion, and greed. Pray for physical peace, mental peace, and emotional peace. We need God's grace and touch. We need His healing waters to wash over us.

So, for today I will pray for peace. For peace on earth, goodwill toward men, Amen.

give of my gifts...

give of my gifts. Instead of a wrapped gift purchased in a store, think about the true gifts you can give the ones you love.

Sometimes, we use presents as a way of making up for what is lacking in our relationships. Grand gestures at Christmas are nice, but what will bring true joy is the gift of you! What do the people you love really need from you? A new gadget or more of your compassion? A great book or for you to listen to them? A fancy watch or more of your time? Think about the things that you really should give more to others and make that your Christmas present this year. Giving the best of you is the best present you can offer anyone you love. So unwrap your talents, skills, compassion, understanding, humor and tenderness this Christmas and give it away joyfully!

So, for today I will give of my gifts. What I can offer can't be found in stores. I have my own unique, one-of-a-kind gifts that need to be shared with the people I love. This Christmas I will unwrap me!

grateful for normal days...

grateful for normal days. Being grateful is not waiting for tomorrow to be a bigger, better day - it's being grateful for "normal days" too.

About a year ago, a friend of mine passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. He was 45 years old, in good health, a loving father, good husband, and he loved God. He would often comment on how blessed he was to wake up each morning. He always said, "another day in paradise - thank you Jesus." He loved every day whether it was great, good, fair, boring, tough or just plain old regular. My friend was a wonderful example of contentment and gratitude. Our days are numbered.

So, for today I will be grateful for normal days. I can and will be content in the gift of routine. I can delight in the fact that today held no surprises and that my life went on for 24 more hours. Those hours provide me more time to love and be loved - and that is irreplaceable.

pray for our troops...

pray for our troops. I will not forget those who made it possible for me to live in a land of freedom.

Brave men and women have sacrificed it all in the name of Country. On this day, I will pray for every soldier who has ever served. I will pray for the troops here and abroad that God protects them and keeps them safe. I will pray for the families of those soldiers who try so hard to be brave and carry on while their loved ones are in harms way.

So, for today I will pray for our troops. I will ask God to bless and protect each one of them. I will praise God for the freedoms and liberties I am allowed - including praising Him. I will pray and I will be grateful.

remember the power of grace...

remember the power of grace. We all desire a soft touch when dealing with our own faults and short-comings. The grace of God is majestic and comforting and we are grateful for it.

But do we take it for granted? If we're being honest, the answer is "yes". We know we sin and we know we continue to sin because we say, "God will forgive me." God does forgive, but He also knows the truth of our hearts. He knows if and when we are truly repentant and willing to submit, rather than blowing Him off. I don't think we can stand face to face with Jesus and not feel the weight of our sin. In His awesome presence, I think we will feel it more deeply and sharply than anything imaginable. The realization of how much we have ignored Him, pushed Him to the side, put our selfish interests before Him - it will hit us with a bang. And when we fall to our knees under this weight and confess it to Him with a true heart, we have the honor and privilege of experiencing the glory, majesty and power of His grace to forgive us. Why put that off until judgement day? Don't ignore sin, don't take for granted that you will be forgiven - Take that weight, feel it, confess it and experience the power of His grace that will change your life.

So for today, I will remember the power of His grace. I will stop taking Him for granted and I will open my heart and ego to the truth that I NEED forgiveness now - I need redemption now - I need His grace to change my life now.

be thankful...

be thankful....

I have been blessed in so many ways - more ways than I can count. Sometimes, when I'm tired or frustrated or just feeling blah, I forget that. I think we all do. Some days it just slips our minds.

So for today, I will count my blessings, realize how valuable they are, and be thankful.