Boojoyful

Love this photo of our Florida grands. Another year has passed. Here at Shiloh, we experienced births, like our youngest granddaughter in this photo, and the unexpected deaths of loved ones we are missing deeply. Life is a lot. A lot of joy, a lot of heartache. Jesus is our steady though. "Immanuel, God with us !"  Matthew 1:23 A ministry I began following this year is a Tennessee devotional writer, Jimmy Larche.  I'm not sure how you are welcoming in the new year, but I encourage you to tackle some of these questions from his latest post and reflect on God's presence in your life in 2019. Questions for Introspection   1. What are my fondest memories from this past year? Who and what made them special?   2. Was there a beautiful moment(s) in which God revealed himself more deeply to me?  (a relationship, a revelation, a success/failure, an experience of serving somebody, etc.)   3. What were some of the most meaningful events, accomp...

This gorgeous arrangement was a very unexpected gift from a recent houseguest! I"m still pondering all the various players in the Christmas story.  The wisemen actually were not at Jesus' birth, but appeared a couple years later.  After having a couple nightmares recently, one related to identity theft, I'm praying I take to heart a warning as the wisemen did when they did not go back to King Herod. Here's my other take away.  How far I'm I willing to travel to worship the Lord? Matthew Chapter 2: 1-12 "  When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem   and said, “Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard about this, he was worried, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem. Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them...

"That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them.   The shepherds were frightened . But the angel said, "Don't be afraid!  I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy.  This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord."   Luke 2:8-11 Fear is a real deal!  I adore my primary physician, her nurse and her receptionists.  They truly are friends. I look forward to seeing them and have stopped by to drop things off on occasion just to cheer them. Put me in the office and I think I'm fine, but no matter how I approach the visit my blood pressure goes up. I can take it at home before I go and them 30 minutes later be there and whoosh, up it goes. Am I subconsciously afraid of what they will find? God's Word tells us "Do not fear."  God cre...

The day after Christmas can be a let down with the messiness around.  Too many leftovers in the refrig, stacks of boxes and wrapping paper that gifts came in, the dread of necessary returns, the daunting task ahead of taking down decorations and the reality that our eating habits need to be reevaluated. Check out one of Sarah Young's entries in Jesus Calling.  It's a definite pick me up and praise the Lord! I AM KING OF KINGS   and   Lord   of   lords, dwelling in dazzlingly bright Light!  I am also your Shepherd, Companion, and Friend—the One who never lets go of your hand. Worship Me in My holy Majesty; come close to Me, and rest in My Presence. You need Me both as God and as Man. Only My Incarnation on that first, long-ago Christmas could fulfill your neediness. Since I went to such extreme measures to save you from your sins, you can be assured that I will  graciously   give you   all   you   need . Nurture well ...

May your joy overflow today because of all that we have received from our Savior. Prince of Peace Light of the World A Love Everlasting Our Guiding Light

While in prayer mode, I began praying for ways to make this Christmas take on a deeper meaning for the grands we are visiting.  "Discuss all characters from the animals to the angels” was what I felt the Lord saying.  So, we will take turns taking a piece of the nativity (I’m even adding mean old King Herod, to be able to discuss what was in his heart for he and the wisemen entered the story a bit later than Christmas day) and matching it with a scripture to give insight to that beings role in the story.  Then we will share what it might be like to have been that animal, angel or person.   I'll probably start with Mary, who had her life changed forever in a moment. "Mary said: With all my heart I praise the Lord, and I am glad because of God my Savior.  God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy." Luke 1:46-47, 49 Here's a detailed version I found online. The Pieces of the Nativity Story Items needed: Traditiona...

I've been lured into the world of "beading"! My first attempt was small...napkin rings. Lord, last week I succumbed to the temptation of a gift voucher.  "Dearly beloved customer, as our gift to you this holiday season we are offering your a $50 gift certificate... on your purchase of $100 or more."   The fine print will get you every time. I made my purchase in that store, feeling pretty good about the savings, but then walked into another store where all I needed was a shirt.  When I went in the dressing room to try it on, the young owner of the shop, whom I know and adore, had placed 6 other "must try on" items in the dressing room.  I didn't take the bait, but was impressed by her tactics. The world tells us we need  so much. The Bible tells us we only need Jesus. " But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire."   James 1:14

I can't stop looking at our Florida grands as they look in wonder at their tree. For believers this time of year is precious to us.  A time to remember the greatest gift to ever come to earth. The miraculous birth of Christ!  God coming to earth in human form, to die for our sins.  He was born in a manger, so that we might be "born again". In my to read files, was this article on the new birth.  I apologize for not referencing who wrote this article, but it's definitely worth sharing.  Hoping to use this as a Christmas Day discussion starter! Eleven Evidences of the New Birth   The book of 1 John is dominated by the concern to give “tests of life” or effects and evidences of the new birth. He gives at least eleven evidences that we are born again. We could probably boil them all down to faith and love. But for now let’s let them stand the way he says them. Here they are: 1. Those who are born of God keep his comman...

Last Friday began with an icy morning.  My husband's office hours were not delayed and I dreaded the thought of him driving 40 minutes on icy roads.  He texted the above photo to let me know he'd made it safely to work and his warm socks and winter boots had performed in an outstanding manner allowing him to walk on ice. A long time friend, in a nearby community, didn't fair as well. She slipped on black ice, twisting her leg and then when her daughter came out to help, she also fell. Praying for them! Personally, I don't think we will need shoes in heaven. I think we will walk barefoot on streets of gold and I can promise you there will be no slip sliding injuries. The important question is... "In whose name do we walk? Who is ordering our steps?" " Though all the peoples each walk in the name of their gods, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever."  Micah 4:5 If we walk in the name of our Lord that means we walk in j...

This is one of my favorite devotionals this Christmas season. It is by Jimmy Larache A Christmas Devotional: He Came Into Our Messiness  Text:  Luke 2:1-20 “They shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’” — Matthew 1:23 A dirty, messy stable. It’s hardly the place I would’ve picked to have the Messiah born. Yet this was the nativity in which God chose to bring forth His incarnate Son on a mission to save the world—the unlikely nativity of a wooden manger surrounded by the smells of animal dung and soiled hay. It was a place of lowly estate, not very fitting for the birth of a king. And this is where an exhausted and very overwhelmed young pregnant woman, chosen by God, goes into labor. Our nativity scenes are much more sanitized than that first one in Bethlehem. Ours are quite cleaned up, draped with fresh garland and glistening with untainted tinsel. Joseph and Mary look peculiarly calm and at ease, hardly worn and frazzled like the...