Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...


A Blessed Christmas from my home to yours!

Each December it's something I hope for, yes even pray for at times. A White Christmas. Well this year I get one of my Christmas Wishes! We have had snow on the ground for several weeks. God replenishes and whitens the landscape every few days with a new coating of the lovely white precip! The other night about 4 inches fell and it looked as if we were living in a snowglobe that God had shaken! Gorgeous Christmas Snow!

Thousands of years ago God did a different kind of shaking. He shook the world when He sent his son to dwell amongst us. To save the world from our fallen nature. To be in very nature not just true God, but also true man! 

This past Sunday, while in church the Lord put something on my heart... Our Pastor's sermon focused on Jesus as "Son of God" the sermon text focused mainly on John 1:14-18

There was so much "meat" to the sermon - one of the notes I wrote down as I was listening was this:
God wants to be known & wants us to know who He is. He wants to grow close to us and have a relationship with us. I focused on these words from John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.   God sent His son not only to save us, but to show us that He desperately wants a relationship with us. He sent Christ to dwell, as flesh and bone, among us. With that I started to think about Advent and Christmas. Thinking on this time of year from a Christian perspective not just a worldly perspective. This is a time of year we prepare for Christmas Day. We shop for gifts to present to our loved ones. We prepare our homes, we prepare menus, we go to parties, we celebrate the good things the Lord has given us. This brings me to what the Spirit put on my heart during worship yesterday morning. For a Christian we are in the season of Advent - we are preparing for Christmas. Christmas, on the Church Year Calendar, begins on December 25th and lasts 12 days. From the 25th of December to January 6th (Epiphany). For the "world" December 26th arrives and boom - the sounds of the season are gone, the sale tags go up, the trees come down,  Nativity scenes are wrapped with care, ornaments are packed and Christmas is over for another year. This has always brought a bit of sadness to my heart. I thought... how can I share Christ... how can I help those around me see that God wants us to know Christ? How can I share that Christmas isn't over on the 26th? One thing I decided to do is this... I will share a scripture verse, a line from a hymn or carol, a prayer etc. during the 12 days of Christmas on my FB status. For 12 Days in a row I will post something new to my status sharing Jesus. So... what does me sharing this idea with you mean??? I would like to encourage you to do that same. Share Christ every day from the 25th to the 6th on your FB status, your blog, or wherever you can. Something new everyday! 12 days in a row! If you are unable to change your status, or blog each day - don't beat yourself up, share when you can.  Your blog posts need not be long thought out messages. They can be brief and point straight to Christ! The one thing I know about each of you is that you do share your faith on your blog, on FB, and/or Twitter throughout the year... I am thankful and blessed to be journeying shoulder to shoulder, key pad to key pad with so many faithful, Christ loving women (and men)
As 2010 comes to a close, I pray that each of you are preparing your hearts as well as your homes for the coming of the Christ child. I pray whatever burdens, hurts, fears, praises and requests you have are presented and lifted to the Lord. That each of you and your families are wrapped in the love of Christ and you experience Heavenly peace. I pray that you let Christmas live in your hearts 365 days a year... that you are able to share Him in some way each an every day of the year with someone you come in contact with. Even if it's a kind word or a smile. Someone who I hold very dear once told me "You may just be the only Bible someone will ever read"... Each one of you is so special to me. I am thankful for Blogland, email and  Facebook - it's been a wonderful way to reconnect with old friends and meet new friends. As we journey this side of heaven I am grateful to be journeying with all of you!

Even if your Christmas doesn't have snow on the ground - may you hold tight to this promise of a white Christmas:
"though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow."  ~ Isaiah 1:18 

Glory to God in the Highest and peace to each of you as you prepare to make room for Him! Christ IS the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

I Love you all!

7 comments:

Paula said...

Last year we had a Christmas Eve blizzard, which was little snowier and more dangerous than I would have wished for... this year we are supposed to get a nice little blanket of snow. It will be perfect as long as it melts on New Year's Day, not to be seen again until next Christmas.

You know how I feel about snow...

I'll try your 12 days of Christmas challenge, but I probably won't make everyday. I know my own limitations.

Have a blessed and beautiful Christmas!

Cindy said...

You have more snow than we do in my part of northern Indiana. We stayed between the system snow and the lake effect snow from Lake Michigan so we only have a couple of inches but enough to qualify for a white Christmas.

I appreciated the challenge and insights from scripture.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Kathleen said...

I couldn't agree with you more!

The Christmas season truly begins on Christmas, yet so many of us are 'done' with it by then. I think it's important for us to enjoy the entire season, celebrating Christ and His love.

Have a beautiful Christmas and a peaceful 2011!

Smelling Coffee said...

Kristen, this was a beautiful post! From the snowy picture of your home, to the sweet truth you shared... all of it was beautiful. I love your idea of the 12 days of Christmas.

I'm so thankful for you and for The Lord's connecting us through blogging.

Merry, merry Christmas, my friend~
Jennifer

Yolanda said...

Kristen,

Can you believe, that since November 4th, we've only had .03" of rain, yes 3/100ths. AND NO SNOW.

Love your heart, sweet one.

Merry Christmas-
Yolanda

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

Such a heart touching post and thank you posting your thoughts.

Boy, that sure opened my eyes what you posted "You may just be the only Bible someone will ever read"... This is so true. Folks need to see Christ in us each and every day.

I pray you have a blessed Christmas day and enjoy the snow. Send some southward... would love to see some here.

God Bless you with his peace and grace.

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

And I love you back! Hey, we might even have a white Christmas over here; it not, we'll still be celebrating the gift of Christmas throughout the day and beyond. I won't be in a hurry to pack away the season. In many ways, I celebrate it best when all the other trappings have disappeared.

Take good care, friend, and may the peace of Christ rule in you and Jim as you unwrap the Gift of heaven in your hearts.

peace~elaine