Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Merry Christmas!

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! 2008 has been a long year for my family due to my father's 8 months in the hospital plus the normal ups and downs of life. Many of you have experienced hard times this year. Keeping our eyes on the Lord is the only way to move forward. He understands our pain, our disappointments and the reasons we cry out why Lord, why? Each day is a new day with Him, His mercy and grace are poured out on us daily, they never run low or run out, He is ever faithful even when we are not.


Over 2000 years ago on a starry night, whatever time of year the shepherds were in the field with their flocks, in the City of David, Jesus our Emmanuel, the long awaited Messiah was born. Our heavenly Father trusted Joseph and Mary to raise this little baby Who would bring Salvation to all people. The Prince of Peace, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings was born in very humble circumstances to a humble couple who loved Yaweh.

As we celebrate Christmas with our family and friends, let us remember those whose children are serving in the military, those who work at the hospitals, the police officers and firefighters, the sick, the lonely, the disenfranchised, the homeless and all those who are in physical and emotional pain. Please pray for them.

My heart is filled with joy this Christmas because no matter what, I know our Lord loves me and He loves you, too. Remember earth is our temporary home. Our real home is in heaven where there is no sickness, no disease, no tears, no sorrow. So I say it once more: Merry Christmas!

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
O come let us adore Him, Christ the King!


4 comments:

Linda said...

Merry Christmas Annette. It has been a joy getting to know you. I pray you will have a Christmas filled with the joy and peace only the Father can give.

luvmy4sons said...

A very merry Christmas to you too my friend.

Anonymous said...

What a year you have had. Seasons. A friend of mine used to say that her favorite verse was "it came to pass..." She said she was most thankful that it didn't say, "and it came to stay." Praying for you to have a joyous 2009 filled with His Love and Peace. Merry Christmas! Love you, Annette

Molly said...

Your post was the most wonderful. Really touched me and I loved reading it.
Bless you and yours.
Molly