New Year New You Posts Abound

You see it on Facebook, on magazine covers, in newspaper articles, hear it on morning talk shows - the new year new you thing. Does it grate on your nerves or elicit an eye roll? I think having dreams and goals is a wonderful thing. Resolutions can be a positive thing in your life, however, you became new when you accepted Christ as your Savior. 

II Corinthians 5:17 tells us: 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Verses 18-20 add the context, God gives this to us and reconciles us to Himself:

 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

So I urge you in 2019, to grow in the love of Christ and each day remind yourself you are a new creation in Christ, you are loved, and you are an ambassador for Christ. 

Seek Him and His will for you. 

Happy New Year! 

Christmas Tree

I had decided to forego a Christmas Tree this year. December has been busy in unusual ways. I bake little these days, holidays are less complicated as I rarely cook complicated meals due to several interruptions as I try to cook. So the busyness was not the holiday hustle and bustle just weird stuff with caretaking.

I decorated my dining room and the mantle above the fireplace. Hung icicle lights in the windows and a wreath on my front door and decided that is it, enough holiday cheer for the season.

Saturday as I performed a few household chores, I thought well Annette, the day has been pretty quiet, drag out the ornament boxes and tree and get to it. So I assembled and decorated the tree. All the lights worked the 1st time. No searching for the 1 missed cord in the midst of the branches.

As I sit here on this dreary morn and look at the pretty lights on the tree, I am so happy I decided not to be treeless this year.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Advent 2018

I've been away from the old blog for 6 months. Life as a caretaker is mundane in many ways, trying, stress-inducing, time-consuming, and joyful when you see a spark of your care recipient's real personality. For one brief moment, Alzheimer's is gone.

As we prepare for Christmas, am I preparing my heart to receive more of Him? Is Advent a season of expectancy for me or another season of the mundane? Life circumstances should not colour my relationship with the Lord. However, at times I let them. At times I think would like to  __________. Fill in the blank. A vacation, a new job, to visit with friends in person.

If you celebrate Advent, I pray it is a season of expectancy. Come Thou long expected Jesus.

For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

    and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.