Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we had Scott's family over for lunch, then it was off to church!  The cousins exchanged gifts, and Aunt Kim surprised Emma with a trip to the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology (it's her thing right now!), and Toby got tickets to see a Sixers basketball game with Kim!

Then it was off to church for the candlelight communion services.  I gave a reading during the service, posted below!

Then we watched The Star movie before bed!!

Christmas Cookies

All season we have been watching all the baking shows on the Food Network!  Emma has been dying to bake some cookies, and on Sunday I finally let her!!  Toby and Scott helped us decorate and we saved them to share with our guests over Christmas!

Christmas photo shoot

Wishing you a very merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Never Too Late

A New Heaven and a New Earth (Book of Revelation, chapter 21)

Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

 

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

 

He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

 

This passage is the hope for believers, the promise of the next life, of Heaven itself.  It brings joy to the heart of those who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus, to be their substitute on the Day of Judgement.

 

But there is also a warning contained in this passage, for the unbelieving.  It is a warning because every person has until their final breath to ask Jesus to forgive them of their sins, and to be their Lord.  The very last breath.

 

It is an act of the will, and act of the heart.  It does not require works to make up for a life of rebellion.  In the last moments of Jesus's life, he hung on a cross between two criminals – criminals so vile and evil that they weren't sold into slavery, they were crucified, the worst death available. 

 

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"  But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23)

 

That ^ is all that is required!!  Faith, belief, trust.

 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).

Last week there was a tragic death of a parent of some children that attend our kids school.  It has affected me, mostly because it is a stark reminder, in a time when we are desperately seeking the joy of Christmas, that life is so very brief.  We delay and procrastinate on things that have eternal consequences, things that we may never have the time to address.

 

Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and we were all lost at one point.  Trying to find our purpose, significance outside of the One who created us.  God is always there, always listening, and you can call out to him anytime and ask for Him to be God in your life.  He waits like an eager parent, desiring to help a prodigal child.

Christmas!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!  I couldn't wait to decorate this year as we got a new tree, retiring my 14yo tree!).  It has built in LED lights on a timer, and is more realistic by far! 

 

 

Scott and I have already enjoyed the Christmas party for his company, at a very nice restaurant in the city.  They definitely know how to celebrate!

 Since we all know how infrequently I post, I want to take this opportunity to wish anyone and everyone who reads this blog, a very Merry Christmas, from our family, to yours!

Basketball

Em is trying something new this year - Basketball! Scott is coaching her team on Sundays, and Tobys on Saturdays!!

After an hour of running up and down the court, she declared she's found a sport she likes and will do it again next year!! We'll hope she still feels that way in 12 weeks!!

That Christmas feeling!!

Give Thanks

 Thanksgiving is always a fun day, and this year was no exception.  Eighteen people gathered in to give thanks and feast!!   

We have so much to be thankful for that we try to intentionally live each day focusing on what we have, and who we love, rather than what we don’t have, or who drives us crazy!!