On the eigth day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

8 cookie platters (lots and lot of goodies coming to my house at this time),

7 carols singing ,
6 Christmas Parties,
5 hanging Stockings!!!!!,
4 Christmas Stories,
3 Blessings from God,
2 manger scenes,
And 1 Beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree!

On the Seventh Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

7 carols singing ,

(my favorites, O Holy Night, Silent Night, O come let us Adore Him, The First Noel, Mary Did you Know?, Christmas Shoes, & While you were Sleeping (Casting Crown's Cd))

6 Christmas Parties,

5 hanging Stockings!!!!!,

4 Christmas Stories,

3 Blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

And 1 Beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree!

Below please find the words to While you were Sleeping (absolutely an amazing song, will you be found sleeping?)

Oh little town of Bethlehem looks like another silent night

Above your deep and dreamless sleep a giant star lights up the sky

And while you're lying in the dark there shines an everlasting light

For the King has left His throne and is sleeping in a manger tonight,

tonight Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

For God became a man and stepped into your world today

Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping, While you were sleeping

Mary shivers in the cold trying to keep the Savior warm

Born among the animals wrapped in dirty rags

Because there was no room for Him in the world He came to save

United States of America looks like another silent night

As we're sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children

And while we're lying in the dark there's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky

For the Bridegroom has returned and has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping

Will Jesus come again and leave us slumbering where we lay

America, will we go down in history as a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping, Will we be sleeping

United States of America looks like another silent night

On the Sixth Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

Six Christmas parties!

5 Hanging stockings!!!!!

4 Christmas stories,

3 blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

and 1 beautiful, lovely Christmas tree

I must share with you a story of one particular Christmas party we attended last night. It all happened so many weeks ago when the youth department met together for a meeting and I (since I hadn't volunteered in this group yet) volunteered to put together plans for a Christmas Youth Party for our church. Thinking I have a cousin-in-law who used to a youth pastor maybe had ideas, I contacted his wife, but my planned failed. They had no ideas, but then one popped into my brain. As I was planning this event, I still wondered why such a detailed objective was put into my brain to accomplish this feat, I will never know. Anyway, the project became known as the Great "Amazing Christmas Race" youth party! They had 8 different locations in which they were given a clue, they had to decipler the clue as to their destination and once they got there they were given an assignment to do (eat cupcakes without using their hands, drink a half gallon of koolaid, crush crackers with their feet and eat them, act out the Christmas story for an elderly couple in an assisted living facility, and more). After they had finished the task they were then given the next clue and a toy. All over town were toys they were gathering up to bring to a local charity for children who were less fortunate. Oh they had a blast and the pictures were awesome. Because I was the head leader of all this I had to stay in one cental location and help them along when they got stuck so I was unable to drive around with them, but I enjoyed seeing their pictures. It was a lot of fun and now I'm completely exhausted. Only 2 more parties to go and then we are done for the season! Woohoo!

On the Fifth day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

5 Hanging Stockings!!!!!!

4 Christmas stories,

3 blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

And one beautiful, lovely Christmas tree!

On the fourth day of Christmas . . .

My true Love gave to me . . . .

4 Christmas Stories :

Isa 9:6 For unto us a Child is born,Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matt 1:18-2:1
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

Luke 2:1-20
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 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. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

3 Blessings from God
2 Manger scenes
and 1 Beautiful Christmas Tree

Please pray & say thanks

I posted my third gift my true love gave to me as 3 blessings from God. According to His Word, Children are a blessing from Him. I'm reminded that (and it sad to say that I need to be reminded because sometime it doesn't feel like a blessing) they are blessings and wonderful, healthy children.

I have some homeschooling friends here in my area whose son woke up on Thanksgiving disoriented and altogether not right. They have six children so a trip to the ER room isn't easy but they felt like this warranted a visit. Through many hours and test, the MRI showed a brain tumor and they were sent immediately to a childrens hospital in a larger city nearby. The little boy went through many rounds of test and even surgery to remove the tumor. 70% of the tumor was removed, however 30% was found in the brain stem. It was first believed it was not cancerous and therefore required no chemo or radiation and that the tumor orginated in the brain and grew into the brain stem. However yesterday they were given devasting news that the tumor, according to pathology reports, is cancerous and one of the worst kind. It is already a stage 3 or 4 and it originated out of the brain stem and therefore it will rapidly grow again. He has been given 12 months to live. The heartwrenching agony that my heart is going through does not compare to all that this family is living through. I pray that all of you will join me in praying for little Kendrick and his family as we ask for a miracle! I will keep you updated, but this family needs your help to keep their faith alive and strong. They are very strong believers in the Almighty God!

Also go and hug your children whereever they are and thank God for the health He has given them! Play with them, love on them, adore them, and kiss on them (for those of us who have boys, do it anyway even if they don't want you too). Remind yourself of the blessing you have been given!

On the Third Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

3 Blessing from God!

2 Manger scences,

and one lovely Christmas tree!