Get Plugged In

As I go through and search for good illustrations or stories to give to you, and read some of your blogs, I sometimes get under conviction in just reading. Things like: Making a difference in some ones life, letting my light shine, prayer, and many things the Lord speaks to us about if we take time to listen. That brings another thought: What am I doing with the time God has given me. Do I let "things" come in between God and me? Not sinful things, but things like maybe, letting the duties of the home come first. I have had to prioritize and look at what is really important. Of course, we know our devotions and the Word should come first. Sometimes I find, at the end of the day, that I have accomplished something in getting my house straightened back up, but did I take time for the Lord that I should? I do not want the things of God to get mundane, like housework. Just busy doing this and that mechanically. I mean, who has to think about making beds, washing clothes, cooking etc. It is just something I do without even thinking about it. But what about spiritual things? Have you ever read a chapter in the Bible and stop and realize you did not know a thing you read? I have had to go back several times and re-read and concentrate. I don't want to read just to say, "I read so many chapters today." Another thing is our prayer life. This is where the devil does not want us to go because he knows that in prayer is where spiritual battles are fought and won. I'm sure not a match for the devil. But our God is. I want to make a difference in someones life this year. I want Jesus to be seem through me. I want to do what I do for the Lord whole heartily. I read the following illustration and I don't want just a light bulb, but I want to be plugged in to Jesus. The story is told of a native from a remote mountain village who had the opportunity to visit a large modern city for the first time. He could not bring much home with him, and he had little money. But he was amazed at the electric lights which he saw everywhere. So he bought a sack full of electric lights bulbs and sockets with switches so he could turn them off and on. Arriving home he hung the light bulbs in front of his home and on his and his neighbor’s trees. Everyone watched him with curiosity and asked him what he was doing, but he just smiled and said, "Just wait until dark--you’ll see." When night came he turned on the switches, but nothing happened. No one had told him about electricity. He did not know the light bulbs were useless unless connected to the source of their power. Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing." There are many people who do not know that the way they are living their lives is useless. They got the education; they got the job; they made the family; and bought the home but when the sunsets and night comes and they reach for the switch nothing happens. They do not know that there is a source, which makes all these things light up!

Babe of Bethlehem

Wishing all of you a very Merry and Peaceful Christmas. Thank God for for the Babe that came to bring "Peace On Earth," and to impart His peace to us. Worship Him today!

SANTA OR SATAN

Do you tell your children that Santa is coming from the North Pole to bring gifts? I found this writing and after reading it ~ Well, I had never heard it from this viewpoint. Read it or discard it, whatever you want but it is thought provoking! Santa Claus and Satan's Cause The modern-day Santa Claus is an American version of Saint Nicholas, a fourth century Roman Catholic bishop from Asia Minor who was noted for his good deeds and gift giving. This tradition first spread throughout Europe, and then found its way to America by the early Dutch settlers. Since God's word warns us to BEWARE of tradition (Col. 2:8), we shouldn't be surprised to find the Devil right in the middle of the world's most celebrated holiday. Lucifer's desire has always been to dethrone God and exalt himself (Isa. 14:12-15). He desires worship (Luke 4:7; II Ths. 2:3-4). Perhaps you've never thought of it, but please note how Satan robs the Lord Jesus Christ of His glory by spreading the Santa Claus tradition... SANTA IS ETERNAL A child knows nothing of his beginning. To a child, Santa has just always existed. JESUS CHRIST IS ETERNAL"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Rev. 1:8) SANTA LIVES IN THE NORTH Tradition holds that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, a place ABOVE the rest of us. JESUS CHRIST LIVES IN THE NORTH "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." (Psa. 48:2) SANTA WEARS RED CLOTHING Santa wears a red furry suit. JESUS CHRIST WEARS RED CLOTHING"And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God." (Rev. 19:13) SANTA HAS WHITE HAIR Santa is always pictured as an old man with white hair like wool. JESUS CHRIST HAS WHITE HAIR "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;" (Rev. 1:14) SANTA FLIES AROUND GIVING GIFTS Santa has the ability to defy the laws of gravity and fly around giving gifts to people. JESUS CHRIST ASCENDED AND GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." (Eph. 4:7-8) SANTA IS COMING SOON During the Christmas season it is emphasized over and over that "Santa is coming". JESUS CHRIST IS COMING SOON "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20) SANTA IS OMNISCIENT Children are taught that Santa "knows when you've been good, and he knows when you've been bad". JESUS CHRIST IS OMNISCIENT "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." (Pro. 15:3) "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" (Mat. 9:4) SANTA IS OMNIPRESENT Santa must be omnipresent, because he has the ability to visit over a billion homes in a twenty-four hour period. That's over 1100 per second! JESUS CHRIST IS OMNIPRESENT "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Mat. 18:20) SANTA IS OMNIPOTENT He has the ability to carry presents for over a billion children. JESUS CHRIST IS OMNIPOTENT"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Mat. 28:18) SANTA HAS SPIRIT HELPERS CALLED ELVES Webster, 1828: "ELF...a spirit, the night-mar; a ghost, hag, witch" JESUS CHRIST HAS SPIRIT HELPERS CALLED ANGELS "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (Mat. 4:11) SANTA - SANAT - SATAN? Sanat Kumara is worshipped by some new age groups as God. H.P. Blavatsky, the mother of the new age movement, said on page 350 of her book, The Secret Doctrine, Vol. 2: "The name isn't important. It is the letters". "Santa" has the same letters as "Satan"! According to G.A. Riplinger, "Ole Nick" is listed as the name of a fallen angel in the Dictionary of Fallen Angels. Friend, don't glorify Satan by giving the glory and attributes of Jesus Christ to Santa Claus! Santa is a COUNTERFEIT GOD, and you are honoring Satan when you teach your children to believe in Santa! Christians should teach their children the TRUTH. We should glorify God by teaching our children about Jesus Christ and His saving grace!

Two Babes In a Manger

The author of this story is not known but I came across it and thought it was good. In 1994 twoAmericans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics in the public school. They were invited to teach at prisons, and a large orphange. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused and left in the care of a government- run program were living in an orphanage.They related the story in their own words. It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable,where the baby Jesus was born, and then placed in a manger. Through out the story, the children and orphange staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completeling the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, which was cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city. Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Some squares of flannel, cut from worn out night gown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby's blanket. A doll like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought form the U.S. The orphans were assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about six years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately ~ until he came to the part where Mary put the Jesus in the manger, then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said... "And when Mary laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had no place to stay. I told him I had no mamma and pappa, and I have no place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have have a gift to give him like everyone else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good gift?" And Jesus told me "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody has ever given me.' So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and told me I could stay with him~ for always." As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that fell down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his little shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abondon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him ~~~for always I've learned that it' not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts " Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thess. 5: 16-18 What gifts would you bring to the manger?

Jesus is The Reason

We have all seen the sign, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season! But I don't think I have ever really seen it until now. I guess last night's sermon at church for just for me. We had our Christmas Program which brought home the truths of Missions. Then a short and to the point message. We sometimes get so wrapped up in buying or not, family, etc. I just made the remark last week that Christmas would not be the same this year without Mom. We have had five funerals in 2009 in our immediate family. I was looking at the past and getting depressed. Especially after we went to the cemetery to put flowers. I came home just feeling the weight of oppression or depression on me. I tried to keep busy. I wanted to make cookies and candies. That's what Mom always did. Then she passed them out. I thought about her fruit cake. We won't get one this year. We won't see much family this year. All those things that will take the place of what Christmas is all about if we let it. It is not about Mom or our other love ones that have gone on. It's not about for those fig cookies and fruit cake. If that is so, which it is, then what am I fretting about? It's about a Babe that was born to be our Savior. Not that I deserve Him, but because He loved me enough to not only be born but to die on on old rugged cross that I might know Him. I'm trying to re-focus on that Babe of Bethlehem's manger. That's what Christmas is about. He truly is THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Circle of Friends Award

My sweet friend, Cathy, at Melodiesandhymnsongs.blogspot.com, passed this award to her readers. I am blessed to receive it from her.I am supposed to list 5 things I love to do.

1. Read, especially the Word of God.

2. Play Piano

3. Spend time with my my family

4. Baking, especially at Christmas

5. Visit with my internet friends

I am passing this award to all of you, who have become my wonderful Circle of Friends.

Love and Blessings, Aliene @meditationsandmemories.blogspot.com

Hand Made Gifts

This is the hen I was working on the other day when my sewing machine acted up and everything else went wrong. If you did not read about about that day, go scroll down a couple post.

Also I crocheted varigated dish clothes and pot holders to match.

I crocheted jar tops for preserves. I am fixing my kids a box with a lot of different hand made gifts, bread loafs, candies and whatever comes to mind. I have had two hen potholders for 10-12 years. I use them all the time. Need to make two more hens and I will be through. I thought about a basket at first, but then I saw the big round decorated boxes and got three of them. The boxes can be used afterwards to put stuff in and just set around with other decor. It has been fun doing this. I still have cookies and candies to make. Monday and Tuesday I will be making more Amish banana loafs and some more chocolate. My two grandsons next door sure love the chocolate.

Some ask me if I was making gifts for Christmas. The hen (?) is what I was working on when the machine acted up the other. Or is it a rooster.

Use your own imagination!

MOUSE ORNAMENT

This is something that children can make. Red and green felt, eyes and small black pom pom. You can see the slits above each eye. You run the ears through that. Cut a smaller slit in the back to put a candy cane through. I did this several years back. I put a little poem about Christmas with it. (Use your imagination) Let the children pass them

out. I don't remember the what poem I had. Probably something I made up. Cut a pattern and let the kids do one. Or two ~ You can use it as an ornament on the tree.

CHRISTMAS LOVE CUP

This is a neat idea for a little something to hand out at Christmas. I know you can't read it so I am writing it out.

1.Rubber Band- to draw you to the ones you love. James 4:8 2. Bright Shiny Penny ~ To remind you that your smallest talent comes from God to be used~not hidden. Luke: 16:10 3. Tea Light Candle~ to help you brighten a dark day or night. Matt:5:44 4. Straight Pin~ To deflate you in case you become puffed up. I Corinthians 13:19 5. Band Aid ~ To help hurt feelings, yours or someelse. 1Peter 4:8 6. Gift Tag ~ To remind you, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts: 20:35 7. Mug, ~ (I found Christmas mugs,) Hot Chocolate~ For you to have an opportunity to share with someone else. 8. Foam Cup, Napkins, Hot Chocolate~

Love was meant to be shared !

"For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whoso ever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3"16

Put all the stuff in the Christmas Mug.

Make a copy of each ingredient and it's meaning and share with friends and neighbors. Keep one on hand in case someone comes to visit. I made the card on my computer. In the foam cup place a little sip-lock fill with chocolate.

I prepare the mix myself, then place the foam cup in the big mug.

Let me know if you do this. It is fun!