The Adoration of the Shepherds

In this depiction by Rembrandt --note how dim the light is that is coming from the lantern.  The light coming from the Christ Child is so much brighter.  It shines on those close to Him!  

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined."  Isaiah 9:2

Christmas Carol Quandaries

This week we will attend our granddaughter’s “Winter” program.  I’m disappointed because there will be no carols.  They may sing Jingle Bells and mention Santa Claus, but there is no mention of the Christ Child being born.  There are so many cowards in our schools today.  They don’t want to be sued or threatened with a suite, so they cave, and give in to what the minority wants.  Soon they will be the majority, I fear.

When we attended our granddaughter’s music program last year I noticed a man practically doing a low crawl toward the stage.  He eventually reached the edge of the stage and paused.  Then suddenly a little boy in the front row upchucked.  The man swooped in and carried him off the stage and out a door.  We figured this must have been the little boy’s father.  He saw the look on his son’s face and knew he needed to do something. 

God has swooped in and lifted me when the burden was too much to bear.  He saw the look on my face and knew my heart.  I prayed for a way of escape and God provided.  But then other times He has left me to work through the tough times.  It was in these times that I grew in my faith, as I needed God even more.  I learned that I could make it through with God’s help.

Now I’m praying that somehow, during this Christmas season, that Christ will be honored in the schools.  I don’t know how it will happen.  Maybe I will have to be the one to speak up, or maybe it will be someone else.  Maybe God will see the sad look on my face as once again there is no mention of God.  I'm sure God must be concerned too.  How can the little children believe if they don't hear?  As my mother-in-law said once, “You should pay your respects to God once in awhile.” I hope the schools will do this.

Songs We Loved to Sing

Here are lists of songs that we sang when I was in high school.

  I would love my granddaughters to learn "Christopher Robin is Saying His Prayers."  Here is a you tube of it:

I would also like them to learn "The Prayer From Hansel and Gretel."  Here is another you tube:

Also I'd like them to learn the Doxology.  My grandmother and my aunt would like to sing it before meals as the blessing.  Here's another you tube:

Ben Carson, M.D. Renaissance Man

I just finished reading Dr. Ben Carson’s book, “America the Beautiful.”  I noticed that his wife, Candy, helped him to write this book.  Some of the topics included are the history of our nation, the religion of our nation, capitalism, socialism, morality, learning from our mistakes, health care, a nation divided, liberty and justice for all, what’s good about America, and what do we believe and in whom do we trust.  Dr. Carson comes up with many ideas about how we can get out of the healthcare mess, crime mess, national debt mess, and many other plans.  Some I had heard before.

  Here are a few of the topics that were new to me in the book:

·      One way of defeating the terrorists is for the United States to become independent from all foreign oil by drilling and using our own oil.  If any country harbors our enemies we sanction them.

·      That the Democratic Party Platform is supposedly based on the Beatitudes.  1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  I don’t see the Beatitudes here: http://www.democrats.org/democratic-national-platform

·      The original Tea Party began in and around 1775 with the Patriots denial of the problem of taxation without representation, ignoring the problem, resisting the problem, and exempting from the problem, then turning from the problem with transformation, Or DIRECT.

·      Likewise the creation of the new Tea Party in 2009 began as a result of passage of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the bailout of several major financial agencies, and talk about dramatic reform of the nation’s health care system.  Then February 19, 2009, a business news editor on CNBC by the name of Rick Santelli criticized the government for bailing out underwater mortgages: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgJ30bihdy8

·      Five physicians signed the Declaration of Independence.

·      Carson ignored requests when speaking in various places like Columbine High School or the National Prayer Breakfast to not speak about God or Jesus.  He disregarded those requests and spoke of his faith.  He was applauded wholeheartedly.

·      He had a praying mom who sought wisdom from God.

Dr. Carson is an insightful man of faith.  He presents a fair and balanced view of the United States.  He encourages all to work hard and overcome their problems by taking responsibility and not making excuses.  I wish he were the President of the U.S.!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

From Wikipedia:

"As President, on October 3, 1789, George Washington made the following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America:

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.^[25]

George Washington again proclaimed a Thanksgiving in 1795."

We Are Dust

The tiny country of Israel is hardly visible and surrounded by giant nations.  Reminds me of David and Goliath.

Here are two blogs on the threats against Israel: http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-unpleasantly-surprised-by-us-silence-on-khameneis-vicious-speech/#.Uo45iqKex6o.email

http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/a-profound-sense-of-dismay-is-spreading-among-the-israeli-people-that-they-are-watching-the-sunset-of-the-golden-years-of-the-u-s-israeli-alliance/

After reading these, I remembered what God said in this verse, Genesis 12:3 "And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." 

I sent out one article to some of my friends and asked if the United States was turning against Israel.  I got one answer from my friend Friedel.  Here's what she said:

"If we are – we are dust.  Come to think about it, we will be dust (until we get assembled againJ). However, this is not a statement of defeat but of victory for those who are in Christ Jesus AND for the Jews, for they ARE God’s chosen people.  It’s all so simple: God’s Word: the Roadmap; Jesus Christ: The Way; The Holy spirit: The Empowerer.  

Let us pray for them."

Old Age Isn't for Sissies

Mom and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary November 24, 1999. They hadn't allowed me to give them a 50th wedding anniversary party but I had them at my house for their 60th.

“If I have to go back to the nursing home I’ll be dead in the morning,” my mom threatened.

“If she stays here, I’ll be dead in the morning,” replied my dad.

They were both believers but somehow through illness—my dad had Parkinson’s and congestive heart failure, my mom osteoarthritis—they had become desperate in their old age. 

I had prayed for wisdom.  I was supposed to know what to do.  I called the nursing facility.  The nurse told me that they would not force someone to come back there.  She then said that she wanted to talk to my mom.  After their conversation Mom handed me the phone and said, “Well, I guess I have to go back because I have a doctor’s appointment.”

When we arrived at the door, the nurse was standing there with a white coat on, and a stethoscope around her neck.  My mom smiled and said, “I hope I made it back in time for my appointment doctor.”  She was assured that she had made it back on time.

My mom never got to go back to my dad’s apartment after that but he visited her every day.  She had a cerebral hemorrhage several months later.  She is with the Lord now and thinking clearly again.  My dad went Home to be with her and with the Lord two years later.  They are having a great time I’m sure of it! 

As I look back sometimes I go over in my mind what we could have done differently. When friends were having trouble with elderly parents I shared what I had learned. I think that through our experience we were able to help others. 

 We can only see the path directly in front of us and not down the road into the future, so we walk by faith.

Surprising Support for the NRA

As 2nd amendment supporters have been saying--- don't take guns away from the law abiding citizens.  It's the criminals who need gun control!

Here's an article saying that so far this information about the NRA has not been proven:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/politifact-nra-founded-to-protect-freed-slaves-from-klan-black-leader-says/2125548

Storm Stories

This picture was taken of one of the trees that fell in Woodley Hills during hurricane Hazel.

It happened on Friday, October 15, 1954.  I was eleven years old and living in Woodley Hills Trailer Park in Alexandria, Virginia.   My older brother was 13; my little sister was 7, and my next to the youngest brother was 2.  My youngest brother wouldn’t be born until June of 1956. 

That day has been completely blanked out of my memory.  I don’t remember anybody panicking or being scared, angry, or worried.  I don’t remember a thing.  Either the event was so traumatic that I’ve blocked it out, or it was no big deal, and that’s why I don’t remember it. 

Anyway, my dad, a meteorologist who worked at the National Analysis Center in Suitland, MD, had driven our car to work that day.  Mom was busy watching all of the neighbors evacuate because of the hurricane expected to make landfall that day.  I don’t have a clue as to why we didn’t evacuate as we lived in a 32’ trailer.  Most people in trailers need to find a solid building or shelter, I understand, if a hurricane is expected.  But the forecast had been that the storm was to slow down from a cat 5 to a cat 4 when it made landfall in the Carolinas.  Maybe that is why we didn’t leave.

But looking back at what Hazel did maybe we should have evacuated.    The write up in Wikipedia reports this, “Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane. After causing 95 fatalities in the US, Hazel struck Canada as an extra tropical storm, raising the death toll by 81 people, mostly in Toronto. As a result of the high death toll and the damage Hazel caused, its name was retired from use for North Atlantic hurricanes.

From Carolina, it traveled north along the Atlantic coast. Hazel affected Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York; it brought gusts near 160 km/h (100 mph) and caused $308 million (1954 USD) in damage. When it was over Pennsylvania, Hazel consolidated with a cold front, and turned northwest towards Canada. When it hit Ontario as an extra tropical storm, rivers and streams in and around Toronto, Ontario overflowed their banks, which caused severe flooding.”

I believe that the Lord protected us that day.  Our neighbors, the Taylors, remained behind in their trailer, and during the eye, a pause in the storm, (hurricanes are in the shape of a doughnut with the middle a hole, which they call the eye,) Mr. Taylor walked all around our trailers looking at the huge trees to see if any were in danger of falling. 

The next day we learned that one trailer and car a few streets over from us, had been crushed by a huge tree falling on them.  Maybe our lives were in danger that day but we came through just fine.

In my study of “End Times” I think that the catastrophic thing we will experience is an earthquake.  In Matthew 24 it says 21 "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” So apparently life will be lost but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.  If it happens in my lifetime I wonder if I will block out the whole thing?!

Where were you during Hurricane Hazel?

PS I was saddened to hear that Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines at an estimated 195 MPH with up to 235 MPH wind gusts.  Here is a photo of some of the damage.  We were blessed in Virginia not to suffer such destruction or loss of life.