Christmas- an average holiday?

It's the most awe-inspiring time of the year. A time when we reflect, contemplate, meditate, and stand in awe of the miracles that surrounded the birth of God incarnate.


His virgin conception.
His miraculous protection from Herod.
Bethlehem as His birthplace.
His heritage coming from King David.


Even the fact that Mary was a virgin was miraculous, in a time where the evil soldiers of Herod could take any girl they so chose for any purpose.


And the wonder of Christmas is not peace, but love. The greatest love ever. A love that drove him to the horrific cruel cross.


Another great miracle...Joseph and Mary from Nazareth are called away from their hometown to travel the 80-something journey South to a tiny town where their ancestors had originally lived 40 generations before. All to fulfill a prophecy given over 400 years earlier by the prophet Micah that He would be born in Bethlehem. 


That His bloodline was pure. There was a catch in the geneology of Joseph. Joseph's lineage traces back to David's son Solomon, giving Christ the Davidic covenant of an everlasting kingdom. However King Jeconiah (Coniah) , son of Josiah, was told by Jeremiah that none of his sons could carry the line on, and the throne was given to his brother.
"Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah."
 ~Jeremiah 22:30
God is wonderful! He even found away around His own divine punishment of Jeconiah's sin! Mary's family line followed through David's son Nathan. 


What is THE miracle of Christmas?
The answer is found in Matthew 1:21

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins."

Tradition!

During the holiday season, many people reminisce of Christmas past, remembering mostly the family tradition. As Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof" our traditions are important because they tell us who we are, and give us a place, a foundation we can always trust. A firm base, like a stone, on which we can always rely. 

However, the wonderful truth of Christmas, is that God gave us something we can rely on for eternity. Something not thought up by man, nor something that could ever be repeated. Something that would be declared through the future, and remembered forever. What could be this important? Christ. 

In this Christmas season, let us remember who is the true meaning of the holiday, and every day.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Movie Quotes!!

O.K. everybody, these are really, really, tough.


Rules:
Have fun!
No looking up the quotes online.
You are allowed to ask family members- this includes that sibling who is probably looking over your shoulder (or in the hall mirror)...this one's for you Jo!
These are all Christmas movies.


1. "What your about to see is true. The names have not been changed, because nobody believes me anyway."


2."A house is only what it's occupants make it."


3."A great big shiny aluminum Christmas Tree!"


4."Pish...no one needs the mink coat but the mink!"


5."And a happy New Year to you...in jail!"


6."Speak to me...Charlie...are ya hurt?"


7."They're going to miss us."


8."How can I tell him when I do not know which way is Connect-i-cut?!"


9."Wait a minute...she's got to find her happiness." *girl screams and faints*.


10."There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side."


11."When what's left of you gets around to getting what's left to be gotten, what's left to be gotten won't be worth getting even if it's worth what you've got left."


12."What of the food that I am accustomed to?"
"Very accustomed to!"


13."Oh, yes, and we love having you.. Uh, when are you leaving?"


14."God bless my little broken body!!"


15. "If I'm willing to let my wife have a splitting headache in the morning, the least you can do is have a little headache tonight!"


16. "There is one role I have never played: God."
      "God, sir?"


17."Perhaps he only slightly crazy... like poets, painters, or some of those men in Washington."


18. "Uncle Banjo will pull a few string for you!"


19. "Some say yes, and some say no."
      "Well, what do you say?"
      "I'm inclined to agree with them."


20."Aunt Clara had for years labored under the delusion that I was not only perpetually 4 years old, but also a girl."




Good  Luck  Break a Leg!!

Just Another Day?

Ever feel like this?

Or this?

"I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; 

and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit."

-Ecclesiastes 1:14

Anne, in Anne of Green Gables once said:

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

And though I don't care much for Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With The Wind, but she did have something to say on this particular topic:

Tomorrow is another day. 

There is an old gospel song that also speaks of tomorrow:

I don’t know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from it’s sunshine,
For it’s skies may turn to gray.

I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow,
I don’t seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.

Lastly, remember what David wrote in Psalm 118:24:

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Christmas is my favorite holiday, hands down. The tree lights, baking cookies, advent candles, Hanukkah, the radio playing carols, watching Christmas movies, candles, finding just the perfect gift for everyone on my list, wrapping presents, decorating the house, inside and out. In fact, Brianna and I decided we wanted to put lights on the roof this year. Pa said he would let us, as long as we did the actual hanging of the lights. We agreed, and Pa has ordered 500 lights for us to deck out the roof with!!

Hanukkah is a very much overlooked holiday in Christian circles. Many Christian, I believe, fail to realize that we worship the Jewish Messiah. Jesus was a Jew, born of a Jewish mother. He would have been raised memorizing the Torah, or books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). It was during the Hanukkah celebration that Christ proclaimed "I AM the Light of the World".

Crisp Autumn Days

Autumn is my favorite season. Of course, I'll only say that until Winter sets in, then Winter will be my new favorite season!

Here are some reasons why I love Fall:

Our red shed against the trees

the tall trees across the road from us

how the leaves of our cherry tree turn red on the outside and green on the inside

MUMS!

Check out the leaves on this dogwood:

the many bright colors of fall!!!

mums, in red

yellow

white and

purple

Dahlias in white,

red,

More on this list would include:

apple cider

apple pie

leaf piles

sedum flowers

pumpkins

toasted pumpkin seeds

cozy winter carrot soup

flannel pj's

hay wagon rides

Thanksgiving

hymn sings by the fire

the wood stove

oatmeal buffet for breakfast

and probably much more!

What are YOUR favorite  things about Autumn??

A Moment Of Reflection...

When we are on vacation, Mom likes to set up posts scheduled to publish while we're gone. 
Since she didn't have time to do that this year, she asked me (as well as some others) to guest-post for her. 


This post was originally written mid-last-year and was the 2nd half of a really LONG post. However, I edited/refurbished it, and here is the updated version!


*****


The other day I was sitting on mom's deck. 

And I was looking up at the huge trees around our home.

 My thoughts went to Noah's ark.

 I closed my eyes and tried to picture my whole yard under miles of water. 

The hills we sled down every year being carved by particles of dirt being stirred up by torrents of rain and massive waves, flooding, hypercanes (REALLY BIG hurricanes), and even mudslides afterward. 

I thought of all the trees in my yard that wouldn't have even been there and if they had, they would have been torn up by the aforementioned vicious hydraulics

 (if you don't know what it means, look it up- you might learn something{boy do I sound like I was home schooled or what!?}).

 Try doing this some time in your yard, if you never have before. 

Not only do you once again stand in awe of God's might power, judgement, and mercy toward Noah, you'll wow at the power of water. 

Think of the Grand canyon!

 I've heard Christian science teachers (Young Earth Creationists, such as Kent Hovind, and Ken Ham ) who teach that this gigantic canyon was carved by flood waters in about 20-30 minutes! (Watch Kent Hovind's Scientific Creationism Seminar video 6, available here.)

 WOW! Our God is Awesome!

(inspiring awe or admiration or wonder)

Psalm 19:1 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork."

Let us take a stroll about the grounds...

Taking pictures is a favorite pastime of mine. Mostly what I like to photograph are faces and nature.

You've already seen some of my favorite faces. Here are some flowers, grass and trees from our garden.

We'll begin with a plaque I painted for Mom's herb garden:

And here is the biggest tree in our yard, not counting the woods. I stood with my back against the trunk and pointed the camera straight up. This tree is a tulip poplar.

 And you can see it in comparison with the maple next to it. The maple is in the foreground.

Our flowering ornamental cherry is a favorite when it blooms in mid-April.

 Does anyone know what flower this is? I don't remember and we threw away the tag :{

The dogwood tree

A tulip...an inside view.

Hyacinth

Azlaea

Plain old-fashioned grass...done up new.

Lilac... and heirloom plant. When my paternal grandmother was young, her mother died, and she went to live with her Aunt Edith. Aunt Edith became a second mother to her, and taught her everything there is to know about lilacs. This was a part of Aunt Edith's original.

Grape arbor + evening lighting = lovely!

Honey suckle

here is the "anchor" of the garden: the pink redbud.

here is a neat shot. I was trying to get a close up of the delicate flowers, but couldn't find the right setting...

A REALLY CLOSE close-up of a pansy, or heart's ear.

Here is another.

Narcissus! Including:

daffodil...

jonquil...

I can't remember what this is called but it is in the narcissus family.

Ah, the beauty of God's creation!

Graduation! Part 4

RECEPTION!

Ellie finds a quiet moment while...

Some ladies bring out the cake...

KK and Peter March have a sadly one-sided but terribly serious discussion of soccer...

Two of my girlfriends, B.B. and E.C.

                                                                                                                                                

Mrs. O. finds a comfy spot...

...as does Mr. O.

My little friend A.D. eats a hot dog...

And so does her big sister, J.D.!

Aren't they adorable?!

Poor Luke Skywalker March had a fever, poor boy.
Too much excitement.. ;}
His big brother, Peter, assured me with a shake of his head
 that poor Luke had come down with Typhoid
 and was not long for this world...I love your brothers, Jo!!

 Wake up, buddy, you'll miss the cake!

It took a bunch of us to figure out why this cake did not look right... maybe you'll be faster... leave a comment with your answer!

Honored guest...our own Jo March! Sorry, Jo, this was the best picture I could find... ;{

A few weeks later, Mr. O presented me with my Bible college degree from Faith Bible Institute.

Here is Mr.O with the graduating class...Sam C. big brother of E.C. (3rd picture from top)

May I present:

The class of 2010!