If you want something to read on a rainy day, check out my e-novella on Amazon. The name of it is Once Upon A Mountain Christmas. It is short, sweet, and deliciously Christmas.
For those penny pinchers, you can also read the Kindle version for free.
Act now while it is still available.
A tribute to Western Carolina.
As you go about celebrating this week, don’t get so busy that you ignore why we celebrate.
For some, it is just the celebration of trees and lights, food, and family. Certainly, those things are enjoyable, as are other traditions, but they are not about Christmas
December 25, most likely, was not the day Jesus Christ was born but just a day that was chosen to celebrate. It wasn’t just a kid in the neighborhood that was being born, it was the Son Of God.
Put yourself in Mary’s place. She was a young teenager who was betrothed to a much older man. If that was not scary enough, an angel appeared to her in the night and told her she was going to have a child, not just any child or the child of her soon-to-be husband but the Son of God. Mary followed the angel’s instructions to the letter. She never questioned God’s plan. She did question whether or not she was worthy of such an honor.
If you have read some of the books of Apocrypha found in some older Bibles and from the Dead Sea scrolls, you might have stumbled upon The Book Of Infancy, which details the birth of Christ through his youth. The first miracle was not at the wedding feast but in the wombs of two women when Jesus and John recognized each other. The second miracle occurred during Mary’s delivery. An older midwife came to help her but feared she might not be much help because one of her hands was badly deformed. At the shear touch from the baby Jesus, her hand was immediately straightened and made new.
Almost immediately after Jesus’s birth, there was a brilliant star that appeared over the stable where he laid. This was a sign to all that something special had taken place. Eight shepherds left their pasture to follow this star. Kings in the East had already heard of the news and began their journey to find the child. Their journey would last two years. Seeing the now toddler, they presented him with gifts of Frankinsence, Gold, and Myrrh, and then they went on their way.
It was certainly a meaningful night. A night of miracles. A night that would change the world forever.
The babe, the man, the resurrection, all made a difference.
I pray that you all will have a joyous Christmas and a wonderful New Year. God bless you with good health and fulfilled dreams throughout the year.
Most people have read the account of Matthew and Luke from the Bible of the birth of Jesus. That virgin birth was a miracle in itself. But according to Thomas’s gospel of Infancy his miracles began prior to birth.
Remember when Mary traveled to see Elizabeth and the baby John acknowledged the presence of Jesus by leaping in the womb.
The gospel of Thomas defines a broader picture of the birth and childhood of Christ. While the star and the angels were miracles there were more that did not appear in the Bible. There was an account of a midwife with a mangled hand that was healed while assisting with the delivery of Jesus.
I don’t believe his miracles were limited to his adulthood. If he was just a baby why were so many drawn to him? He was such a strong presence even as a baby that kings fell on their knees. While a lot of people discount the value of these text, they do exits. What we have to remember is Jesus was the son of God not the son of an ordinary man.
We know that a lot of texts were removed from what should have been in the Bible. That being said it stands to reason that Jesus’s childhood would have been documented somewhere so why not the Gospel of Thomas.
For more information on the Gospel of Thomas and the books of Infancy and other gospels they are available at your local bookstore.
Take the time to read the accounts of that special day and include it in your Christmas celebration.
While a lot of people get caught up in shopping, lights, gifts and traditions how does all that equate to the birth of Christ? It doesn’t. It does however get our attention.
Christmas or the celebration of Christ was not even celebrated until 336 years after his birth as documented in an article at http://www.christianity.com
If you were a shepherd would you not have thought there was something special about the one night that a baby was born in a stable. A star that was so bright that it led them to the location of the child. The only gift they had to give the child was their presence.
How you celebrate this season is important. Give the greatest gift of all, yourself! Reach out to someone, share a story or a meal and remember a small baby that changed the world forever.
Merry Christmas to all.
At Christmas and on any special occasion it is sometime difficult at best to give what you want the person to have and still stay on a budget. Here are a few ideas.
Instead of giving large items that make you look like the “big spender” opt for a collection of smaller items. This small basket of mixed items is just an example of how you can put useful items together to create something unique. This one contains a small frying pan candle from Tractor Supply, a pink Mason jar to which I added solar fairy lights and a gift pack of hand crochet dishcloths. I still have room to add more.
You can use this method for kids that include several small toys and candy. For that older adult you can put together a larger basket that can include anything from mini paintings, thermal socks, comfort foods like specialty breads or coffee or that hand crochet lap blanket.
Most people really don’t want that expensive gift they just want to know you spent time on the decision of the gift. Give a gift of the heart not just of the wallet.
Start now and CREATE that special gift. It doesn’t take a lot of money just a little thought and time.
Don’t forget to like, follow and share. God bless you all.
I don’t celebrate Christmas the way most people do because of my faith. While I have on a few occasions tried to put up a tree…I usually end up taking it down because it has no relation to the birth of Christ.
Most of the Christmas crafts I make also represent my faith but I will occasionally will stray from that depending on what it is. I have made stocking and ornaments and now playing with some crochet ornaments and angels.
Here is my first tree topper.
You still have time to make some fancy projects before Christmas. This particular topper pattern is in Leisure Arts Leaflet 2941 Our Best Christmas Thread Crochet.
After I finished the base wings and halo I sprayed with spray starch and after fully dried I painted with Modge Podge for added stiffness.
Don’t be afraid to make patterns your own by adding things like beads, pearls, glitter, etc.
Don’t forget to like, follow and share.
Wikipedia defines Christmas as “an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ”. I can tell you it is so much more than that!
Yes, there probably are festivals in some places. A lot of people do get caught up in the traditional things like music, parades, pagents, lights and gifts but that is not the “why” we celebrate.
We don’t even really know when Jesus was born. We just know he was. Wikipedia says December 25 but if you really read the Bible it suggest that may not be when he was born. Ultimately the date is unimportant. The traditions and celebrations we enjoy are unimportant compared to the event itself.
You may or may not know that Mary also was a virgin birth. Her birth in no way has the significance of the birth of Christ but may be a link as to why she was chosen to carry God’s son. Even though her place in society may have been insignificant at the time in God’s eyes she was very important. She held a place of honor among all women. Still, she was just a women.
It was a normal birth but not a normal event! God so loved the world that he gave a part of himself to humanity. He survived on earth as a man but taught us so much about life and spirituality. He gave us the tools of salvation and suffered for us. He was no ordinary man! His birth forever changed the universe. Whether you are a believer or not the reason we celebrate Christmas is not that he was just born but that his entry into our world was to save humanity.
This Christmas while you are enjoying the traditions of Christmas make sure you include Christ in the reason you celebrate. Have a wonderful Christmas.
God bless you all.
We did something different this year. We decided to go to view a local floatilla. While there were no bands or floats this was the best kind of parade. We were able to sit in a great location and watch the boats glide along in front of us. While unfortunately I wasn’t able to get any pictures I can tell you it was very colorful.
I am trying to find different things to do this year to make the most of the season. While I am not a shopper I have done my share recently. Normally I might would buy online but with the frequent shipping delays you just have to ask yourself if it is worth it!
Trying to be budget friendly I watch for sales and try to buy things that are practical not whimsical! Don’t rule out those auction finds either. It is a great way to find odd things or antiques for that certain someone in your family that just goes wild over vintage glass.
This season don’t forget to either donate money or better yet your time to a local charity. And don’t forget about our veterans.
In the new year I hope to post more, do more photography and be more motivated to create and share my adventures in camping with you. Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. God bless you.
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
While the picture is not clear and lacks definition, the meaning is clear. There are gifts galore amidst a less than perfect tree. I too am less than perfect. There is a little village like Bethlehem town and a manger too where shepherds gathered round.
The last two years have been tough on all of us. While some are without jobs and some have lost loved ones, I feel particularly grateful.
My heart goes out to the families that have had a loss. Also to the families hit by the tornadoes while your loss may be great, you are still here.
While the evil in this country tries to tear us apart we will now and forever stand firm in our faith. As we get ready to celebrate with family and friends I hope you really enjoy each and every moment as time is so precious.
Despite the covid threats, don’t be afraid to be with loved ones. The time you spend with them is more important than the virus you may or may not spread. It is time to stop living in the “what if” and start living in the “right now”. The moments you lose cannot be replaced.
I wish you all joy and much happiness now and throughout the new year. Thank you all for following my blog this year and hope you continue into the next.
May God richly bless you and keep you safe.
MERRY CHRIST-MAS!
When you think about Christmas what do you think of? For most people it is gifts and lights and family celebrations.
So many people seem to have forgotten why we celebrate Christmas. I want to take you back now to that cold night. Mary, was riding on the back of a donkey. A simple beast of burden carried this most precious of cargo. He had not eaten or rested, but was proud to perform his duty this winter night.
When it came time for her to be delivered, the donkey was amazed at the sight. Instead of his usual beastly cry he spoke for the first time “Truly God is now on earth”. Even he was shocked. The cows and the lambs bowed down before the holy child whose head was now adorned by a halo of light.
It was a magical night. A night that would never be forgotten. This was not the last task for the donkey however. Some thirty years later one of his sons would be called to duty for another important task. This time it was to carry Jesus to his final destination. That Sunday when palm leaves fell at his feet, was he aware that was Jesus’s last ride? Did he speak a final farewell to our Lord. That answer we will never know.
While there were a lot of people that crossed Jesus’s path, it was the donkey that played a role in both his birth and his death.
Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.
Through My Eyes 