Hi everyone! Today I just wanted to say "Merry Christmas" to all of my readers! Today is Christmas. Time for family, hugs, great food, playing flag football, etc, so please, have a terrific day, smile at everyone, and let your little light shine! Pray for those in your midst that you know are alone. You may want to wait to call them till after the New Year, but always pray for the lost out there, who've yet to find their way to the true meaning of Christmas. His name is Jesus and if He loves them, I think we can do the same. Pray for the brokenhearted when you open your gifts today and thank God for all that you have, all the blessings in your life that we all take for granted and for His grace and mercy and what He's going to do for those less fortunate than ourselves. Do something! It'll knock your socks off how much grace you receive from God when you stick up for Jesus! I truly hope you all have a blessed Christmas! God Bless you all!
Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! Thank you all for reading the blog. I hope you've been enjoying the posts since my writers block has lifted a bit now. I pray that today, if your lost, alone, out of sorts with no place to go, that you reach out for help. There are plenty of sites on the web that would help. Call and talk to someone if you're depressed and feel like jumping, please? I've been there more than a few times, but I've learned Paul's lesson about living in plenty or in want and how he had become content, no matter what his circumstances, even though I am being mistreated by my husband and my kids. I still pray for all 5 of them everyday, and I've started a war room to start to get my family back! Enjoy the video! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I always do. Merry Christmas Eve!
Where I live, in California, you'd think all the grinch's would live here, but in our little town, nestled in between San Francisco and Sacramento, we love the military, our President and we sure do love Christmas! We Have a tree lighting ceremony every year, the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and this year they outdid themselves! The tree is one of the tallest I've ever seen and we've lived her 25 years as of Dec 15th! On top of that, we have two streets "Candy Cane Lane," and "Lollipop Lane" where every house is decorated with a TON of lights! We enjoy going and watching all the different lights they put up every year and we're never disappointed, so I thought I would share some of the best Christmas light video's I could find on YouTube, with all of you, and I was not disappointed! (Psst....I especially like the last video!) Warning: Brite lights! You might want to wear your sunglasses!
We start the light show off with something really unique from "The Piano Guys."
Here's a video I know Rock and Rollers will enjoy!
Check this one out! Set to the
song "Let it Go," from "Frozen! Fantastic!
Love some of the music these folks use
for their Christmas Light Displays. Again Rock and Rollers will most definitely approve!
I found this one and my heart strings went "schwing!" I love this one most of all because it's Patriotic, and well, because one of my Favorite President's is featured in the display! I'd like to dedicate the Christmas Light video below to our troops who just came home from Syria and to all of our troops all over the world! Merry Christmas Everyone & God Bless!
I know how busy everyone is right now, trying to buy gifts for family members so close to Christmas, so I decided to do a "Friday Funnies - Christmas Edition!"
As you finish your last minute shopping and trips to the grocery store, be safe out there and don't forget to be thoughtful of others, and when an employee in a certain store says "Happy Holidays," remember they were trained to say nothing else, so respond with a "God bless you, and a "Merry Christmas," and try to say their name if you can read their name tag! Then go home, write a prayer for that person and put it on your prayer room wall. In Matthew 6:6 Jesus said, "Go into your inner room to pray." On a personal note: God doesn't want you to "boycot" a store simply because the ownership doesn't want their employee's saying "Merry Christmas!" They're just following store policy, trying to keep their jobs, but it does give YOU an opportunity to bring them a blessing instead of a curse! And if anyone gives you any guff, just remember what Jesus said: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me." (Matthew 5:11).
Hope you enjoy the video's this week! Be safe as you get the rest of your shopping done and please, share the love of Jesus? I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy!
Here's Tim Hawkins' tribute to Christmas!
Here's Michael Jr., talking about what it
must've been like to be a younger sibling
of Jesus! This one had me rollin' on the floor!
Do you like funny Church Marqi's? Check this video out! It's the "Christmas Version!"
Since parking is associated with Christmas, I couldn't pass this video up! Listen as Chondra Pierce let's us know what kind of parking women, REALLY want!
Today, we finish with a group of kids listening intently to Mark Lowry as he tells the story of "Piper's Night Before Christmas!" Just too sweet!
I hope you enjoyed these video's. I search far and wide to bring you the funniest shorts I can find, and today I definitely hit the jackpot!
Merry Christmas everyone, and God Bless You with a very Happy New Year!
Get ready! Make some hot chocolate with whip cream or marshmallows and then play these for the whole family! This is for all of you Christian music fans out there! I've put a few together and I think you'll really enjoy them! There's just nothing like Christmas music to warm your heart and help you realize that even when we think we're out of God's reach, we aren't. He's always there with us, no matter what we're going through, so it's time to Celebrate His birthday!
I hope you enjoy the video's I've chosen for you. (Hint: This video was done in 1989, live in DC). Enjoy!
No Christmas Season would be
complete without Charlie Brown and the whole Peanuts gang!
This vocal group is phenomonal!
Don't judge, just listen. They are a secular group, but I've never heard this song done in five part harmony before! They're extremely talented!
This version of "Deck the Halls by
Mannheim Steamroller has always been an all time favorite at the holidays!
At this time of the year we know that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" and we should emulate Him, the best way we know how. Merry Christmas!
My husband has been working in cold and damp conditions oustide. He's now got a monster of a cold! I've been keeping my distance, as I haven't gotten the flu in several years, and don't want what he's got. I'm glad I got the pneumonia vacine when I did! I got a little cold around Christmas 2 years ago, and it only lasted for a week and 1/2. The time before that, I had bronchitis for a year and a half. That one started on Christmas day, so I spent two Christmas's in a row, sick! So, if your sick and singin' the blues, don't feel bad. Everybody is a bit cranky when they don't feel well. I live that nightmare every day with the pain from the spinal stenosis, so I can commiserate. So, if you're a bit run down, have some hot chocolate by the fire place with your family and enjoy the coming weekend! Knowing a lot of people have the bug, I thought I'd share a funny song with you this post. I hope you get a chuckle out of it and that you all feel better, real soon!
While my husband was in the US Air Force he served under Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Bush was just one of the guys. He loved our Nation's military and really wrestled with sending our brave young men into Iraq to stop Sadaam Hussein, who had invaded Kuwait. My husband served in both Desert Shield and later Desert Storm with the United States Air Force, 33 yr retired. He was a flight engineer on the C-141 and the C-5. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, Bush 41 was definitely one of the good guys. He and his wife, Barbara, are now at rest in heaven with their daughter Robin, who died from Leukemia at age 3. I truly hope in reviewing how he lived his life, with humility and respect for others, we all realize how precious life is and decide to move the country forward instead of continuing to fight with each other. Bush 41 didn't skip a beat or miss a minute of life. I can't imagine the pain of actually losing your daughter to cancer & I nearly lost my own daughter, but in the early 1990's, the chemotherapy she was on, made all the difference. She survived Stage IV cancer after her relapse & she had a very rare form of childhood cancer. In 1944, Bush was shot down over the pacific, losing his 2 other crew members. He was found floating in a raft, and was picked up and rescued by a US Sub. He survived that day and I'm grateful to God that he did. This week, I learned a lot about him that I hadn't heard before. It made me love him more as well of making me proud as an American. He never blew his own horn, but then, that was one of the characteristics of the "Greatest Generation," and he was one of the best of that generation. You will be missed Mr. President, but you will never be forgotten. Fair Winds and Following Seas, President George Herbert Walker Bush. God speed.
At the beginning of the service today, I noticed a 6' grand piano sitting near the orchestra. I knew immediately who it was there for. After 9/11, Bush 43 asked Michael W. Smith to write a song to commemorate what had happened on that day. Michael became friends with their family & became just one of their "Brothers (and Sisters), from another Mother."
At today's Memorial for President George H.W. Bush, he played his huge hit "Friends." I couldn't help but notice that he had been weeping himself. Let's face it. Dubya was a hard act to follow today. He got emotional right at the very end. He has lost both his Mother and his Father within 7 months. That's got to be very difficult and I will keep their family, friends and extended relatives in my thoughts and prayers.
Here's Michael with the choir & orchestra at todays memorial service at the National Cathedral in DC, celebrating the life of our 41st President, George H.B. Bush.
Recently, I wasn't behaving in a way that was a good witness to anyone in my home, to my friends, or for God. As I was praying about it, I suddenly realized that when we're separated from God through our own sins, we can become the devil's FAVORITE reality show! When we're out of control, the devil likes to walk in and lead us down a primrose path where we really hurt people. People we'll never be able to witness to again with any credibility whatsoever. Not only that, we ruin it for anyone else in the future who tries to witness to the person(s) you've offended. When we have unconfessed sin, it separates us from God. When we're in that state, the devil can sift us like wheat and believe me, he's laughing all the way to the stage of our terminal "Melt Down!" We have to learn who our enemy is, how he operates and then have a plan of attack to overcome him. I remember going into service one Sunday, greeting other church goers. One woman I knew from bible study class, didn't say hello back to me. I thought, "Well, I never! Why was she so dismissive to me?" I sat through the entire service thinking about that and how I would NEVER do that to someone else. The devil was having his day in the sun that day! It should've dawned on me, "That's not like her. I hope everything is ok. I am going to pray for her this week." That's the thought I should've had but alas, was still just a babe in the woods, so I didn't even think about it! I just began judging her! Some of us blame God for our circumstances and how unhappy it has made us without ever thinking, "How did I get here?" Some of us blame our families, boss, you name it, but we never look in the mirror to discover who the real culprit "might" really be. God gives us a choice in every situation. We get to pick and choose how we behave, how we talk, who we trust, etc. The devil? This is his world. We live on his turf! He gets the first crack at us and sometimes, he wins! I was thinking about this and suddenly had a vision. I could see him, the "prince of darkness," in his fine linen suit, dark features, prince like, but dark, with a shiny black crown of onyx on his head. His legs were thrown sideways over the arm of his big shiny black Lazy Boy, there in hell. He was leaning back in uproarious laughter as he ate his popcorn and began flipping channels through billions of people's lives. He was laughing at me, at us, at every Christian that he's ever had in his cross hairs and was able to cause us to slip and sin against God. He goes at us until he can discombobulate us into an outburst, a curse word, taking God's name in vain, being angry, etc. Thus the scriptures say of him, "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy." (John 10:10). When we don't follow Christ's commands and live for the Lord like we're suppossed to, we give a foothold to the devil and his demons. They come in steathily, with subtle thoughts to make us doubt ourselves, doubt God, doubt everything. We're to take "all thoughts captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5). When we don't do so, we have failed to use the fail safe promised by God in His word. The New Testament says He will always provide "a way of escape" (1 Corinthians 10:13), from any and all temptations. I love using that way of "escape," and telling the devil to go away in "Jesus" name! He thinks he's slick, but Jesus provides me a way out by showing me that those thoughts don't match Philippians 4:8, and I immediately dump them in the trash!
My mess is just one of billions of the devil's favorite reality shows. Now, I'm not picking on anyone, because the bible says "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). While we're still on earth, we can pray for forgiveness of all sin, even stuff we can't remember and Jesus will forgive us. (1 John 1:9) He loves us and wants to have a closer relationship with us. He wants us to fight the devil so that He can tell him, "Satan? Bite the Dust!"
I went online to find some funny videos that had a Christian message. To my delight, there is a treasure trove of "funny" in a "Christian way" out there! Here are the top 5 for this Friday's edition of "Friday Funnies!" This one had me laughing so hard, I nearly fell over in my chair! Check it out, it's called, "Baby Got Book." Enjoy!
Here's one on "Prayer" for a first time visitor in church!
"What if Starbucks Marketed like a Church."
Now this one reminds me of me and my addiction to Ding Dong's!
If you miss the NFL, this one will definitely make you laugh!
I hope these video's make you laugh! I know I'm always lookin for a good laugh, and today, while searching YouTube for Funny Christian Video's, I found a treasure trove!
God loves humor! It's why we love it so much! Laughter is good for the soul! I hope you enjoy this, and future episodes of "Friday Funnies!"
When Jesus was approached by the disciples in Matthew 24, they asked him "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age (of grace)? Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation (race) will rise against Nation and Kingdom (Country) against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death and you will be hated by all the nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, (lawlessness), the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come." Jesus also warned the disciples that it shall be like "the days of Noah," which were so lawless, God flooded the earth to wipe out humanity. I'd say we're pretty darn close to those days again right now. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth and His heart was deeply troubled." (Genesis 6:5-6). Do you know Jesus? Let me ask this another way, because intellectual belief isn't going to be enough to save you or anybody else. If Jesus was pushing a wheel barrow over Niagra Falls on a tightrope, and asked for a volunteer to get into the wheelbarrow, would you get in it? He died for you and I have no doubt that if He had to, He'd do it again! He died once for all! He doesn't hate you. He loves you! The devil will use your emotions to keep you from an individual relationship with Jesus. He's scared to death that he'll lose you! I hate to say it this way, but you WILL live forever. It's up to you where you will spend it. I don't care if you remember me or this blog or even this post, but I do want you to remember this: Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me." (John 14;6). It's time to get right with the Lord. Jesus is coming very soon and I wouldn't want anybody left here to face the 7 Year Tribulation.
"Jesus" is the only name that can save you. It's the only name you need to remember because, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13).
"For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves." (Ephesians 1:4-6). Knowing who you are in Christ is a pretty big deal. I'd been chasing my tail for years to obtain that information & while I've walked on mountain peaks with the Lord before, back in 2012, God pulled me back from a precipice to say, "I'm not done with you yet." This blog was started that very day. If you're a Christian and are confused and don't know who you are in Christ Jesus, please see paragraph 1 of today's blog post. It says who you are right there. You belong to God. You are His child! We are co-heirs with Jesus Christ and He's coming back to take His Bride, the Church away with Him to Heaven and He's coming quickly! Personally, I can't wait because I'm just flat out homesick! I don't care what other people think about me, but I do care what God thinks of me, so I'm trying to live a life that would make Him welcome me with open arms when I arrive there. All I want to hear is "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest." When you hear those other "voices" lying to you about you or others, just remember Jesus is right there, ready and willing to put on a cape and save you! 'Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee." (James 4:7). The devil uses these whispers to destroy us where we sit/stand, etc. Our sins are played over and over like a bad mixed tape that needs to be changed! How do you overcome it? Read the next verse! "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8). I believe what the bible says about me, but sometimes it's hard to remember that. Every time the devil attacks me in my head, and I start hearing lies about myself, I immediately ask God's forgiveness, (submitting), I then ask God to remove the spirit that is bothering me, (the devil), and he does! The act of saying the name of "Jesus" out loud has that effect on the evil one and all of his demons! (Sometimes I imagine him being slapped and responding like a little girl, running away in tears). It can be difficult not to allow our emotions to rule our lives, but it's pretty easy to put them aside when you need to if you're aware of the devil's tricks, and you have to fight back just to have some sanity. It pays endless dividends to know your enemy and to know him well. This one, I now know very well. And while it was very difficult to get to where I am now, I'm just glad I've made it this far. And tomorrow? Well that's another day!
Are you asleep in the light? All Christians go through a time of being "asleep." We tend to sleep walk through our days without even asking God to bless our families and keep them safe from harm. A.W. Tozer said in one of his books, that "complacency is the death to all spiritual growth." I don't know why, but that one stuck in my memory with super glue! Are you complacent? Do you feel the Holy Spirit calling out to you to make a change? Afraid to do so? Yes, you probably are. These days, you mention the name of "Jesus" and you lose your job, your means of supporting your families, etc., but we shouldn't worry! God will stand up for you and take care of you! The Bible even says so, so there's really nothing to fear! "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink, nor for your body, as to what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" (Matthew 6:25-27). Sometimes it is very hard to step out in faith, telling your friends, even your parents that you're a born again Christian. It's especially hard to witness in this political climate. They'll eventually outlaw any kind of witnessing at all. I heard Billy Graham say at age 95, "I'm a wretched sinner who needs the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, every day." I'll never forget those very humble words. I felt slapped awake when I heard him say that. It's one of the reasons that Lamentations 3:23 is one of my all time favorite verses. "His mercies are new every morning. Blessed be the name of the Lord." It's time to WAKE UP church! Jesus will not tarry much longer and if you're not expecting Him? You're probably not going with Him! Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man commeth to the Father but by me." (John 14:6). God bless you as you consider eternity & how you can be an agent of change in someone elses life. (Read Matthew 6:20-21). Where do you keep your treasure?
There is one scripture that I've heard over the years that didn't really help me. That is, until I heard it in a different way from a different teacher. I'm just so grateful I took that course at my church, or I never would've heard it! "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, let your mind dwell on these things!" (Philippians 4:8). I then heard Kay Arthur of Precept Ministrires say something that changed my life forever at that bible study. She said we should Philippians 4:8 everything that comes into our minds. She said If the thought doesn't meet the tenant of that scripture, that we should "DUMP IT IN THE WASTE BASKET!" We're suppossed to "take all thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ!" (2 Corinthians 10:5), anyway! God doesn't want us to be negative, scared, worried, upset, or to feel some other emotion the devil wants to throw at us to see if he can get us lowly little fish to bite on his hook! Once we do? He's back in control, so be very wary of your thoughts and the things you say! I've been suffering severe back pain/spasms since August 2007. I've lived in fear of surgery ever since due to a staph infection that keeps coming back. I nearly died of infections while admitted to the hospital after my last 2 children and another surgery I had to have. Each time, I was in the hospital for at least 18 days. I was fine afterward all three times, but I never gave God any credit! I was praying recently about my fear of the 3 spine surgeries I need and I heard Him say, "I got you through the first 3 infections. What makes you think I couldn't do it a 4th?" The very first thought I had after hearing God say that was this: "Oh no! I've been LIMITING GOD!" I know I've asked God to heal me about a million times, but I'm still not getting anywhere. Probably because I'm too stubborn and full of fear to do what I know I need to do in order to get better. God? Please help me?
In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus told his disciples, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few will find it."
This particular scripture is right on the money. When you start, in earnest, looking for the "narrow gate," God will lead you right to it. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is the first step. After that, we are supposed to begin reading the Word of God and trying to live the life Jesus would have lived if he hadn't given His life on Calvary's Cross, to save all of us.
Now, I know we all miss the NFL (Yup! I miss it too!), but there's a part in this movie, "Facing The Giants" that everyone should see. It just makes a lot of sense, and it might even make you chuckle!
Jesus is coming very soon, so pray up, look up, we're going up! In the twinkling of an eye, we'll be with Him on clouds of glory! The world is literally falling apart! But even though things look really bad, "stand and look up. For your redemption is drawing near!" Just remember, "Nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37). No matter how bad your circumstances, He loves you, no matter what! 'Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you!" (1 Peter 5:7).
As for the "Giants" in our lives? They can be overcome through Jesus Christ, so don't be so downcast! Smile! It increases your face value, and it lures other's to you! With the Lord in your life, nothing will ever be the same! God bless you all, and for the fine men & women who have served our country in the military, you watched LITERALLY as Giants fell in your path! You lived it, so it really goes with this post! God bless you all and may He bless the United States of America!
Hi everyone. I know I've been away for over a year, but I've been having some health issues that are affecting my ability to remember things. I also have trouble speaking and writing, which has made things especially difficult for me since I truly enjoy writing this blog and I really miss it. It's kind of like having writers block but the thoughts I do have, leave my brain before I get a piece of paper and a pen to write it down. If I don't do so immediately, I lose that thought, which is extremely frustrating. I've taken to using several words that will help me remember once I have the pad and pen in my hand and can actually write it down, which is working fine. I've been having a lot of cognitive difficulties which are very upsetting. There's a lesion on my spinal cord in the neck, and my doctor thinks that it may be invading the spinal cord. Jesus spoke about the end times and what we could expect. He explained everything that would be happening, and now, all of the prophecies have been fulfilled. I'm excited about the prospect of going home to Heaven! (I am literally so heavenly minded, I'm no earthly good these days!). I pray every day that the Lord will find me worthy because the Lord Jesus is not going to tarry much longer! The days of Noah? Yup! They're back! Read Matthew 24 and Luke 21. There's a list and it's all already happened! Jesus could literally come at any second, so please don't delay in getting right with God? His precious Son, Jesus, died on a Roman cross so that we would never be separated from Him again, unless of course, we sin. Sin is what separates us from God. I do hope you are all well. Please say a prayer that I can get my writers hat back on and deliever some great posts for you all to read. I've been going a little bit nutty with how good things are going at the moment, except of course, for my health for which I have many questions and no answers as of yet. Please pray and ask God to do a miracle in the area of my health, which is now a minute by minute battle! The battle belongs to Jesus and I am "More than a Conqurer through Christ!" (Romans 8:37). I know I can make it through this with your prayers and God's help. Thank you for your prayers and may God bless you all!
