A Merry Christmas to you!

I hope that you have a truly wonderful & blessed Christmas, as we celebrate together, & remember when our Savior came to earth! Christmas is such a special time of the year. It's one of my favorite times to indulge & eat wonderful homemade foods & candies, to fellowship with friends & family, & most importantly reflect upon God's Word & His gift to us! 

 Jesus is the greatest story, the ultimate gift, & the hope of all who believe! 

-source- 

Below are some reflections & musing thoughts I typed on the eve of Christmas Eve -
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Whewhwee! What a busy day. It's two days before Christmas, & I was out doing what nearly everyone else in our relatively "large" city of 100,000 was doing. Braving the bad roads, wind, & snow - Christmas shopping! 

Over the past couple days, we've gotten around 6-9 inches of snow. It's hard to tell just how much there is, because of the gale-force winds that are ever-present & blowing the snow around, creating drifts anywhere from 1-3 feet high. Under all this snow is a layer of ice on the backroads, making it take 3x longer to get from here, to there. 

Thankfully everything went well, other then getting suck in traffic & missing a few turns. Nearly ALL my shopping is done! Now to start wrapping! 

I can't believe Christmas is in two days! I'm so excited. Are you?  (I could literally jump up & down like Buddy the Elf did when he thought "Santa" was at Gimbels!)  

I'm excited for the special time our family has on Christmas morning, reading the Bible, giving gifts to each other. I simply LOVE giving people gifts, honestly, I prolly spend too much money shopping for people. But hey, the way I see it, Christmas only comes once a year, & it's such a special time of the year -  that I want to make a big deal about it! 

But ultimately, I always remember the true reason behind why we give gifts to friends, family & co-workers. We give gifts because the Magi presented fine gifts of gold, frankincense & myrrh to Christ. We give gifts because God gave His only son to us! He sent Jesus down to earth, as a babe to grow in grace & eventually die on the cross for our sins. He became the Word made flesh and walked on this earth for 30something years! It's SO amazing to think about! 

Over the years, as I've grown older, I've truly realized that my "Christmas list" has gotten a lot smaller, simply because there really isn't that much out there that I want, & because the things I truly want for the holidays can't be bought. It's the gift of family, friends, traditions, & the amazing love & grace that God has for us. Things that are untangle; spending time in the company of friends, sharing a silly moment together, sitting silent & watching your dearly loved family interacting around you, reading our advent devotions together, or standing by the light of the moon in the snow, watching the stars twinkling in the heavens.  (<< Follow that link to the site of an AMAZING documentary that you need to order RIGHT NOW, it's only $9.75. If you haven't seen it already I encourage you - Please watch/buy it!) 

It's the simple moments like those, that are the greatest kinds of gifts. When there's a warm, comforting feeling of Jesus surrounding your heart: love, joy, thankfulness & peace. I simply close my eyes & smile. Let Jesus shine through your life! It's hard to put the feeling into words…

It's the amazing feeling of God caring for us. He sees all & knows all. He's always there. God forgives, cares & loves His people. Even as a lifelong Christian, I sometimes struggle with doubts. But I always remind myself that God is always in control. As I reflect on a year nearly gone, I don't understand why things happen the way they do, or why there's so much violence & heartache in the world, or even within my own sinful heart. (Well, truthfully, I do understand why; sin is the root of all evil.) I don't have all the answers, but God does! I take such comfort in that. All that I need to do is truly trust in Him! He loves you & me so much! He has everything all planned out - everything is going to happen exactly the way he has preordained it to. Everything He has planned for you & me will bring glory to His name & bring us closer to Him. 

God loves us both more then we could ever imagine - He loves us so much that he sent His son to become like us, to live & die for us. He is our light & salvation, the strength of our life, why should we be afraid? (Ps. 27:1) 

Soften your heart, open it up wide & let Jesus let. Christmas it a time of forgiveness, healing & love! Let Christ shine brightly within your heart, let Him wrap His love & grace around you. Take comfort in Him. Let Him create a light in you, that shines to the world. 

Through the rest of this Christmas season & throughout the coming year of 2014, I want to try to focus on the little things & precious moments, while living life day-by-day to the very fullest! I want to make big things happen. I want to focus on the grand adventure of life, focus on people, on sharing, on keeping the wonder; forever & always.  

Merry Christmas & have a blessed Twenty-fourteen! 

 "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." ~ Isaiah 9:6 

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:6

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8

-GB

PS. Here's something I wrote last year around Christmas time. 

Twenty-Thirteen: the year of our Lord!

Twenty-Twelve. All in all, t'was a beautiful year. A full year of learning, joy, hard work, sorrows & adventures; all creating beautiful memories, that I shall hold on to through the coming years. I'm so thankful for the grace of God in my life. I'm thankful for family. For life. For friends. Chocolate. Snow. Cats. Books. F'real smoothies. For everything God has created & so abundantly blessed us with! God is so good, merciful & gracious. It's overwhelming. I'm continually struck by awe, with each coming day, by His love & grace for us; for me & my sinful wretchedness. I'm so excited to see what He has in store for us this new year, while working all things for His glory!

Resolve to keep the wonder.

A wondrous year has come and gone. 

Singing 'round a bonfire,

Well spent with our fellow man,

God has given us a faith that will prevail,

In the Infinite over-all plan;

He has given us a future bright— 

A faith in Eternal justice,

A faith in the love of God.

A beautiful year has come and gone.

Adventures well made,

Lord keep us all from strife;

Grant strength for the winding miles ahead,

Prepare us for the journeys of life,

Give us a faith to sustain, but above all, Lord, 

Give us a faith that shines— 

A faith in the love of God. 

A blessed year has come and gone. 

All things provided, 

Happiness and sadness in turn as we go;

We never know what's around the bend,

The Master Planner planned it so— 

Lord keep us safe till our day's end, 

Give us lasting faith in the love of God, 

Our King Eternal, 

Jesus.

Have a blessed 2013! 

-GB

Giving Thanks

 Robert Weir 

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;

Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;

And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;

And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!
.

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;

The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;

The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;

For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

What beautiful, beautiful words. The song above, "Now Thank We All Our God", was originally written by pastor Martin Rinkart. -You should read about him, & his story of incredible faith & perseverance, during a time of extreme hardship & heartbreak, in the year 1636. After & during the Thirty Year's War had ended. During which time, Martin was living in a world dominated by death, as he conducted funeral services for up to 50 people a day… 

Norman Rockwell

My Thanksgiving was good. The fam & I were invited over to two dear friends' houses for two huge meals. Lunch & dinner. Whewh! That's a lot of pie. :) We all have so much to be grateful for. Friends, family, food, clothing, a roof over our heads, technology & so many comforts that others don't have. The majority of Americans only set apart one day a year to be grateful, by eating lots of food, & maybe mentioning a brief something, vaguely about the pilgrims. But the reality of it is; is that sadly many people have lost the true meaning of what thanksgiving represents. 

We should be thankful & look to the Lord with praise & thanks for all things, each & every day. All things come from Him.  - the good & the bad. The Lord remains steadfast to us, our rock & anchor, through all things. He will never abandon nor forsake us, just as He preserved 50 of his pilgrims, that first hard winter on the shores of New England. 

Our friends had a copy of William Bradford's book: Of Plymouth Plantation. For Thanksgiving we read the 4th chapter - it was really good; hearing an accurate historical account of the arrival to America from a Christian perspective, was both sobering & insightful. Christianity is what our country was founded on. Christianity is why the pilgrims left England, sailed for over two months across an ocean, leaving family & loved ones behind in England. All for the love of Christ, they did what they did. Those brave men & woman stood up for their faith, promoting the Gospel & were unwilling to compromise to anything that rose up against them. Think of England & it's tyrannical government & church, in the  1600s. (Our government is so much worse now, then it was then, & the true Christians of that era didn't tolerate it.) 1608 was when the pilgrims first left for Holland- the start of their perilous journey for freedom that would last for another 12 years by the time they made it to the Americas. Many did not survive the first cold winter on American soil. Can you imagine doing something like that? Men & women, boys & girls of true grit, sacrificing nearly everything for the freedom of worshiping the true God. I would recommend the book, (though I've only heard the 4th chapter). Also online, there is some great history, if you get to reading & searching. A documentary called Monumental: The Search For America's National Treasure is an excellent film that tells the true story of America's founding people, the decline of patriotism, & Christianity. It is well made & engaging.

So look to Jesus, our Savior & King, & let us fearlessly press onwards with strength & courage through the days & years to come. Happy Thanksgiving! 

Jean-Leon Gerome 

Shooting Range

I proudly support the 2nd amendment! :) 

My little bro shooting his .223 up the canyon.

Amo.

There were lots of cacti.

 Old boots.

I shot my lil' 22 rifle. 

We had ELVIS SHAKES!
(A delicious blend of chocolate, bananas & peanut butter) 

Southern Sayins'

I grew up in the heart of the Appalachian (a-puh-LATCH-uhn) Mountains. (So yes, I'm a hillbilly at heart.) Here are things I'll always remember Southerners saying.  

In the summer, whenever company would come, we'd sit on the porch fellowshipping, drinkin' sweet tea & eatin' ice-cream. When the sun started to set, & they turned to leave, we'd always say—  

"Y'all come back now- ya hear?" 

"I declare!" & "Wull, I never!" were said often as an exclamation or, when there is just plain nothin' to say. It was always said with a looong southern draw. 

This translates into stubbornness: "He could argue with a fence post." 
"Right quick" means it'll be a moment. 
      
"Dead as a door nail" There ain't nothin' deader then a door nail. 
Frequently used as a self-denigratory “Aw, shucks”

Betchya don't know what a "Sundog" is. It's a little rainbow that appears to float in the sky. And are best seen when the sun is low. 

Planning on doing somethin'? They'd say "I'm fixin' ta—"
"Wull, I swore!" was often used as an exclamation. 

Honey, babydoll, darlin’, sugah, sweetie… Always said with a sentence, usually accompanied by "Bless yer heart".

"Ifn' he ain't — " meaning, if he weren't plannin' on it. 
When they can’t find somethin' in front of their face, & suddenly do, ya tell 'em— 
                                   “If it bin a snake, it’d a bit ya.” 

…Oh, and did ya know you can hear corn growing? On a hot summer's night, go stand by a large corn field & listen….. 

-GB