With Love at Christmas

As a child growing up Christmas was never a good time. It was always filled with shouting, fighting, and anger. So when I married Tom he promised to help change my view and attitude. Over time with the help of our children and his family I was able to learn to love Christmas. I began collecting ceramic Christmas houses, found a beautiful nativity set, and adorned our home with so many lights inside and out he would joke that they could see our home from outer space. Good was my reply then I accomplished what I was trying to do. After days on the floor, I would arrange all 90 houses just right, people, trees, and many other little trinkets would be set in the make-believe cities under our tree. At night we would turn out all the lights and watch Tv with only Christmas tree lights and the lights from all my houses. It gave us a great feeling of warmth and love. If I close my eyes I can go back to those memories even though it makes me miss him I am grateful for those years.

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I am not saying that I don’t have days where I allow doubt to creep in or the pain of being without my spouse but in those moments I try to remind myself that I am not alone and I am a child of God. My life has definitely taken a 180-degree turn since that fateful day in November 2018 but I know that God has a plan for my life. (Jeremiah 29:11) “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I may not know exactly what that future looks like but I know that if I keep walking with him I will be living the life he has designed for me. I believe that one day I will see Tom again and there will be rejoicing in heaven.

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With Christmas fast approaching I wanted to take the time and remind everyone that our God is a bountiful, loving, gracious, giving, and forgiving God. He sent his only son to earth so he could redeem our sins and we can be close to the Father. As we go through this season my hope and prayer are that you can take a moment or two to remember he is the reason for the season. His birth and ultimate death on the cross were designed so we can feel the love of the Father in heaven.

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So it is with love and the grace of God through Jesus Christ that I share this message and send out hope, peace, and love to all this Christmas. My Christmas wish is that many will find Jesus this Christmas and turn their hearts to him, seek the forgiveness he wants to give, and see the blessings he has bestowed on you.

Psalm 51: 1-4, 10-12

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just ^[a]when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

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May your Christmas and New Year be filled with all the blessings and miracles our Lord has waiting for you. May you feel his loving presence each and every day as you wake up in the morning. May his Holy Spirit fill you with peace that passes all understanding and guide you through the valleys and mountaintops of life.

So in close, I want to remind you that you are not alone, and you only need to turn to Jesus and he will hold you close. That doesn’t mean that you will never have issues or storms in your life only that he will give you the strength and wisdom to handle them.

Merry Christmas to all and wishes for a new year filled with all God’s blessings.