A WARM and LOVING Merry Christmas!

Dearest Friends,

As we near the close of another year I am grateful to our Heavenly Father for blessing us to join again in Celebration of our Savior's birth. What a gift of truth he brought of our Father's unconditional love for us all; a message delivered so long ago and yet is everlasting! Life is not easy, nor was it meant to be. We each face challenges in one way or another. But to have faith and hope that our Creator is ever present; ever anxious to see us through, strengthens and blesses us when nothing else can.

Every year I find new meaning to Christmas and its expression of beauty. The lights of many colors add joy to my heart and bring remembrance of the beauty I saw in heaven. Just today I watched snow fall over my barren trees and yard, and a transformation took place that delighted my soul. The white snow in just minutes created a very different scene. The once brown and straggly dead branches and bushes now were gleaming white and mystical in appearance, truly a winter wonderland!

I thought of my life and how, when life is through, I too will take on a new appearance, one of greater beauty and purity. The promise of Christ to make me whiter than snow is just that: a promise!

Through the window I gazed at my Christmas tree, it's decorations brightly twinkled with lights that transformed my home and drew my attention inside to its welcoming warmth. This is what Christmas means to me: it symbolically represents our transformation through Jesus Christ. It is about the renewal of life through the teaching of Jesus that brings eternal life with God. It means the love of family and friends and offers us opportunity to do the tiniest act of good for another that will ripple out and make a difference in yet many more lives. Christmas can be magical if we bring God's gift of Christ back into it. Let's never let go of our hope and faith. Let's always celebrate Christmas!

May God continue to bless you with your every need and surround you with his eternal love. He blesses all. He is in control of all. And all we need to do is let him in our lives and seek the guidance of his will. Like any good parent, he gives us our space to grow, but when we are down and out, his loving arms wait open to hold us.

Merry Christmas, and let us bask in His Eternal Love, always.

Something to Ponder

From Embraced By The Light: Prayers & Devotions for Daily Living, entry for December 25:

Christ Jesus Is the Light of My Life
"Heaven in all its glory could be summoned up in one word: Christ. He is the light of creation, the joy of all life, and above all, the deepest love of our souls. To embrace him is to embrace the meaning of life and the eternal power of God." The Ripple Effect, p. 12

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).

Prayer: Father, the presence of Christ empowers my life and makes serving you in righteousness possible. Make me, like him, a light to the world, as I follow in his footsteps and avoid darkness. Bless me to hold Jesus and his redeeming sacrifice sacred, while turning to you, Father, for my eternal source of power.

Affirmation: Christ, the light and joy of my life, fills me with the eternal power of God.