December Treasures

Years ago, no, I'm not telling you how many, but when my kids were little-like in the post below, I made these stockings from a kit. Let me tell you it was difficult, because it was a surprise from Santa and I didn't want them to see the stockings until Santa came on Christmas morn. All moms know what I talking about!

This is NOT a close up, so you can't see the mistakes. But these stockings held more than candy and toys. They held a mother's love, a desire to bring joy, and all the memories of childhood stitched in the fabric. Now each Christmas they give me special joy to pull them out of their Christmas box. A family treasure.

Do you have a special Christmas decoration?

"And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh." Matthew 2:9, 11

I've often wondered what Mary did with the gifts. The treasures they gave were beyond Mary and Josephs means and station. Did she keep them until His death? Did Jesus ever ask about them?

Treasures mean more than fancy gifts to me. Treasures beyond cost are those loaded with meaning and love. Will you share a treasure?

Photo:karenevans

December Love!

I love December for many reasons.

It's hustle and bustle

and shopping arm muscles,

It's lights and bows

and Rudolph's nose,

It's cookies and icings

and gift-giving hiding.

It's children and family

and excitement and worry,

It's laughter and squabbles

and stories grown to fables,

 (okay I know that doesn't rhyme, but just change the "a" sound)

It's open-handed joy

and love for each girl and boy.

It's mangers and cradles

and softly lit candles,

It's the soul's reason for living

and Jesus came giving,

It's forgiveness, peace and love

which shines down brightly from above.

That's why I love Christmas.

If you want to try your own "ditty", let me know in the comments when it's up on your blog and I'll put a link to you on my next post. I think I'll just continue this all December, and see what happens. :)

I'm only posting once a week through December. I'll have a house full come Christmas! Yay!

Sorry I haven't been by your blog in a bit-I will. So play along with the December Love!

"For a child has been born--for us!

the gift of a son--for us!

Isaiah 9:6

Photo:karenevans-when my two were little:)

Another Thanksgiving Bird

I'm thankful.

"Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds." Matthew 6:26 (MSG)

What's the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail--even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries." Luke 12:6-7 (MSG)

Both scriptures were spoken by Jesus, the Son of God. That He knows each bird and my "hair count" flabbergasts my mind.

How else can I be but thankful?

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving week.

Photos:karenevans

Riding with the Buzzards

My hubbie and I were in the middle of the Cleawater Ironman World Championship.  It consists of 1.2 mile-swim, 56-mile bike ride, and a 31.1-mile run. There were about 1,8000 racers!

Nooooo, we actually drove in our car along side one of the blocked lanes along the bike trail. Try as we might, there was no turning left until about 14 miles up the road. So "technically we were in the race, right? lol.....

This boulevard has tall road lights. On the top of several I noticed buzzards. Yes, they do frequent that area around the preserves there. I wondered if any of the bikers noticed that? Me, I'd be buzzard meat, if I even got that far.

I can hear the buzzards now, "Hey, where's the meat on those things? They're all bones and gristle."

BTW, the male winner won in 3:41:19, and the female in 4:06:28. Boggles my mind!

"But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3

In the spiritual race, do "buzzards" see a strong gristly racer, or am I soft and easy to take down?

Lord, in Your faithfulness stretch my spiritual muscles and make them strong.

Photo:karenevans

Couldn't Have One Without the Other

This Veteran's day, thank a veteran.

We took this picture at an old auto show. Check out the mounted guns, yet set in the park where you can relax and be free. We wouldn't have one without the other.

Look again from the opposite view. It's a snack wagon. Freedom. The men who served and serve, Thank You!  (Yes, that's me and Major in the background.)

So if you see a military man or woman today, thank them, or better yet, as fellow blogger Kathryn, does, pay their tab for lunch. Hey, be alert and make someones day who sacrifices for you. (That's hubbie in this one.)

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1 (NAS)
"Do you see what this means--all those pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running --and never quit!" (MSG)

Father, may we run, defending our country and our faith. Thank you Veterans.

Truth Residual

Check this out! Here's my son, Dave playing with his band Truth Residual. While we visited the grandkids, we also did a few things with their parents. You know, just so they wouldn't be jealous....smile...

Dave and the band played the first night we were there to a large church youth group. I just beamed the whole time. It's been so long since I've heard him play or sing.

Find them on their website http://www.truthresidual.com/media.html and you can hear some of the songs they played. I love their music. They wrote all the songs on the playlist except Mighty to Save. Every song has a history as these do, which makes them special to us. Dave plays the bass guitar and is the back up singer.

(Oh, if you have speakers to plug in, you can hear the bass and drums in better mix.)

All these young men have a heart for the Lord and want to reach others through their songs.

Watch them on YouTube here. There are two videos.

"I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." 3 John 4

Thanks for letting me share a bit more about my trip. :)

Photos:karenevans

What Needs to Fall?

 Leaves both once brilliant, now appear burned, dead and crackly. You can still see a bit of the color left in one. But neither started out that way. It almost seems a shame that the colored leaves must fall.

 Wonder what would happen if the fall leaves stayed on the trees? Would the tree limbs not grow longer and stronger? What if the tree didn't want to change? Hmmmm?

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:10 (NAS)
"God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life." (MS)

What leaves in my life need to fall for my growth and strength? Lord take my unwillingness to let go of what I consider bright and shiny that will soon become dead and crackly. Create a "genesis" in me.

****Oh, check out my friend Laura's blog for her "own" book giveaway!

Photos:karenevans