Sad Dolls

Remember when you were a little girl and played with dolls?  I have fond memories of treating them like they were my real babies.  When I wanted a bunch of kids, I included my stuffed animals!



I had a crib and blankets and bottles.  You know the kind; the ones that you tip over and it looks like the liquid goes away.

Here is the sad part.  I saw these dolls.  I guess they are the new thing.  I don't really know since I don't have little girls!  They are dressed pretty cute but their faces... their sad little faces...

The dolls are sad and their eyes have a zombie look to them.  I'm going to have to say that if I had little girls, I wouldn't be encouraging these sad dolls... :(

I still like dolls!  I will probably be one of those old ladies who go around holding a baby doll.

I wan to be like Him

I am so glad that God gave.  That's right! You know what else He did?  He tithed.  Yeah, you know that BIG money issue that is a huge debate among Christians.

Some say, "I don't have to tithe.  It's not commanded in the New Testament."  Others say, "Yes yes! God rewards obedience and the Bible says to tithe!"

But I say, God is my loving Father who... gave.  Not only did He give, He... tithed!  Tithing is the giving of your "firstfruits" correct?  God gave His "firstfruits" ~ Jesus!  (1 Cor 15:20-23)

I am thankful for tithing.  Even more than that, I'm thankful that God tithed.  Without it, where would I be? My desire is to be like my Daddy.


Proverbs 3:9 (NLT)
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.

Our Santa vs Jesus Story

I mean to encourage you to just think things through before you make a decision ~ Even pray about it! :)

(How I keep Christmas Meaningful ~ Part 1)
(How I Keep Christ In Christmas ~ Part 2)

Do you tell your children that Santa is real?  When our boys got old enough to understand Santa stuff, we struggled with the idea.  We didn't want to seem like weirdos so we went along with well meaning relatives and friends with one difference.  We didn't actually speak the words that Santa is real or coming, BUT we did allow our kids to be led in that direction.

Every year at Christmas time, we struggled with the idea of continuing to let the boys "believe."  We both felt so guilty allowing Santa into their lives while we were trying to lay a good foundation of Christ. How were we going to tell them one day that, no Santa isn't real but Jesus is?

The day finally came and our oldest figured it out. That was a very hard day.  He cried and cried and demanded an answer.  When he finally got his answer, he wanted to know why we had lied to him all of those years.  Wow, that was a tough one.  Busted.

But we still want you to believe in Jesus! Smile...

So, that's how it all went down.  Would I do it again?  NO.  For all of you young mommies out there, no, I would not let my child believe that Santa is real.  Not even for a minute.  I wouldn't want to live with the guilt of lying every single Christmas, nor with the guilt after the big reveal.


Jesus and Santa Comparison


JESUS                       vs             Santa

1. Has white hair like wool (Rev 1:14)	1. Has white hair like wool
2. Has a beard (Isaiah 50:6)	2. Has a beard
3. Comes in red apparel Isaiah (63:1-2)	3. Comes in red apparel
4. Hour of His coming is a mystery (Luke 12:40; Mark 13:33)	4. Hour of his coming is a mystery
5. Comes from the North where He lives (Ezekiel 1:4; Psalm 48:2)	5. Comes from the North where he lives: North Pole
6. Is a carpenter (Mark 6:3)	6. Is a toy carpenter
7. Comes as a thief in the night (Matthew 24:43-44)	7. Comes as a thief in the night. Even gains entrance to homes as a thief.
8. Omnipotent -- all powerful (Rev 19:6)	8. Omnipotent -- can deliver all the toys of the world in one night
9. Omniscient -- knows all (Hebrews 4:13; 1 John 3:20)	9. Omniscient -- knows if you have been good or bad, for the entire year
10. Omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-10; Ephesians 4:6; John 3:13)	10. Omnipresent -- sees when you wake or sleep. Has to be everywhere at once to be able to deliver all the toys in one short night.
11. Ageless, eternal (Rev 1:8; 21:6)	11. Lives forever
12. Lives in men (1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:16-17)	12. Lives in the hearts of children
13. Giver of Gifts (Ephesians 4:8)	13. Giver of Gifts
14. Absolute Truth (John 14:6)	14. Absolute Fable - (1 Tim 1:4; 4:7; 2 Tim 4:4)
15. Sits on a throne (Rev 5:1; Heb 1:8)	15. Sits on a throne
16. We are told to boldly go to the throne of Grace for our needs (Heb 4:16)	16. Children are bidden to approach his throne to ask for anything they want
17. Commands children to obey parents	17. Tells children to obey parents
18. Wants little children to come to Him (Mark 10:14)	18. Bids children to come unto him
19. Judges (Rom 14:10; Rev 20:2)	19. Judges whether you were good or bad
20. Everlasting Father (Isa 9:6; Heb 12:2)	20. Father Christmas
21. Christ Child (Matt 1:23; Luke 2:11-12)	21. Kris Kringle (means christ child)
22. Worthy of Prayers and Worship (Rev 5:14 Hebrews 1:6)	22. Prayers and worship to "St. Nick" by children
23. Lord of Hosts (Mal 3:5; Isa 8:13; Psalms 24:10)	23. Lord over a host of elves - (In Druidic religion, elves are demons or tree spirits
24. God says, "Ho, ho ... (Zechariah 2:6)	24. Santa says, "Ho, ho, ho ..."
25. Prince of Peace, the Image of God (Isa 9:6; Hebrews 1:3)	25. Symbol of World Peace, the image of the Christmas Season

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Meditation

How to meditate on the Word of God

Psalm 1:2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

We are told to meditate on the Word of God.  Some Christians instantly think that the word "meditate" is New Age religion BUT the Bible tells us to meditate on it's words.  (The enemy always tries to copy what originated with God!)  Don't let the world change what God has already spoken!

The words in our Bible are Jesus.  John 1:1, John 1:14

So, if meditating isn't sitting cross legged on the floor and saying, "Aaaahhh ooooommm..." while thinking of nothing and clearing our mind, then what is it?  How do we do it?

1.  Ponder the Word ~ think about it.  Let it go through your mind.

2. Muse it ~ Take in the Word, let it settle down inside of you, and at appropriate times you bring it back up again. (Maybe at night before bed.)  Let it stir in your heart and in your mind again.

3. Mutter it ~ You actually say it. Say it quietly to yourself. Mutter the truth that God is trying to plant into you.  (For example: a verse or part of a verse that pertains to your situation.) Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

We must change on the inside, not just our outward appearance.  Meditating on God's Word changes us on the inside.

Jesus is ALL powerful! God's Word is powerful; it WILL change your life!

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The Most Awesome Day!

I had the most awesome day yesterday.  I received a call from a friend to see if I could run some shopping errands with her.  Sounds "normal" enough, doesn't it?  

This was far from normal.

When I was a little girl, K through 3rd grade, I had a best friend.  In kindergarten, we discovered that we shared a birthday!  That is most exciting to two new friends! As we talked with our mothers, we discovered that we were born on the same day, in the same town, at the same hospital, with the same doctor, at the same time!

Not only that, but our mothers remembered each other!  No doubt because it was my mother's first baby so the doctor delivered me.  It was her mother's 8th child so her father and nurse delivered her!

After 3rd grade, my mother moved me to the local public school. Many years had gone by and I hadn't heard from my little friend.  One day, my mother got news that my friend was going to leave the country to go to the mission field full time!  She got my friend's phone number for me and I made the call to say a long lost "hello" and "good-bye."

We talked as if no time had passed!  Her voice even sounded the same to me.  It was bitter sweet but the beginning of a life-long friendship.  Since then, we have seen each other several times when she comes back on furlough, and she has even spoken in our church.  Of course, we keep in touch through email!

So, the phone call from a friend to run some shopping errands was no ordinary call.  It was a blessing from the LORD that we both serve, to spend some time together even though we are normally worlds apart.

Marriage Challenge

Marriage is a journey.  It has ups and downs and the ups need to start somewhere.  Would you like to begin to have more ups?

A good place to start:

1. Pray that God will put the spark back into your marriage.
2. Read what the Bible has to say about being a good wife and begin to apply it.
3. Start by respecting your husband.  Give him praise and honor him even if he is not acting honorable.
4. Do the 30 Day Challenge (click the link below and print the document) and pray for your husband.

30 Day Challenge