I'm a bit confused!

While we are all busy saying "Happy New Year!" to one another, it seems strange that I'm actually looking forward to Christmas! We are just a bit abnormal around here this year. Between mom Stager having her medical emergency on Christmas Eve, and our SC branch of the family driving up to Ohio TODAY, things just got a bit out of order!

So we are planning to celebrate Christmas again this Sunday when all of us can be together. Our plan is to attend church together where our older son, Andy, will be preaching, and then come back to our house for a turkey dinner and gift opening.

My mother-in-law is back home to her condo now. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I think my life-between-the-buns is taking on yet another twist...My comfort is in taking one day at a time, just like Jesus said we should do. (Matthew 6:34: "...do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.")

I've been thinking of all my blogging friends and hate being so out of touch, but I'll make up for it as soon as things settle down around here. I'm very much looking forward to the New Year and fully living in each and every moment. God bless you all...may He prosper you and defend you as you lean on Him to guide you into another year!

*beautiful graphic compliments of my friend at Penniwig's

Christmas interrupted...

After celebrating the early part of Christmas Eve with our friends, which I will post about later, my hubby and I went to pick up his 83 year old mom to take her to her church for the 11 pm Christmas Eve service, which has become our tradition ever since his dad passed away. We found her not feeling well and having trouble breathing. We called EMS and spent the rest of Christmas Eve in the ER with her, till about 2:30 am when they finally got her into the critical care unit. Turns out she had a completely collapsed lung and her oxygen level was not where it needed to be.

So...I went ahead and baked the ham Christmas Day and had the (in town) kids and grandkids over and went through the motions of opening the gifts, but we didn't even set the table and make the rest of the planned food. My mom went to my brother's house instead. Hubby and I hurried off to the hospital since they have restricted visiting hours in critical care.

We are quite exhausted, and not sure where this is all leading right now.

I'm so happy I had faithfully and joyfully "kept" Advent, and I am being so blessed by the 90 day on-line study group discipline I've been doing. Also I'm grateful for the many many hours I was able to spend with two of the grandchildren and also with my mom and friends during the month before Christmas, living "in the moment" and not stressing over the holidays, but joyfully anticipating and contemplating the meaning of it all, and joyously singing Advent hymns I hadn't looked at in a long time.

While none of this was a surprise to God, we are sort of like the deer in the headlights, stopped dead in our tracks. When I get a chance, I will share our adventures of playing Santa and our "You've Been Gifted" and "Christmas Jars" stories. The season has truly been a blessing. Tomorrow is my family's big party, with four generations getting together. I hope we will be able to be there. Then our SC branch of the family will be arriving on New Year's Day...so we still have much joy to look forward to.

I'm looking forward to hearing all of your stories as well. I have a feeling after the first of the year there will be a flurry of activity in the blogosphere! In the meantime, may God's peace be with you all.

Memory-making in progress...

Please go over to my other blog to see what's been going on with us lately. And if I don't get back to blogging for a few days, I want to wish everyone the merriest Christmas ever! I'm grateful for the new friendships I have made through this amazing technology! Looking forward to getting to know you all better in 2010 and catching up with your blogs as well. God bless us, everyone!

Fourth Sunday of Advent Meditation

Tonight my husband and I are relaxing in our family room in the peaceful glow of the four lit candles on our advent wreath. It's hard to believe that Christmas is only a few days away. I still have a few things I need to get done, but I've been trying to pace myself this year and simplify as much as I can.

This year I made a 90-day commitment to an on-line study group which basically has been a spiritual discipline of reading a book and Scripture, journaling, prayer, and listening to or singing godly music each day, with the accountability of a weekly "check-in". I started this in mid-November, and I am so grateful that I did. I thought it would be a good way to help keep my inner life focused on spiritual things as I moved through the holidays and into the new year. I have not found it to be difficult at all, and I usually do it first thing in the morning before my day gets ahead of me. The whole discipline takes me about 45 minutes at the start of each day.

Now you know why I've posted so many Advent hymns lately. Along with my book, my Bible, my journaling notebook, I have kept a couple hymnbooks nearby, and I've enjoyed singing songs I haven't sung or heard for a long time.

So here is one more song that we don't hear too often in churches anymore, but I thought I would share these words with you tonight, and I pray that you will find room in your heart for Jesus in the midst of the busyness of this holiday season. Think on these words as you go through the last few days of Christmas preparations. Save room in your schedule for the King!

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word,
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.”

My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

(Listen to the melody here)

read about random acts of kindness!

I previously wrote about our church's goal of "gifting" 5000 people in our area through random acts of kindness of our members this Christmas season. (Previous post.)

I just wanted to point out that you can read about some of these on our church's website. The stories will keep coming in, so check back now and then! Go to www.hudsonchapel.org and click on the yellow "you've been gifted" tab when it comes up.

I have been so blessed to participate in this kind of giving this Christmas season, as well as doing a Christmas Jar. Read about that here.

I hope some of you will share some of the ways your eyes have been opened to look around and see others you've been able to bless with a random act of kindness.

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."

Hebrews 10:24

*graphic courtesy of Penniwig's

Of the Father's Love Begotten...

What could be the oldest known Christmas carol is also one of my favorites. Sadly, it is not heard very often in Christian churches today. I'm grateful that I learned this hymn. Singing it somehow makes me feel united with the saints of old.

The author of the words, Marcus Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, was born in the year 348 in a Roman province in what is now northern Spain. Originally it was probably sung as a chant. The words were set to music in the 11th Century, and translated from Latin to English in the 1800's.

It is said that music is the universal language. I think that is because it has the ability to reach into the depths of the human soul. While the words of this hymn are filled with praise to God, the music is almost haunting, as if to say, "How can you not believe? This is love eternal!"

Take a few moments this Advent season to join your voice with those ancient believers and feel the power of God pull you to Himself. Be blessed! Evermore and evermore!

Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He, Of the things that are, that have been, And that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!

At His Word the worlds were framèd; He commanded; it was done: Heaven and earth and depths of ocean in their threefold order one; All that grows beneath the shining Of the moon and burning sun, evermore and evermore!

He is found in human fashion, death and sorrow here to know, That the race of Adam’s children doomed by law to endless woe, May not henceforth die and perish In the dreadful gulf below, evermore and evermore!

O that birth forever blessèd, when the virgin, full of grace, By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race; And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!

This is He Whom seers in old time chanted of with one accord; Whom the voices of the prophets promised in their faithful word; Now He shines, the long expected, Let creation praise its Lord, evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heaven adore Him; angel hosts, His praises sing; Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King! Let no tongue on earth be silent, Every voice in concert sing, evermore and evermore!

Righteous judge of souls departed, righteous King of them that live, On the Father’s throne exalted none in might with Thee may strive; Who at last in vengeance coming Sinners from Thy face shalt drive, evermore and evermore!

Thee let old men, thee let young men, thee let boys in chorus sing; Matrons, virgins, little maidens, with glad voices answering: Let their guileless songs re-echo, And the heart its music bring, evermore and evermore!

Christ, to Thee with God the Father, and, O Holy Ghost, to Thee, Hymn and chant with high thanksgiving, and unwearied praises be: Honor, glory, and dominion, And eternal victory, evermore and evermore!

Listen here: http://nethymnal.org/htm/o/f/ofthefat.htm

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

please read...

Dear friends,

Please find time, I ask you, to visit this blog:

http://mylifeinterupted.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-is-best.html

written by my blogging friend, Lori. She has a great perspective on her life, which has been, as she says, "interrupted". She also refers to two other excellent blog posts that are well worth the read.

It's all about love, and we should never forget that! Thank you Lori!

your friend,

Jacquelyn