On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. — Luke 2:21
The angel gave Him this name long before He was born.
He lived and died and came alive again to save me from sin.
And He lives in heaven, sitting at the right hand of God the Father.
On this New Year's Eve, we thank Him for coming to earth as a baby and dying for us.
Welcome, 2021!
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. — Luke 2:13-14
On Christmas eve we had Kel, Liz, Cameron and Carly over for potato soup.
And they brought the soup!
Our friend James proposed to his girlfriend and they came by on Christmas day to join us for steaks and to show us the ring.
Bob brought the steaks and cooked them for us.
Delicious!
We are blessed with wonderful family and friends.
Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. — Luke 2:19
She treasured up all that the shepherds and angels had shown her.
Then she pondered all these things in her heart.
When I read God's Word, I often forget to ponder it.
But God has some interesting and provocative wisdom for me in His Word.
Open my eyes to Your Word, Lord.
Open my ears to Your will.
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. — Luke 2:17-18
They hurried off to tell their friends.
Am I just as excited to share Jesus with my friends?
He has given me everything.
Even dying on a cross to save me from death.
And I will live with him in heaven one day.
What a Savior!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. — Luke 2:6
They found Mary and Joseph.
And they saw the Baby Jesus lying in a manger.
Because there was no room for the family in the inn.
Today we praise God, too.
And we thank Him for sending Jesus His Son to earth to save us.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." — Luke 2:15
The angels appeared to them to tell them about the birth of Jesus our Savior.
When the angels had left and gone into heaven,
The shepherds asked each other if they should go to Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened.
The shepherds hurried off to Bethlehem.
Once they saw the Baby, they hurried to tell others about the miracle of our Savior's birth.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” — Luke 2:11-12
Today a Savior has been born.
Jesus, the Messiah, our Lord.
The shepherds found Him lying in a manger.
Then they rushed off to tell everyone of the miraculous birth.
Christ is born!
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. — Luke 2:4-5
He obeyed when God told him to take the child and flee to Egypt.
When God spoke to him, he listened and obeyed.
When the angel Gabriel appeared to him, he listened and obeyed.
Help me, Lord, to listen and obey just as Joseph did.
Thank You for sending the best gift of all - your son, our Savior Jesus.
To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. — Luke 1:79-80
The light of Jesus guides our feet.
He leads un into th path of peace.
After all, He is the Prince of Peace,
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father.
To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven. — Luke 1:77-78
It happens through God's tender mercy toward us.
He also gives us the knowledge of salvation
Through His death and resurrection.
Knowing that He is alive again means we, too, can have eternal life.
And some day we will live in heaven with our Lord God.
Amazing.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him. — Luke 1:76
Yesterday I went for a two-mile walk with friends.
Then I went for a swim.
At noon our church orchestra held a Christmas caroling afternoon down by the harbor.
And our crape myrtle is ready for Christmas, too!
Prepare the way of the Lord.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David — Luke 1:69
He is our salvation.
From the house of David.
Merry Christmas
and happy Winter Solstice.
Our Savior is born!
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. — Luke 1:68
But we miss him each day.
And we are grateful that he was such a huge part of our lives.God has come to His people.
He has redeemed us.
We praise His name,
He is our Lord.
And the God of Israel.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. — Luke 1:51-52
He has done great things for us.
And has lifted up the humble.
Including me.
During this Advent season, we thank Him for sending His Son for us.
Jesus, our Savior.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. — Luke 1:50
He gave us Jesus to be our Savior and our advocate.
God's mercy lasts from generation to generation.
He forgives me over and over.
And He paid the ultimate price by sacrificing His Son for me.
He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. — Luke 1:48
He was aware of my humble state, too.
Even so, He sent Jesus to born of Mary.
And to live and die for me.
This Amaryllis is a reminder of the new life Jesus give us.
Just as the bulb is buried in the soil but bursts with new life each year.
We are blessed.
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." — Luke 1:46-47
But the real message was God sending His only Son to earth.
Born as a baby in Bethlehem.
Come to save us from our sins.
To die and rise again for me personally.
The best gift of all!
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. — Luke 1:49
He blessed her with her son Jesus.
And Jesus was sent to be the Savior of the world.
God has done great things for me, too.
He loves me more than I can fathom.
And He healed me from cancer.
He has blessed me with a wonderful husband in Kirk.
And a thoughtful daughter with Abby.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. — Matthew 1:21
The celebration of lights.
In two weeks we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
He is the Light of the world, our Savior.
The name Jesus means Savior.
He saves us from our sins.
We are blessed!
[Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. — Matthew 1:21
Mary was told that she would be His mother.
She was told to name Him Jesus.
And she agreed to obey God's will.
Help me to obey your will today, too, Lord.
Let me be willing to follow you in every area of my life.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem. — Matthew 2:1
King Herod was the ruler at that time.
Magi from the east came to Jerusalem looking for Jesus.
They wanted to find him so they could worship Him.
They knew He was God's son.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. — Matthew 1:20
What a strange dream.
The first thing the angel says is that Joseph should not be afraid.
Then Joseph is told to take Mary as his wife, even though she is already expecting.
What a leap of faith!
Yet he obeys God without question.
Dear Lord, help me to obey without question, too.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). — Matthew 1:22-23
It was written that a virgin would give birth to a Son.
That son would be named Immanuel, which means God with us.
He came to die for us so that we can live with Him forever in heaven.
The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. — John 10:17
He lay down His life and took it up again.
He came alive again and now lives in heaven.
Saturday I walked Lake Hodges with some friends.
This was the scenery.
What a beautiful day!
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. — Psalm 10:11
This advent season, we celebrate the arrival of our Lord.
We thank God for the birth of His Son, Jesus.
I love to sing carols and read Scripture.
Our (fake) evergreen tree reminds me of the eternal life God gives us through Jesus.
The lights remind me that Jesus is the Light of the world.
We are grateful.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. — Luke 2:20
I don't always do a great job of sharing that news with others.
But God has blessed me and has kept every one of His promises.
After all that I have heard and seen, I too, am a first-hand witness of God's love and mercy.
Help me to praise you Lord, just as the shepherds did long ago.
Herod asked them where the Messiah was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written. — Matthew 2:5
He did not want another king to threaten his kingdom or power.
But he pretended to be interested in the new baby king.
The wise men told him where Jesus would be found.
They had followed the writings of the prophet Isaiah and knew where Jesus would be.
Therefore Jesus said again, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture." — John 10:9
He is our Savior and friend.
Whoever enters through Jesus will be saved.
He is our Shepherd.
We are the sheep of His pasture.
The flock in His care.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. — Hebrews 1:1-2
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. — 2 Peter 3:10-11
The day of Lord will come when we least expect it.
Since we don't know when that will be, God calls us to live holy lives.
He asks us to live as godly men and women.
Prepared at all times to face our God.
The candy cane reminds of the stripes Jesus took for our sake.
The three small ribbons in the candy cane remind us of the Trinity.
The shape remind us of the shepherd's crook or staff.
And the white reminds us of Jesus' purity and holiness.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13
He fills us with joy in His Son, Jesus.
The Lord brings us peace through Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
When I trust in Him, He fills me with joy and peace.
So I can overflow with hope.
And with the power of the Holy Spirit.
This Advent season, we look forward to the Lord's coming.
To the birth of our Lord Jesus.
