Jansen Photo has a wonderful weekly challenge that I try to play with often and today, due to the season, it is right up my alley – the Glow of Christmas.
The lights seem to glow brighter at this time of year with hope, love and joy being shared more freely. Come join in with TPC and share the beauty of the lights you see, the glow and happiness of a child, or how the theme moves you to share.
And as you share in this weeks theme, remember the season and why He came, the love He gave and the kindness He shared and try to always be kind.
“What?” questioned mom. “I thought they were with you.”
“Would I be asking you if they were with me?”
“Oh, good grief!” mom exclaimed exasperated as she walked past dad. “Grandma, have you seen the kids?
“They were headed to the edge of the forest. They haven”t been gone long.”
Mom looked at dad, “They found the tree,” she stated. And they all headed toward the edge of the forest.
As they approached the tree, a small light glimmered through the branches and giggles of joy could be heard from inside.
May happiness and joy surround you and your loved ones in light throughout this wonderful season of love. And remember to spread that love, joy and kindness where ever you go so that the ripple effect of love spreads through the world.
On any given plant that flowers, it is the bloom that gets all the credit of beauty, delicacies, fragrance and I could go on. But the leaves are what feed the the blooms, protect them, give them a stage where they are the center of the attraction. So today’s post is a tribute to the beauty of the leaves of one of my violets blooming like its spring. This tie in with Irene’s Sunshine Monday Macro and Cee’sFlower of the Day.
Thick fuzzy leaves with deep veins and a rough bumpy texture.
This is proof for people as well, we all are different and special and add character to the whole when we work together in beauty of our strengths.
May we in the season of giving, give of ourselves and come together with our strengths to show the beauty God created when he created us. Give kindness when its least expected and watch the lights ignite in their eyes.
Linda G Hill gives a chance to show our fun artwork with the Escapist Coloring Club. I do love the adult coloring books but this month I am doing a coloring sheet. Our church is sponsoring one of the smaller, less remembered nursing homes in the area with an Angel Tree. If you are not familiar with an Angel Tree, it’s where paper ornaments are placed on a tree with someones name on it and a wish gift they would like to have for Christmas.
A sheet of 4, 10 sheets made, all colored differently
We all need to remember our elderly in nursing homes. Some of these gentle people have no family left and they get lonely, especially this time of year. So make sure you visit if you can. We have 37 members at this one home that we are supporting with small request made like a pair of socks, a coffee cup or favorite snacks. One gentleman tickled me asking for anything with anything Iowa Hawkeyes team logo, and one lady asked for anything with a cardinal bird on it. They don’t ask for much, but yet they are asking from the heart, probably more wanting to be remembered than anything. Being forgotten about is a terrible tragedy.
So in the spirit of the season look towards those easily forgotten, and remember how much Jesus loves and remembers you and share that love with others this season. And be Kind.
The answer is No. It is our past that makes our present. Scripture tells us that through our trials we gain strength and preserver onward. While trials, problem or difficulties we may come across can be hard we have a choice – we own it or it owns us. I chose to be the owner and through the grace of God, preserver.
If you live in the US, may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. If you do not then have a wonderful week and may you remember to always be kind.
What is it all about, this season that makes me love it so?
Is it the hustle and bustle of the people as we hurry to and fro?
Maybe it’s all the lights that sparkle and twinkle and glow,
Or the funny old man in red when he giggles Ho, Ho, Ho.
Santa(56 years old) chatting with Chris Moose and Friends on Grandmother couch
Maybe it’s something totally different as we zoom to our many places,
The joys of seeing and greeting others with the smiles on all of our faces
As fresh cut evergreens fill the air, a wonderful smell the season embraces
With glittering balls and tinsel aglow and angels draped in laces.
Angel, 29 years old
Are these real reasons, to enjoy this season, a season surrounded by love,
The birth of a baby, the birth of our salvation, as soft as a coo of a dove
Laying in a manger, a food trough for animals, a precious gift from above
Although he was King, he came as a slave, to show us the fullness of love.
1 of 27 different Nativity Scenes of varying sizes on Grandmother China Cabinet
Anita Neal
As you enter this holiday season, remember, its not Happy Holidays, although it is a happy time, its Christmas – Christ Mass – a time for celebrating His birth, remembering why He came, what He has done for us and we should reflect His love through the season. And always try to be kind.
It started out from a fall, a simple fall, not far, but oh so painful
The elbow was shot, which got it replaced, but that itself was not helpful
The awkwardness was evident, as I fell once more, it was becoming shameful
They said it was okay, that I should be glad, but I’m not, it’s just so awful
Second fall and another elbow gone, its really becoming stressful
Guess I should be grateful, the body still works, still trying to be faithful
But I fell again, loosing both knees, becoming harder now to be careful
Then came the slide that took out my hide, now I don’t seem useful
But came a crack appeared that took out my back, replaced with a pipe, now ungraceful
Now my head shines so bright, gives others a fright, not a most practical skull
But I sit here and rest, have done very my best, and finally I am becoming peaceful.
Anita Neal
I tag Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie for the fun in creative writing. Come join in the fun and as always we thank Winsome Woods for the use of the fun photograph.
And in closing I always remind my readers the value of kindness. Everyone has a back story that needs kindness and understand to get through the day, so always be kind.
As we approach the marvelous day of Thanksgiving, with the love of family, food and gratefulness for where we are at this point of our lives, we need to remember to always give thanks to our heavenly Father.
Sarah Young of Jesus Calling reminds us today that when our mind is occupied with thanking Him we have no time left for worry or complaining.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds us “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
My hope for you today comes from Romans 15:13 – “May the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
And as His love and peace surrounds you, let the effects of it ripple out from you in kindness waves to others and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Today was the Festival of Trees Parade. This is the kickoff of the Christmas season for Quad Cities(Iowa/Illinois). In the Davenport Civic Center is where the Festival of Trees is sponsored – a fantastic array of fully decorated trees created by businesses for bidding on as a charity event. It has some amazing artistic display for those who are crafty to get their ideas turning for their own trees.
But the event is kicked off in the morning with the Festival of Trees Parade with huge balloons, bands, and I am told hot chocolate but have yet to find it.
But what this does for me is get me fully in Christmas mode. Today I decorated outside, so the only thing left to do is the mantle above the fireplace in my bedroom. I will get that finished tomorrow.
But for today’s fun post, I will start showing off more of my Christmas. I will start with the “formal” tree that is in the living room. This tree has only white lights and white or silver ornaments, some with a touch of color. I have it on top of the coffee table to keep the puppy’s interest out of reach. It also has the painted ceramic puppies I painted this year beneath it and the other normal other things that are usually under this tree.
For today’s featured piece of my village, I give you the municipal buildings, ie. City Hall, Lawyer office and the police station. I enjoyed doing these as my father and my brother both are in the corporate legal filed.
The string of lights running under the little building makes them a little off centered, but I really like the lights shining through the windows. It reminds me of the verse from II Corinthians 4:6 saying to let the light shine out of the darkness. I think that is what Christmas does for me, a reminder of Jesus light and how he was us to shine our love and kindness the way that he did.
I come this morning to share again my thoughts inspired by Sarah Young and her devotion book, Jesus Calling.
As we are in the season of Thanksgiving, it is important to be thankful in all things, even the bad things because through the tough trials we gain strength. Psalm 46:1 tells us God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help when we need it.
A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven. Spiritual blessings fall freely onto you through those openings into eternity. Thankfulness is a language of LOVE.
Plus looking up gives us a glimpse of His Glory shining through those windows down to us.
So I remind you this morning, to sit quietly in His presence and let Him fill your heart and mind with thankfulness. It helps you build a foundation of gratitude, a foundation that our troubles can not shake lose.
For me, when circumstances seem to crowd out my peace and thankfulness, I take a turn in the quietness of my back yard…that is not at all quiet but alive with God’s creation. He assures me in the buzzing of the bee, the chirping of the birds, even the barking of the neighbor’s dog that He is there. I just need to lean over and reopen that window and let His love surround me in thankfulness of all that I have and the beauty surrounding me. As you go through your day, look for Him. He is there in the tiniest of beings assuring you that He is always with you to show you the way. So glance through that window and offer Him a gift of thankfulness with your grateful heart of peace that surrounds you.
And as always, remember His gift of kindness and shine with it like a beam of light that never stops.
For the Love of 