He's Readying Gifts

"God comes through mangers.  The mundance holds miracles.  Every little thing is going to be okay - you have a Kinsman-Redeemer who takes you and is redeeming everything.  The miracle of gifts is always unfolding under the impossibles.

The miracle of gifts. . .is never not coming.

When your Father's hand isn't readily apparent, it's only because He's readying gifts.  Gifts always come out of the unseen and hidden places."

The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp

God is readying gifts for us.

3rd Sunday of Advent - Joy

On the 3rd Sunday of Advent we light the pink candle that represents joy!

What greater joy than to receive the promise of the Savior!

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."  John 15:11

Held Captive

For the past 3 days, we've been captive to a snow event that has hovered over our area seemingly with no intention of leaving!  We've had rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, power outages, and all kinds of accidents on the highways and byways.  It promises to hang around still, in a weakened state, but very much in evidence, for at least the next couple of days.

The Manna of Relationship

"And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.  And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah: who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.  And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said."    Luke 9:28-33

Have you ever been in a place like Peter was - where you wanted to build a tabernacle and "camp" in the moment, or you at least wanted to be able to re-live it or even re-create it at a later date?

2nd Sunday of Advent - Peace

The 2nd Sunday of Advent we light the candle of Peace.  This represents the peace that enters into our lives when we experience the presence of Jesus.

Come Looking for Me, Lord

"I don't deserve your love

But you give it to me anyway.

Can't get enough;

You're everything I need.

And when I walk away,

you take off running

and come right after me -

It's what you do...and

I don't deserve you!"

I Don't Deserve You by Plumb

My Weakness, His Strength

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 12:9, 10

This scripture makes no sense to the natural man, does it?  In the natural, we want to hide our weaknesses.  We want to cover them up, pretend they don't exist, pretend we are strong when we are really quaking in our boots.  In the flesh (natural), we don't want to even admit that we could have weaknesses.