Joyfully and Gladly

Remember when you first fell in love with your mate? You thought about him when you were apart. You loved doing things together. Spending time with him was a delight. You talked about him to others and wanted them to meet him. You appreciated his good characteristics. You loved pleasing him. Giving him a gift…

Fanning the Flames

Several years ago a forest fire came within a few miles of our house. At night, we could see the flames, and by day, we saw the smoke. This consuming fire evoked both awe and fear in us as it approached. Community volunteers worked day and night to clear fire breaks in order to deprive…

Delights

The holidays are over. For many, it’s a bit of a downer. For some, there has been a blur of activity with too many things to do and not enough time. Quieter days are welcome, but it may mean just returning to the work week exhausted. For many, there wasn’t a flurry of activity, so…

Beautiful Christmas Art

It’s the day after Christmas.  To light up your heart on a dreary day, here are some beautiful paintings of the events around the Nativity.  Followed by a few of my photographs with the same subject. The angel Gabriel bringing God’s message to Mary.  “…the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the…

The Wandering Fruitcake

These are short, busy days before Christmas, so here’s a super short, true story to read in a few minutes.  Many years ago, when our family was living in a remote jungle area, a kind aunt decided we needed a Christmas fruitcake so we could celebrate the holiday properly even when half a world away….

Happy in God’s Favor

For generations, her people had looked for God’s anointed King to arrive. He would be of the lineage of Judah, a ruler like David who loved and obeyed God. But unlike David, this supernatural man’s rule would include the nations of the world. “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from…