Merry Christmas and a Safe and Healthy New Year to All

Things are really busy right now for all of us, as you already know, with Christmas and New Year coming up. I will be spending time with family outside of country as well as spending time with other family inside so will not post until mid-January.  In the mean time...

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year! I hope everyone will be able to get together with their loved ones and enjoy time together as we celebrate the birth of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ, and prepare to begin a New Year. 

It is a joy to watch the little ones open gifts from under the tree.  That is something you miss when your children grow up. If you have grandchildren, you can kind of re-live that through them. 

For those who may be alone at Christmas, I hope you can find someone else who may be alone to share it with, or maybe someone will invite you to share Christmas with them.Years ago when my children were in University and one of their friends had no where to go for Christmas we would invite them to share Christmas with us. It became a tradition which we all enjoyed and felt blessed doing.  I know that if my children, even adult children, had no one to spend Christmas with, I would be so pleased if someone offered to share Christmas with them. We can do for others what we would like others to do for our own child (grown child) if they were unable to spend Christmas with us for some reason.  It really is more blessed to give than receive!  No one should have to spend Christmas alone.

As a tradition, my grandchildren play piano recitals and sing at a Nursing Home on Christmas afternoon for the old people. They then go around to speak with, and sometimes give hugs to, the older ones. It is very nice. 

Traditions are good!  There is always someone, somewhere who could use some Christmas cheer, or maybe Christmas dinner.  Maybe someone on the street could use mitts or warm hat as well as a meal. I think there are many ways to share the joy of Christmas with someone who is alone at this time.

What traditions do you have in your family? 
What traditions might you want to start?

Have you asked your children what they might like as a new tradition for bringing joy to the heart of someone who is alone.  Your children would probably have some great ideas!  It would be an interesting discussion to see what they come up with. They probably notice more than we sometimes realize.

Enjoy Christmas and New Years celebration...

In Christ's love,

~Annie~

Lessons From the Harvest Field

Let us go forth into the field and learn

(Title and outline is from Handfuls on Purpose)

That a harvest time will come.  Seed sown shall not always remain a hidden thing.          (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). One may plant the gospel seed, several may water the seed, but only God can make it grow).

 

That much comes from little.  Some a hundredfold. But they who sow wind will reap whirlwind. We need to be mindful of how we live our lives and of what our priorities are, or we may end up wasting precious time on worldly things rather than on what God had previously planned for us (see Ephesians 2:10). We need to nourish the soil of our hearts with the Word of God, and with the Spirit’s enablement, to mature spiritually, as we put what we learn into practice. Then we will be able to share the gospel with others that they may come to a saving faith and avoid the coming wrath of God against all who reject Christ Jesus.

That a fruitful life comes through death.  “Except a corn of wheat die, it abides alone (John 12:24). We must die to sin and live for Christ Jesus if we are to be fruitful. Romans 12:1-3 and Hebrews 12:1-3 will explain how to do this. 

That like comes from like.  “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he reap” (Galatians 6:7). Where is your treasure? What do you most enjoy doing? Where your treasure is, your heart will be (Matthew 6:21). What is your top priority?

That when we cease to grow we begin to die. Like a plant, when fully grown if we don’t regularly nourish it, it will die.  Feeding our hearts with God’s Word and reliance on the Holy Spirit to put it into practice are essential for our spiritual growth and life.

That grain is most valued when ripe.  Mature Christians are able to be mentors  to the new Christians by showing, by example, how to live a godly life in a corrupt world, whatever the cost. (By their fruit you will know them)

That the harvesting does not alter its character.

That the harvest is followed with sifting.  (Satan requested permission to sift Peter...see Luke 22:31).  God will sift the tares from the wheat when Jesus returns.

Being a good model is a form of sowing that can result in reaping Christlike changes in the lives of new Christians. Life is filled with choices, choices that affect us on an everyday basis in everything we do, which means our everyday choices are not without significance. Our choices affect us and others in dramatic ways whether we see it immediately or not (2 Chronicles 17:3; John 13:15; 1 Thessalonians 1:7;  2 Thessalonians 3:7-9; 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:7).

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-18).

 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). 

Why do we need wisdom?  So we can make wise choices!

If we sow indifference to God, spiritual values and priorities, we reap the fruit of indifference—ignorance, hardness, greediness, futility, and frustration (Ephesians 4:17-19). 

Here is something for us to think about:

Sow a thought, reap an act; 

Sow an act, reap a habit; 

Sow a habit, reap a character; 

Sow a character, reap a destiny.

~Annie~