Merry Christmas!

Immanuel-"God with us"

It's amazing to think God is always with us. Not just in the bad times, but in the good times as well. My dad is who a pastor talked about this from Matthew. I don't know if I would have the same faith as Mary did when the Angel came to her.

Last night I read this book unafraid by Francine Rivers. The series is about the lineage of Jesus Christ and why each woman is mentioned. Tamar was married to two of three Judah's sons, and after both were killed he sent her back home. She tricked him as a prostitute and became pregnant giving birth to twins. Then comes Rahab, which I didn't read yet but I want to, she was a prostitute who believed in the LORD, and when the two spies she kept them safe from Jericho guards. Her household was safe and married Salma, and gave birth to Boaz, who married Ruth, a foreigner from Moab, an idol worship country. Her mother in law Naomi, her husband, and her sons (husband of Ruth) came to Moab because Israel was going through a famine. While living there, Naomi's husband and sons died, and because women couldn't work back Naomi was very discouraged even changing her name to "Mara" (bitterness) she decided to go home and after Ruth begged to go with her with the famous line from Ruth "Your God, my God" they went. While Ruth was working in the fields, Boaz noticed her, and Ruth became the great-grandmother of David. Bathsheba was married, slept with David, and became pregnant. David sent her husband to be killed and because of it they lost their first son. She later gave birth to Solomon, a great king. Then several centuries later, we come to Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, which changed history.

Each book has a bible study I can study, so, I'm going to study the story of baby Jesus, Oswald Chambers "My utmost for his highest" and the book by Francine Rivers. I thought it would be appropriate, even though Christmas is a secular holiday. It's sad atheists argue that they feel excluded when they see a Christmas Tree. People should celebrate Christmas for the right reasons, but Atheists need to leave people alone!

Anyway, onto the secular side of Christmas. Helen, (who is like my grandmother) got me a leather jacket. My dear friend Elizabeth(another mother to me) got me knee socks, a fall/winter/Christmas themed pillow case, a peanut butter milk chocolate Christmas tree from Gertrude Hawk (she works there) and a nativity scene which has my name on it. Another friend, Shelley got me two snowmen which had my name in front of them. I know this sounds arrogant, but I've always loved stuff with my name on it. My sister is safely back from England and is at home. She and her fiance got me a 1930's purse from Bath, U.K. a little Jane Austen wrote when she was thirteen, a little round sugar bowl from Poland, and inside of it was a little Eiffel tower. She also got me a book written by a French Jewish woman who died in Auschwitz. My parents got me a portable CD player, ferrero rocher chocolate with Dunkin Donuts and Itunes gift cards, and chapstick (the Burt's bees) they also got me a green(!) sweater, more knee socks, and slippers. A little boy from my church got me a photo album. A little from my good news club after school program got me this: it had a cross and behind the cross said this : "Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you"

I got my dad a World war Two board game, my mom a robe, and my sister a digital photo frame with a memory card, Helen a gift certificate from Green's restaurant, Elizabeth a applebees gift certificate, and I'll probably take Shelley out for Christmas soon. I also got a white elephant gift at the Loft Retreat, which I wonder I'll do with it since I don't where cowboy hats. I wonder, I wonder, I wonder....

Today we're eating cinnamon rolls, french toast casserole, Stromboli, and maybe some healthy stuff, but I don't know about that....we're going to visit my grandmother, her brother and sister in law. I hope to visit my sister's fiance family and their eccentric neighbor George. Very nice man, but like I said eccentric....I hope to have Chinese food with my co-workers this past summer during our break, I hope to visit some friends, go to the Loft, which I'm praying it doesn't snow Monday night because we're having movie night. Life is the same as it always is....

Well, I have to say Merry Christmas! I honestly can't wait for the New Year, but that's for the blog post on New Years Day.

I will tell about my Christmas theme devotional tomorrow after church!

Until then....God bless, Merry Christmas, and to all a goodnight!