Why Jesus is Better Than Santa Claus

Santa lives at the North Pole...
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year...
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies...
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.

You have to wait in line to see Santa...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"...
JESUS knew our name before we were born. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too.

He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly...
JESUS has a heart full of love

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry"...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."

Santa's little helpers make toys...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree...
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree...the cross.

We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Happy Thanksgiving....

Look around you. The blessings abound: The smiles of children, the beauty of a glorious sunset, the comfort of a warm bed at night. Small and great, there are
plenty of reasons to say to God, "Thank You".

Blessings from our house to yours.

Daylight-savings....

Say goodbye to daylight-saving time November 4th, 2007.

The days are growing shorter...The leaves are falling too... The sun sinks early in the sky... Until it is no longer, blue... The clock is quickly ticking... It is that time of year... When we need to be reminded... The time to turn our clocks is here... We move an hour of daylight. To the morning from the night. If you forget to do it. It could be a terrible fright. Turn them back, not forward... And if you do it right... You will be able to enjoy... An extra hour of sleep that night...

A new look

Can't wait for cold weather!!!

The Shepherd

Hearing His Voice
by Os Hillman

He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God. - John 8:47Jesus said that the key to being able to hear God's voice is first to be one of His children. One of the great mysteries of the universe to my logical mind is how God can communicate with six billion people on the earth at the same time. It is one of those mysteries I must let go of because my "hard drive" would crash if I had to explain and understand this before I believed and trusted in Him. It is as though God places a computer chip in each human being, and when we place our faith and trust in Him, it becomes activated. We begin to communicate with Him. Jesus says that if we are children of God, then we can hear God's voice. He further explains this relationship in the following parable:

I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice (John 10:1-5).

The Shepherd is always representative of Christ. Sheep are representative of God's children. This passage tells us that the Shepherd communicates with His children. We are called by name and we can listen to our Shepherd's voice. There is another comforting aspect to this relationship. The Shepherd goes before the sheep to prepare the way. Jesus has already gone before us today to prepare our way.

Knowing the Shepherd and His voice allows us to have the assurance that we will not be fooled by another shepherd's voice. The sheep know His voice. It is only when we are dull of hearing that we mistakenly hear another's voice and follow it. Sin can create a poor frequency in our communication with the Shepherd. Make sure your frequency is free of static (sin) today so that the Shepherd can lead you and go before you.

Finally, distractions can also keep us from hearing our Shepherd's voice. When the sheep get entangled in the fence or wander off, they get too far away to hear the Shepherd's voice. We must stay in close proximity to the Shepherd to hear His voice. Stay close to the Shepherd today. Listen and follow. He wants to lead you.


What a great reminder this was for me today!

Happy Easter!!

He has risen, PRAISE GOD, He's alive!!

Gram's Texas Girls

Natalie Grace

Eliana Joy

I miss them so much...

Yankee Kids

This is our son Nick and daughter Mary who live in Buffalo, New York

Christian who is 4 years old

Alyssa Jade 7 1/2 months

How sweet!!! I just want to squeeze them both.

Inspiration

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.

As moments go, that one appeared no different than any other. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly, like the ones that have passed while you have read these words. It came and it went. It was preceded and succeeded by others just like it. It was one of the countless moments that have marked time since eternity became measurable.

But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

The omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created.

God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.

God had come near.

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.

No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla.

Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of star-gazers, there would have been no gifts.

Angles watched a Mary changed God's diaper. The universe watch with wonder as The Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with him. And had the synagogue leader in Nazareth known who was listening to his sermons.....

For thirty-three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached.

To think of Jesus in such a light is---well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it? It's not something we like to do; it's uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.

He's easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable.

But don't do it. For heaven's sake, don't. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out.

(from God Came Near
by Max Lucado)

Wait Patiently For It

Discerning The Voice Of God

Quote:

IF YOU WANT TO HEAR GOD'S voice clearly and you are uncertain, then remain in His presence until He changes this uncertainty. Often much can happen during this waiting for the Lord. Sometimes He changes pride into humility; doubt into faith and peace; sometimes lust into purity. the Lord can and will do it.~~Corrie Ten Boom


Wait for the LORD; Be strong, and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD
Psalm 27:14

The process of waiting for a message from God
is just as important a the message itself.

Expect To Hear It

Started a new bible study today by Priscilla Shirer, Discerning The Voice Of God ~ How to Recognize When God Speaks

Wanted to share a few things from today's study.

Quote:

"GOD WILL SPEAK TO THE HEARTS of those who prepare themselves
to hear; and conversely, those who do so prepare themselves
will hear nothing even though the Word of God is falling upon their outer ears every Sunday." ~~ A.W. Tozer


"If we come to Him doubting His ability to speak, we will have a difficult time listening. So we must come expectantly." ~~Charles Stanley

We need to approach the Father with an expectancy that He will speak.


Do we (I) come expectantly?

Lord, open my eyes, ears, heart and my soul to your voice...
In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
Psalm 5:3

Staying Young At Heart

This past week Mike and I had the joy of having our granddaughter come and spend the week with us. I can't tell you how much fun we had so here are a few pics that say it better than I.

What a ham!

Natalie Grace Duhon

Sharing with her new friend Hannah.

Helping Pop clean out ditch

before the coming rain.

Storytime for our princess.

Oh, Gram can I go down on your back!!

Pop was much smarter than Gram.

I love a girl who can dress like a princess and then

the next minute put on a ball cap and

pretend to be driving a race car.

A granddaughter after my own heart.

Caught by Uncle Christopher

I hope you all enjoyed and got the picture.

New Beginnings

Sun setting on the first day of the new year.

Lake Martin, Louisiana