Apollo 8 Christmas

The Lord is With You

Luke 1

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

 34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[c] the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.”

For nothing is impossible with God

For nothing is impossible with God

For nothing is impossible with God

For nothing is impossible with God

For nothing is impossible with God

For nothing is impossible with God

Given

Jesus is given to the world. He was chosen, blessed, and broken to be
given. Jesus’ life and death were a life and death for others. The
Beloved Son of God, chosen from all eternity, was broken on the cross
so that this one life could multiply and become food for people of all
places and all times.

As God’s beloved children we have to
believe that our little lives, when lived as God’s chosen and blessed
children, are broken to be given to others. We too have to become bread
for the world. When we live our brokenness under the blessing, our
lives will continue to bear fruit from generation to generation. That
is the story of the saints – they died, but they continue to be alive
in the hearts of those who live after them – and it can be our story
too. - Henri Nouwen

Mel Torme’- The Christmas Song

The Christmas Song with Judy Garland

White Christmas

1942, from the movie “Holiday Inn” Bing Crosby sings about something that rarely happens here in Dallas.

Small Steps of Love

“How can we choose love when we have experienced so little of it? We choose love by taking small steps of love every time there is an opportunity. A smile, a handshake, a word of encouragement, a phone call, a card, an embrace, a kind greeting, a gesture of support, a moment of attention, a helping hand, a present, a financial contribution, a visit … all these are little steps toward love.

Each step is like a candle burning in the night. It does not take the darkness away, but it guides us through the darkness. When we look back after many small steps of love, we will discover that we have made a long and beautiful journey.” - Henri Nouwen

Silent Night

Christmas and Andy Williams always went together. Here is another of my favorite songs of the season.

 

O Holy Night

I have many favorite Christmas songs and this one has to be near the top of the list.

Be moved by this song.

I Want a Hula-Hoop

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)

Originally recorded in 1958.

Holiday Memories

Thanksgiving and Christmas stirs up memories. Most of the memories are from our childhood or the childhood of the ones we love.

Thanksgiving prayers said with hands over eyes, peaking through to make sure God was thanked for everything on the table and around the table.  It would go something like this….”Thank you God for the turkey and the green beans and the corn and the fruit salad and for grandpa and grandma and daddy and mommy and (everyone around the table). In Jesus name. AMEN!

Christmas memories of looking through the Sears catalog (Christmas Edition) for all the items on our wish list, including the catalog number and page number. Afterward reviewing the list over and over again, to commit the items to memory so that they could be recalled if you were able to see Santa Claus, or as a check list on the great day.

Child like innocence, where has it gone?

Have a Merry Christmas!