I wonder as I wander...

Beautiful.
GHT

Advent Moment

More Advent Thoughts

Leaving Heaven -

That's what Christmas is all about. The Son of God left His place in heaven to become human and live with us here on earth. He lived a perfect life for us and took our place on the cross, suffering God's wrath for all of our failings. He rose to life again on the third day. When He returns He will raise us from death to live with Him forever.

PRAYER: Mighty Son of God, thank You for saving me by Your life, death and resurrection. Transform me that I may take hold of You and celebrate Your birth with great joy this Christmas. Amen.
- Rev Wayne Palmer


From - Advent Devotions Online - available HERE

Advent Thoughts - November 29, 2011

MAY GOD’S GRACIOUS PRESENCE wrap around and protect you.
May the promise of the holy Christ child
forever rest in the curve of your life.
May the sweet, fearless song of the Holy Spirit
sing you to sleep
and waken you in Advent dawns.
May you, and those you love and serve,
expect the good news,
Immanuel, God-With-Us.
Amen.

- Pamela C. Hawkins
Read more at Behold!

Tilting at 23

We just returned from a quick trip to southern Michigan to visit our son Alex and his wife Becky and three of our four grandkids - Evan, Aaron and Ashlyn. They live in Kalamazoo which is surrounded by plenty of trees most of which are in the process of having their leaves turn bright yellow or red.

This turning of colors in the autumn is for me one of the strongest reminders of the changing of the seasons. Spring comes gently, summer arrives unannounced but autumn sends out this amazing calling card of riotous colors to let us know it has arrived.

It didn't have to be this way. Planet Earth could have been perfectly upright in its rotation. But our amazing creator God chose for it to be off-kilter. Canted just so that it creates what songwriter Chris Rices calls "our perfect 23."

I love that. The imperfection of our planets rotation creates the much loved changing of the seasons. How like our God to make something beautiful out of something off-kilter.

Love it!
GHT

Lynn Hybels on Jesus

Christianity - By Lynn Hybels

I needed to know — and I still need to know, every day — that I am loved despite my failures, tha I am loved for the uniqueness of my true self, and that I am loved as I sit quietly doing absolutely nothing to earn, or buy, or chase that love.
I cannot wrap my brain around what I just wrote. I don’t know how Jesus allows me to experience his Presence and his Love. But he does. Whenever I lean fully into the reality of my loneliness, my insecurity, my fear, or my brokenness, I find Jesus there loving me.

That has become a Mystery I cannot live without.

In Jesus I also found a radical call to compassionate action in the world. At Jesus’ first public appearance he said, “I have come to set the captives free and to preach good news to the poor.” Then, through his teaching and life of servanthood, he slowly and methodically turned the values of the powerful Roman Empire upside down.

He threw the moneychangers out of the temple because they were exploiting the poor. He said that when we feed the hungry or clothe the naked it’s like we’re doing it to him. He said to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us.

Jesus changed the rules and ushered in an upside-down Kingdom.

The early church was known for the way it loved, not just within the little band of believers, but beyond it. Jesus’ first followers met daily to sing and pray and honor the presence of Jesus in their midst, and then they shared their material resources so freely that none among them had any need.

Histories of the early church record that when deadly plagues cut a black swath through communities, all the healthy people left except the crazy followers of Jesus, because they knew they were called to care for the sick — for the least — and they weren’t afraid of the consequences, even death.

I am a Christian today because of what I found in Jesus.

So well said!
GHT

Gungor -- still loving what they do

Great new music
GHT