God's Grace to All

MERRY CHRISTMAS

What a wonderful, crisp and fresh day today. Thank You Lord.

I opened the door this morning and felt the magnificence of it all.

The struggles of life seem to disappear on a day like today or at least, fall into the background. I needed a little break Father from stress and today You said OK CHILD HERE IT IS!

I am not going to whine today or fall apart, I am not going to allow stress in. I am not going to break down I promise. All day long I am going to praise You and Your Glory.

Ohhh! today just feels and smells so good. Above are a couple of pics of our holiday season so far. left click on the picture to blow it up and see it.

Thank You Lord, Amen

One Christmas in 1914

For those who didn't know, like me, One of the most magnificent and spirit filled Christmas's ever experienced was on Dec 24, Christmas Eve 1914.

You won't find the event in history books to date and it's not taught in public schools because it's about the true meaning of Christmas but after WWI began in 1914 and had gone on for about 4 months, something magnificent happened.

The event has now been accepted as a 'historical event' through documentation of 100's of letters written at the time and now produced by family members of the fighting men of WWI from all sides.

WWI was fought as they say "in the trenches". Miles of trenches were dug by the Germans and by the Allies.

After 4 months of a war that was established in the trenches (which was thought would be over in a matter of weeks) the men on both sides were sick, tired, dieing of disease, foot rot from the moisture, pneumonia and many things other than just a gun shot.

On Christmas Eve the men were resting and the German side of the trenches began to sing Silent Night in their language. Our men and allies recognized the tune, as they peered out to look they saw lights lining the trenches. They were trees with candles lit in them. The allies began to sing also in great number Silent Night in every language.

A German soldier when he heard us singing too, raised a white flag that said "You No Shoot, We no Shoot", one of ours raised a white flag also on the end of a rifle and an amazing and miraculous thing happened. The German soldiers came over into the trenches of the allies with cakes and cookies their families had sent and in turn our side did too. The men stopped the war right then and there, thinking only of the birth of Christ our Lord and love with sharing.

The men visited each other and laughed and shared for two weeks thereafter until the Generals of both sides commanded them to go back to war. It is said that they hugged each other and cried tears of pain as they turned, stepped back into the trenches and began to fire and kill each other again.

How simply, magnificently the war would have ended right then were it not for the governments. The men did not want to kill each other, they wanted the befriend each other. They stepped out of the governments control and simplified things so dramatically and it should have ended right then! But for the governments who, and only who, knew why they wanted these men to take each others lives, commanded them to fight again. Oh My Lord in heaven, what is wrong with us?

The war went on for four long years after the people, the fighting men made it clear that there could peace, that they did not want to kill each other because our governments could not settle the differences. Four long murderous years. How many died after that?

How many million's and million's have killed not knowing why and not wanting to because the men at the top can't settle their differences in a civilized manor. How many have died over money and property.


I closed my eyes and visualized the event and how awesome all of these men felt when they laid down their weapons and I cried tears of joy. Then I visualized them crying and hugging each other as they picked up their rifles and I cried again, tears of pain.

Lord God our Father You reached the hearts of thousands of thousands of people in one minute with one song, You are Awesome. You stopped a war dead in it's tracks and saved thousands of lives in one minute with one song. You are Awesome. You intervened Father, thank You!

I ask You Father to intervene now in the lives of all Americans, Allies and Enemies - stop them by stopping the governments and by sending a song of Your love and Your Son into the hearts of all. This Christmas Father can be as awesome and magnificent as that Christmas of 1914 and even more so. I'm ready for it Lord, I'm ready and this Christmas Eve I will be singing "Silent Night Holy Night" with that prayer in my heart and praying that the whole world is singing then too.

Amen

How do you get to that "heart place"

Someone I know and love dearly has had a difficult time dealing with her mother.

She is not the cuddly, giving, person that she thinks her mother should be. It hurts her and she struggles with it.

Recently we had a conversation and I found my heart saying to her (as I was praying) "she's not bad she is different", you have to learn to accept her differences.

I could have made that same statement ten years ago because my mind new it was logical and correct but, when I said it the other day it was straight from the heart.

God has sent me through many trials and struggles and, all to come to one place, giving into Him and "feeling" not thinking things.

I have learned through the loss of loved ones, through the struggle with pain, through the tough and what seemed impossible times of raising an autistic child plus so many more trials about money, jobs and the list goes on. God had to take everything away from me and break my heart completely to teach me to "feel". That is something I openly embrace now without a need to be tough, strong or bold. Sometimes I pray for God to make me weak so that I may get past all the barriers I have put up through life on this earth.

I pray for Ch to be able to look past her own expectations and accept the love that her mother has for her without her self determination of what it should be. Look past the differences.

I want you all to know that this 2009 wonderful Christ Season my wish and prayer for you each is that you open your heart completely to just love.

Your family member may not have the same religion, morals or values as you. They may live a different life style but "look past the differences". Each and every one of us is a child of God, a loving giving God no matter what we are. That's what we want to feel for others, the complete and infinite love that God gives to us.

Drop your expectations, stop thinking AND JUST FEEL. Merry CHRISTmas to all and God's Grace to each of you.

Love,
Miawa

Christ's Birthday vs Santa Clause.

I was just thinking again,

I have raised three children and now am blessed with eight beautiful grandchildren. Having heard all the pros and cons about the celebration from everyone, involving varied opinions, I have one of my own.

First and foremost it is of course the celebration of the birth of our Christ and Lord and that is truly what the focus of Christmas should be. But, I don't believe it means we can't also enjoy the season with beautiful lights, yummy candy and most important with the imagination of a child.

Imagination is a gift from God to every child. It is encouraged or stifled in their upbringing. It is not just the magic it is much more. Using the imagination encourages growth, desire, and abilities. It teaches about reaching for the stars, never giving up and it gives children the ability to "stretch" their thoughts and to be creative for the rest of their lives.

My Pastor says (and I agree) that Halloween for example was an innocent holiday where children purely imagined, created and found fun until we the Christians ourselves got on our soap-box, and made the claim it was an anti-Christ religious holiday. It was never thought of as a religious holiday until we did that and planted the idea in our wonderful children s minds.

So foremost CHRISTmas is Christs birthday but why not let the children ALSO use their imagination and enjoy the magic and wonder of it all. They learn soon enough their is no Santa. Why can't they love both!

It's our job to teach them the meaning of Christmas and, to encourage their wonderful God given imagination,
that's what I think anyway.