THE BEST GIFT OF ALL

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

2 Corinthians 9:15

IN HIS IMAGE

"So how do I act as if You're alive?

How do the cells of my body,

the same ones that sweat and urinate

and get depressed

and toss and turn in bed at night -

how do these cells carry around

the splendor of the God of the universe

in a way that leaks out for others to notice?

How do I love even one person

with the love You came to bring?"

Philip Yancey

Just have to add a personal note to this one: Philip Yancey is a surgeon who authored two books that were in True's library, and that I have read several times and highly recommend to all. "In His Image", and "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made".

His books speak of the WONDERS of the human body, and how they do relate to The Creator and to ALL creation - in a way, somewhat similar to the thoughts shared by Mike Saturday when he spoke of the similarity between the makeup of our bodies to the pattern seen in so much of the world around us.

SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO

"To the children of God there stands,

behind all that changes and can change,

only one unchangeable joy.

That is God."

Hannah Whitall Smith

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

"The most vivid memories of Christmases past

are usually not of gifts given or received,

but of the spirit of love,

the special warmth of Christmas worship,

the cherished little habits of the home,

the results of others acting in the spirit of Christ."

Lois Rand

GETTING READY!

"Christmas hath a beauty

Lovelier than the world can show;

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.

Earth, strike up your music,

Birds that sing and bells that ring;

Heaven hath answering music

For all Angels soon to sing."

Christina Rossetti

TAKING A RISK

"But God's own descent into flesh was meant

As a demonstration that the supreme merit

Lay in risking spirit in substantiation...

Spirit enters flesh and for all it's worth

Charges into earth in birth after birth

Ever fresh and fresh."

Robert Frost

"THE WORD BECAME FLESH...."

"Incarnation, breath becoming speech through teeth and tongue, spirit becoming word, silence becoming prayer, the holy dream becoming the holy face."

Frederick Buechner

EXPECTATION

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him 'Immanuel' - which means, 'God with us."

Matthew 1:23

ONE THING

"We are preparing to celebrate the feast of the Eternal Birth which God the Father has borne and never ceases to bear in all eternity...

But if it takes not place in me, what avails it?

Everything lies in this, that it should take place in me."

Meister Eckhart

GETTING THINGS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

"A quiet time each morning with a loving God puts the events of the upcoming day into proper perspective."
Janette Oke

THE SOURCE

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

James 1:17

MORE GOOD NEWS

"God gets down on His knees among us; gets on our level and shares Himself with us.

He does not reside afar off and send diplomatic messages.

He kneels among us...God shares Himself generously and graciously."

Eugene Peterson

A NEW DAY

"Until I am essentially united with God, I can never have full rest or real happiness."
Julian of Norwich

HAPPY MONDAY

"Nothing we can do will make the Father love us less.

Nothing we do can make Him love us more.

He loves us unconditionally with an everlasting love.

All He asks of us is that we respond to Him with the free will that He has given us."

Nancy Carmichael

ANOTHER DAY I REMEMBER!

"To seek God means first of all to let yourself be found by Him."
Anonymous

Happy Birthday, Michael

A REMEMBERED DAY IN HISTORY

"The Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land."
Psalm: 95: 3-5

MAKING PROGRESS

"For God Himself works in our souls, in their deepest depths, taking increasing control as we are progressively willing to be prepared for His wonder."

Thomas R. Kelly

A note from me: Please "bookmark" the word "wonder" in the place that you file things you want to recall; it is going to come up again very soon.
Love to all.

NEARNESS

"All the way to heaven is heaven begun to the one who walks near enough to God to hear the secrets He has to impart."
E. M. Bounds

ENJOY (WALK "IN JOY")

"Life in the presence of God should be known to us in conscious experience.

It is a life to be enjoyed every moment of every day."
T. W. Tozer

ALL DAY LONG

"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul,
in you I trust, O my God...
Show me your ways, O Lord,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior and my
hope is in you all day long."

Psalm 25: 1, 4-5