Christmas...Head Knowledge or Heart Knowledge.

Christmas is in two days!!  Yesterday at church we celebrated and sang about the birth of Christ. The Christmas tree is up, poinsettias are everywhere.  We love Christmas!! It is always a wonderful time of the year!  And the sermon yesterday was so good, as always!  This particular note from the sermon, in quotes,struck me as a truth that so many people miss:  "Not just to believe in Him but to receive Him.True belief is a heart experience not just a knowledge or head experience.  His truth must become personal." 

That simple quote really set me to thining, though I've heard it often before and know the truth of it.  But, it impressed me more yesterday for some reason.
The majority of Americans believe there's a God and Jesus is his son so they call themselves Christians.  I did.  But, there's more to being a true Christian than that..I mean, check it out in the Bible, if you don't believe it...

it has to be a personal, heart experience.  It's not just 'knowing'.  When it's a heart experience, you will acknowledge Jesus as Lord.  What does that word, 'Lord', mean? "someone having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler."  If he's Lord of your life, you let him be your ruler.  You want to know his plan for you so you can follow it.  Just knowing that he's the ruler isn't enough.  It's turning from your old way of doing things and deciding to go his way.  OH, now that's the part nobody likes!  I can almost hear people say, 'What?!"  "God does not force himself on anyone! He is kind and loving and loves you no matter what!" 

And, you know what?  That's TRUE!  He doesn't force himself on you, he's a gentleman.  He IS kind and loving and loves you no matter what.  And BECAUSE of that great love(who can look at our sin and still love us besides him?) you love him! and you want to follow him.  Jesus told his disciples to leave everything and follow him.  From an earthly viewpoint, they gave up their jobs, their families, their independence...and many of them ended up being killed for that!  That doesn't seems like a 'God thing' to do, does it?  But, it was and it is.

Some people still die for following Jesus or get put in prison or get fired from their jobs, ostracized.  I met a young woman in another country who was so grief stricken because her family and village threw stones at her and chased her out of town with nothing but the clothes on her back.  How many people are willing to do that?  To leave everything they have known and loved, to follow Jesus?   He loved us enough to leave beautiful Heaven so He could be cruelly beaten and die, taking away our sins. Now THAT'S a fanatical love!  Can we ignore a love like that?  Will people call US fanatics if we talk about Jesus like I just did?  Yes.  Who cares?!  This life is short, eternity is forever.  Goodness our priorities are wrong. We care what people think, but not what God thinks?

So, then the real question for each of us to ask ourselves and answer ourselves is:  Am I a Christian? 
The Bible said each man must 'work out' his own salvation with fear and trembling...meaning:  it's each person's responsibility to accept the Lord Jesus himself/herself no matter what mama and daddy, grandma and them believe.  It's between you and God.  Then to go into all the world and preach(teach) this same good news.  That part isn't an option, but a command from God.

Something for you to think about today as you prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus.  Be blessed!   Merry Christmas!!

Ms. Stevie

One of my earliest memories is of Miss Stevie and her daughter, Totsy.   Mama worked, as I said in the last post, at Jack's Cookie Company.  I'm the youngest of four children....6, 7, and 10 years younger than my siblings.  So, when Mama was at work and the other kids were in school, I went to Ms. Stevie's duplex in 'The Village'.  Ms. Stevie was a very 'fluffy' woman with gray hair who lived two rows down from us.  Her daughter, Totsy, lived with her.  Totsy had CP, Cerebral Palsy.  She was a grown woman, tall and thin, with dark hair.  She couldn't speak clearly but I learned to understand her although many people couldn't.  Totsy wasn't allowed to pick me up because everyone was afraid she would drop me.  But, she loved me and would try from time to time, always getting a scolding from her mama.

Ms. Stevie loved me and spoiled me rotten.  I guess I started staying with her when I was about 3 years old until I went to first grade when I was five.  There was no Kindergarten back in the day, not in our town anyway.  Mama would drop me off at Ms. Stevie's before catching the bus.  I was a real mama's girl and hated to be away from her, but Ms. Stevie had a way of getting me to let go of Mama's skirt tails and dry my tears.  She said, "Sweetie, what do you want Ms. Stevie to make for you today?  Do you want me to make a chocolate cake or a pie?"  :)  Oh yeah.  That's all it took.  Ms. Stevie loved to bake and I loved to eat, so it was a match made in Heaven.  She fed me well. Fortunately, and amazingly, I didn't gain weight back then.  I could eat whatever I wanted and not be fat!  Oh, to be able to do that now!

Another thing Ms. Stevie liked to do was dip snuff.  Oh, gross.  Next to her big soft chair, she had a coffee can...a big, two pound empty coffee can...that she would spit her dip into.  And, she wouldn't get rid of it until it was full. Blech!  Makes my stomach turn thinking about it!  But, that was the only bad habit I knew Ms. Stevie to have and she more than made up for it with her baking and her loving care of me.

Some people would say Ms. Stevie was my second mama.  But, I never thought of her that way.  Ms. Stevie was simply a warm, soft, sweet, caring lady who loved me and brings a smile to my face every time I think of her.

A baby is a gift.

Time with the fam!

Good morning!!  We are enjoying some time away from home with family.  Gosh, isn't it hard to put into words what your family means to you?  At the age of 61, I can say that I value family now more than ever before.  So many people I've loved have walked through Heaven's gates, I have learned to treasure my time with family while we're still here.

My kids and grandkids may get sick of me telling them I love them, but I'll tell them anyway.  Whether we're traveling states away or walking across the street, whenever we part, I make sure to say "I love you."  And, I tell them lots of times inbetween.  I do love them so much...cherish them!

Watching the kids play dodge ball or 'Monkey in the Middle' or going for a boat ride together.  Some families get to do this all the time, ours doesn't.  Our kids live in four different states.  My heart is overflowing with thanks and joy.

I am soaking up every minute of it!
Mr. Man is determined to ski today.  It has been about 30 years since he last went skiing.  I will NOT be going out on the boat with them to watch it.  I just can't. They can video it for me.  Praying he has fun and doesn't break a leg. :)

Enjoy your day.  I hope it is full of family or full of fun memories of family time.
Blessings!