Merry Christmas

Here was our 2012 Christmas card......you may be getting one in the mail, you may not be.  That is because this was my first year doing picture Christmas cards and I didn't order enough. Who knew we had so many people to send them to?!  So, I'm doing the next best thing and wishing you Merry Christmas via the web, which is slightly impersonal, sorry!

Next thing.....we (Mr. E did most of the work while I supervised) put up lights on our house, something that I haven't done much of since I left home.  Yes, I've decorated, but not by lighting up the outside like I used to do at my parent's house.  Forgive the bad picture.....phone pics at night just don't turn out very well.

The stocking tradition continues.  This year I got to make one for my husband.  It is exciting to be able say that during the holidays!  I know that may sound like a little thing, but for me, it isn't.  (FYI, he did get his name on the top!)

This last picture I took this morning whilst up at the unearthly hour of 6 am.  (The older I get, the more I realize I'm not a morning person!)

There was such a distinct line in the sky between the light and the darkness.  When I was in school, my mom had us memorize Scripture.  I still can remember all the passages that I learned, including John 3 where it talks about light and darkness in verses 19-21 (KJV).

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Jesus came as a baby to this world to give it light.  But even though He is the light of the world, there is still darkness.  The darkness only goes away when it is exposed to the light.  Darkness can never overcome the light, the only way that darkness comes is when the light is taken away.  There are so many people in this world who don't like the light, who don't want to know the the truth of who they are shown to them and have their deeds exposed.  Unfortunately, they don't realize the freedom that coming to the Light, Jesus, will bring to their life.   Yes, their sinfulness will be exposed, but God also says earlier in that same passage that,

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.  God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

He didn't come to condemn, He came to save us from our sins and eternal death, showing His glory for all the world to see.  

I hope you remember why we celebrate this time of the year.  Without the Light of World coming to the earth as a baby, we all would be in utter darkness.

Merry Christmas and have a blessed coming year.