Dear Lord,

I praise you for your grace and Mercy to us…

You gave us the gift of your love through your son Emmanuel…God is with us.

How incredible your love and concern is!

My most sincere prayer this Christmas is for those who don’t know your joy and peace.

May the light of your love…illuminate their hearts…

that they may see who you are and reach out to take a hold of your precious gift of Jesus.

Please Father, I also lift up to you those whose faith is being challenged and persecuted. 
Keep them strong and under your wing.

To those of us who are celebrating Christ’s birth may we rejoice in the hope of your provision…that this…is not it…
Heaven is our home!

In the precious and powerful name of Jesus…Amen!

Merry Christmas,

Caprice <><

How would I describe joy?

It is that state of being in which a “delight”…
warms you from head to toe…

A warmth comes from the simplicity of
loving God and loving others.

The reason I can experience this special love is
I opened my “Christmas Gift”.

The gift of Jesus…

Isaiah 9:6,
“A child is born to us! A son is given to us! 
And he will be our ruler. He will be called,

“Wonderful Counselor,”

“Mighty God,”
“Eternal Father,”

“Prince of Peace.”
(GNT)

Joy is a result of our truly understanding the relationship
offered to us through a tiny babe in a manager.
 
Luke 2:8-14,
“There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood.
They had set night watches over their sheep.
Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and
God’s glory blazed around them.

They were terrified.

The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. 
I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is 
meant for everybody, worldwide:

A Savior has just been born in David’s town,
a Savior who is Messiah and Master.
This is what you’re to look for:
a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing

God’s praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.”
(MSG)

The God of creation, the all-knowing God…
provided us with a way to experience relationship with Him,
by sending His son to us.

The angel said,
“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

That good news is the gift of God to us and it does provide great joy for those who believe!

Let’s remember to keep in step with the spirit this Christmas
and fill our hearts to overflowing with JOY!

In the harsh reality of a world gone mad with hate and confusion…
don’t let the Joy of loving God and loving others get lost.

The answer can only settle itself in four little words…

The JOY of JESUS!

Merry Christmas!

Caprice <><

Prayer:
Our Heavenly Father, we praise you and rejoice this Christmas for 
your gift to us in your precious son, Jesus, Emmanuel! 
God, you are truly with us and we are so grateful for your spirit and the gift that it gives through your power! 
Help us to keep your Joy at the center of our Christmas and to share that Joy with others. 
Father, I lift up to you those who are struggling this year to find joy amidst the pressures of this world. 
I pray that you give us all the ability to grab a hold of your hand in order to keep in step with your Spirit, 
so that we may embrace the fruit that your Spirit provides. 
In the name of Jesus we celebrate this Christmas! 
Amen.

We came to the mountains to celebrate my husband’s birthday…

But alas…no snow…
California has been in a drought,
as the rain fell we prayed and hoped for snow.

That night the rain was beginning to thicken and by the next morning… 
soft white flakes fell from the gray sky and the air became still.

As the snow continued to fall…
The brown puddles began to disappear…

A white blanket erased the memory of where it had once laid.

I stood there taking it all in, as the rest of the family headed into the cabin.

What is it about a gentle snowstorm that brings peace to the soul?

Could it be that everything becomes…

Fresh
White
Clean

And like new again?

"Grace means undeserved kindness.
It is the gift of God to man the moment he sees
he is unworthy of God's favor."
-   Dwight L. Moody

I think that every so often we all need a blanket of snow to fall upon our hearts and minds…
a good prompt of the favor we have been given.

The beauty of the snow is a gift…it brings a symbol of God’s gift to us of His Grace.

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed.”

John Newton (1725-1807)

 

Matthew 11: 28-30, 
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? 
Come to me.

Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.
I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. 

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 
(MSG)

 

This Christmas receive the gift of a new snow…the fresh start.

Merry Christmas!

Caprice <><

 

For more information regarding a new and fresh start 
either make a visit to your local church this Christmas 
or click on one of the links listed below.

https://www.lproof.org/AboutUs/OurMission/PeaceWithGod.htm

http://www.harvest.org/knowgod/

http://rickwarren.org/know-god

http://peacewithgod.net/

I asked God this morning a question re: his Jealousy...that means suspiciously vigilant; anxiously careful and concern for. Here is the reference for this from…

2 Corinthians 11: 1,” Will you put up with a little foolish aside from me? Please, just for a moment. The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much—this is the passion of God burning inside me!” (MSG)

I agree with this…I too am upset at what I see…the abandonment of Christmas…of Jesus…of his message to the world

2 Corinthians 11: 2-3, “ To be completely honest, I am extremely jealous for you; but it’s the same kind of jealousy God has for you. You see, like an attentive father, I have pledged your hand in marriage and promised to present you as a pure virgin to the One who would be your husband, the Anointed One. But now I’m afraid that as that serpent tricked Eve with his wiles, so your hearts and minds will be tricked and you will stray from the single-minded love and pure devotion to Him.” (VOICE)

Paul is pleading with the church to stay true to their commitment to their first love…Jesus

Then God answered my question via a friends email…the video below...this is what God longs for in worship a heart that is stirred with awe and surprise at the wonders of His love. A commitment to sing out His love and the message of His birth…I wept as I watched the boldness of the USAF…treat yourself to this clip…and stay the course you will be glad you did!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIoSga7tZPg

Merry Christmas

Caprice<><

PS in "Miracle on 34th Street" it is the US postal service that declared Santa Claus to be real it looks like it is official the USAF and declared it to be Christmas :o)

Merry Christmas! I sometimes want to shout it so very loud that the truth of Christmas be heard to the very heartbeat of all who have hears to hear. But why, why would two words stir inside of me a chorus of “good tidings”; good news or information. Because that is what it is good news…please bare with me as I continue…I prayed that God would help me explain my excitement about Christmas and this is what he gave me…


God is…Creator of all…you…me…heaven…earth...

Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (NLT)

Holy…Prefect…Devine…the God of gods

1 Samuel 2:2, “No one is holy like the Lord; there is none like him, no protector like our God.” (GNT)

Your Heavenly Father has an everlasting love for you…

Romans 8:38-39,  “I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (CEV)

The Lord wants to share that love with all of us; no matter who we are or where we are from…and most amazingly He desires to have relationship with you forever and ever

Jeremiah 31:3, “Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”(NLT)

So God gave….

James 1:17, “Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.” (ERV)

He gifted us with an opportunity to make this all possible by sending us…

Jesus…Who came as a babe

Isaiah 7:14, “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” (NLT)

He was born into an everyday type of family…

Luke 2:8-14, “There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.” (MSG)

He understood our circumstances by His life among us

1 John 4:9, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (NIV)

And then the gift from God…Jesus…that lasts from generation to generation…

Isaiah 9:6, “A child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be called, “Wonderful Counselor,”


“Mighty God,”

“Eternal Father,”


“Prince of Peace.” (GNT)

Jesus paid for us, we have no debt when we accept God’s gift…the price is paid

Romans 3:24, “But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.” (GNT)

Ephesians 2:8-9, “You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” (CEV)

This is not the end of the story but just the beginning!

So we can be in God’s Holy presence…through prayer…fellowship with others…in the loneliest of times…He the God of the heavens is a whisper away…He is among us…we can live eternally with Him…that is forever and ever!

John 17:3, “Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” (CEV)

We can be showered with His love that keeps on giving because it overflows from one heart to the next in acts of kindness…giving hope…hope of a relationship with the Lord of Lords!

1 John 3:1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (NIV)

This is why I want to shout “Merry Christmas” for everyone to hear, know and understand God’s gift of Love…Because it is the good news!

A Very Merry Christmas to you,

Caprice <><