A New Years Eve Prayer

An Evening Prayer

WE THANK THEE, O Lord, for the work of each year, and for the rest of each night. We will lay us down both in peace and sleep, for Thou, Lord, only, make us to dwell in safety. Keep watch around us throughout this coming year, to protect us against the assaults of the evil one, to suggest to us holy thoughts, to defend us from all dangers, to lead us in the perfect way of peace, and to prepare us for the happy service of a new year. For Jesus' sake.

Amen.

I am very thankful for each and every person who has visited Hiraeth in the past year. So many of you have extending kindness and friendship and encouragement to me. I have made some dear friends in the past year, both here on the blog and in real life. God has truly blessed me in so many ways. I truly pray that He would, as the prayer says, "Keep watch around us throughout this coming year, to protect us against the assaults of the evil one, to suggest to us holy thoughts, to defend us from all dangers, to lead us in the perfect way of peace, and to prepare us for the happy service of a new year." And I pray that, more and more, God would teach me, and you!, to desire Him above all things and learn, more and more, to honor Him and bring Him glory.

Happy New Year!
Kim

God's Minute

December 31
New Year's Eve

And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.--Luke 14:19

FATHER in Heaven, let not our material blessings confound our mind and fill us with a false sense of security, nor suffer us to be enamored by the dazzling prospects of temporal gain and carnal joy. Let us be mindful that the world's chalice of sweet wine is inevitably converted into a cup of bitterness, and that the joy of today becomes the remorse of tomorrow. Thou canst not be denied, O God! All things are Thine, and man is accountable to Thee. Grant that we may be faithful stewards of Thy possessions, and that the things of this world may never take precedence in our life over the glorious riches which Thou hast prepared for Thine own from the foundations of the world. If there is any hardness of heart among us, we beseech Thee for the touch of Thy Spirit, that our hearts may yield to Thee in obedience, reverence, and confidence. Thou, whose grace is sufficient unto Thine own, suffer none of Thy children for any cause to depart from the faith this day, but strengthen them, that their faith in Thy goodness and the merits of Christ's redemptive love may remain beautiful and strong. Make us strong according to the inward man, strong in our Christian convictions, strong in faith, strong in our advocacy of righteousness and truth, and strong in our loyalty to Thee. Above all, keep us from dishonoring Thee by any secret or open sin. Through Christ, our Redeemer.

Amen.

Rev. J.P. Meyer,
St. Louis, Missouri

Quote of the Week

This is the last quote of the week for Hiraeth on Blogger. I think it's a good one to leave standing, don't you?

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.
- Minnie L. Haskins

God's Minute

December 30

The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.--Psalm 145:9

O GOD, our Father, we are about to enter upon a new day. To meet well all duties and responsibilities that come to us; to resist firmly every distraction and temptation that seeks to draw us from our path; to be utterly prepared for any danger or any crisis that may this day befall us; to be found, when the evening is come, pure and holy--this is our desire.

And we would be friendly with all men; strength to the weak, hope to the despondent, joy to the sorrowing, power to the tempted.

We wait, therefore, our Father, for the coming of Thy Spirit upon us ere we venture into all that this day holds for us. In the quiet of this early morning hour, bowed before Thee, our souls wait. Touch us with that hand which has been laid in blessing upon others before us; speak to us with that still, small voice of power; fill us with Thine own righteousness.

Give us of Thyself, that we may this day so live for ourselves and before men that through us Thy Kingdom may in part come, and Thy will more fully be done among men. For Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Rev. Seeley K. Tompkins,
Cincinnati, Ohio

God's Minute

December 29

For the love of Christ constraineth us.--2 Corinthians 5:14

OUR Father in Heaven, we are Thy children, redeemed by Christ our Saviour and Elder Brother, and we come to Thee in His name. Forgive our sins. Deliver us from all the guilt and power of sin, and from its consequences. Take the love of it out of our hearts. Make our love of Thee to glow. Let it burn out all the dross of evil, and impel us constantly to gracious acts of kindly ministry done to others in the Master's name and for His sake. Give us a clear vision of our ever-present Saviour as an abiding Friend. Grant that we may be trasformed by thus beholding Him, growing daily more and more like Him in the desires of our hearts, the words of our lips, and the things we do and refrain from doing.

Bless with us all others, supplying their every need, and giving them grace and guidance. Make the Gospel light shine out brightly in all lands, bringing peace and spiritual prosperity, and drawing all men to Christ, and together in the bonds of Christian unity and brotherliness. We ask all this, as we pray for grateful hearts, in the name of Him Who died on Calvary.

Amen.

J.H. Bomberger, D.D.,
Cleveland, Ohio

God's Minute

December 28

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.--Ephesians 5:20

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ.--1 Corinthians 15:57

OUR Heavenly Father, for all Thou hast given and all Thou hast forgiven, we thank Thee. For every gift of nature, and Thy favoring providences, and Thy great salvation through Christ, we thank Thee.

For blessings within us and around us; for everything by which Thou hast brought good and drawn us to Thyself through all our lives and the lives of our kin; for our power of understanding, of loving, of homemaking, of sharing friendships; for the good hope concerning loved ones who have gone from the ways of earth, and for our own expectation of sharing heaven's joy with them through Christ's saving merit--we thank Thee.

Help us, O Father, to live and work with the cheer of a grateful spirit, overcoming all trouble by the patience of hope and the wisdom of love. So may we share the fellowship of all who follow Christ, both near about us and in all the world.

Amen.

Rev. William Allen Knight, LL.D.
Boston, Massachusetts

Moving Day

That's right. For the past month, I've been quietly setting up and moving Hiraeth to my new location on Squarespace. I still have some work to do and I'll probably be re-arranging and moving stuff around as I get used to my new home, but it's finished enough for me to move in officially on New Year's Eve. I'm still working on sidebar links and buttons and categories, so you'll be seeing some changes in the days to come.

I hope you'll like it there. You can find Vizslocity and my reading blog, Hiraeth Warehouse right there in the side bar, too. If you want to subscribe to them as separate blogs, you can do that from their front pages. I hope that you, my regular readers, will follow me over there and change your subscriptions. Also, when you next update your blog rolls, would you mind changing my link in your sidebars? Thanks.

I'll continue to update this blog through New Years Eve and I'll be keeping it what's here available, but I won't be updating it anymore starting New Years Day.

I want to thank each and every one of you who has taken time everyday to come and read my blog. I'm especially thankful for those of you who have become my dear friends. You know who you are!

I have some new things planned for next year! I'll tell you more about that after the first of the year!

Too funny

Someone googled "images of angelic beings" early this morning and landed on Vizslocity, my "dog blog."

Angels? I think not.

Ivy's Mug Shot

Well, sometimes.

God's Minute

December 27

And He said to them all, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?--Luke 9:23-25

O LORD, Thou Whose eye seest everything, even into the secrets of our hearts, and with Whom is all wisdom and power, be not silent to our petition. In our suffering let us observe Thy presence, and, out of pain, teach us submission.

We cannot always understand what Thou art doing with us, but O Thou Watcher of men, make our souls to know that Thou art always just and good, ever long-suffering in Thy mercy. Give us Thy strength to bear the burden.

Teach us that if we would be most serviceable to Thee, we must be marred and hurt and made to bleed. The we shall come forth as gold tried in the furnace, and Thy righteousness shall be our robe, and Thy glory our diadem.

Amen.

Peter Ainslie, D.D.,
Baltimore, Maryland

Dear friends and readers:

This prayers seems providential this morning. I just read an email from a friend, telling me of her husband's trip to the emergency room last night and the pain that he is suffering. Our family has two dear friends who are suffering in great pain this day. Dan is still going through the process of diagnosing the cause of his severe jaw pain. Our other friend, Jeff's condition is chronic (arachnoiditis) and he lives with pain day in and day out without much hope of relief or change. Would you take a moment and pray for these two men? Thanks.

God's Minute

December 26

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.--Romans 5:1

OUR Father, Thou Who sitteth upon a throne high and lifted up, Whose glory fills the Heavens, make us conscious this morning that Thou art not far from any one of us, Thy children. Thou has revealed Thy nearness to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us to see that our selfishness is the only thing that can separate us from Thee. Take out of our hearts every selfish impulse, and fill them with a holy l0ve for Thee. Then we know that there shall be fulfilled for us the promise of Jesus, that Thou, our Father and He, our Brother, shall come in and dwell with us this day. Speak to us by Thy still, small voice.

Christmas day has come and gone. We have given and we have received the tokens of friendship and love. We cannot repeat these gifts every day, but we earnestly beseech Thee that the Christmas spirit may abide in our hearts and in the hearts of mankind everywhere. Take out of our hearts every trace of jealously and hatred toward any of Thy children, and give us the attitude toward all mankind which was in Jesus Christ our Lord. Hasten the day when our ears shall hear the morning stars singing together and all the sons of men joining with the angelic choir in the anthem of the first Christmas morning, "Peace on earth among men of good will." Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Rev. Frank W. Padelford,
Boston, Massachusetts

God's Minute

December 25
Christmas Day

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tiding of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.--Luke 2:10-11

We are filled with joy and gratitude this morning for the gift of the Saviour, Jesus. We are especially thankful that He is not a Saviour afar off, but linked to our nature in the manner of His birth, in childhood, in humility, in love and sympathy. He who saw the light of day in the midst of the beasts of burden when first He threw the mantle of humanity over Himself, has lifted us from the burdens of sin and anxiety. In Him we are glad.

With all the angels who celebrated His nativity we add our voice of joy. With the humble who inquired what these things meant, we still search for the truth of the incarnation. Give joy this day to all people, we earnestly pray. Bless all children, the babes of the land. Be with the poor, and give to us all, and to all others, the spirit of good will and of charity. Bring peace to earth, a reception of the good tidings also. May the gifts of love manifest the spirit of Jesus, we ask in His name.

Amen.

Rev. Robert W. Thompson,
Pittsburg, Kansas

When the Fullness of Time was Come

CHAPTER VIII.

Of Christ the Mediator.

Section II. The Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof; yet without sin: being conceived by he power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.

Emmanuel-God With Us

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things, far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven's peace.

Christmas Etiquette for Dogs

A Dog's Rules for Christmas

1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.

2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.

3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.

4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a
prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know:

a. Don't pee on the tree.
b. Don't drink water in the container that holds the tree.
c. Mind your tail when you are near the tree.
d. If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell
interesting or that have your name on them, don't rip them open.
e. Don't chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree.

5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part:

a. Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans.
b. Don't eat off the buffet table.
c. Beg for goodies subtly.
d. Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa.
e. Don't drink out of glasses that are left within your reach.

6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important:

a. Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people's houses. (4a is particularly important)
b. Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house.
c. Tolerate children.
d. Turn on your charm big time.

7. A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night.

DON'T BITE HIM!!

Go, Tell it on the Mountain

Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.

Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed the Savior’s birth.

Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessèd Christmas morn.

Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

God's Minute

December 24

His ears are open unto their prayers.--1 Peter 3:12

AROUND this, our family altar, we come, O God, to seek Thy face. Keep us today, sheltered in the light of Thy countenance. Help us to do only the things that please Thee. At every step may we be conscious that Thou art at our side.

We seek Thy very best, both for ourselves and for those, our loved ones, absent from our altar of prayer. As parents, may we guide our household aright; as children , may we walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

Mid the darkening shadows, keep us walking in the light; may our hearts be garrisoned with peace. Fill us, O God, with the knowledge of Thy will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; make us fruitful in every good word and work. As we bow around this family altar, O Lord, help us to comprehend the atoning efficacy of Thy death, the keeping power of Thy life, and the blessed hope of Thy coming.

We ask Thy presence with us during the day; we dare not walk alone. The tempter is too subtle, the pleasures of the world too luring, and the lost of riches too strong. Lead us, O Lord, in the train of Thy triumph; make us more than conquerors in Thee.

Amen.

Rev. R. E. Neighbour,
Athens, Georgia

Keeping Christmas Well

The Christmas Season is one of shared experiences. From the Christmas carols, to the decorations, to favorite Christmas movies, and special Christmas dinners; school plays, Christmas concerts, Candlelight Services--it seems as though many of us share common experiences. We look forward to all the activities and hustle and bustle of Christmas. And yet, too often we go through all the motions of celebrating Christmas without a thought about what Christmas signifies. This can be true of those who observe a religious celebration as well as those who consciously celebrate Christmas in a purely secular way.

I've been thinking about this a lot over the past few weeks. No where in scripture are we commanded to observe Christ's birth, only His resurrection. So, is it wrong to celebrate Christmas? Is there a right way and a wrong way to celebrate the Saviour's birth? How do we, "keep Christmas well," as Charles Dickens put it in A Christmas Carol . I certainly don't have all the answers and I am still thinking this through, but this morning I came across a blog post on Reformation Theology that I'd like to share with you. An Uncomfortable Christmas Card for Unbelievers Comfortable at Christmas. It begins:

Dear Friend or Loved One Who Loves Me, but Does Not Love Jesus Christ:

This Christmas, I eagerly and affectionately desire to write to you a different kind of Christmas message. I long to send you good tidings of great joy, and high hopes that your Christmas and New Year will be cheerful and full of good things, but I also want to write to make you as uncomfortable with the Christmas message as possible.

The Christmas Message is nothing more or less than the Gospel Message. We frequently say that the Gospel is the "good news" and it is. But to those who have never embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ by grace through faith, it is not good news. It is the worst possible news one could ever receive.

But God. . .

Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

There is a gift, given by God, that I wish for all. And that is the gift of faith in Christ, Who was given of the Father and Who gave His life so that we could live eternally. Only then can we "keep Christmas well, if any man alive possess the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!"

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: Lines

I have always been fascinated with writing. The fact that lines on a paper can communicate not only words but thoughts and ideas and emotions and most importantly, truth is amazing to me. These lines I have chosen communicate the rich resources available to us in God's Word.

Psalm 119:89-90 Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

Theme: Lines

Next week's theme: NEW

Check out the new images for the Photo Hunt for 2007!

Related Tags: Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

Quote of the Week

Luke 2:8-14 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”

Related Tags: Quote of the Week

God's Minute

December 23

They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even forever. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.--Psalm 125:1-4

OUR gracious Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the light this morning. Endue our hearts with gratitude and love for the blessings of the past week, and direct our converstation and daily walk through the coming week. May all we do be acceptable in Thy sight. Grant that we may render Thee service that will not only give us joy and comfort, but that our example and influence will lead others to love and serve Thee. God grant that we may realize and appreciate every day of our lives that we own all to Thee and that all the good things of life come from Thy mercy and gracious kindness. All this we ask for Christ's sake.

Amen.

George T. Jester,
Corsicana, Texas

God's Minute

December 22

I have loved thee with an everlasting love.--Jeremiah 31:3

OUR Father in Heaven, we would praise and magnify Thy Holy Name. Thy love watches over us, protecting us from every kind of danger, and provides for our every need. Thou dost never fail us. We trust in Thee.

We have sinned against Thee in thought and word and deed, but we come with contrite hearts, confessing our unworthiness, and pleading for Thy forgiveness, through the merits of the shed blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

We thank Thee for all Thy good gifts to us, and we pray Thee to accept us and to use us as Thou canst. Bless each of us as we need Thy blessing. And, with us, bless all the ill, the sorrowing, the discouraged, the sinning, and all Thy needy ones. We would pray also for all those engaged in lowly or great tasks for the extension of Thy Kingdom in the hearts of men everywhere.

And now do Thou be with us in our daily task of hand or mind. May we be workmen in things material and spiritual of whom Thou needest not to be ashamed. Gather us home after while, without one missing. We ask it in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Rev. Stewart Winfield Herman,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

God's Minute

December 21

I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.--Psalm 69:30

GOD of all mercies, Saviour and Sanctifier of men, we worship Thee, the Triune God, and call upon our souls and all that is within us, to praise and magnify Thy Holy Name.

We confess our sins, but rejoice that they are constantly being blotted out by the blood of our blessed Lord, and because He is righteous, we who have our lives hid in Him are also righteous.

We come to Thy mercy seat with joy and thanksgiving, as we count our innumerable blessings, knowing that no good thing shall be withheld from those who love Thee and put their trust in Thee. As Thou hast delivered us from all perils, sorrows and trials in the past, so we are assured that Thou wilt keep that which we commit to Thee for the future. Enrich our hearts with Thy Word, that we may lead clean, holy lives, and have power to be winners of souls for our Master.

We pray for Thy rich grace to be upon our beloved in our home and elsewhere, and for the world which lies in sin, that Thy Kingdom may come, and Thy will be done, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

J.H. Jefferis,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Perspectives

From the TV listing:

"Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first woman she meets and then teams up with three complete strangers to kill again."

Would you be likely to sit down and watch a show like this? Me, either. Sounds like a gruesome sci-fi made-for-TV movie, doesn't it?

However, I think I can safely say that in all likelihood, 100% of my readers have not only watched this movie, but most would even say they love it.

You see, it's all in the perspectives.

When my computer crashed, it seemed a very bad thing to happen--inconvenient, expensive, and time consuming. All those things are true, but it hasn't been all bad. Having to re-build the computer (or at least pay someone who knows what he is doing to re-build it) and then re-install programs and hunt down documents and passwords and re-set preferences is may seem bad, but having the necessity opportunity to pick and choose and set things up in a more user friendly way is proving to be worth the effort. It all about how you choose to look at it. An expensive computer emergency or and opportunity to reclaim space and speed set up proper recovery and backup systems so that this never happens again. Not something I would ever have chosen, but something I, or at least my computer, needed.

That's the way it is in life, too. Sometimes the things that God brings into our lives seem painful, inconvenient, and not at all what we would choose for ourselves. But, with time and perspective, it's always just what we need, just when we need it.

Oh, and the movie?


















It's all in the way you look at it. . .

God's Minute

December 20

He shall save the children of the needy.--Psalm 72:4

O LORD, our Heavenly Father, we praise and magnify Thy Holy Name for all Thy loving kindness and Thy tender mercy which Thou hast bestowed upon us. Thou hast opened Thy hand and supplied all our wants. We thank Thee, O Lord, that when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly, that He might ransom our souls from sin and death, and give unto us eternal life. Grant, O Lord, that each one of us, now in Thy presence, may receive Christ Jesus as our eternal Saviour. We praise Thee, O God, for the gift of Thy Holy Spirit, Who tabernacles in our hearts, and Who takes of the things of Jesus and reveals them unto us day by day, moment by moment.

Grant Thy blessing, we beseech Thee, upon every member of this household, and upon all our loved ones, wherever they may be at this hour. We thank Thee that "in Jesus' keeping we are safe, and they." Remember in mercy, O Lord, any who are in distress at this time, in mind, body or estate. Comfort all who mourn. Let all the earth remember and return to Thee, O God; let all the kindreds of the nations worship Thee, in spirit and in truth. Grant unto us the forgiveness of all our sins, in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Rev. Charles George Smith B.D.,
Belleville, Ontario, Canada

God's Minute

December 19

"O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name."--1 Chronicles 16:8

LORD, our God, our Heavenly Father, we come into Thy holy presence as Thy children who would begin this day in Thy name. We thank Thee that Thou hast so revealed Thyself unto us, in Christ Jesus, that we know Thee indeed as our Father whose loving watch-care has been about us all our lives and in Whose keeping we have rested safely in the past night. We thank Thee for the new opportunities that are ours with this morning to which Thy grace has brought us. Make us willing to use this day to Thy glory and strong to so live among men that by word and deed we may bear witness that we are indeed Thine own. Cause us, therefore, to know Thy presence with us, as we go about our ordinary duties this day. Keep us from sin. Should temptations beset us, grant that in the power of Thy name the victory may be ours. And if this day should bring us to trials and sorrows, help us to meet them with courage and that trust in Thee which will cause every experience that life has in store for us to draw us into closer fellowship with Thee. Be with our loved ones and with all Thy children everywhere. Cause the hearts of men to seek Thee, and reveal Thyself in the fulness of Thy love to all who reach out unto Thee. Let the day soon dawn when men shall permit Thy love to right every wrong, and when truth and justice and love shall overrule all the affairs of men. We ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Saviour.

Amen.

Rev. Louis W. Goebel,
Chicago, Illinois

Yippee!

Yahoo!

One re-built computer and a new external hard drive later and I'm back! (not to mention the better part of two weeks!) I'll still probably be pretty scarce for a day or two while I re-install my programs and go searching in the back up folders to find my data and move it over, but it is nice to be able to check email again and post up the prayers without borrowing a computer!

I'll be answering my emails ASAP, too! Thanks for all the kind notes of encouragement. I missed you, too!

God's Minute

December 18

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcre.-Mark 16:2

OUR FATHER: The day brings with it joy and gladness, opportunity and privilege. Be Thou sharer of our joys; help us to see our opportunities; inspire us to magnify our privileges. Thou art the center and circumference of life. The sun gives no light, the sky has no star, the the landscape has not beauty, the flower has no fashion nor fragrance--without Thee. Be Thou our Sun, be Thou our Morning Star, be Thou the Lily of the Valley--the chiefest of ten thousand. Speak to us by whatever voice Thou canst reach us; only speak to us. Suffer no joy to make us forget Thee, no sorrow to make us curse Thee, no tears to blind our eyes to Thee. Come to us by whatever road Thou deemest best; only come to us. Give us that sweetest of experiences, the sense of fellowship with Thee. It is the consummate glory of our faith, the answer to our heart's desire. Push back the protruding world, hush its clamor, silence its call--and give us a gracious peace in this holy day. Carry us to the mount of vision; may we see Thy face. And as we return to the struggling life, may the glow of the Unseen be all about us, that the world may see, even though we know it not. With gratitude we come to Thee; with joy in a full salvation we greet Thee. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Rev. W.H. Geistweit, D.D.,
St. Louis, Missouri

God's Minute

December 17

O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come.--Psalm 65:2

MOST Gracious Father, from Whom all good gifts come, grant us, we entreat Thee, the gift we need above all others, Thy Holy Spirit to help our infirmities, that our worship may be purged from all unreality. We long to pray to Thee sincerely, but we cannot unless Thou dost cleanse our hearts from the dross of vain desire. Free us from selfishness in our prayers; deliver us from asking for those things that will minister chiefly to our earthly pleasure. Thou must inspire the petitions which Thou alone canst answer. We are conscious of our sinfulness, but cannot be truly sorry for our misdoings until Thou dost move us to honest contrition and unfeigned repentance. We would be grateful to Thee for the mulititude of Thy tender mercies, but it is not until Thou dost grant us a due sense of Thy goodness, and awaken within us sincere gratitude, that our cold hearts are ready to praise Thee.

Our love languishes and dies except Thy Spirit shall quicken it into a living flame. Our good deeds cry aloud to Thee for pardon, if Thou dost not inspire them and purify them by Thine own indwelling.

We would live the prayer life; we would learn what it is to pray without ceasing. To this end do Thou come and dwell within us, O Thou Spirit of Christ! We want day by day to glorify Thee, our Father, and to serve our fellows, even as did Jesus, Thy well-loved Son. In His Name. Amen.

S.P. Rose, D.D.,
Montreal, Canada

Dictionary Word of the Day

Pule. Now there's a word I've never heard. But I think I can relate:

pule \PYOOL\, intransitive verb:
To whimper; to whine.

Still no computer. It's "broke real good" as one of my kids once said when he was just a little guy. I'll try not to pule.

I won't promise not to pule.

God's Minute

December 16

If a man love me, he will keep My words.--John 14:23

ALMIGHTY GOD, our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Thy goodness, Thy loving kindness to us and to all men; for the health that gives strength, and for the sickness that bring patience; and most of all for the forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

We beseech Thee, give Thy guidance in what we ought to do and in the ways wherein we ought to go, and vouchsafe Thy grace to enable us to walk in them aright. Save us from being so busy as to forget Thee, or so contented as to feel no need of Thee.

Fill our hearts with grateful love of Thy dear Son, our Saviour and our King; and open our eyes to the light, and our souls to the grace of Thy Holy Spirit, that He may come in and take possession and work in us the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.

O God, be merciful to us sinners as we tread the dusty way of active life, and when the evening comes bide with us near, and give light for the way home, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Bishop Daniel S. Tuttle, D.D.,
St. Louis, Missouri

Congratulations!

Wow! I missed a wonderful bit of news while I've been without a computer!

Congratulations to my friend, Jill Why don't you go visit her and find out what her wonderful news is! And if you, like me, can't leave a comment on her blog, you can come back here and leave her a note in my comments.

Great news, Jill. I'm still grinning! : )

God's Minute

December Fifteenth

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; But made Himself of no reputation, in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name.--Philipians 2:5-9

OUR prayer to Thee, O Father, is in the name of Thy Son, Who forgave our sins on the cross. Help us by Thy Holy Spirit to separate ourselves from sin and enter in to the inheritance of Thy redeemed children. May we this day give the world spiritual blessing far more than we receive in material gain. May we realize that our saftey of soul and body is in Thee, and upon Thee we can depend for all our need. May we have a genuine love for all humanity, and seek the salvation of all people. May we be of real help to someone, and may all see in us more of Christ than they can see of self.

Unto God our Father, Christ our Saviour, and the Holy Ghost our Comforter, be all glory.

Amen.

Rev. James B. Ely,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm back

Well, sort of. My son, John, brought over his laptop for me to use until I get my computer back. Hopefully, I'll get it back tomorrow--Monday at the latest. For a while I felt a little lost without the computer, but I've managed to stay busy. My laundry is all caught up--amazing! : )

This morning I had a strange bout of double vision, which lasted for several hours. One of my friends asked me if I thought God might be trying to get my attention--first the computer crashed and then problems with my eyesight. No computer and no books. She said it in jest, but just before I started noticing the double vision, I had been reading two sermons by Jonathan Edwards; one on the Preciousness of Time and one on Procrastination. Both sermons are very convicting, therefore, I have not procrastinated in spending some time in self examination and in seeking God's direction for how I might best "redeem my time."

Here's a thought: what would you think if I should decide to use all Jonathan Edwards quotes for my weekly quotes in the coming year? His works are eminently quotable and provide much food for thought. So, what do you think? If you want to weigh in on this idea, leave me a note in the comments.

God's Minute

December 14

He shall. . .save them because they trust in Him--Psalm 37:40

OUR Father, as Thy children we, in this new day, hope for Thy presence and listen for Thy voice. That we may be sensitive to Thy touch and alert to Thy word, make us eager to know Thy will and resolute to do it. To know Thee in close intimacy is our need and our prayer.

In Thee is food for all our hungers; light for all our gloom; tasks for all our energies; love--warm, throbbing, sacrificing, to purge away our selfishness. This is our faith--make it our living experience.

Look in pity upon all the sons of men. Bring strife to an end. Establish righteousness in the affairs of nations. Help all rulers to decree justice. Let reason prevail, and love bind together the hearts of men.

Be our sufficiency all day. Be our defense if we are threatened by evil forces; keep us rigid when we are tempted; give us fresh inspiration when our purposes flag; keep us unselfishly, deliberately, eagerly kind all day, and when night falls may we have the consciousness of Thy favor, and the peace which passeth all understanding, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Wallace MacMullen, D.D.,
Madison, New Jersey

God's Minute

December 13

With my spirit within me I will seek Thee early.--Isaiah 26:9

OUR Father in Heaven, we call unto Thee because we have called before and Thou didst hear us. Come unto us, Lord, when all is dark, and when trouble weighs us down. Lift us up again, that we may praise Thee and smile in our hearts. For the labors of this day, give us free grace; for the hard road, the iron shoes of good resolution; for the hour that casts us down, calm us and lift us up again. Make us gentle, Lord, with our loved ones. May we never give way to harsh words or unjust thoughts. Lord Jesus, listen to our prayer as we confess our sins before Thy Holy Cross. May we meet the Man of Sorrows now while we bend before Thee, so shall our sins fade away, and our hearts rejoice with a new joy. May we be resigned to Thy will, no mater what we must yield. Gather this little family about Thyself as doth the bird when the storm falls. Cover us with Thy love, and protect us in the hollow of Thy hand. O Lord, give us the power to pray aright, for we pray in Thy might. At last, Gentle Shepherd of our home folks, gather us all to Thyself in the dear Homeland, when the morning breaks and the shadows flee away. And this we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

C.H. Woolston, D.D.,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of Commission

My computer is still out of commission. The repairman is coming on Wednesday, so until then Hiraeth will be on hold. I'll try to get the prayers posted if I can, but I can't come visit your blogs or answer email.

I'm hoping it's an easy fix. I can still get to all my files, (I think) but the start menu is empty and my firewall isn't loading so I'm just popping in and out.

I'll come visit you soon!

God's Minute

December 12

Pray now unto the Lord our God.--Jeremiah 37:3

WE THANK Thee, our Heavenly Father, for Thy care over us through the past night. We thank Thee for the Bible. Help us to understand it, to believe it, to obey it, and to love it. We thank Thee, Blessed Saviour, that Thou dist come from heaven to earth that we might go from earth to heaven; that Thou didst die that we might live. We thank Thee that Thou didst rise from the dead, ascend up on high, and dost ever live to intercede for us. We thank Thee that Thou didst say, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." We come to Thee. Have mercy on us. We have done wrong. Forgive us. We want to do right; help us. We are sinners; be Thou our Saviour. fill us with Thy Spirit; consecrate us to Thy service. Comfort the troubled; guide the perplexed; strengthen the weak; succor the tempted. Bless our country. Bless Thy Church everywhere, and bless all Christian workers. Fill the whole world with Thy glory. We ask all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for His sake we pray:

"God bless our going out,
Nor less our going in,
And make them sure.
God bless our daily bread,
And bless whate'er we do, whate'er endure,
May death unto His peace awake us,
And heirs unto His salvation make us"

Amen.

Richard Boyd Webster, D.D.,
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

God's Minute

December Eleventh

Then Thou shall call, and the Lord shall answer.--Isaiah 58:9

O THOU Who art so distant that no reach of our thought can compass Thee, and so near that we are apt to overlook Thee, hear our prayer. Our Saviour taught us to address Thee in the endearing names of our homes. We can call ourselves They sons, and we can call Thee our Father and our Friend. And we are not as unimportant as some time we seem, for if we are less than the child, to care for us Thou art more than the mother. As in spring days men walk in their gardens to see how their flowers and fruits are growing, so may we go through our souls to observe what the divine nature is bringing forth there. May we see much love, aspiration, hope, courage and other riches of Thy grace. Here we promise more faithfuly to cultivate the good seeds and eradicate the weeds. And our promise is not a passing wish, but we pray that it may be a consecrated purpose. Bless our country with strength for righteousness. Bless our homes with children that shall develop in integrity and usefulness. Forgive us for misemphasizing the things of time more than those of eternity. In all trouble, help us to say, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Aid us to hold within our thought and love and hope dear ones who have gone to their heavenly home. May we prepare for reunited fellowship with them, and unveiled communion with God, by nobler living. In our Master's name.

Amen.

Rev. John W. Langdale,
Cincinnati, Ohio

God's Minute

December Tenth

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God.--Exodus:8-9

(For Sunday Morning)

WE THANK Thee, O Lord, for the holy Sabbath, so full of blessings for Thy children. We adore Thee for this memorial of the precious work of our redemption, and type of the rest that remains for the people of God. Help us to keep the day holy. May we be richly blessed in reading thy Word, in listening to Thy Gospel, and in all the services of the holy day. Be with all ministers of the Gospel, and especially with those who preach Thy Word today. Bless our children, at home and in the Sabbath school. Give to the teachers the power to mold character and to guide the children along the path of the just. Comfort all that mourn, especially such as have not been allowed to attend Thy house today. Give us grace not merely to hear the Word, but to help in the spread of light and life over the world. Enable us to live nearer to Thee. May each Sabbath be a spiritual benediction to all They people. Look upon those who are yet sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. Send abroad Thy light and Thy truth into the benighted portions of our globe. Turn the nations from idols to serve the living God. Let the people praise Thee, let all the people praise Thee; and blessd be Thy glorious Name forever and ever.

Amen.

A.M. Mayo,
Lake Charles, Louisiana

God's Minute

December Ninth

Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.--1 Samuel 7:12

O LORD, our Lord, Creator, preserver and bountiful benefactor of men, in Whom we live and move and have our being, we adore Thee for Thy loving kindness and tender mercies. With shame in our hearts we confess before Thee our many sins. Our lives do not meet Thy requirements. Our footsteps have wandered from the pathway of rectitude. Our Father, look upon us in mercy, and do Thou be pleased to have pity upon us in our sins. Look upon Thy Son, Who died for us, and do Thou for His sake accept us as righteous before Thee. Grant that our sins may not only be blotted out of the book of Thy remembrance, but that by the power of the Holy Ghost we may be enabled to die unto sin, and to live unto righteousness. Comfort the disconsolate, cheer the saddened, bring friends to the friendless, teach the ignorant, give visions to trembling faith, set the star of hope in the overhanging clouds, and hurry the forces of truth towards the consummation of Thy kingdom. We can trust all to Thee. As our Shepherd, lead us today. As our King, defend us from the enemies that watch for our souls. As our priest, teach us the will of God for our salvation. O God, our Father, overshadow our pathway with Thy merciful providence, and let each one of us bear some part in the advancement of the Redeemer's glorious Kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

W.J. McMillan, D.D.,
Baltimore, Maryland

Quote of the Week

Christians are a body in whose truest interest lies in the exaltation of the Messiah's kingdom. Their charter is very extensive, their encouragements exceeding great, and the returns promised infinitely superior to all the gains of the most lucrative fellowship. Let then everyone in his station consider himself as bound to act with all his might in every possible way for God.

William Carey, An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Coversion of the Heathens

God's Minute

December Eighth

Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.--Luke 6:37

Our Heavenly Father, we turn for a little while at the threshold of this new day to be with Thee. Refresh us with a new vision of Thy face. Speak to us Thy will that we may do it. Make all the day cheerful by Thy presence and fellowship.

We thank Thee for life and work in such a beautiful world. Give us, we beseech Thee, that due sense of all Thy mercies that our hearts may be thankful, and that we show forth Thy praise not only with our lips but in our lives. Perfect us in love, that we may conquer all selfishness and learn how to pardon as we pray for forgiveness.

May our home life be sanctified today, and all the days, by the presence of the divine Guest. As we go out among men to do our work, touching the hands and lives of our fellows, make us friends of all--true representatives of Thine. Ballast our activities for the day with high purposes. Show us how to fill it with enriching service, that night may bring a peaceful pillow. Bless the home life of our nation, and all the nations. Let every palace, mansion and cottage in the whole earth become the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Amen.

Bishop H.H. Fout, D.D.,
Indianapolis, Indiana

Computer Problems

Just a quick note to let you know that I'm experiencing some pretty serious computer problems this morning. I was able to cobble on just now by using the Windows Task Manager, however, the computer is very unstable and seems to keep doing new, bad things, so if I don't answer an email or if you don't see me around for awhile, you'll know why.

It appears as though I have lost everything in my start up. Other goofy things are going on, too--no task bar, sometimes it wants to boot in safe mode, sometimes Windows boots but I can't access my programs without going through the task manager and sometimes nothing much happens but a dark screen. Sigh. . .

I have a call in to my computer repairman and he'll be coming by to take a look at it on Monday when we return home from our trip to Ohio. Eldest son, John, is staying at the house to take care of the pets while we're gone, so I'll see if he can post up the prayers using his laptop.

God's Minute

December Seventh

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if they be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:2

OUR Father, we thank Thee for Thy goodness to us during the night. Thou hast watched over us whilst we slept. Now we pray Thee to guard and guide us through this day. May Thy presence be with us. As our day, so may our strength be.

May Thy love be in our hearts and manifest in our conduct. Enable us to resist evil, to endure trial, to overcome difficulties, and in all things to do Thy will. Whatsoever our hands find to do, may we do it with our might.

Keep us from becoming discouraged. May Thy joy be our strength. May we not grow weary in well-doing. May Thy word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Keep our hearts and minds. May we think of the things which are pure and lovely and of a good report. Supply all our needs this day. Make all things work together for our good. We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

David McKinney, D.D.,
Cincinnati, Ohio

Thursday Photo Challenge: Car

Thursday Photo Theme
Car

Next Week's Theme:

Related Tags: Thursday Photo Challenge, photo

God's Minute

December Sixth

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.--Philippians 4:6-7

OUR Father, we bring home and hearts to Thee this day for the blessing which Thou hast planned for them. May there be in us nothing to hinder Thy coming, nothing to cloud the vision of Thyself, nothing to deaden the sound of Thy voice. We would open the ears and eyes within us to hear and see Thee; we would open the whole soul that Thou mayest come in. Come in, Father of us all, into our home, into our hearts.

Many things we need this day. One thing, best of all, is all that we ask; we ask for Thyself, and having Thee, we have all. Bless the home with Thy presence, and the sun shall shine through the darkest clouds of the sky; bless our hearts with Thy love, and no burden shall be too heavy for us to bear for Thee.

And then, out of a home where Thou dost dwell, may we take Thee in our hearts, in our lives, to bless our brethren wherever we go. In Thy name.

Amen.

Bishop Theodore S. Henderson,
Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Books of 2006

In the last couple of days I have collected two new book quotes that I wanted to share with my bookish friends.

To be a book-collector is to combine the worst characteristics of a dope fiend with those of a miser. --Robertson Davies

I don't think of myself as a book-collector--more of a bibliophile, but I must admit that I hope someone will "feed the beast" and I will get at least one book for Christmas this year.

And here is a funny one from the beloved Arnold Loebel:

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard gray hair and wrinkles by the time I read them.

Arnold inspired me to collect as many of the books I have read this year that I can remember and put my hands on and make a stack next to my reading chair. My pile doesn't go to the ceiling, but if I added all the books that I poked my nose into, reading just chapters at a time, and the ones I have forgotten, and the ones I have borrowed and returned, the pile would probably be half again as tall. (I have already thought of three books I didn't include in the "finished pile.")


The stack on the floor are books I have read this year. (I "read" the Lord of the Rings on CD so that doesn't exactly count, but I'm counting it anyway because I love it and I've held it in my hands and read it more times that I care to admit. I haven't read the entire Bible this year but I have read the entire New Testament, or will by the end of the year. I also haven't read the entire two volumes of Jonathan Edwards this year, but they are my constant companions, so they must be included.)

The two books on the ottoman are the ones I am reading now. The stack in the corner of the chair are the books that I bought but haven't read yet. The two on the seat of the chair are ones I started but never finished.

If you'd like to play along with me, make a stack of your books, take a photo (or post a list) and send me a link, here in the comments or by email. I'll link to your post. (Kim I KNOW you want to play along!)

Related Tags: quotes, books, book quotes

"Frango" Fudge

Those of you who live in the Chicago area know that Marshall Fields Christmas candy, Frangos, is legendary. Smooth, melt in your mouth minty chocolate fudge--heavenly.

I stumbled on this recipe by happy chance. I was making regular good old chocolate-with-walnuts fudge. I had the butter, sugar and evaporated milk boiling away on the top of the stove and all the rest of the ingrediants ready to go once I removed the pan from the heat--or so I thought. I had neglected to retrieve my chocolate chips from my baking stash. I pulled down my container of assorted chips and to my amazement, I had no semi sweet chocolate chips. I had every kind of morsel you could imagine: caramel swirl, raspberry swirl, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, red and green swirled Holiday chips and mint chocolate chips. I had to make a quick decision because a hot pan of sugar and milk was quickly cooling on the stove. I chose the mint chocolate chips. But there was a small problem. The recipe called for a 12 ounce bag and the mint chip bag only had 10 ounces. So, I added 12 milk chocolate Hershey Kisses to make up the difference, left out the nuts, and finished the fudge. And it was a hit. Tom took two or three plates to his office and they disappeared.

Here's the recipe:

3/4 c. margarine or butter (I use unsalted butter)
3 c. sugar
2/3 c. evaporated milk
10 oz. bag Nestles Mint chocolate chips
12 milk chocolate Hershey Kisses
1 7 oz. jar of marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix butter, sugar and milk in large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.

Continue boiling and stirring for 5 full minutes over medium heat. (or until candy thermometer reaches 235 degrees). Remove from heat.

Gradually stir in chips and kisses until melted. Add remaining ingrediants and mix well.

Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Cool and cut into small squares. Makes three pounds.

This is all that's left (well, except the piece I swiped after I took the picture!)

Related Tags: recipes, Holiday recipes, Marshall Fields, Frango, fudge

God's Minute

December Fifth

For now I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I hve finished my course. I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.--2 Timothy 4:6-8

OUR Father, we thank Thee for the revelation of Thyself in Jesus Christ our Lord. We thank Thee for Thy kindly care over us. We pray that the Holy Spirit may lead us into the light of truth. Give to us a larger vision of Thy glory and make us more faithful to Thee and to the needs of our fellow men. Teach us how to pray.

Give us more faith and love. Give us clearer vision to see the deeper meaning of Thy Truth. Bless our land, and Thy Church in all lands. Bless the young, the aged, the sick and the troubled. Fill our hearts with sympathy and hope. Let us live to be of service to Thee, and to our fellow men. Thine shall be the kingdom, the power and the glory, for we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

William M. Anderson, D.D.,
Dallas, Texas

Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Rebecca really knows how to have fun and get people involved! She has designated this Wednesday as "Christmas Recipe Round-up" Day--the day when she gathers together all the yummy Christmas recipes submitted into one place. Why don't you post one of your favorite Christmas recipes on your blog and send a link to Rebecca? Here's my recipe:


Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

This recipe is copyrighted by the Food Network, so you'll have to follow the link. These are gorgeous, delicious cookies. Rolling them up into pinwheels is a bit tricky but if I can do it, you can too! Need help? You can watch Alton Brown prepare these cookies on air Monday Dec. 18 at 7:00 PM ET/PT on the Food Network.

Related Tags: Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies, Alton Brown, Food Network, Christmas Recipe Round-up

My morning route. . .

. . .is no longer the shortest distance between my side of the bed and the coffee pot. It now starts with plugging in the Christmas lights. Sunroom tree, dining room tree, office tree (turn on computer), front porch tree, kitchen lights, coffee pot.

I'm getting good at finding the receptacle by feel because I like to plug them in in the dark and then, VOILA! Lights!

I tried to take a few pictures of the trees without a flash this morning. They didn't turn out great, but I'm sharing one with you anyway.


Related Tags: Christmas lights, Christmas traditions

God's Minute

December Fourth

My grace is sufficient for thee.--2 Corinthians 12:9

OUR Heavenly Father, we Thy children would bless Thee for the dawn of this new day, for we regard it as Thy gift to us. Help us, we humbly pray Thee, to use it wisely and well; conduct ourselves through all its hours that to some extent we may prove ourselves worthy of such a gift, and in it do something worth while, so that at its close we may feel we have not lived it in vain. For all the difficulties that may confront us, give us grace sufficient; for all the questions we may have to decide, give wisdom; and for all the temptations we may have to meet, give us overcoming power. Keep us all the day conscious of Thy companionship, and of the realities of the things unseen; may we increase in the knowledge of things that matter most, and understand better the things we now only know in part. Reveal Thy will more clearly to us, and may this day see that will better fulfilled in us. For all bound to us by the ties of nature, faith and love we pray; enrich their lives with every good, and use them in the furtherance of Thy most gracious will on earth. And very earnestly do we pray for the hastening of the day when among all peoples on earth Thy kingdom will come, Thy will be done perfectly. Hear us, we pray Thee, gracious God, for we pray in the name of Thy blessed Son, our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Rev. Lewis C. Hammond,
Cincinnati, Ohio

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of ev’ry nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child, and yet a King.
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious Kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit,
Rule in all our hearts alone.
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Written by Charles Wesley, 1745
Music by Rowland Prichard, 1830

Related Tags: Christmas Hymns, Come Thou Long-expected Jesus, Charles Wesley, Rowland Prichard

God's Minute

December Third

I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.--John 10:10

LORD Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our God, we thank Thee that as the day comes it opens our eyes to our consciousness of Thee. This is the deep, abiding joy of our life. We shall be satisfied, when we awake, with Thy likeness. The beholding of Thee brings to our sin-darkened hearts all the change from night to morning; brings to our dumb, dulled souls all the change from slumber to conscious life.

We would live this day as the children of light. We would be fully awake to the abundance of power which in Thee and through Thee is open to our faith in Thee. We would draw upon the full promises of Thy Word. Help us to know that the rich grace we now have from Thee constitutes only the first fruits of all Thou art ready to give. Wilt Thou thus supply us fromThy fulness in temptation, distress, difficulty, and arduous tasks. We would see Thee and live in Thee more fully.

We pray for all who know Thee not. Cause our lives to bear clear testimony for Thee and in all things to glorify Thee only. For Thy Name's sake.

Amen.

F.H. Knubel, D.D.,
New York, New York

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: Light

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

Theme: Light

Next week's theme: RED

Thanks for visiting my photo! It's a very busy day today, but I promise to visit you all tomorrow or Monday!

Related Tags: Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

Quote of the Week

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world - stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death - and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas.

--Henry Van Dyke

Related Tags: Quote of the week, quotes, Christmas quotes

God's Minute

December 2

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

OUR dear Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the rest, refreshment and safety of another night and for the light of another day. Thou art the giver of every good and perfect gift, and we give Thee our thanks for health preserved and life continued, and for another day with its opportunity of service. Give us stronger faith and confidence that we may go day by day, relying only on Thy sustaining strength and guidance.

Preserve us from temptation and sin, and grant that something of good may be accomplished by us during the hours of light, and that we may then find, as the day closes, that there have been some victories won and some development in our spiritual experience; and we do most humbly pray Thee that we may so spend all the days and nights of our earthly lives that when Thou dost call us hence, we may go into Thy presence shining and without shame, trusting only in the merit of Thy dear Son, our Lord, and this we pray for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Walter Duncan Buchanan, D.D.,
New York City

A view from my porch

If you look closely, you can see my neighbors--two of them--across the street with snowblowers. Notice, too, that our sidewalks are already done. Well, they were a half hour ago. We went out about 5:30 to work on the driveway and sidewalks. It was dark then. Over two hours later we finished up and we could probably start all over again.

Still snowing! I think I'm going to get plenty of practice with the snowblower today.

But isn't it lovely?

Related Tags: first big snow, snow blower, winter

God's Minute

December 1

I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee.--Isaiah 48:17

O GOD and Father of all the families of the earth, Thou art worthy of our daily love and constant gratitude. Thou knowest we can never be other than children crying to Thee for food, raiment, and shelter for our sustenance and protection. We stretch our hands toward Thee to be lead through paths we cannot know, beside which temptations lurk and snares are set. Deliver us, we beseech Thee, from the evil one.

Help us to appreciate our earthly family relations, established and wondrously blssed by Thee. Grant that our home may be kept in peace and goodwill among all of its members by that love for one another which casts out suspicion and fear. We consecrate it with all its interests to Thy care and service, that the yearning of our hearts for Thy approval and indwelling may bring to us godliness with contentment.

Today, in our family worship, we confess our sins that He Who is faithful may forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. As we go forth to our individual tasks, give us courage, strength, patience and that wisdom which cometh down from above, which is first gentle, peaceable, easily to be entreated, full of good works. All of these blessings we ask in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

President I.N. McCash, LL.D.,
Spokane, Washington