Merry Christmas!

angle ornament Merry Christmas!

This year has been a tough one for our family and community. It is the busiest time of year with an added heap of sorrow on top.

But behold, a Savior is born, giving us comfort, peace, and hope.

Hope for those we’ve lost, hope for today, and hope for tomorrow.

All we need to do is trust and take one day at a time, one step at a time, and one verse at a time.

One verse that gets me from dark and dreary times of not wanting to put the Christmas tree up to plugging in those lights is:

May the God of Hope fill you with Joy and Peace as you trust in him. Romans 15:13. 

But I go one step further and personalize this passage.

May Carmen’s God of HOPE fill me with joy and peace as I trust in him.

Another treasure I lean on is the names of God:

Jehovah: The relational God. From the time of his creation and communion with Adam and Eve all he’s ever wanted is to have a relationship with us. That’s it! To walk with us and talk with us, to laugh with us and for us to share our dreams and secrets. To give our hearts to him so he can care for us. It’s that simple. He wants us to wake up and greet each other and commune through out the day.

What distracts you from him?

beaded ball ornament

Elohim Machase Lanu: God our refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God “Elohim” is our refuge “Machase Lanu”. Psalms 62:8

I don’t always run to God when I should. With my own hands I try and fix things and when that fails, I ask God for help and peace and comfort. Instead, running to him who is our refuge should be the first call of action. Then all I have to do is follow. And trust.

Faith is something we can’t see or feel, but do you notice we practice every day? You have faith you’ll wake up. You have faith your paycheck will show up and on time. You have faith your car will start each morning. Although I will confess with this cold temperatures lately, twice now my diesel truck didn’t start and I had to plug or re-plug it back in. Why should we try to comfort and protect ourselves when our Creator extends his arms out to us?

This Christmas is full of sorrow for my family and community as we’ve lost fourteen friends and family members this year. But thanks to the Creator, we can “choose happy”, as I always tell one of my granddaughters. We can put up the Christmas tree and plug in the lights.

We can also choose to walk with our Creator and be a light ourselves, choosing to spread joy and gratitude.

How will you shine your light this holiday season?

Merry Christmas and see you next year!

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14 Comments

  1. Thanks for giving new hope to my days. I always need a constant reminder that change is not the end of the world. Have a grand New Year!

    1. carmenpeone says:

      Happy New Year, Betty!

  2. Jean Sutton says:

    Love these words you expressed. On to 2017!
    Love, Mom

    1. carmenpeone says:

      Thank you, Brigid. Hope you have a great Christmas!

  3. Thank you so much for this Carmen. Beautiful and perfect word and needed encouragement. Love you and your/our whole family. Choosing to rejoice with ya!

    1. carmenpeone says:

      I’m glad you are encouraged. Love you too! ALL of you. Here’s to 2017, a much better year!

  4. Thank you for the trust and faith reminder. And Merry Christmas to you too.

    1. carmenpeone says:

      You are welcome, Gaby. Merry Christmas!

  5. Alice Trego says:

    A profound post, Carmen, and well-suited to the season. Merry Christmas to you and yours and may 2017 be a blessed one.

    1. carmenpeone says:

      Thank you, Alice. Merry Christmas!

  6. You’ve given us some good thoughts and things to think about, Carmen. Merry Christmas to you and your family. And blessings for the coming year.

    1. carmenpeone says:

      Thank you, Mary. Merry Christmas to you!