12 Pearls of Christmas ~ Pearls of Patience

Hello - I'm thrilled to announce the 2nd Annual 12 Pearls of Christmas! We've lined up several authors to share their Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along beginning today (Monday the 13th) through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling,  Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.


We are also providing this series as free content for your own blogs (as 12 html posts) - if you'd like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers email (amy@litfusegroup.com) and she'll send you the content.


AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post or any of the following 12 Pearls of Christmas posts (on any of the participating posts) to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year's Day! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Pearls of Patience

by Margaret Mcsweeney



As I write by the light of my Christmas tree on a late winter’s night, I reflect upon the poignancy and purpose of this season.  The tiny white lights look like strands of pearls draped gracefully (perhaps haphazardly is a more honest description) across the evergreen boughs.  Tomorrow I will hang the ornaments and at last place the angel atop the tree

Angels carry a special meaning this Christmas.  My brother, Randy passed away on December 2nd from a heart attack at age 53.  He was feeding a stray cat on his side porch.  Randy was always like St. Francis of Asissi – animals would find him, sensing a kind soul.  And my brother was a gentle and patient soul.  He loved to fish.  He tried to teach me, but I immediately lost interest when I realized worms were involved. And I could never sit still on the banks of a river and just wait.  However, Randy could do that.  He could wait, and waiting is a true gift.  He put into practice the Scriptures.  “Wait upon the Lord.”  “Be still and know that He is God.”  Patience doesn’t have to be passive.  Wait is still an action verb.  Part of the waiting process for fishing is seeking.  Elaine (Randy’s wife of 31 years) told me that Randy said he could see the fish deep beneath the waters.  He actively waited for the right time to catch them.

During Randy’s last fishing trip on earth – just a week before his death, he felt an urgency to take a picture of the clouds with his cell phone.  When he returned home, he showed the picture to Elaine.  They realized that a face of an angel was looking at Randy from the sky – perhaps waiting for God’s timing to bring Randy home to heaven.  In my heart I like to think that this “angel in the sky” was part of the heavenly host that appeared to the shepherds over two thousand years ago.  A Christmas Angel.

The Christmas Angels brought tidings of great joy that Jesus, our Lord and Savior was born.  And because of that incredible gift from God that these angels announced, we all have the promise of eternity. Let us actively wait for His return by sharing our faith, offering hope and acting with love in everything we do.

May each of you be blessed this Christmas as you celebrate the purposeful promises of the Season: Faith, hope and love.   And may the 12 Pearls of Christmas be a blessing to you, too.

 ~~~

About Margaret: Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. After earning a master's degree in international business from the University of South Carolina, Margaret moved to New York City to work at a large bank where she met David. Charity and community involvement are very important to Margaret. She is the founder and director of Pearl Girls. For more information please visit www.pearlgirls.info. Margaret is fast at work on several fiction manuscripts and her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

~~~

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!



12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas

Here's a sneak peak post of the 12 Pearls of Christmas series that I'll be hosting at my blog for the next few weeks! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS!  Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Did She Know?
by Anna Joujan

Mary, did you know . . . that your baby boy is Heaven’s perfect Lamb?  And the sleeping child you’re holding is the great I AM

I am in the middle of a revival of my used-to-be-annual project of a Christmas card sketch.  For several years, with a few years missed, I have done a sketch of some image of Mary the Mother of Jesus, something that came to my mind without complete awareness of why that particular picture was needing to be put to paper.  It was originally a simple pencil sketch that, once completed, I would have printed out into a set of cards that would go out to all my friends and family.  Along with the sketch, however, I have always had a verse that came to mind to signify the meaning of the drawing in my mind.  And so I have had images such as “Be it unto me according to your word,” as well as a more enigmatic one that went with “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me . . .”  But each one was important for that year of my life.  And so I would spend the necessary costs in order to produce and mail in relatively large scales, for my general penny-pinching tendencies.

This year I did not expect to produce a card.  The fact of my life lately as a boarding school librarian/teacher in Zambia, Africa, has made such projects feel rather far-removed from the realm of possibility.
And yet, I have had an image in my head for several months now.  I started to put it to paper, and I abandoned it for a bit, figuring it was a bit frivolous with all the practical work I had to do.  But then I picked it up again, and it is now nearing the stage of completion, hopefully to be completed with printing and mailing once I arrive in the U.S. for a holiday visit with family.

What I realized is that, frivolous though it may seem, it is actually quite important.  For women [especially Western women of faith], the holidays carry with them great amounts of expectation and stresses.  So much so that we often get swallowed up with the hectic pace and forget to soak in the meaning.  What is important for each of us, I believe, is to “pick and choose.”  We must resist the pressure to do what doesn’t not bring meaning for us.  And we must cling to those traditions and activities that promote an aura of true, Christ-centered celebration for ourselves and for our loved ones.

So this year, Lord willing, I will be sending out my cards—and enjoying every bit of it; and in case you wondered, Mary did you know . . .?  will be the theme

 ~~~

About Anna:  Anna G. Joujan was born in South Dakota, as a Canadian citizen, and was raised in Zambia, the child of missionary teachers.  Since her family’s move to the U.S., Anna spent her childhood and early adulthood traveling throughout the world thanks to various educational and work opportunities . . . France, China, Peru, and Jamaica being some of the stops in her journeys. Her undergraduate degree in French Literature led to a Masters in Information Sciences, and to work as a college and high school librarian, and a cross country coach. She has also returned to Zambia multiple times to teach for individual families and for local schools. All the while continuing pursuing her passions of writing, artwork, photography . . . and card-production.  You can find her online at http://annajouj.wordpress.com

~~~

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. One entry per person, per day. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Everything Christmas by David Bordon and Tom Winters

 

 

About This Book

Opening this book is like opening a box full of Christmas cheer.

Christmas is a time of celebration and wonder, a time to embrace longstanding traditions and establish new ones. It’s a time for meals made of memories and heartwarming stories shared around the fireplace. It’s a time for worship, reflection, and remembrance of God’s greatest gift.
Everything Christmas brings all the best ideas for the holiday season together in one volume. In this book, you’ll find your favorite classic Christmas stories and a few new ones destined to join them. You’ll discover the most delectable holiday recipes, enjoy the words to treasured hymns and carols, be encouraged by inspirational Christmas poems, and find renewed joy in the Nativity story. From decoration ideas to Christmas trivia and humor – it’s all here!

My Review

Our family, like everyone else, has our special Christmas traditions that we hold dear in our hearts that will be passed on for generations to come. And as such, it doesn’t hurt to add a new tradition when one presents itself.

I received a copy of Everything Christmas to review from and to be honest, I was expecting the a book that has what every other Christmas book of traditions has. But I must say that I was and still am presently surprised with the content in this book! It is beautifully illustrated in old worldly charm, there are stories of old such as The Wooden Shoes of Little Wolfe by Francois Coppee, Christmas In The Heart by Rachel Field and Harry The Singing Angel  by Robert Pengold plus countless others. There are personal stories like Unlikely Places by Cheri Fuller. there are recipes of new and old, Christmas carols of old, crafts, jokes, Santa stats, the history of Christmas, old Christian Christmas hymns and so very much more. Everything Christmas is a treasure trove of heartwarming traditions to add to the traditions of your family that will be loved and passed down for years to come. I highly recommend purchasing Everything Christmas because I guarantee that it will be the first book you take down off the bookshelf the day after Thanksgiving.

Tammy♥

**Disclaimer**

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"

Living With Confidence In A Chaotic World: What On Earth Should We Do Now? By Dr. David Jeremiah

 

Book Description

Practical instruction for living a confident life in a world filled with chaos and crisis.

In the New York Times bestseller What in the World Is Going On? Dr. David Jeremiah summarized ten prophetic clues that are coming true in our own generation. In light of these chaotic events, how can we continue to live a life of commitment and confidence? Looking through the lens of the same verses that speak of Christ’s return, Dr. Jeremiah now points us to the habits we must establish that will form a pattern for living with certain hope in our uncertain times. They include how to stay

Centered in Christ Committed to the Word Compassionate toward others Connected to the church Consistent in your walk Calm in your heart Certain of His coming Confident in your faith.

My Review

Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World will really get one to begin thinking about “what is really important” in today’s chaotic world. Dr. Jeremiah points to scripture, Gods word to help us curb our anxiety, panic attacks, depression and despair we all feel in this bad economy and the chaos we see on a day to day basis. He shows us through scripture that we can be calm, compassionate, constructive, challenged, connected, centered, confident, consistent, committed and convinced that as this world is fading, God’s word hold true.

We see it all around us, the decayed morals, integrity, honesty, respect and purity of this world. We ask “What has happened, what is this world coming to?” Dr. Jeremiah sys we need to get back into God’s word if we are to survive the world we know today. I totally agree with him; this world is LOST! We must dive into God’s word and begin living as He has commanded us how to live. Time is short, our world is just like the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, not becoming like but is as Sodom and Gomorrah before God destroyed it. I will say it again, I whole heartedly agree with Dr. David Jeremiah in his assessment of the world today and his solution on how we can cope in this fading world.

I found that this book is a very easy and understandable read. He has written it to be thought provoking, challenging and encouraging. I highly recommend everyone to read and apply this to your life as I have.

**Disclaimer**

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion from Thomas Nelson Company.

Making Friends Monday Blog Hop!

I love making new friends don't you? This is the second blog hop that I have participated in and I have to tell ya... They're FABULOUS!!! This hop is being hosted by Living On Love And Cents. Why don't you join us! I hope to see you on the hop!

Do You Realize Your Blessings

God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

Acts  13:34

I have been graciously invited to be a part of this BLOG HOP entitle "Do You Realize Your Blessings". I want to thank Angela for inviting me to participate in this hop.

There are so many blessings that God bestows upon me everyday, like being married to the best husband a girl could ever possibly dream of, all of our children and grand children but the biggest and most important blessing of all in my life is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for without Him, nothing in my life could have been possible. All of the people in my life have truly been gifts from God! I hope everyone will take time out to realize and count their blessings. 

Please hop around and visit all of the bloggers on this hop, we would love to here from you!

God's Blessings,

A Blessings Blog Hop Today And Tomorrow

I have been truly blessed in so many faucets of my life. And one of those blessings have been my ability to write reviews on my blog. I love the fact that I can put my opinions down in writing and that people from all over the world can read what I think of a product, book, movie, food and well, just about anything that I have a view point on. FREEDOM OF SPEECH!! That in itself is a huge blessing that I think we take for granted.


If you are a new visitor, please sit back, take a load off, grab a cup o' joe and read my views on some of the products I have reviewed tto date. I would love to hear what you think of my reviews and would love to have you subscribe.


I would also like to thank Angela over at CSAHM & Home-Schoolers Fellowship and MusingMom6  for the opportunity to join in on this Blog Hop.