The Christmas Story

Long ago, about 2000 years, when King Herod ruled Judea (now part of Israel), God sent the angel Gabriel to a young women who lived in the northern town of Nazareth. The girl's name was Mary and she was engaged to marry Joseph.

The angel Gabriel said to Mary: 'Peace be with you! God has blessed you and is pleased with you.' Mary was very surprised by this and wondered what the angel meant. The angel said to her 'Don't be afraid, God has been very kind to you. You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby boy and you will call him Jesus. He will be God's own Son and his kingdom will never end.' Mary was very afraid but she trusted God. 'Let it happen as God chooses.' She replied to the angel. Gabriel also told Mary that her cousin, Elizabeth who everyone thought was too old to have children, would have a baby boy whom God had chosen to prepare the way for Jesus.

Mary said goodbye to her family and friends and went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. Elizabeth was very happy to see Mary. She knew that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son. An angel had already told Zechariah that Elizabeth's baby would prepare people to welcome Jesus. He was to be called John. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home to Nazareth.

Joseph was worried when he found out that Mary was expecting a baby before their marriage had taken place. He wondered if he should put off the wedding altogether. Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: 'Don't be afraid to have Mary as your wife.' The angel explained that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son and told Joseph that the baby would be named Jesus which means 'Saviour' because he would save people. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel had told him to do and took Mary as his wife.

At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived was part of the Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor Augustus wanted to have a list of all the people in the empire, to make sure they paid their taxes. He ordered everyone to return to the town where their families originally came from, and enter their names in a register (or census) there. Mary and Joseph travelled a long way (about 70 miles) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because that is where Joseph's family came from. Most people walked but some lucky people had a donkey to help carry the goods needed for the journey. Joseph and Mary travelled very slowly because Mary's baby was due to be born soon.

When they reached Bethlehem they had problems finding somewhere to stay. So many people had come to register their names in the census, that every house was full and every bed was taken in all of the Inns. The only shelter that they could was a stable or cave with the animals. In this poor place Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God. In those days it was the custom to wrap newborn babies tightly in a long cloth called 'swaddling clothes'. Jesus' bed was the manger that the animals ate their hay from.

In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night. As the new day began, suddenly an angel appeared before them and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, 'Don't be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.'.

Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The shepherds heard them praising God singing: 'Glory to God in highest, and peace to everyone on earth.' When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.' So the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus was lying in a manger as they had been told. When they saw him, they told everyone what the angel had said and everyone who heard the story were astonished. Then the shepherds returned to their sheep, praising God for sending his Son to be their Saviour.

When Jesus was born, a brand new bright star appeared in sky. Some Wise Men in faraway countries saw the star and guessed what it meant. They were very clever men that studied the stars and had read in very old writings that a new star would appear when a great king was born. They set out to find the new king and bring him gifts.

The Wise Men followed the star towards the country of Judea and when they got to the capital called Jerusalem they began to ask people: 'Where is the child who is born to be king of the Jews?' Herod, the king of Judea, heard this and it made him very angry to think that someone might be going to take his place as king. Herod sent for the Wise Men to come to him. He told them to go on following the star until they had found the baby king. He said: 'When you have found him, let me know where he is, so that I can go and worship him.'. But Herod did not tell them that he really had an evil plan in mind to kill the new king.

The Wise Men followed the star towards Bethlehem (where it said that the king would be born in the old writings). It seemed to stop and shine directly down upon the place where Jesus was.

The Wise Men entered the house where they now lived and found Jesus with Mary, they bowed down and worshipped him. The Wise Men spread the the gifts they had brought before Jesus. The gifts were gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Wise Men were warned in a dream, by God, not to go back to Herod. So they returned home to their countries in the East by a different way.

When the Wise Men had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. 'Get up,' the angel said, 'take Jesus and Mary and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for Jesus to kill him.' So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary during the night they left for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died.

When Herod realized that he had been tricked by the Wise Men, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys aged two or younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. This was to try and kill the new King, as his plan to find the location of the new king from the Wise Men had failed.

After Herod had died, Joseph had another dream in which an angel appeared to him. The angel said, 'Get up, take Jesus and Mary and go back to Israel, for those who were trying kill Jesus are dead.'

So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary and they went back to Israel. But when he heard that Herod's son was now king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. So instead they went to Galilee, and lived in their old town of Nazareth.

31 Things About Me

And so I thought... I may as well put it in a blog. Why just have it on facebook?

1. I am a night person through and through. No matter how much I try to reverse it, I always feel better being up at night and sleeping during the day.

2. I'm a black and white thinker in a grey world. This causes me much stress, stress that is either black or white, I might add. LOL

3. There's no place like home... I just don't know where that is. Being 'rootless' is a chore. (see #2) haha

4. I'd sooner ask a complete stranger for help than someone I know. I think it's because I believe people keep score. Not sure where I came to believe it, but that is most likely why.

5. If I had three wishes I would most likely waste two of them on stupid things like money or security of some sort. But the FIRST wish would be to walk in God's shadow always. I'd like to think I could walk in His light, but I am sure it would be too bright for me. Besides... there is something comforting about the warmth and darkness of the shadow. It's an old feeling that fits just right.

6. I'm all about respect. It seems to be an old fashioned notion in a new-fangled world and that's a shame.

7. I'd love to have gossamer wings for one day and fly above the trees to see life in a different perspective.

8. Just once I would like to know that I am perfect just as I am. I get glimpses now and then, but oh how fleeting those moments are. I'd like it to be a feeling that would last for hours so I could feel it to the marrow.

9. If I could be with anyone living or dead for just one day I would have to say it would be Jesus. I'd like to know how someone could deny Him or 'forget' about Him. I know the apostles did... I'd just like to know HOW that could happen. But then I wonder... could I live with knowing I did after the fact?

10. I love reds and golds and deep, dark greens. All the other colors have their place, yes, but I love the warm colors.

11. Daisies are my favorite flower.

12. The older I get the more I realize that life is so very precious. It isn't about what I can accumulate any more. It's about what I can accomplish. There is so little time to do all I want to do.

13. Except for white, there isn't a chocolate that I don't love.

14. For every prayer I have uttered there are 100 I should have said.

15. I was a mess until I found God. Funny thing about it was that He wasn't lost, I was. Even now though I can still turn my life into a rope and pony show. The difference is that I know I am not alone any more.

16. What if I woke up one day and I wasn't really awake? Like maybe I was in a coma or had Alzheimer's? Would I know? Could I tell that things were different for me? I wonder about such things.

17. I love most people most of the time. I just don't like some of them. That makes me feel strange sometimes... like I'm a bad person or something. I try and I pray on it. Maybe I'm not as bad about it as I think I am. I am my own worst critic after all.

18. Where exhilaration meets danger... I like that place. I've always wanted to jump out of an airplane or drive waaaaaaay too fast.

19. I'd like to think of myself as 'informed woman of the world.' But deep down I know I am a scared little girl just wishing everyone would like me and accept me. How human huh?

20. I always wondered why Frank L. Baum chose flying monkeys for the servants of the Wicked Witch of the West. As a kid they scared me. As an adult I think he may have had some serious issues. LOL As a writer I can only hope to measure up to that.

21. When I'm in that stage just before I actually fall asleep, I sometimes feel as though I fell out of bed and then just got right back on it. But it's a quick action that takes less than half a second. It always gives me a start and makes my heart race.

22. I believe that if the warmth and love that is found between Thanksgiving and Christmas was reversed to the time span between Christmas and Thanksgiving that this would be a better world to live in.

23. I can spell the alphabet backwards faster than I can frontwards.

24. My favorite car is the 1957 Buick Roadmaster Convertible. Call me crazy, but that's when cars were cars and not cookie cutter shoeboxes.

25. Music, children and animals are the things that consistently drive me to tears.

26. My experiences have not been my best teachers. They have been my ONLY teachers.

27. Physics says what goes up must come down. I find that doesn't apply to age and weight.

28. When I am gone I want to be remembered for being kind.

29. When I can define a feeling as fear, I know it is the very thing I MUST face and challenge.

30. Laughter is a great healer. I love to laugh and do so every chance I get... but never at someone else's expense.

31. My name is Sally Rose and the most important thing I could ever say about me is that I AM A CHILD OF GOD.

　

Donut Falls

Quiet time at the homestead. I like that time. The sun just came up and the fog has burned off. The birds are bantering about something or another. And I see the cats chasing butterflies, fruitlessly but persistently.

Grace hasn't spoken a word. I'm somewhat relieved. I suppose if she had something important to divulge she would. But for now we just sit and quietly gaze at the coming day with all its promise.

I found this picture of one of your awesome creations, God. Donut Falls it is appropriately named. And my mind wanders. "I'd like it better if it was donuts fall." (I think I'm hungry, huh?) The only thing better than the picture would be to actually be there when dawn arrives.

Ahhh, the things I think about when I am in the presence of Grace. Thank you for listening, God. Talk to you later. Have a Great Day. I sure will.

Just Checking In

Good Evening, God.

I've been thinking a lot lately, but then you know that. Sitting with Grace does that. And it never ceases to amaze me how the mind works.

I was just outside on the porch. It was raining softly and there was a slight breeze finding its way through the leaves on the trees. I looked down and saw the kittens peacefully dreaming their little kitty dreams. One's foot twitched as it chased a butterfly or mouse. Another was coming awake from hearing me out there.

Then I could hear the rain coming down a little harder. There seemed to be a rhythm to it. I thought, "No, it's just your imagination." But I wasn't entirely convinced that it was imaginary.

Suddenly a pretty brisk gust of wind came through the screen and along with it came a few drops of rain. When it settled on the cats they flew out of the box. I couldn't help but laugh, but they sure didn't think it was funny.

And then the thought generator kicked in so I became consumed by the process.

I called each one by name. Nothing. So I tried again and again. Nothing. I spoke out loud to them, "Why you ungrateful clumps of fur! Only yesterday you were snatched from the brink of homelessness and this is how repay me?" Nothing. (Yesterday the other six were taken to the shelter. Nine was just too many.)

So tell me, God, why do cats ignore us? It's like talking to a post. I suppose I will never have an answer to that, but seeing I was talking to you I thought I would ask.

And by the way, do ants sleep? The reason I ask is that at 2AM they were busy working on trying to move one piece of cat food that the furballs missed. There must have been 100 of them pushing and pulling. I made sure to steer clear of them after what happened not too long ago. Oh yeah, and while I'm thinking of it - Thanks for sending that angel when I was bitten by those fire ants. He told me to use meat tenderizer on them and the stinging would go away. Sure enough, it worked! I have to tell you though, I felt really stupid applying it.

As I was reminiscing about that a bolt of lightning skidded helter-skelter across the sky. I waited for the thunder but it was pretty far away. And that got me thinking even more.

You made the rainbow curve in a perfect arc. You could have made it any shape you wanted. Why did you pick the circular shape? Is it a subtle message that you can get there from here? That maybe it's not a straight line, but it's doable? I don't know.

The way my life has been I would think a promise coming from you would come in that zig-zag pattern of lightning like Ws strung together like this... WWWWWWWW. Or maybe a spiral - how symbolic is that? It would seem more accurate.

But then you are the Creator and I am just an innocent bystander in awe. I have to say though, the arc is pleasing to the eye, not to mention easier for school children to draw. I'm sure you know more than I do. I just don't really want to think about curvature of the earth and light refraction. That takes all the wonder out of it.

And speaking of awe and wonder, I saw some pictures about scientists who have created cube-shaped watermelons. The article mentioned that they were easier to transport and store due to the fact that they don't roll around. They also 'created' heart and pyramid-shaped ones too. They ARE interesting, but it just doesn't seem right that someone spliced the genes or fooled around with the DNA. To me DNA stands for Do Not Adapt. Who are we to be rearranging anything you create?

Just then another breeze came in and when I looked for the kittens they had moved to the top of the workbench out of the rain's reach. I saw the leaves moving to and fro. Some have changed colors and will soon drop to the ground. In the Spring they will replaced with new ones. Is that why so many babies are born? Because the older people keep dying? That sure makes sense to me. Maybe it's as simple as you are not done creating yet. What would I know?

Well, that's about it from me for now. Just thought I would check in with you and tell you how grateful I am for my life straightening out a bit. It was nip and tuck for a while. But even then, YOU knew better. I just wish I was better at this faith thing. So do you think you could help me out with that? I'll be checking in with you again real soon, God. Take care of all my friends. Thanks... You are an Awesome God... You make me smile.

So I Don't Dance

As I dance merrily down the road of life it is comforting to know that I am in the fold, a child of God.

OK, so I don't dance, I shuffle. And maybe sometimes I grudgingly trudge the road of happy destiny.

But it is days like this that I know I am a Child of God. I don't have to question that. Yet still I pinch myself wondering if I am truly awake. Could this possibly be true? Time will tell. It always does.

And though I mutter and moan, and stutter and groan, it is always an epiphany to me when You come to take me by the hand, God, and let me know that, indeed, You were listening the whole time... not only to my prayers, but to those that were lifted up on my behalf by others.

Re-energized and hopeful I say, "Let the adventure begin!" I will go where you point me. Please forgive my doubts. How truly Great Thou Art...