Christmas Season thoughts

"I reduce who I can be as a wonderful creation of God when I limit myself to what others think I should be."- Mark Brown
The quote above was posted on the WORD facebook page tonight, I thought it was so convicting! Yes I am reducing who I am when I change myself to be what others want me to be instead of who God wants me to be! I am His creation, I am supposed to be a child of God, not a child of this world. Thanks for the reminder Mark!
Hope you all are having marvelous month of December! Its flying by for my family and I! This is a photo from a Christmas gathering last December at dear friends house. I love the Christmas season, I have not been taking as many photos as I would like of all the festivities around here, but hey life goes on even if blogging does not. :) We had a christmas recital today, I played duets with my mother and 3 piano solos, my sister and mother played harp duets. I have a vocal lesson and am once again inspired to sing for the Lord and His glory alone. My teacher always inspires me to sing for the Lord every time I have a lesson. The Lord kept me safe as I drove in the rain without my eye glasses. I am getting a new perscription tomorrow Lord willing. We are driving to another state thurday to get our beef order from friends and visiting friends. Then saturday we have a ladies christmas tea at our church and a swing dance that evening and Sunday church and a Christmas social at our house. The Lord is good to us I am realizing even in the all the busyness. I praise Him that He speaks to me even in the crazy season of Christmas. Praise God He has helped me to realize that even in a busy world we still need to stop and ask for help from the God of the universe.
This verse range through my head today, " I lift my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and earth." Praise God that whenever we ask for His help he is there, the God of the universe, the creator is there! He says whoever crys out to Him He will answer, yes he answers prayer, he always does, even if its no or wait. These are my thoughts today even through all the hustle and bustle of the season. Praise God for our Savior who is gracious to us even if we may forget him for a few minutes, He does not forget us.

In Christ,
Rebecca

Don't Curl Up in a ball.....

when you don't want to deal with conflict whether it be inside your soul against the flesh or with other people! This picture reminded me of the many times these past years that I have just sat in the corner curled up in a ball and given up instead of dealing with the conflict. When someone asks you whats wrong when they are trying to help don't say," nothing." Deal with it!

"God's highest purpose is not to make you comfortable, wealthy, or happy. If you have put your faith in him, he has something far more wonderful in mind- he plans to conform you to the likeness of His Son! He began to change you the day you put your trust in him, and he will continue this process throughout your life. Coflict is one of the many tools that God will use to help you develop a more Christ-like character. To begin with, he may use conflict to remind you of your weakness and to encourage you to depend more on him(2 Cor. 12:7-10). The more you rely on his grace, wisdom, and power, the more you will be imitating the Lord Jesus(Luke 22:41-44)." - from page 37 in The Peace Maker by Ken Sande

In Christ,
Rebecca

The blessings of this past year

Hey everyone! Here are some photos from the past year of my families lives. The Lord changed my life so much this past year in so many ways! We found a good new church that is teaching the Word as well as a great encouragement to us. We also started our own reenacting group. We helped with colonial and war of 1812 reenactments as well. I was able to start college plus and am Lord willing starting my own home business. Dreams of my mine have come true such as doing family Bible study regularly as a family. Daddy had it put on his heart from the Lord. Praise God!

I have also done something that has been a goal of mine for a long time. I have been learning to drive! I have been able to help out and drive my parents and sister places now that I can drive. Praise the Lord. I just need to get my liscense and that will be a even bigger blessing. Praise God for His protection as driving can be scarey and dangerous.

 We found so many new friends that have encouraged us on the path of Christ! I had prayed for friends who were also one in Christ! The Lord never forgets His childrens hearts desires. As I remember from Psalm 42 He really does fulfill our hearts desires. He gave us a church home as well fulfilling the 3rd desire of my heart.

 

 My father bought my mother and I a grand piano. that was a blessing from the Lord! this photo was it being delivered! It was used so it was a great price. We love playing it and it has been a blessing as another desire of my heart has happened. And its only from the Lord! I have played the piano for my church during our worship service on sunday morning! I am going to play every few months and I love it!

 Our friends got married December 2009 actually but it was in december and practically the new year. So I added this photo in! :)

 Beth and I and our great aunt planted a garden in our front yard last spring. Here we are in action putting the bushes in the front garden.

 I was able to be in the Patrick Youth choir until June when I graduated from homeschool high school. I loved it and made many wonderful friends.

 Bethany and I and our parents were able to participate in the army of chivalrous christian soldiers homeschool reenactments of the civil war. It was great fun. Here is a photo of the two of us below. WOW! was that really almost a year ago?!

 Bethany and I graduated from high school by our parents homeschooling us for 7 years! It was a blessing to be able to have our photo done by our great friend in Christ Lindsey W. below. She is so talented! We celebrated by going to williamsburg with our friends and Grandpa all the way from Alaska.

 We participated in 3 colonial living history events through the Bonnets and Bayonets organization. It was great fun and Williamsburg gave us much inspiration for sewing up our dresses and caps and such. I had fun sewing my first outfit inside and out all by myself! I even made my stays! It was hard, but great fun! I was proud when it was done. But my cap was made by Sarah Jane over at Romantic History blog. Do read her blog if you love historical clothing!

 My sister, mother, and I and friend below and above. I am in the lavendar gown. My sister is in the maroon gown and my mother is in the striped jacket. I made my mothers cap as well.

 We had a huge snow as well last february! We had over 3 feet! that was memorable!

 My sister and I celebrated my 19th birthday in our new to us A-frame tent for my birthday. We had food and lots of books and spent the night there and watched Persusasion on my laptop. We had access to it on youtube because we slept in the backyard and had wi-fi access. :) It was great fun and we knew so little what the Lord would do after we got a tent. We did not even have our reenacting group together yet. So glad it came together by His will alone!

We made a quilt for our friends that got married. You can see it below.

 I finished a civil war paletote(coat) and even finished the trim this past november.

 I made a wool modern coat with the help of friends and its kept me so warm this december! I am in love with it!

 I switched to no shampoo method of washing my hair in august 2010 and I love it! I am using only baking soda and water for my shampoo with some lavendar essential oil along with apple cider vinegar for my conditioner.

Below you can see my first knitting project. In August Bethany started to teach me how to knit. I love it and have made 3 scarves for friends and my mother so far. I am going to have some things in my etsy shop this January Lord willing for sale as well.

 My sister and I ran the sue gregg cookbook booth at our local homeschool convention in June and loved it! We love her books and enjoyed immensely telling others about it. We also graduated at the HEAV convention here in VA as well.

I was so excited to finish my first quilt for myself! :) We had been doing so many quilts for friends that I had not done one for myself. So it was fun to do this Ohio Star quilt this past year while watching the winter olympics and get it done. I also use it at civil war reenactments in our tent. My cat Oscor loves it too! :)

I received my christmas gift early this year in November and now I am the proud owner of my own sewing machine. I had been using my sisters. But I love my Janome Magnolia.

I completed my 3rd civil war dress. This was my first time working with a more expensive fabric though. Its a wool and silk blend navy blue plaid dress. I adore it and loved wearing it 4 times this past october and december. It was quite warm! :)

 Here is a picture of our first event in May as a reenacting group below. Our tents all set up.

Me playing the piano here at home. Well God bless everybody! We have had a busy week and our sewing room has been reorganized. I can't wait to post pictures! Its starting to be beautiful again and organized and not so cluttered and messy. I love that! But its too tempting when I am supposed to be studying for clep exams for college. :)
God bless and I hope you can find things to improve on this coming year and be thankful for all the things the Lord has given you to learn, do for His glory, and see that you can do differenting! I really have seen the Lord work in my life this past year more than ever before in my short life. He is amazing! I will leave you with these words.

" I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom, but I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death, and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom. " From the song How Deep the Father's Love for Us by fredrick W. Faber

We sing that song at my church often and it reminds me that I did none of this past year without my Lord. I did not learn new things, see His glory by my strength! He is so good! may you all see that as you go on to this new year! Be blessed in Him alone!

In Christ,
Rebecca

Shocking quote?!, well not really :)

Hi everyone,

Yes I know my blog has been pretty still between posts I have done about living history events and family trips, but I have been quite busy with college, family, realizing that blogging is not first priority and getting ready for another reenactment this friday as well as learning to drive. So yes I have been quite busy.

I came across this quote below today while re-reading Verses of Virtue by Elizabeth Beall Phillips. A friend of mine was reading it and did not understand what some of the quotes and poetry meant. So I wanted to re-read it so I could explain to her some of the quotes and poetry. This young lady I am not sure knows very much about femininism or what Biblical womanhood is all about. So I wanted to be able to give her my opinion of the book properly by reading it again. I also was reading Alyssa's blog post about feminism and it reminded me of the quote I read today below.

But I came across this strong quote below that I did not expect. Queen Victoria I never knew was against feminism, but in the new movie about called The Young Victoria she seems to go from relying on herself to being her husbands helpmate. So thats encouraging. This quote determined my opinion of her as being a woman again "womens rights".

photo credit

"I am most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of "Women's Rights," with all its attending horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feelings and propriety. Feminists ought to get a good whipping. Were woman to "unsex" themselves by claiming equality with men, they would become the most hateful, heathen and disgusting of beings and would surely perish without male protection.
I love peace and quiet, I hate politics and turmoil. We women are not made for governing, and if we are good women, we must dislike these masculine occupations." -Queen Victoria, 1870 from the book Verses of Virtue by Bealle Philips

Now just to make my opinion very clear. I do not want to slap anybody in the face and I would not go about expressing my opinion on the subject of womens roles in society and the church in the way Queen Victoria did, but I agree with her. If you asked in the comments section or in real life I would be very clear, but I would not say you must believe what I believe or all feminists should be whipped for their opinions. Frankly, all of us have fallen short of the glory of God and sinned despite our opinions on womens rights we are all sinners. Therefore I should have been killed for my sins just like any other human being on this earth, but Jesus died for all of us instead.


We can see though in Scripture that the woman will have a desire to be in the role that her husband or men are in after the fall. " Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you." Genesis 3:16. The Lord said this to the women, so me this is the first instance in history where the women as we can see would have a desire for a feminist mind set and not a godly mindset for her role in serving the Lord.

So that said, I believe that women have different roles in life and the church from men. I believe that women are not made to govern, I believe its between every father and daughter, and every husband and wife as to if the women in a family should vote or express their opinions in politics in that way. I myself do vote and I vote for whom my father is voting for to respect him. This is what my family does, I am not saying you must do what I do. But from what the Bible says and what God has told me I am abiding by His Word that women are different from men, but under God we are both sinners in need of Him as our Savior. Therefore both men and women have equal rights under God. One is not better than the other in Gods eyes. So we both can have communion with our Savior and serve Him, but we serve the Lord in different ways. I believe that men should be the pastors, elders and deacons in churches because this is a representation of the Gospel message. It represents Christ and how He sacrificed Himself for the church. This analogy sums up for me womens roles in the church and society.

Also do go and read Isaiah chapters 3 and 4 if you want to see prophesy about feminism and how it would become what it is starting to look in the 21st century all around the world. It really suprised me and I am not sure why when I realized what these two passages in the Word were about. It should not though as the Lords Word is our guide for our lives and He addresses everything we need to be able to see His Truth, even feminism and womens roles.

So this is a topic I have not expressed about before on this blog, but I felt it was a topic that is really needed to be discussed on my blog. I want to start blogging more about controversial topics and the Bible even more. I still do not have a camera, so I felt that after discussing it with my sister and good friend and other people and reading the Word about it I would post my opinion. Again this is my opinion and if you believe differently you can express that. I am not pushing anyone to believe what I believe, just sharing what the Lord has shown me in my study of the Scriptures and societys views on womens roles.

On a lighter note these verses from Philippians have really encouraged me this past week through some tough days.
" Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice, Let your reasonableness be made known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:4-7

The Lord is guarding my heart even though its been attacked and I am at peace because the Lord how knows all and surpasses all understanding is the Lord of my life. He is my sercurity and my strong hold in times of trouble. He is the way to go through this life. Praise the Lord for His comfort and peace!

May God bless you all and I pray you all would comment and express your opinions on womens roles in the Church and society. What has the Lord revealed to you about your role and how to serve Him?

In Christ,
Rebecca

Week in feminine dress Day 3

Hey everyone!

Well I forgot to post my outfit for yesterday. But over at the sense and sensibility forum, they are doing a week in feminine dress, where you wear feminine and modest clothing for a week. Even though I already strive to do so, I thought I would share with everyone what I am wearing. So here it todays outfit.

The outfit I posted on monday was day 1 of the challenge. hehe and you can see my closet behind me! its pretty organized. I spent a while yesterday fixing it up some yesterday. I had put away some sweaters that I had to get back out since it turned cold today.

The yellow sweater is the gap brand, but I got it for free when I was helping with a christian clothing drive at my church. I love helping people get their own clothing and it was fun to be able to go through clothing and get what I wanted after the event was over. I found a lot of gems!


I love love love this necklace!!! Ashley Nicole over at bramblewood fashion posted about her own and I then fell in love with it! :) My aunt and uncle gave it to me for my birthday in april.

My skirt is from new creation apparel, which you can see the link to under my favorite links at the bottom of my blog.

I also wanted to share some poems that I found this week that I thought were loving and uplifting.

"Be with me Lord, where e'r my path may lead;
fulfil thy word, supply my every need;
Help me to live each day more close to thee.
And, O dear Lord, I pray abide with me.
In all I think or speak or do,
Whatever way my steps are bent,
God shape and keep me strong and true
Courageous, cheerful, and content."

-unknown from the book,"Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul" compiled by Mudge

"Give me this day a little work to occupy my mind;
A little suffering to sanctify my spirit; and
dear Lord, if thou canst find
Some little good that I may do for thee
I shall be glad, for that will comfort me.
Mind, Spirit, hand, I will lift all to thee."

-unknown from the same book

God bless and have a wonderful tuesday!

In Christ,

Rebecca

All photos are the property of Lindsey Mae and Rebecca Ann and may only be used with permission.

A Singer's main goals by Spicker

"The singer must be guided by his intelligence and his will; the more he is able to master, the more intelligent will his vocal interpretation become, totally eschewing all artifically or unnatural "forcing". A singer ought never to overstrain the natural power of his voice, but must always husband his strength. Only when the strongest emotion or most voilent passion is to be protrayed, or height of dramatic effort is to be reached, should he display the entire natural power of the voice." - by Max Spicker New York, January, 1896

this passage in the Spicker book of exercises really encouraged me in my vocal studies this week. I have also been reading about the diophram as well as the other muscles used for singing and breathing. It is so interesting and enlightening! I pray that the Lord will help me to use my voice for His glory alone and that I will be able to set forth my passion and love for the Lord through my singing no matter the peice I am singing.

God bless,
Rebecca
Photo is the property of Lindsey W. and may not be taken from my blog without permission. thanks.

The Clear Vision and other quotes

The Clear Vision

"Break forth, my lips, in praise, and own
the wiser love severly kind;
Since, richer for its chastening grown,
I see, whereas I once was blind.
The world, O Father, hath not wronged
With loss the life by thee prolonged;
But still, with every added year,
More beautiful thy works appear.

As thou hast made the world without;

Make thou more fair my world within;

Shine through its lingering clouds of doubt;
Rebuke its haunting shapes of sin;
Fill, brief or long, my granted span
Of life with love to thee and man;
Strike when thou wilt the hour of rest,
But let my last days be my best."

-by John Greenleaf Whittier, from the book, " Poems With Power To Strengthen the Soul", compiled by James Mudge

Serve God and Be Cheerful

Serve God and be cheerful. Make brighter
The brightness that falls to thy lot;
The rare, or the daily sent, blessing
Profane not with gloom or with doubt.

Serve God and be cheerful. Each sorrow
Is- with thy will in God's- for the best.
O'er the cloud hands the rainbow. Tomorrow
Will see the blue sky in the west.

Serve God and be cheerful. Look-upward!
God's countenance scatters the bloom;
And the soft summer light of his jeaven
Sjome over the cross and the tomb.

Serve God and be cheerful. The wrinkles
of age we may take with a smile;
But the wrinkles of faithless forboding
Are the crow's feet of Beelzebud's guile.

Serve God and be cheerful. The winter
Rolls round to the beautiful spring.
And o'er the green grace of the snowdrift
The nest-building robins sing.

Serve God and be cheerful. Live nobly,
Do right, and do good. Make the best
Of the gifts and the work put before you,

And to God without fear leave the rest."

by William Newell, also from "Poems With the Power To Strengthen the Soul"

I decided to bold the lines that stood out to me the most when I read these poems this morning. I had not read this wonder volume of poetry for months and I see why I missed reading! Its so encouraging and I hope you all get encouragement and conviction through these little poems. God bless and have a wonderful day being cheerful in the Lord and doing His will!

In Christ,

Rebecca

* All photos curteosy of Lindsey W. and they may only be used with permission from my Rebecca Ann. Thanks! *

Last Part 3 of The Secret of A Happy Day

Hello everyone!

Due to busyness and a long day yesterday I did not get this post in, so here it is today.

The Secret of A Happy Day
By Frances Ridley Havergal

" Just to trust, yet to ask
Guidance still;
Take the training or the task
As He will.
Just to take the joy or pain
As he lends it;
Just to take the loss or gain
As he sends it
He who formed thee for his praise
Will not miss the gracious aim;
So to-day, and all they days
Shall be molded for the same.

Just to leave in His dear hand
Little things;
All we cannot understand,
All that stings.
Just to let Him take the care
Sorely pressing,
Finding all we let him bear
Changed to blessing.
This is all! and yet the way
marked by Him who loves thee best;
Secret of a happy day,
Secret of his promised rest."

Quoted from the book, "Poems With the Power To Strengthen The Soul"
Compiled by James Mudge


Ladies, here are the two verses from proverbs that I am focusing on today.

"Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens it wide his lips come to ruin."
Proverbs 13:3

"The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be forced to labor." Proverbs

My tongue and how I spend my time each day have been two things that I really need to correct.
But only through Him who saves can I do so!

In Christ,
Rebecca

Part 2 The Secret of a Happy Day

Today I awoke to the birds singing and celtic woman playing from my ipod dock. I did not want to get up as it was earlier than usual for me because of a spanish class I needed to attend. Then I remembered all the things I had to do today and that I needed to do it all for the Lord and I was ready to get up! I read this last night and it really encouraged me! I have been thinking a lot lately about how the Lord has blessed me with both spiritual and physical food supply. I have His Word and His Spirit to guide me and I have cloths and food. What more should I be asking for! When there are so many children and people who don't have that. I have been pondering ways to share that spiritual food with others this week.

Psalm 63:1-8

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,

and in your shadow of your wings I will sing for joy!!

My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me! "

I have been thinking about how the Lord has feed me spiritually in hard times and good times, how He has made me joyful, singing for joy the past few days for being in Him. One song has stuck out to me Abide in Me! I want to abide in my Savior and I want to help show others how the Lord can be like their food and be their help. I want to be a witness where I am for the Lord now.

Its funny! The next part of the poem really is about being joyful and being glad in the Lord! Which is what I have been reading about in my Bible study and in the book I just finished yesterday called "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. I have seen a theme from the Lord, saying don't just be luke warm, live for me and know that I will provide, and tell others of the hope that is in you.

2nd half of "The Secret of a Happy Day"
by Frances Ridley Havergal

" Just to ask Him what to do
All the day,
And to make you quick and true
to obey.
Just to know the needed grace
He bestoweth,
Every bar of time and place
Overfloweth.
Just to take the orders straight
From the Master's own command.
Blessed day! when thus we wait
Always at our Sovereign's hand.

Just to recollect his love,
Always true;
Always shining from above,
Always new.
Just to recognize its light;
All-enfolding.
Just to claim its present might;
All-upholding.
Just to know it as thine own,
Is not this enough alone
For the glaness of the day?"

From the book entitled

"Poems With Power To Strengthen The Soul"

-compiled by James Mudge

I will be posting the third and last 2 stanzas of this poem tomorrow.

God bless and have a blessed day hearing our Lord!

In Christ,
Rebecca

The Secret of A Happy Day

The Secret of A Happy Day

by Frances Ridley Havergal

"Just to let thy Father do

What He will;
Just to know thta he is true

And be still.

Just to follow hour by hour
As He leadeth;
Just to draw the moment's power
As it needeth.
Just to trust Him, this is all!

Then the day will surely be
Peaceful, whatso'er befall,
Bright and blessed, calm and free.

Just to let Him speak to thee
Through his word,
Watching that his voice may be
Clearly heard.
Just to tell Him every thing
As it rises,
And at once to him to bring
All suprises.
Just to listen, and to stay
Where you cannot miss His voice,
This is all! and thus to-day,
Communing, you shall rejoice."

From the book entitled,

" Poems with Power To Stengthen The Soul" compiled by James Mudge.
Only the first 2 stanzas of the poem.

I will post the rest over the next few days.

In Christ,

Rebecca

Heros are not just soldiers in a war on earth..........

They are men who do all to the glory of God, sacrificing their lives just as Christ did for His Church.

I found a little book of poems about chivalry and heros in God's eyes today! I was so happy to come across this book in our family library we had forgotten about. Its entitled "Poems with Power To Strengthen the Soul" compiled by James Mudge. I can't believe we forgot about thid treasure. It is from 1902 and is in the public domain, so I will be copying a lot of these poems to give out to young men and ladies in our civil war reenacting group. I think the young men and women in the leadership roles in our group would be able to use these poems to encouragement all the young men and women to be chivalrous and be heros not of the worlds standards but of the Lords.

Here is one poem that stuck out to me from the chapter that is all poems about Heroism.

God's Heros
by Edward Hartley Dewart

" Not on the gory field of fame
Their noble deeds were done;
Not in the sound of earth's acclaim
Their fadeless crowns were won.
Not from the palaces of kings,
Nor fortune's sunny clime,
Came the great souls, whose life-work
flings
Luster o'er earth and time.

For truth with tireless zeal they sought;
In joyless paths they trod-
Heedless of praise or blame they wrought,
And left the rest to God.
The lowliest sphere was not disdained;
Where love could soothe or save,
They went, by fearless faith sustained,
Nor knew their deeds were brave.

The foes with which they waged their strife
Where passion, self, and sin;
The victories that laureled life
Were fought and won within.
Not names in gold emblazoned here,
And great and good confessed,
In Heaven's immortal scroll appear
As noblest and as best.

No sculptured stone in stately temple
Proclaims their rugged lot;
Like Him who was their great example,
This vain world knew them not.
But though their names no poet wove
In deathless song or story,
Their record is inscribed above;
Their wreaths are crowns of glory."

I thought this was exactly a great picture biblical manhood! It does not matter if the world recodnices your victories, but that you do the victory for Christ alone.
He is the one we want to be recodniced by in our victories.

May we all strive to be men and women winning battles for the Lord; not needing to be recodniced by the world, but only by Christ alone.

In Christ,
Rebecca

All photos curtosy of Lindsey Weberg and from the October 2009 ACCS event.

Evening on Christmas

Dear friends!
Merry Christmas! Our Savior is born and has washed away our sin! Joy to the world for that!

I received a book that I have been wanting for a while for christmas today, it is called Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon, its a devotional for each day of the year. It unlike most devotionals has one for morning and one for evening. I first heard of this book from my friend Melanie's blog Complete In Thee. I love it and I am enjoying it. I thought I would put today's evening on here to share to close this precious and joyous day! I have spent it with friends and family and I am tired, but content and joyful and encouraged by our Savior and christian fellowship with fellow believers rejoicing in His birth.

Evening, December 25 from Charles Spurgeon's, "Morning and Evening"

"And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said," It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts, Thus did Job continually." -Job 1:5

What the patriarch did early in the morning, after the family festivities, it will be well for the believer to do for himself ere he rests tonight. Amid the cheerfulness of household gatherings it is easy to slide into sinful levities, and to forget our avowed character as Christians. It ought not to be so, but so it is, that our days of feasting are very seldom days of sanctified enjoyment, but too frequently degernate into unhallowed mirth. There is a way of joy as pure and sanctifiying as though one bathed in the rivers of Eden: holy gratitude should be quite as purifying an element as grief. Alas! for our poor hearts, that facts prove that the house of mourning is better than the house of feasting. Come, believer, in what have you sinned today?Have you been forgetful of your high calling? Have you been even as others in the idle words and loose speech? Then confess the sin, and fly to the sacrifice. The sacrifice sanctifies. The precious blood of the Lamb slain removes the guilt, and purges away the defilement of our sins of ignorance and carelessness. This is the best ending of a Christmas-day- to wash anew in the cleansing fountain. Believer, come to this sacrifice continually; if it be so good tonight, it is good every night. To live at the altar is the privledge of the royal priesthood; to them sin, great as it is, nevertheless no cause for despair, since they draw near yet again to the sin-atoning victim; and their conscience is purged from dead works.

"Gladly I close this festive day,
Grasping the altar's hallow'd horn;
My slips and faults are washed away;
The Lamb has all my trespass borne."

To all of you may you have a blessed Christmas and a happy new year! I will be posting more often, as I have christmas and new years' break this week. I will be posting my thoughts spiritually, in the sewing room, craftings, and books I am reading. Merry Christmas and lets remember the birth and the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In Christ,
Rebecca

Christ the real gift of Christmas

Hello everyone!

I thought I would share with you a frugal way to wrap your christmas gifts and my thoughts on the upcoming day of Christmas. Now my family and I never hardly buy wrapping paper because we have it from after christmas sales from the year before, but what we do have from the previous year also are christmas cards. You know all those beautiful christmas cards you receive from friends and family every year that you don't want to throw away?! My family and I save these and instead of putting them away into a storage box we save them and make them into beautiful gift tags!

Here are some examples of what you can do with your old cards. You can also do this with birthday and any other type of card by the way!

You just cut your card with pretty sizzors (as seen in basket)or regular sizzors and then punch a hole in the corner of your shape whatever it may be. And then you have a gift tag to put on your presents with ribbon and it looks great and is more personal. I love choosing ones that I think look like that family member or friends personalities and putting it on there wrapped gift.















You end up with a basket quite full of tags and sizzors in there to cut more cards into tags!




















Then you have all your different tags ready to be put on your presents.

Now of course we should not make christmas about what gifts we are giving or how many gifts we receive, as always we need to keep our focus on our Lord Jesus Christ! During your christmas wrapping, baking, and listening to those christmas peices of music remember who came as a man and then sacrificed himself for you! Its the best gift you could receive, and that is Christ!




I love this passage where Mary is told she will give birth to a son and she says,


" My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, and he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." -Luke 1:46-55



She is a visionary here and sees how from generation to generation God was getting them ready for a Savior and that He is using her even though she is not strong, he is making her strong. God has used the humble and told the previous generations of His greatness.

Then later the Lord worked a miracle and Christ the Savior of Mary like Mary had been told!



" And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 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 shown around them, and they were frightened. And the angel said to them, " Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all 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 unto 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 peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepards said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the sayingthat had been told to them concerning the child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shephards had told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shephards returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." Luke 2:7-20

I just thought I would post the passages that always jump out at me every christmas. God is so amazing!

I thought this tag put my thoughts very well, "May the celebration of Christmas cause us to rejoice like the angels, hear like the shephards, and follow like the wise men!"

















In Christ,

Rebecca