Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! It's been a busy month and I haven't been able to post as often as I wanted.  Now Christmas is almost here.  The food is made, the presents are wrapped and it's time to relax a bit!

This year I've been thinking a lot about Mary and her response to the life changing news she heard from the Angel, Gabriel.  There are lots of times in the Bible where God asks someone to do something hard, but I think Mary's response is one of the best.  She didn't doubt like Zechariah, and she didn't whine like Moses, she just said, "may it be to me as you have said".  I hope I have the same faith and restful trust when God asks me to do something hard.

I will be joining 

Friends sharing tea.

Rose in Winter

Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming

From tender stem hath sprung!

Of Jesse's lineage coming

As men of old have sung.

It came, a Flow'ret bright,

Amid the cold of winter

When half-spent was the night.

~German carol from the 16th century~

I love the word picture of this Christmas carol.  Jesus was like a rose blooming in the middle of winter, come from the old family root of Jesse, who lived 1,000 years before.  The picture I took of the rose above was taken yesterday, not quite mid-winter, and it was a little freeze-dried. (:  I really like old Christmas songs like this one, just think, people have been singing these words for 500 years!  God's truth is unchanging.