Reflection

I have the pleasure of owning several books called " The Friendship Book" by Francis Gay. I am presently reading the 1995 edition. Its a book with a daily thought, tale, bible verse. I mark the ones that touch me and want to journal. Here's several that have stuck with me so far.

Monday - January 2
... Our life is a book of chapters three,
The past, the present, and the yet to be.
The past is gone, it is stowed away,
The present we live with every day.
The future is not for us to see,
It is locked away and God holds the key.

Wednesday - January 4
...Trust the past to the mercy of God,
The present to His love,
And the future to His providence.

One that hit me in regards to others at this time of year who have lost loved ones or are lonely...

Thursday - January 12

SNOWDROPS

The snowdrops bloom - and yet I know,

that born of wind and rain,

These flowers - so like the driven snow-

Are part of joy and pain.

For joy and pain have each a part,

Within our lives to play,

And smiles and tears come to the heart,

Most every passing day.

And, if perchance the pain should be

Almost too much to bear,

May some sad heart, within my life,

Find Snowdrops growing there.

Margaret Dixon.

One more entry that has struck me as a beautiful tradition...

Wednesday - January 18

During the annual week for Christian Unity in January, our local churches get together for a Christingle service. Everyone, youn and old, carries an orange with a candle inserted in it symbolising Jesus Christ The Light of the world, while round the orange is a decoration of sweets and nuts representing the fruits of the earth. With our lighted candles we form an unbroken circle inside the church.

At the beginning of the service we receive a Peace Candle as a gift from another Chruch. The story behind it is that in 1986 a party of Christians from America visited the Soviet Union. On their departure an old lady from the Russian Orthodox Church gave the minister three roubles, and asked him to buy a candle and take it back to his church in Pennsylvania as a gesture of goodwill.

The idea spread amongst other churches in the USA, and somehow or other a candle arrived in the UK at a church in Sutton Coldfield. From there the practice of giving candles spread between churches here.

So one more Peace Candle was lit, the symbol of our hope for the peace and unity of the whole world, for as it was said, there is not so much darkness that one small candle cannot overcome it: "I shall light a candle of understanding in thine heart, which shall not be put out."

Esdras II: The Apocrypha.

Just some of the entries. Oh I forgot to say that I don't do the daily reading, I just read entries here and there.

two sleeps to go.

Family traditions... most families have them. We as a family have made our own traditions and am adding to them each year. One of ours is that we put our tree up on the 1st Dec. Another one that we are just starting this year is that we are going to open our gifts with our three girls on Christmas eve. In years past we have attended church in the morning, gone home and done gifts then either had family over or gone out to family for lunch. Its all rushed and we always get antsy with each other, mainly Terry & I. One year when we just had Em & SJ, the girls ended up crying and not wanting to open any more presents!! Unheard of usually eh! Well we are hoping this year we will have a more relaxed season.
After all we should have our focus on Jesus and his miraculous birth, as we say 'Jesus is the reason for the season.'
I pray you all have a merry Christmas and a happy and safe holiday.

Christmas Peace???

I am sitting here at 9pm with only half my brain working. For the last couple of weeks I have not slept well at all. Mostly because of the continuous merry go round of my thoughts and making mental lists that I know I'll forget by morning!!
So last night I had pen and paper next to the bed and as a thought came up I wrote it down. I had to turn on the lamp a few times, which by the loud sighs from Terry I gather that that was annoying him, so I went in to the loo to write down further thoughts. And then I took a half sleep pill and went to sleep! Yay!!!
Well I will carry on that lovely task of organising christmas 'stuff'.

Blessings to all