12//05 CHRISTMAS TIPS, SAVE TIME, MAILING PACKAGES, LEARNING
Quote from Forum Archives on December 6, 2005, 2:59 pmPosted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~12//05 CHRISTMAS TIPS, SAVE TIME, MAILING PACKAGES, LEARNING~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~:~*~
IN THIS ISSUE:RECIPES ARE ON THE WAY!CHRISTMAS STORIES AND POEMS ARE ALSO ON THE WAY TO YOU!CHRISTMAS ROMANCE - A MATCH MADE IN HEAVENHIDING CHRISTMAS STOCKINGSGIFT WRAPPED PICTURES ON THE WALL & MANY HUES OF CHRISTMAS COLORSA VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS TREEONE OR SEVERAL CHRISTMAS THEMESGRANDMA'S GIFTDOORBELL GIFTSPRAYING FOR YOUR WAITER OR WAITRESSAWANA CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTSFELT MANGER SCENE ORNAMENT OR WALL HANGINGGLASS BALLS, DRIZZLED ON THE INSIDE WITH ACRYLIC PAINTGLASS BALLS WITH TINSEL OR SHREDDED PAPERDOUGH ORNAMENTSA BRIEF GREEK LESSON ON CHRISTMAS / XMASTIME SAVING TIPS FOR THIS BUSY TIME OF YEARMAILING HOLIDAY PACKAGES: ON TIME AND IN ONE PIECELEARNING VS. TESTINGGOD USES ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYSRECIPES ARE ON THE WAY!Thanks to a host of Heart to Heart ladies for such a wonderful spontaneous response, saying how you would LOVE to have the recipes! You will receive them later today. I enjoy hearing your replies, so write anytime! I try to reply to all messages from Heart to Heart ladies, but since most of you only said you'd love to have the recipes, please consider the recipes my reply, okay?CHRISTMAS STORIES AND POEMS ARE ALSO ON THE WAY TO YOU!I have compiled a lot of Christmas stories and poems and will send some of those for reading to your family during this wonderful season. Sit around the fireplace or around the lit tree for those special heartwarming family times.CHRISTMAS ROMANCE - A MATCH MADE IN HEAVENIn 2004 in Tacoma, Washington, the young man who portrayed Joseph in a live Nativity, had things all planned out ahead of time. Dan Larson, 25, and Amanda Thaut, 26, had dated for two or three years before he portrayed Joseph and his sweetheart Amanda portrayed Mary, the mother of Jesus, in a Nativity performance at the Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma (Washington) in 2004. Shortly after a performance, Dan got down on one knee and asked Amanda, "Will you marry me?" Amanda quietly gasped, "Yes."The audience was stunned. One of the wise men pumped his fist in the air, while the shepherds and angels could barely contain their enthusiasm.Dan said later, "I wanted to make it something very special. Every part of my life is better because of her."I knew you ladies would enjoy this one!HIDING CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS ~ The kids always enjoyed opening Christmas stockings, but to make it a little more interesting, we would hide the stockings and give clues. Each clue would lead to the next, and the last clue would lead them to their stockings. One year the stockings were in the dryer, another year, the freezer, one year in the kitchen cupboard, etc. When we lived in a two-story house, one clue would be upstairs, and the next downstairs. This gave the kids exercise while they tried to find their stockings. ~ From Nancy Minton in MarylandGIFT WRAPPED PICTURES ON THE WALL & MANY HUES OF CHRISTMAS COLORS Take a few large framed pictures down from your walls and wrap them in lovely gift wrap with beautiful ribbon and a bow for a big splash of Christmas. Blend the gift wrap with the colors in your room, of course. If you use bright Christmas reds and greens in decorating for Christmas, go with that. Many like to use burgundy in place of red to go with their year round color scheme. In our living room I use pinks, mauves, peaches with green, so the colors don't clash.A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS TREEOur Christmas tree is decorated Victorian style in various pinks, mauves, peaches, greens, with white, gold, silver. After the tiny white lights are stung around the tree by my helpful husband, a long string of pearls is draped in scallops from top to bottom. Ornaments of lace, pink and green ice cream cones, salt ceramics, marble painted glass balls, angels, small cross stitch ornaments of crosses or spelling "Joy," molded glittered paper ornaments of hearts and train cars and small Victorian dolls load down the branches. To fill in any empty spots, lots of pink poinsettias, colorful picks of roses and other decorations are simply laid on the branches, as well as fabric-covered peaches and green grapes that are used in an arrangement during the rest of the year. This year I arranged several Victorian dolls and Teddy bears with lace around the base of the tree.ONE OR SEVERAL CHRISTMAS THEMESOf course, the main Christmas theme in your home should be Jesus, with Nativity Scenes spread all around your home. Another theme of "Toyland" or "Christmases Long Ago," grouped together around the Christmas tree, in a corner of a room or on a table is fun too. Several layers of Christmasy fabrics and wide ribbons can help to brighten up this spot. If you have antique toys, definitely use them in your display. Items in the center can be raised up by draping a cloth over a box or old popcorn tin. Using several boxes or tins of varying heights would be even better. It doesn't have to cost anything, if you use items you already have. Add Teddy bears, dolls, a sled, a rocking horse, a cradle, an old quilt, books, cookie cutters, a rolling pin - the list goes on! Let your children and grandchildren join in the fun. Then add a special Nativity Scene in the center of your display!Some decorators say to use only one theme throughout your home, but if you like to decorate, I think it's more interesting and fun to have a different theme in different rooms or on different levels. Other themes could be "Christmas around the World," or use collections of Teddy bears, snowmen, angels, but do include a Nativity Scene in the center. Why? Because "Jesus is the reason for the season!"GRANDMA'S GIFTFrom The Dollar Stretcher - www-stretcher.com - Used by permission from the Editor
Grandma always gets gifts for the grands. Well, she is elderly, does not like to shop, and the prices just drag her down. For about five years, I did this shopping and always with the worry that it was not something the kids wanted and such. Then we did the gift card thing and Grandma hated that.
Last year, I came up with an idea that was a hit and it will be repeated as long as she wants to give the kids a gift. She gives me the money ($25 each) and I in turn hand the kids their money. Then they go get what they want. Here is where the fun begins! They bring it home, they wrap it, and when we have our Christmas celebration, they hand the gift to Grandma. She unwraps it to find out what she gave them for Christmas. This has been a lifesaver all around, and one of my daughters said she had mentally spent Grandma's money many times over before she really decided what to receive. Last year we did not tell Grandma what was going on ahead of
time. This year she said, "Can we do the thing with the kids getting their gifts and giving them to me to unwrap?" So, this was a big success. I am pretty sure that some of the grandchildren even waited until something went on sale to get their gift. ~ Reader's Tips from SusanDOORBELL GIFTSI heard on the radio how a family keeps a basket of small wrapped gifts by the door, and whoever comes to the door receives a gift - that includes the postman, U.S.P.S. or Fed-X delivery, pizza delivery, friends, a neighbor borrowing sugar, etc. It also fun to have small gifts for sales clerks, along with a Christmas message in the form of a tract. I enjoy making lined tissue holders when I get a chance and love giving them out to unexpecting friends and strangers. It's amazing how appreciative store clerks, waiters and waitresses are when you hand them one and say, "Here's a little something for you for being so helpful!" or "Merry Christmas!" A folded tract fits inside nicely and may be what the Lord uses to bring that person to Christ.PRAYING FOR YOUR WAITER OR WAITRESSOur pastor mentioned something that he and his wife do when they eat out. When the waiter or waitress comes to take their order, they say, "We will be thanking the Lord for our food in a little while. When we do, is there something that you would like us to pray about for you?" What a witness and impact that would make on so many lonely and hurting people!AWANA CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTSA Heart to Heart friend wrote yesterday that she is working with AWANA girls, and would like to find a neat craft for Christmas (an ornament maybe) that includes the AWANA colors (red, yellow, blue and green) or some of the colors - something that will remind the girls of the things they learned in AWANA as they get out their decorations each year. I'm sharing this with you, in case others might be able to incorporate these ideas for AWANA, another group or as a gift to an AWANA leader.FELT MANGER SCENE ORNAMENT OR WALL HANGINGDraw out a very simple outline of a manger with straw and a baby inside. An ornament could be made with felt in several colors. Manger - brown or reddish-brown; Swaddling clothes - white; Jesus' face - light pink, Straw - yellow. Those pieces could be glued to a circle of black with a yellow star in the sky (a star jewel could be used for the star). The same parts could be made larger and used as a wall hanging. For a stiffer form, glue onto posterboard. Glue on a ribbon to hang either an ornament or wall hanging.GLASS BALLS, DRIZZLED ON THE INSIDE WITH ACRYLIC PAINT in 2-3 colors. They are so much fun to do! Michael's has the glass balls, paints and directions. Basically you remove the top of the glass ball and slowly drizzle acrylic paint into the ball, allowing it to run down the sides or wherever you want. Drizzle another color, until the inside of the ball is painted. Set the painted ball upside down on a small bathroom paper cup, to allow the unused paint to drizzle out. Let dry for several days. Put top back on. A bow tied around the top adds a special touch.GLASS BALLS WITH TINSEL OR SHREDDED PAPERBarb Campbell also suggests tinsel in the glass balls. She said they look super. Or using a paper shredder, shred colored paper and insert into the glass balls.DOUGH ORNAMENTSContributed by Barb Campbell in Mississippi
Mix together:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup waterPreheat oven to 300 degrees. Knead together. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Brush with beaten egg. Use a toothpick to make a hole at the top of each ornament before baking.
Bake for 10-15 minutes. After baking and cooling, push red and green yarn or ribbon through the hole and make a tie for each ornament. Leave the ornaments natural or paint them with acrylic paints. Spray with varnish for a long-lasting finish.A BRIEF GREEK LESSON ON CHRISTMAS / XMASI thought you might be interested to know where Xmas originated, so I asked my pastor.Dr. Greg Huffman explains:The complete word for Christ is Transliterated Christos, which is spelled with an X as the first letter, and comes from the Greek work Chrio which means anointed, speaking of his Messiahship.I believe the real effort in Xmas is really to do all they can do to eliminate the word Christ. Since none of us reads Greek, why try to spell the word for Christmas with half Greek (one letter) and the rest English (mass)?"Don't wish me Merry X-Mas, nor Happy Holidays! Put Christ back into Christmas on this blessed holy day!"
TIME SAVING TIPS FOR THIS BUSY TIME OF YEARA "Grabber" works great for smoothing out the Christmas tree skirt!. We used to have the kids crawl under the tree to help with this, but now that they're not here, a "grabber" works great! (Sorry kids! You've been replaced by a "Grabber!") It also helps to reach things up high without getting out a step stool, then falling and breaking your neck -or to reach things down low without stooping.Fill a sugar shaker with whole wheat flour for shaking onto meat before frying, rather than dipping into a bowl of flour. A shaker is much less mess and waste or flour. Saves time too.Fill a plastic honey bear squeeze bottle or any kind of squeeze bottle (for food) with olive or canola oil, and store (without a lid) in a cabinet near the stove. Then when you need oil, it will take only one hand to grab and squeeze out a little for cooking.Use a lamb's wool duster for quick dusting! Having several will allow you to fill them all with dust and shake the dust off outside all at one time.Have you seen the swivel sweeper with no cord? The battery is rechargeable. It cleans hard surface floors, as well as surface dirt on carpets. A vacuum with good suction would be needed in between, of course, but this is great for surface dirt, for times when you need to clean your house in a jiffy. The swivel sweeper fits into small spaces, under beds, picks up on all four sides - even sweeps up sand, rice or nuts and bolts! It's very light and zips through the house in minutes without causing back pain. I love mine and so does our two year old grandson! So we gave his family one, knowing it would be a help to our daughter for quick cleanups without dragging out the vacuum - and knowing she'd have a ready and willing helper! Justin refers to it as "Grammy's vacuum" since he's used ours so much. He ran it through our entire beach house in July, picking up sand and dirt for us! It's a great time saver!MAILING HOLIDAY PACKAGES: ON TIME AND IN ONE PIECE
By Cheryl Gochnauer - [email protected] - Copyright 2005 - Used by permission
Before you mail that present to Aunt Betty, you might want to check with Uncle Sam. With 203 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages under its belt - and that's just this
year - the U.S. Postal Service has a pretty good idea of how to get your package across the country or overseas, intact. Here are some suggestions gleaned from their website at www.usps.com.
BOX IT UP:
* Pick a strong box that's big enough to hold not only your present, but also cushioning to protect it.
* Be creative with your cushioning. Bubble wrap and Styrofoam popcorn work well, but using current newspapers adds the perk of providing news from home.
* Remove glass from frames and wrap separately. Stuff hollow gifts like vases with newspaper or packing material to avoid shock damage.
* Take batteries out of gifts, then wrap separately. You don't want that toy switching on during shipment.
SEAL IT UP:
* Before you seal the box, close the lid and shake it. If it rattles, add more cushioning.
* Slip a card inside that describes the contents, plus lists the sender's and recipient's addresses. This will help postal workers if your box is damaged and contents spill out during processing.
* Skip string, cord or twine, which can get tangled in sorting equipment at the post office. Instead, seal the opening and all box seams with two-inch wide clear or brown packaging tape,
reinforced packing tape or paper tape.
MOVE IT OUT:
* If you're reusing a box, cover all previous labels or scratch out old addresses using a heavy black marker.
* Clearly print both the sender's and recipient's addresses, using ink or permanent marker.
* Double-check addresses and use the official two-letter state abbreviations.
* Don't know the zip code? You can find it online at http://www.usps.com/zip4/.
* Many families are sending care packages to military friends and relatives overseas this Christmas. To have your mail delivered by Dec. 25 to most APO/FPO locations, these deadlines apply:
Dec 14 - Parcel Airlift Mail
Dec. 19 - First Class Mail (Letters and Cards)
Dec. 21 - Priority Mail
Dec. 23 - Express Mail
For more tips for sending this season, visit www.usps.com/holiday.LEARNING VS. TESTINGBy Kayla Fay - www.goaskmom.com - [email protected] - Used by permissionEditor of An Ounce of Ketchup - A Newsletter for Moms of Children with ADD or ADHDMany of you are familiar with Pat Wyman from www.howtolearn.com. Pat has wonderful resources about learning styles, and I refer to her quite a bit. One of Pat's books is called Learning vs. Testing, Strategies that Bridge the Gap. I'm sure you all have helped your child study for a test until they really knew the material, only to have them make a low grade on the test the next day. There's nothing so disheartening.A lot of the problem arises because our kids' tests are written for the kind of learner that they aren't! In Learning vs. Testing, Strategies that Bridge the Gap, Pat shows you some really great ways to bridge this gap, teaching ways to learn math facts in half the time, improve spelling tests scores, and remember vocabulary words. You'll also find how to help your child remember key concepts after reading a chapter. It's a great resource that needs to be on your reading list.
GOD USES ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS
By Martha Matthews, Editor of The Wives of Excellence Newsletter
http://www.Christian-Homemaking.com1 Corinthians 1:25-27 "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."Just Ordinary Shepherds
Luke 2: 8-10 "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified."
It started out like any other night for some shepherds sitting on a hillside tending their flocks. Like cowboys out on the range, their days were spent caring for their sheep. They rarely saw anyone else except the other shepherds they were with. The nights were cold and the terrain was rugged. Who would have thought an angel of the Lord would appear to these men like these? They were just ordinary shepherds who lead ordinary lives.
Unlikely Candidates
Luke 2:10-12 "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' "
You can probably imagine what thoughts were going through their heads as the angel made his proclamation. They must have wondered, "Why us? We're shepherds. We hold one of the lowest positions in society. Shouldn't he be telling this to the High Priest or the Elders?" But it was no mistake, because they could plainly see the angel standing right there in front of them.
Why did God choose to announce the birth of His son to these shepherds? Why not tell it to someone with more visibility and clout like the Sanhedrin or the Pharisees, someone with access to a podium?
When the Lord chooses to use someone He doesn't choose the predictable candidates. He chooses ordinary people, flaws and all, who are willing to be used for His glory. He chooses the weak to shame the strong, the foolish to shame the wise and the humble to shame the proud.
These shepherds were not considered important by human standards yet the Lord chose them because they had a quality He was looking for--a humble heart. These ordinary guys, whose names we do not know, are remembered in the account of Christ's birth because they possessed hearts that were willing to be used by God. These shepherds were perfect for the job.
One Amazing Testimony
Luke 2:17-18 "And when they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."
When you are told about something as monumental this, you don't hang around contemplating what it all means. You go check it out! And that's exactly what the shepherds did. They immediately left their flocks to go find the child. And when they found him they told everyone what the angel had said about him. Their testimony was so powerful that everyone was amazed.
Today, God is still looking to use ordinary people with humble hearts to give their testimony to about Christ. No matter what your status in life is God can use you. You don't need to be the CEO of a big corporation, a famous movie star or the President of the United States. All you need to be is willing.
Whether you are a working mom, a stay at home mom, an empty-nester or a grandma, He wants to use you to spread the news about Christ. This Christmas season share the incredible story of Christ's birth. Let God use you to spread the word about His amazing son. After all, it is the "good news of great joy for all people."
Martha is a wife, mother, home manager and the Executive Director of Christian-Homemaking.com, a web site with resources dedicated to helping Christian homemakers succeed. She also has a popular free monthly newsletter for Christian wives called The Wives of Excellence Newsletter. To subscribe visit her web site at http://www.christian-homemaking.com/newsletter.htmlNo other newsletters are planned until January. I think you will have plenty to read!Please remember to pray for each Heart to Heart lady as you receive your newsletter.God bless you and your family in a special way!(¨`·.·´¨) Thanks be unto God for His indescribable gift!`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨) MERRY CHRISTMAS!`·.¸.·´ Your Heart to Heart friend,LoisThe purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to bring godly and practical encouragement to women through creative ideas for the Christian family regarding homemaking, marriage, children and much more. You may receive this bimonthly newsletter by sending your name, city, state, country and the name of the person who referred you to Lois Breneman at [email protected].-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected]
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman
Grandma always gets gifts for the grands. Well, she is elderly, does not like to shop, and the prices just drag her down. For about five years, I did this shopping and always with the worry that it was not something the kids wanted and such. Then we did the gift card thing and Grandma hated that.
Last year, I came up with an idea that was a hit and it will be repeated as long as she wants to give the kids a gift. She gives me the money ($25 each) and I in turn hand the kids their money. Then they go get what they want. Here is where the fun begins! They bring it home, they wrap it, and when we have our Christmas celebration, they hand the gift to Grandma. She unwraps it to find out what she gave them for Christmas. This has been a lifesaver all around, and one of my daughters said she had mentally spent Grandma's money many times over before she really decided what to receive. Last year we did not tell Grandma what was going on ahead of
time. This year she said, "Can we do the thing with the kids getting their gifts and giving them to me to unwrap?" So, this was a big success. I am pretty sure that some of the grandchildren even waited until something went on sale to get their gift. ~ Reader's Tips from Susan
Mix together:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
Bake for 10-15 minutes. After baking and cooling, push red and green yarn or ribbon through the hole and make a tie for each ornament. Leave the ornaments natural or paint them with acrylic paints. Spray with varnish for a long-lasting finish.
"Don't wish me Merry X-Mas, nor Happy Holidays! Put Christ back into Christmas on this blessed holy day!"
By Cheryl Gochnauer - [email protected] - Copyright 2005 - Used by permission
Before you mail that present to Aunt Betty, you might want to check with Uncle Sam. With 203 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages under its belt - and that's just this
year - the U.S. Postal Service has a pretty good idea of how to get your package across the country or overseas, intact. Here are some suggestions gleaned from their website at http://www.usps.com.
BOX IT UP:
* Pick a strong box that's big enough to hold not only your present, but also cushioning to protect it.
* Be creative with your cushioning. Bubble wrap and Styrofoam popcorn work well, but using current newspapers adds the perk of providing news from home.
* Remove glass from frames and wrap separately. Stuff hollow gifts like vases with newspaper or packing material to avoid shock damage.
* Take batteries out of gifts, then wrap separately. You don't want that toy switching on during shipment.
SEAL IT UP:
* Before you seal the box, close the lid and shake it. If it rattles, add more cushioning.
* Slip a card inside that describes the contents, plus lists the sender's and recipient's addresses. This will help postal workers if your box is damaged and contents spill out during processing.
* Skip string, cord or twine, which can get tangled in sorting equipment at the post office. Instead, seal the opening and all box seams with two-inch wide clear or brown packaging tape,
reinforced packing tape or paper tape.
MOVE IT OUT:
* If you're reusing a box, cover all previous labels or scratch out old addresses using a heavy black marker.
* Clearly print both the sender's and recipient's addresses, using ink or permanent marker.
* Double-check addresses and use the official two-letter state abbreviations.
* Don't know the zip code? You can find it online at http://www.usps.com/zip4/.
* Many families are sending care packages to military friends and relatives overseas this Christmas. To have your mail delivered by Dec. 25 to most APO/FPO locations, these deadlines apply:
Dec 14 - Parcel Airlift Mail
Dec. 19 - First Class Mail (Letters and Cards)
Dec. 21 - Priority Mail
Dec. 23 - Express Mail
For more tips for sending this season, visit http://www.usps.com/holiday.
A lot of the problem arises because our kids' tests are written for the kind of learner that they aren't! In Learning vs. Testing, Strategies that Bridge the Gap, Pat shows you some really great ways to bridge this gap, teaching ways to learn math facts in half the time, improve spelling tests scores, and remember vocabulary words. You'll also find how to help your child remember key concepts after reading a chapter. It's a great resource that needs to be on your reading list.
GOD USES ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS
By Martha Matthews, Editor of The Wives of Excellence Newsletter http://www.Christian-Homemaking.com 1 Corinthians 1:25-27 "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Just Ordinary Shepherds Luke 2: 8-10 "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified." It started out like any other night for some shepherds sitting on a hillside tending their flocks. Like cowboys out on the range, their days were spent caring for their sheep. They rarely saw anyone else except the other shepherds they were with. The nights were cold and the terrain was rugged. Who would have thought an angel of the Lord would appear to these men like these? They were just ordinary shepherds who lead ordinary lives. Unlikely Candidates Luke 2:10-12 "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' " You can probably imagine what thoughts were going through their heads as the angel made his proclamation. They must have wondered, "Why us? We're shepherds. We hold one of the lowest positions in society. Shouldn't he be telling this to the High Priest or the Elders?" But it was no mistake, because they could plainly see the angel standing right there in front of them. Why did God choose to announce the birth of His son to these shepherds? Why not tell it to someone with more visibility and clout like the Sanhedrin or the Pharisees, someone with access to a podium? When the Lord chooses to use someone He doesn't choose the predictable candidates. He chooses ordinary people, flaws and all, who are willing to be used for His glory. He chooses the weak to shame the strong, the foolish to shame the wise and the humble to shame the proud. These shepherds were not considered important by human standards yet the Lord chose them because they had a quality He was looking for--a humble heart. These ordinary guys, whose names we do not know, are remembered in the account of Christ's birth because they possessed hearts that were willing to be used by God. These shepherds were perfect for the job. One Amazing Testimony Luke 2:17-18 "And when they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them." When you are told about something as monumental this, you don't hang around contemplating what it all means. You go check it out! And that's exactly what the shepherds did. They immediately left their flocks to go find the child. And when they found him they told everyone what the angel had said about him. Their testimony was so powerful that everyone was amazed. Today, God is still looking to use ordinary people with humble hearts to give their testimony to about Christ. No matter what your status in life is God can use you. You don't need to be the CEO of a big corporation, a famous movie star or the President of the United States. All you need to be is willing. Whether you are a working mom, a stay at home mom, an empty-nester or a grandma, He wants to use you to spread the news about Christ. This Christmas season share the incredible story of Christ's birth. Let God use you to spread the word about His amazing son. After all, it is the "good news of great joy for all people." |
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