We really don't realize how good we have it. My take away moment from this Christmas -- Rain. Rain had never experienced Christmas before because they do not celebrate Christmas in Thailand. He said this was the best Christmas ever. How good is that?
Seriously, we went to church on Christmas Eve and had a short service with lots of music and communion. It was really cool. I just hope we can all appreciate what we really celebrate at Christmas, and that is Jesus's birth. It was a wonderous thing that his parents faced such adversity and shame. Mary was a wonderful servant of the Lord, and so was Joseph. We have them to thank for bringing our Savior into the world.
I used to swim in the ocean a bunch. It is easier to swim when you are 5 miles out or further. See When you are way out off base then there is comfort and tranquility about it. If you get out past 17 miles then there is really a peace, as you look around there is nothing but blue ski and blue/purple ocean. But you can not swim out there forever, as much as we would like to no one can swim out in the calm forever. As you head to shore you start to relax because your thought is that you are almost home. But reality is that the closer you get to shore the rougher it gets. the color changes to an ugly green (but its the same water), those large waves are now smaller and they get rougher, and then when you get real close an undertoe gets a hold of you and tries to drag you back out (it drags you under first). Nature gives us great pictures of life and our relationship with God. Jesus never said the journey would be easy, He said Carry the Cross. He said it would be difficult, he said Love as I have loved you, and most importantly He said I am always with you. Kelli it is comfortable on the outside far away from the shore, but as nature shows you will drown out there, the only way to get home is by coming to the shore. The only way to come home is Love. That is the Key to your Blog "life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" without love you will not have any of them. Sometimes we encounter times that we are not feeling like we are loved, but I want you to remember Peter; it is said he forsake Jesus why? because he did not follow him to the cross. Peter loved Jesus he just got scared when he got close to shore, and he denied Jesus. After Jesus Resurrection he asked Peter 3 times if he Loved Him, and 3 times he replied Yes, and Peter is the founder of the Church that we all attend world wide today. keep on that journey to the shore, and forgive. forgive them for they know not what they do will have to become a motto of a Christians journey or you will not make it to shore, forgive, love, and keep swimming for that shore, and when we get there Jesus will greet us with that perfect love that we cant imagine. Funny it does not matter what the name of the ocean is, everywhere I have swam ends up the same way when you get close to shore. Love (Agape) is the key to the relationship with Jesus.
ReplyDeleteCharles C. Dawn