Christmas Joy and Beauty to All

 

The top two are from my home this Christmas.

 The above is a Christmas card I sent.

What a joy to know Jesus prepares a place for me in Heaven and for all who follow Him.

 

And a lovely card from penfriend Monica, I am sure it says "Merry Christmas" in Swedish.

Merry Christmas to All

 Merry Christmas Friends. Isn't Snoopy the cutest?

The reason for the season is God's promise to us with the birth of Christ. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but shall have eternal life.

 

Our Nutcrackers. I have seen the Nutcracker Ballet quite a few times. I purchased the red Nutcracker on the left below at one of the performances to benefit the ballet company. 

A lady who attended Bible study with me made these and gave one to each of us. She was in a retirement home and made them in her room or apartment there. Her daughter was in a group that played Hawaiian songs and the group visited nursing homes, and she would go with the group and give these cute birds to the residents of the nursing homes.

Below is the nativity set we have had for many decades. I made the stable of rough wood. Once when we moved Mary got left behind. So I found a new Mary, she fits in beautifully, in her blue robes.

 Here are some joyful song lyrics to "Oh Come All Ye Faithful". 

Oh come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels;

O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

Years ago my college roommate and I visited Jerusalem and we hired a taxi to drive us to Bethlehem. We did not stop there but saw it. We spent a couple days exploring Jerusalem and Jericho and surrounding areas. Have a blessed Christmas one and all.

Christmas is here, and camel race I saw near Jericho

 I am happy each time I read John 3:16, where we learn that God loves us so much that he gave his only son so that those of us who believe in him will have eternal life. The gates of heaven are open to all of his followers.

Above is one of the nativity sets from my house. I made the stable decades ago.

More good words from the Bible: "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a son is given; And the government shall be upon his shoulders And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. "
Isaiah 9:6-7

I love the depictions of the wise men and camels on their long journey following the star to what it was shining on, a humble stable and newborn King. While I traveled in Jordan and Lebanon, I saw Bedouins in the desert of Jordan compete in camel races, in years gone by, and these scenes remain meaningful to me. Below is a photo I took of a Bedouin and camels at the race.

In fact, I so loved my time living in the Middle East and studying there that I wrote my senior thesis on the architecture of mosques, "The History of the Development of Mosques."

Here is another Scripture apt for today: 

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about'." Luke 2:13-15.
 

I hope each and every one of you, my blog friends of many beliefs, let joy find you this holiday season.

Merry Christmas to All

I do love the Christmas season and hope yours is Merry.
"I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11

"And this will be the sign to you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Luke 2:12
This is what makes Christmas so meaningful to me and to Christians around the world.
Below is my nativity snow globe which plays "O Holy Night." I had been wanting a snow globe for a few years and purchased this in 2018 for that Christmas. I keep it out all year.

Joy to All.

Christmas Beauty at My House