Wednesday, December 10, 2008

A Whirl!

My mind is a whirl today with Christmas ponderings. We had a great Bible Study Christmas Gathering last night. It was a small, but lovely group of ladies. We chatted about nothing and about Everything - the Everything being Christ. We ate and drank and gathered around the Christmas tree for devotions. Hugs, smiles and tears. Life is a mixed bag, isn't it? Blessings and challenges. Christmas time doesn't change that.

Through community contacts, I have learned about school children who may not have presents this Christmas - this difficult economy has not spared their families. Many I know face a difficult time with downturns in business, loss of jobs, vanishing bank/retirement accounts and the struggling economy. Unfortunately Christmas has come to mean a mound of presents instead of His Presence. I saw someone who struggles constantly just today looking at gifts in the dollar store. On her face, I could read the difficulty to provide for those gifts yet again. I said a prayer for her - not knowing her specific needs, but knowing that she does need.

This time of year is filled with joy, peace and love, yet at the same time, they can be difficult to find. So, my prayer for you all is that His Presence will fill you with joy in the midst of difficult circumstances, peace even in these troubled times, love when the world seems so cold and most importantly hope in the One who came, who will come again, who loves you dearly and gave his life for you.

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