by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Music moves the heart to worship like none other — especially during the Christmas season. Some of my favorites:
Michael Card
Andrew Peterson
Frank, Bing, and Johnny
This year, I’m delighted (and very proud) to add another favorite to the list. Our son, Brandon, is a worship leader in OH and just released his first Christmas EP. It includes 3 songs:
Go Tell It On The Mountain
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Christmas Medley
The EP can be downloaded for $3.00 via online or you can purchase a 10 card bundle to slip into your Christmas cards. It’s a meaningful way to share the gift of worship.
If you’re local, our youngest son, Zach, Brian, and friends from his church will be leading in a time of worship on Sunday at 6:00 p.m., Providence Baptist Church. All are welcome!
“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!”
[Psalm 95:1]
– See more at: http://www.prayers-for-special-help.com/bible-verses-about-music.html#sthash.Zg4FfTGZ.dpuf
My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. Psalm 71:23
“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!”
[Psalm 95:1]
– See more at: http://www.prayers-for-special-help.com/bible-verses-about-music.html#sthash.Zg4FfTGZ.dpuf
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
One of the boy’s favorite Christmas traditions was camping out in the den. Mid-evening, we’d sometimes make a tent that opened towards the TV so they could watch their favorite Christmas movies as they fell asleep. Other times, we’d just let them roll out their sleeping bags by the Christmas tree. Once they fell asleep, all lights went out.
You may wonder what this has to do with having a worship-filled Christmas. I’m not exactly sure — but here are two things I do know:
- God created families before the church, which speaks to the importance of family in the big scheme of things.
- Families who desire to follow Christ are especially targeted by Satan. If he destroys a couple, he destroys a family. If he destroys a family, he destroys a community. If he destroys communities, he destroys the nation.
There are many ways to strengthen the family unit and for us, one of those ways was to create simple traditions such as the one above. They offered stability, security, and a lot of joy over the years.
Now, we build tents for Piper and look forward to Gabe and Liv joining in the tradition!
So what’s your favorite family tradition?
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Growing up, my dad often helped others anonymously, especially elderly people living nearby. My favorite excursion involved waking up at the break of dawn and dropping off an anonymous gift (fruit, firewood, or another need) on a porch step before the recipient awakened.
Let’s take that basic idea and kick it up one glorious notch. A few ideas to get the creative juices flowing:
- Cookies, banana bread, healthy treats, fruit, etc. If time is limited, pick up something. After all, our focus is not on what we give, but rather, Who. Simply attach a note to the gift bag: Taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34:8
- Muffins or a loaf of bread. Or maybe a mini-loaf with canister of tea? A possible tag option: I am the Bread of life. Your strength. John 6:35
- A beautiful candle for those who are hurting this year. Consider going with a mild scent, such as vanilla, for those with allergies. Attach a card: John 1:5 – I’m the Light in your darkness.
Other ideas: Top 25 Food Gifts
One more! Today is National Poinsettia Day. No doubt one of these would certainly brighten anyone’s back porch. 🙂
Do you have a favorite anonymous gift-giving idea? I’d love to hear it!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Do you know someone who has lost a loved one this year?
Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
Christmas is a joyous season but for many it can be a very lonely, tear-filled month. Below are some ideas on ways we can come alongside the hurting this year:
- Be there. One of the best gifts we can give is ourselves — our time, our energy and a listening ear. They don’t need our answers. The hurting simply need to be heard.
- Help. Maybe a widow needs assistance in decorating, addressing Christmas cards, loading wood for a warm fire, or running errands.
- Plant. Give them a perennial (returns every year) or beautiful tree. In cold climates, consider giving them a gift certificate to a local nursery for spring planting. An added bonus? Be there to help plant. It’s a great time to share good memories…
- Memories. Do you have special memories of their loved one? Consider writing them down (being as specific as possible), recording them, or sharing them aloud.
- Give a gift that keeps giving. Via Gideon International we can donate a Bible for $5.00 in their loved one’s name. Gideon will send a beautiful card to the recipient.
- Last, but certainly not least, pray. There’s no greater gift.
Have you given a gift to a hurting someone? Or perhaps you’ve been the recipient. I’d love to add your ideas to this list, if you’d like to share.
Blessings!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
It’s never too late to begin a new family tradition!
Back in 2008, and again last year, I shared this post, so if it seems familiar—it is, but new readers have joined us since last December. (Welcome!)
Now, with two granddaughters and a grandson, Brian and I are re-creating some of our past traditions and starting a few new ones as well.
To most, this is a simple (and bare) Nestle Quik container. To me,
however, this brightly lidded container represents a priceless treasury
trove of memories.
When the boys were little, we created a
Christmas tradition that if they behaved throughout the day, they could
draw one or two slips of paper from the container and we, as a family,
would have to do whatever it said. Good behavior + family activities =
success! I’m not sure what it is with me and slips of paper, but here
were some of the activities they found inside:
- Ride through a nearby small town (for us, Fountain Inn) and enjoy the lights and decorations.
- Work on the Christmas puzzle (we tried to complete one a season – leaving it out 24/7 for anyone wanting to work on it at any given time.)
- Rent a Christmas movie or watch one of ours. Make some popcorn and cocoa. Change seats during commercials.
- Family Instrument Night. Grab pots, pans – sing your favorite fun Christmas songs.
- Sleep on couch bed (this folded out in our den where they could fall asleep watching Christmas movies)
- Turn off all the lights in the house except for the tree lights and watch a classic Christmas movie together as a family.
- Make up your own version of the “12 Days” and share it with everyone.
- Each
family member does an acrostic for the word “Christmas”. Time limit:
10 minutes. Share it with the group and then display them in the house.
- Pray for all those who have sent us Christmas cards.
- Make a pallet for sleeping under the Christmas tree, turn on the tree lights and turn off all others. (The boys loved this!)
- Choose your favorite Christmas CD to play. TV off!
Brian
and I enjoyed creating traditions for the boys while they were growing
up. We felt it gave them a sense of security and stability — something I
could never offer them during their very early years when I had no
relationship with Jesus.
Many great memories have been created over the years and now we’re blessed to enjoy some of these traditions with our grandchildren.
I’d love to hear your favorite family tradition!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
-Mother Teresa
Care to join me for a little experiment this week? If so, let’s go!
- Purchase a 5.00 gift card of your choice (mine will be Starbucks)
- Pray, asking God to lead us to a person of His choosing.
- When you sense you’ve found the right person, share it with him/her and ask how you can pray for them.
A $5.00 gift card may not seem like much but when purchased with love and prayer in mind, it becomes a priceless gift in the hand of the receiver.
I’d love to hear how God blesses your efforts in sharing with a stranger this week!
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
