[sellie_girl]

hey guys how are you doing?

[faith_in_Faith]

wanted to come by here to ask if all of you could please pray for my grandfather.

He's in my prayers now.

I'm fine, as always when Christmas gets close. I love it so much.

[~♥~CrazyInLove~♥~]

Tina, I'm SO sorry to hear about your mom, I don't even know what to say

[throwawaythekey]

everyone

Tina I am so, so sorry

[*KrazyKennen*]

This time of year is especially hard to deal with loss of a loved one. My dad died 6 years ago Dec. 27th, 2102. He was doing well until Nov of 2002. He had two brain surgeries a month apart. He had cancer and it spread throughout his body by then. He was a Christian and not afraid to die. His memorial service was a wonderful celebration of his life! Also, it was an awesome worship serivce, too!!! A friend died after being comatose for 4 months & ventalator dependant. She died this year the day before Thanksgiving day. I had known her for 34 years! My husband and I visited her weekly. Her service was also a celebration of life and a worhip!!!

[Ron_Cullen]

It definately is hard to deal with the loss of a loved one. My dad lost his own father on December 19th I believe. After 10 years of the loss I know it still pains him deeply.

It's because of his loss of both his parents that he encourages my mom to go visit her parents while they are still alive because we never know when God will come knocking at our doors.

[LG rocks my socks]

Kali - I added your pretty-ness to the OP. Sorry I missed it before! It's fabulous

It looks like I missed a lot of posts in here somehow... *sigh*

Anyway, sorry for getting behind on the advent calendar. Here's a whole bunch of days:

December 19th:

There is a prison of fear and hate, a prison of anger, and a prison of resistance to openness and change; there is a prison of physical limitation and disability, of painful relationships, of difficult employment, and of unemployment. Most often we lock ourselves into these prisons; with Christ, however, even here we can encounter God. And it is this encounter that will begin the unlocking, opening process to freedom.

December 20th: Jesus is the light

‘Lead me from the unreal to the real, lead me from darkness to light, lead me from death to immortality’,

December 21st:

Both St. Paul and St. Peter describe Christians as forming a building of living stones held together by Christ and growing up to maturity in him so that they may be a fit dwelling place for God through his Spirit.

Today, December 22nd:

It is when Christ comes as Emmanuel that the importance, vocation and dignity of every person will be restored.

[MrsEdwardCullen]

it's okay that you got behind, you got caught up and that's what counts.

[LG rocks my socks]

December 23rd:

We can imagine such love, but only imagine, for the depth and breadth of God's love for us is immeasurable—inestimable—by any standards that we have.

[Ron_Cullen]

Do you guys believe God provides us with people who are not part of our bloodline family but family nontheless?

I've witnessed a lot in my life to prove that he does. Here is a positive story that I have witnessed in my own life. It's things like this that show me God is there and always has been there:

This was like 30 years ago-

When my dad was in college he joined ROTC. There he met a guy who instantly became his best friend (for the sake of this we'll call him Mich). At the same time, and ironically at the same college, my mom was there and she met a girl who became her best friend too (for the sake of this well call her Nora). Things progressed and my dad and my mom got together and then my dad's best friend and my mom's best friend got together. Well my parents got married and Mich and Nora got married. Mich went on to be in the military and my dad went on to be a teacher. Both my mom and Nora are also teachers. Well when I came along it was Mich and Nora who became my godparents. And from my godparents I had 3 great cousins. (again name changes) Mich IV who is going on to become a nurse in the military, Mark who is a year older than me, and Michy who just celebrated her quinceneta this past weekend. My godparents became my sister's godparents when she had her confirmation.

Every day it just amazes me at how close my dad and my godfather are as well as my mom and godmother. There is nothing they wouldn't do for each other. It always feels like they are closer than brothers and closer than sisters. Aside from God who would have thought that a simple connection back in college would end up lasting a lifetime?!

I don't know, I just felt like sharing that with you guys. It always brings warm feelings to my heart. How lucky can people get? And how rare is it that this sort of thing happens?

Every day I'm thankful for my godparents and the deep bond they have with my parents. It truly is a God given gift.

[MrsEdwardCullen]

Yeah God definitely can bring non blood people in your life to be part of your family. It's really awesome when he does. I have a best friend named Danielle, I have been friends with her for 8 years. I moved to Florida, and now I live in Ohio...and we don't see eachother everyday, but when we do visit it's like there has been no time apart. I really consider her my sister even though she isn't blood related.

[Yellow Mustang Girl]

Hello fellow Christians.

Sorry I have been MIA... just got busy with the holiday season. I will try to catch up with the thread soon

[LG rocks my socks]

December 24th: The eve of His birth.

It is never too late to set out to see Christ...Today is the day when we need to leave the things that keep us busy to go and see. God has come to us. The time has come.

[~♥~CrazyInLove~♥~]

MERRY CHRISTMAS

[Ron_Cullen]

Merry Christmas everyone and a happy new year!

(Here's hoping 2008 isn't as bad as 2008. )