On the Seventh Day of Christmas

We remember the 7 gifts of grace


Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;  the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

We remember the 6 days of creation

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

We remember the giving of the 5 books of the Pentateuch

Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 

On the Fourth Day of Christmas

We remember the four gospels.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

...it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

On the Third Day of Christmas

We remember the Three Theological Virtues:

faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

On the Second Day of Christmas

We remember the two Testaments.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

On the First Day of Christmas

We remember the incarnation of Christ.

Jesus though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,  being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

 Merry Christmas!

Stuck in line shopping?

Do you feel like you are always stuck in the slowest line at the mall? Well statistically speaking you probably are.

Advent Thoughts Day 24

Almost everyone in our society celebrates Christmas, but how many know the real meaning of Christmas?  how many know the Christmas story?  Don’t forget to read though the story again and be reminded again of what a great time in history Jesus birth was!

Advent Thoughts Day 23

All the man-made wonders of this world cannot compare to the raw beauty of God’s creation.  Spend some time today admiring the world around you.  Take a look at the stars and marvel at the God who made and knows each and every one!

Advent Thoughts Day 22

Echoing laughter. Swooshing skates. Scarves, mittens, hats and coats.  The joys of skating.  What a great way to have fun together as family a friends. Find a rink somewhere near you, get some friends together, bundle yourself up and head out for some good Christmas fun!

Leafs?

So here we are, 33 games into the Toronto Maple Leafs 2010/2011 season.  After a (much) stronger start this year, how much better are they really doing? Let's take a look at the numbers as compared to last year:

Season	Points	Goals For	Goals Against
2009/10	31	97	116
2010/11	28	75	102

So it is not looking to promising again this year.  The only category they're better in is that they have let less goals in this year.  Sigh.  It sure is hard being a Leafs fan.

Advent Thoughts Day 21

What is more ‘Christmasy’ than walking into the house from the cold and smelling fresh cookies baking in the oven?  Take some time this week to make some ‘homemade’ treats and be sure to enjoy those delightful smells of Christmas!

Advent Thoughts Day 20

For thousands of years Christians have commemorated the birth of Christ and remembered what it meant to have that baby born into this world. We also commemorate many things in our lives. We celebrate birthdays, and anniversaries over and over again because of the significance that they have to us.  Just as when we were children we looked forward with eager expectation to our birthdays, so may this Christmas be an exciting event that we look forward to even though we have celebrated it many times before!

Advent Thoughts Day 19

The final Sunday of Advent reminds us of the second coming of Christ.  Just as Christmas will spring upon us before another Sunday comes, so the final day of the Lord will come upon us in glory! The coming of the anointed one was merely the start of a chain of events that will lead to his coming again in great power and glory!

Advent Thoughts Day 18

All those who come to Jesus will have rest.  One of the reasons Christ came into the world was to provide rest for weary souls.  Members of his church look forward to an eternal rest with him. Our Lord came to earth as a human and experiences what it means to be tired and in need of rest.  He will provide us with the rest that we need!

Advent Thoughts Day 17

Throughout the years there have been many beautiful hymns composed in celebration of the Christmas season. We sing them in church and at Christmas programs, and we hear them on the radio and at the mall. Why not share these with your family around the piano, or get together a group of friends and go caroling?

Advent Thoughts Day 16

Ginger bread houses. They embody so much of what makes the Christmas season so fun. Pretty decorations. Nostalgic memories. Delightful treats. Wonderful family time. All these things can come together in the building of a ginger bread village.

Advent Thoughts Day 15

So many Christmas memories involve food. Family gatherings always seem to revolve around food. Even church functions and work dinners involve food. There is something warming and social about sharing a meal with someone. Enjoy your Christmas dinners this year!

Advent Thoughts Day 14

Letters and cards. Christmas time is a great time of year to send these out to family and friends. A great time of year to share with them something of our lives and to show that their involvement in our lives is meaningful. Facebook may be ubiquitous but I do not think it can ever replace the meaningfulness of a Christmas card. Enjoy sending out those cards!

Things That Make me Roll my Eyes - Miles of Government Regulations

Why does the government feel it need to regulate every aspect of our lives? Are we too stupid to think for ourselves? Every time a new bill comes out it seems to be at least 200+ pages long, meaning of course, that nobody will even be able to read through it all. I wonder if regulations in this country aren't just designed to create work for bureaucrats. One writes it so another can read it and then write something even more confusing to keep each other in work. Of course excessive propagation of laws also gives people the chance to find some obscure law that you are breaking if they don't like you. I think this story illustrates that point quite well. To often the regulations in our country are used for personal vendetta's or to give government officials something to point too when the amount of money going to their department is in question.

Advent Thoughts Day 13

As Christmas approaches lights go up all around us. Seeing the splendor and beauty of these lights reminds us of how wonderful the sky above the shepherds must have looked as a multitude of angels sang in awe and wonder at what their master was doing. The lights we display cannot come close to comparing to the wonder of that night, but they can remind us of how great it had been. As we enjoy the beautiful displays of light we see around us, may we be reminded that it is only a tiny sample of the glory that happened on that Christmas night!

Advent Thoughts Day 12

This is the third Sunday of Advent and on this day we are reminded of the reason that Christ came into this world. He came to save sinners through his perfect life and sacrificial death. This is a sobering thought for this time of year, but it also the real reason for the joy that surrounds us. Christ did not just come as an example, but as a replacement for sinners!

Advent Thoughts Day 11

The joy of Christmas can so often be captured in beautiful traditions. One of the best traditions at this time of year is listening to Christmas music. I think the pinnacle of Christmas music can be found in Handel's Messiah. Dig out that old CD, buy a new one or better yet find a live performance and prepare to be thrilled by this song!

Feel Good Story

This story here was very touching. A young man who loves his family more than fame or fortune. What a good news story in 'reality tv' culture we live in. Family is the bedrock of our society so its good to someone willing to make sacrifices for family!

Advent Thoughts Day 10

We all have them. Those important moments in our past that define where we are going in our future. Maybe its a first date. Maybe its your wedding day. Maybe a child's birth. Christmas is the same way. It shows us the future through the past. We look back and see the birth of our Saviour over 2000 years ago and it points us to a future eternity that we will be able to spend with Him!

Advent Thoughts Day 9

We have been given the greatest gift possible. Out of joy we live in obedience to God’s commands. Out of joy our hearts overflow to help those around us. Out of joy we give of the abundance God has given to us. This Christmas give to a special cause and share the love of Christ with those that have not been as material blessed as you!

Pretty Neat Huh?

Data and statistics can actually be interesting. No really. They can be! Even though this video uses data and statistics to present the results, it is done in a very interesting and visual way. I found it fascinating to see how far our world has come in terms of material blessings and health in the last 200 years. Especially noteworthy is that in the last 50 years, African and Asian and the so called '3rd world' countries, have started to make leaps and bounds in this direction. As the presenter says at the end of the video, pretty neat huh?

Advent Thoughts Day 8

There is so much to be thankful for at all times but we are especially reminded of this in the Christmas season.  Thankfulness for a Saviour who came as an infant. Thankfulness for family and friends. Thankfulness for new life. Thankfulness for the joys of Christmas! Spend some time today to think about all those gifts God has given you and have your heart overflow with thankfulness.

Advent Thoughts Day 7

If you were to dine with royalty you would dress up in your finest. Why not celebrate the coming of the most royal of royalty with a 'dress up' occasion?  Go out for dinner, have a candlelit dinner or just dress up for dinner and celebrate the wedding feast of the King that we have to look forward too because of the coming of the King that we remember

Advent Thoughts Day 6

Some may argue that our Dutch heritage gives us weird taste buds. I think it has much to offer us in the way of Christmas treats:)  One of the wonders of Christmas is the chance to enjoy those treats. Celebrate your heritage and head off to the Dutch store (or enjoy whatever treats of the season are associated with you cultural background).

Advent Thoughts Day 5

Today is the second Sunday of Advent and on the second Sunday we are reminded of the second birth that must happen to us.  Just as a sun-catcher is transformed by the light shining through it so we are transformed by the light of Christ shining through us!

Advent Thoughts Day 4

What better way to celebrate the joys of Christmas than with Christmas music?  God gave us the gift of music and one of the best ways to use it is to express our joy.  We are filled with joy at the thought of the gift God gave us and so we break forth in Christmas song. Sing those Christmas carols heartily out of thankfulness!

Advent Thoughts Day 3

The Christmas tree has long been a symbol of Christmas, and just as the greenness of an ‘evergreen’ tree in the winter reminds us that not all life has died, so the birth of Christ reminds us that there is a new birth and there is life to be found through the Saviour.  Remember the New Life found in him as you decorate your tree this year!

Advent Thoughts Day 2

The birth of Christ put into action the plan that God had for the salvation of his people. Through his Son God has created a family that covers all the earth. Christmas is a wonderful time of year to remember being a part of the family of God and to spend time with the families he has blessed us with. Enjoy spending time with your families this Christmas season!

Advent Thoughts - Day 1

Today being the first day of December, we are reminded once again of the coming of our Saviour into the world for our redemption and salvation. As John reminds us, He came into the world and ‘became flesh and dwelt among us.’ This becoming flesh, or taking upon himself of the material and physical elements, is rightfully commemorated and cemented in our minds by the physical giving of gifts. As we enjoy the physical pleasures of food and drink that come with this season, and as we give and receive gifts, may we be reminded of the gift we were given. The Word became flesh.