Season of Giving 2015, Week Two

More gifts for each day of the Season of Giving, Christmas-time.

Season of Giving, Gift #8
Memories, and thinking of "It's a Wonderful Life" 's compelling conclusion.... emphasizing strength-sustaining family and friendships and special times together. Three special White Christmas "Sisters" come to mind this Christmas Season.

Season of Giving, Gift #9
     Season of Giving Gift #9 is writers. Without inspired writers, we would not have the timeless Bible. The particular writer/blogger at the link below clearly says things I've not thought of before about the phrase "I married-up."
     39.5 years ago I was not beyond the edge of reason, did not "settle" for Jeff, nor did he sneakily "catch" my love in a weak moment. And vice versa. Despite my harried childhood, there was no “better-half” who was mixed-up, numbed-up, giving a hand-up to perk-up someone with hang-ups. In other words, no fix-up, cook-up or clean-up of a spousal round-up. (Admittedly, there was one bridge to my heart--his sporty baby blue Chevy Vega because I lacked wheels at college. The city bus was my transportation of necessity).
     We pretty much each married-up because, at least in our case, we are better people together rather than separately. We are equally blessed to have married each other. I've said it before (because I'm the emotionally expressive one) and will say it again and again:  I Love him. Always have. Always will.       Married-up?? the article

Season of Giving, Gift #10
     Season of Giving Gift #10 sounds a bit like I am entering "The Dark Side": It is the gift of sundown that brings night-time. Why?

     Heavenly angels appeared, at night-time, to shepherds who watched their flocks with the stars and moon shining. Those startled first-Christmas shepherds might have felt a light-force sensation similar to a paraphrased quote from "It's a Wonderful Life": "If we could swallow the moon, and let it all dissolve, then moon beams could shoot out of our fingers and toes, and out the ends of our hair!!!"
     And then I think of our newest neighbor’s holiday lights that glow in different phases, all night long. At 11:00 p.m. multi-colored lights beautifully shine over the entire front of the house. We can enjoy the view, but only when it is dark.

      Indeed, beautiful sights arrive at night. But, a brilliant light can shine from within us outward, 24/7. There is no need to swallow the shining moon, hang Christmas lights year-round, nor permanently enter "The Dark Side":  “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).

Season of Giving, Gift #11
< --- Thoughts, re-programmed and re-ordered.


Season of Giving, Gift #12
Season of Giving Gift #12:  Dreams that see beyond the present, and beyond the pains of the present. --- >

Season of Giving, Gift #13
Season of Giving Gift #13: Wonder and awe. Like the reaction, thousands of years ago, of simple and isolated shepherds, and their jaw-dropping look up into the darkness to see bright heavenly angels visibly coming to earth. Announcing God with us!!!! A reaction that might somewhat resemble a curious child's awestruck jaw-drop as he studies. The overwhelming, 15-foot-high, lighted Frosty the Snowman at a Christmas-time display.


Season of Giving Gift #14
Season of Giving Gift #14: Simple but meaningful "earworms" from a portion of ♫At the Cross♫ and song lyrics "such-a-worm". How odd, in mid-December, to hear crickets chirping on our walks and see worms on the parking lot's pavement. Had to take a photo.