“You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings."
Deuteronomy 15:10 NAS




Ahhhh....winter. the earth is sleeping. Waiting on the warm sunshine to quicken the soil and bring forth the new life awaiting below and inside. A time to gather together with our families for the holidays. All of us planning out the events to come during the spring and summer. Love it, I do.

Last night I, as a new officer in our CMA Chapter, attended the Officer's meeting to plan and present the upcoming few months schedule for our chapter. As a member of our chapter, I didn't give much thought to the planning process, the work behind the activities that we enjoy so much. Wow, I realize now just how much we take for granted as members! There are so many decisions to be made, rides to be considered and requests for assistance to be accepted or alas, denied. Being humans we just can't do it all. Although, I see now that the attempt is often made to do just that! It is a delicate dance to dance the officer's waltz. This I've learned and I haven't even taken office yet, I'm still in training so to speak.

I realize the honor that my fellow members have given me by even nominating me for the office of Treasurer, and I will give it my all. Not just for my brothers and sisters in the Blessed Riders, or the CMA, but for GOD.

This message is as much for me you beloved reader. The works I do for God can never even come close to the works He did, and does, for me and you. The humble gift of my time, can never eclipse the gift of His Son for me. It inspires me, urges me to give my best, my most. To give it willingly and cheerfully.

In His Service by His Grace~
Kat

Christmas.......

Webster defines it like this:

Christmas noun 1. the annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus: celebrated on December 25 and now generally observed as a legal holiday and an occasion for exchanging gifts.

Well, pardon me Mr. Webster, but you left out quite a bit in your definition.

Christmas is only the beginning of the celebration of Christ. It is the kick off, so to speak, for the real celebration that is "The Ascension" of Christ Jesus to the Father. That is why we (Christians) celebrate the birth of Christ. Without His birth, the wondrous miracle that it is, we would still be laboring under the Mosaic law.

A party, included in the count down to the New Year celebration that everyone loves so much. That is what most of the world sees as Christmas. Oh, sure the network TV stations still play the Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon. The old movies abound, White Christmas, Miracle on 34Th St, and my personal favorite, It's A Wonderful Life. Doing this they seek to appease the Christians and say, "Look! We know what Christmas is all about!" Wrong. They haven't a clue.

Christ's birth is the first part of the original perfect gift to us. The real gift came later, his sacrifice of his life, the shedding of His blood for the remission of our sins. The culmination of the gift is when Jesus ascended to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit to be with us.

Now, that beloved is a GIFT! I guarantee you are not going to find that under a pre-lit Christmas tree.

In His Service by His Grace,
Kat