White As Snow

Merry CHRISTmas everyone!!  I pray that you and yours are enjoying the Reason for the season......Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, our Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father, the Great I AM!!  I praise Jesus that He came to this earth as a Baby, to give His life for me....that He came to make my heart.....whiter than snow.
I am looking forward to heading north to see our family........we leave tonight after service at church.  So far this winter, we have only had a dusting of snow, but up north.....it has been snowing....alot!  I am so excited to see the snow......and my family too :)!!  I have packed my oh so warm winter parka, my fur-lined winter boots and gloves.  I think that a snow-ball fight is in order......maybe a snow angel or two.
Why do I love the snow you ask?  Well, it makes the brown earth and the gray skies of winter a bit easier to  tolerate, that's why!  If I look outside my window and just see....blah....I get a bit down in the mouth.  But let it snow for a bit and everything changes to pure sparkly white!  The earth no longer looks so drab when it is covered in a quilt made of diamonds; and the gray skies now sparkle with frost as the snow flakes fall to the earth.  Yes, I know......snow is cold.....but snow warms this girl's heart.

The Snow (by Katniss Everdeen)

The Snow
See the snow
Its a blanket, soft and white
Falling slow
Covering the world, making it bright

Hear the snow
Crunching underneath feet
Children throw
The snow in the street

Smell the snow
The freshening scent
As the steady flow
Makes my heart content

Feel the snow
Powdery, it freezes your toes
As the blanket starts to grow
And the cold wind blows

Taste the snow
The way it makes the world look clean
Still cold though,
Makes the world, a beautiful scene

Love the snow
When I see it snowing all day
I just know
That everything is going to be okay

The Tide Has Turned

Well, the Christmas season has begun!!  My favorite time of the year.  I love Christmas for many reasons; spending time with family and friends, Christmas cookies and candies, the decorations, and the most wonderful reason of all, my Savior came to earth to be born a Man, destined to die for me!!
Last night at our church's 32 annual Women's Christmas celebration, the gals who led the music sang; Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel......but with a twist.  They added in another song between the verses....it was beautiful and very moving.  
This Is War by Dustin Kensrue. 
This is war like you ain't seen.
This winter's long, it's cold and mean.
With hangdog hearts we stood condemned,
But the tide turns now at Bethlehem.
This is war and born tonight,
The Word as flesh, the Lord of Light,
The Son of God, the low-born king;
Who demons fear, of whom angels sing.
This is war on sin and death;
The dark will take it's final breath.
It shakes the earth, confounds all plans;
The mystery of God as man.

I wish that all of you could have heard it.  It was a beautiful reminder of why I celebrate Christmas.  The lyrics to the above song say it all.  I was in darkness and now I am in the LIGHT!  I no longer have a "hang-dog" heart, and the winter is anything but cold and mean!!  Winter time now holds the celebration of the Light of the world coming to earth to save us from sin's condemnation and the curse of death.  I praise the God of heaven for His indescribable Gift.......my Jesus!!