Helping Daddy Ray on the Farm: "The Lord is my Shepard,

I have everything I need." This is my new favorite translation of the well known 23rd Psalm. It puts it so simple, yet so profound. When you have the Lord, you have anything you will ever need. Even if you were stranded on an island with nothing around, you have your Savior, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, if you are a Christian. It befuddles me that some churches did not have church this past Sunday morning. Are you kidding me? What better day to have church than on Christ's birthday. If your church did not have a service that day, you may want to question the heart of the matter. Just saying. Bill continued his Christmas message this past Sunday, and this one was on "The Baby Changes Everything". Everything. If it were not for that babe, we would not have the promise of eternal life. This morning I want you to know something. If you do not already truly know and believe this, please re-read it a few times and let it sink in. This is from the commentary in my Bible over Luke 2:11-14: "Some of the Jews were waiting for a savior to deliver them from Roman rule; other hoped the Christ would deliver them from physical ailments. But Jesus, while healing their illnesses and establishing a spiritual kingdom, delivered them from sin." Ok, here is where I really need you to focus and meditate on: "His work is more far-reaching than anyone could imagine. Christ paid the price for sin and opened the way to peace with God. He offers us more than temporary political or physical change - he offers us new hearts that will last for eternity." (Life Application Study Bible, 1663) It is just like God has given us a signed blank check, all we have to do is cash it in. How do I cash it in, you ask: Pray for Him to come into your heart and believe in your heart that He is the only way to heaven. Believe that there is nothing YOU can do to get into heaven on your own. Jesus says, ""I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not of yourselves, it is a gift from God, not of works, so that no man can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 If it were something we could work our way into, then what glory would He receive? And who would decide what was good enough to get in? I praise the Lord that all I have to do is ask and receive, and that He is all I need.
With all that said and understood, Christmas should be different to you. It should no longer be about receiving, but about giving and about being able to freely celebrate His birthday. With Christmas in mind, meet our newest member of the family ... Rooster Cogburn, my gift from C.R.

Christmas morning we decided to try to capture a picture before church. My bangs look like the Red Sea when it split, but everyone else looked cute so I went with this one to share! I hope that you and yours had a very, Merry Christmas!