For Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24th, 2022

 

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE 

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24TH, 2022

The moments of our lives may be bright with possibility, dark with fear or sadness, or even plain everyday gray, but God's glory never fades.  May God's glory shine into the exciting lights, upsetting darks,  and boring grays of your every day.

Slightly adapted from one of my morning devotionals

'

85 DAYS UNTIL SPRING 

 Sunrise:  7:52 am

 Sunset:   5:03 

pm

 

Life is a special   

occasion!

Hallmark!

Today is Christmas Eve which celebrates the eve of the birthday of Christ.  Much of the world anxiously awaits the festivities of Christmas Day, while many families even celebrate this day as much as Christmas itself.  

The Christmas holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and like many other religions Christians often begins their celebration the night before.

Traditionally many people finish up holiday shopping, travel to be with friends and family and attend holiday parties.

To celebrate today, bake a batch of cookies or drop off gifts to friends or read the classic poem, Twas the Night before Christmas.  Have a happy Christmas Eve!

If you cannot see the bright side, polish the dull side

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl.

Bess Streeter Aldrich

Here at my house I go to church on Christmas Eve with as many of my family as there might happen to be around.  It looks like our weather may be settling down enough for us to venture out tonight.  The roads should be clear enough to get there safely.  We’ll see…

The pictures today show a previous Christmas Eve.  The service we go to is for the children who dress up as angels and shepherds.  My grandchildren usually take a part in that but this year, I guess they decided they were getting too old for that. I’m glad to have pictures of them when they did participate.  

Sadly when I got up yesterday, I found out that my heat wasn’t working properly and it was starting to get cold in my house, so I called our good maintenance people and they said I just needed to turn up the heat more.  The furnace was working but was having a hard time keeping the house warm with the terrible winds we were having  I’ve turned up the heat but it remains chilly in here.  The winds are blowing so bad, and this home doesn’t have much insulation.  They should be dying down later this morning, so maybe I’ll finally be able to warm up.  I’ll have to remember to turn it back down if it happens to get warmer. 

I always cook for the weekend on Saturday and today’s dinner is:

Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole

Makes 2 casseroles, 5 servings each

2 cans, condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp pepper

2 pkgs. 28 oz. each, frozen O’Brien potatoes

2 pkg. 16 oz. Velveeta, cubed 

2 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl mix soup, sour cream water and pepper until blended.  Stir in potatoes, cheese and ham.

Transfer to baking dishes.  Bake, covered 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I’ll be making only 1/2 this recipe as I don’t have freezer room to freeze and extra one. I’ll still have enough leftover for tomorrow’s dinner.

It’s only 13 degrees here today and we still have blowing winds and a small chance of more snow.

I hope you all have  a SUPER Saturday!

COUNTING MY GIFTS 

Christmas Eve is a wonderful time to reflect and be grateful for all we have right now.

Author Unknown

Counting at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for.  There is truly is always something to be thankful for.

 

10,902. for church services with the family 

10,903. for our road crews doing a good job

10,904. for friendly maintenance men who come right out

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

  

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

 

Almighty and eternal God,

Protect our military

as they discharge their duties

with the shield of your strength,

may the power of your love

enable them to return home in safety

that with all who love them

they may ever praise you for your loving care.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters and EMT’s.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOD BLESS YOU!

ADVICE FOR TODAY

May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.  

Christmas Poster

 

 You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought

Matthew 5:5 (MSG)