Redefining Christmas

Christmastime is definitely approaching. I can almost smell it in the air. People are gearing up for the busy holiday season, and depending on where you live, you’ve probably had at least one snowfall. Everything is centered around preparing for the arrival of what is probably the biggest and most-anticipated holiday of the year.

Christmas is probably my favorite holiday, but not just because of the general holiday cheer. I enjoy being able to spend time with family, give them gifts, and most of all, celebrate the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ. To me, Christmas is just one more opportunity to really reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us. After all, the reason Jesus came to be on earth was so that He could grow up, die, and be resurrected, to take away the sins of the world. This season, I’ve been thinking a lot about Jesus, and the hope that He’s given us. Without Him, Christmas seems so empty. Christ has to remain in Christmas, otherwise it will become meaningless.

As I thought about it, I wanted some way to be able to share this hope with others. I was thrilled this morning when my mom told me we had some money to give. Excitedly, my siblings and I looked at all of our possibilities. We had so much fun choosing who we could bless this Christmas. In the end, we gave to several causes, such as a local pregnancy center, our local shelters, and several organizations that minister to families overseas. I felt so ecstatic that I was making a difference, and helping other Christians bring Jesus’ hope to those in need. This morning I discovered that the old adage rings true—to give is better than to receive. I can’t explain the feeling I got after choosing to give, but it was inexplicably wonderful. I realized what Christmas is really about—it’s about Jesus, and giving others His hope.

This Christmas, I’m going to redefine my focus. I’m going to focus on what I can give rather than what I will be getting. I’m going to focus on the ways that I can bring light to others, even if it’s just smiling at a random person who passes by me. Most of all, I’m going to look for every opportunity I can to remind those around me of Jesus, the real reason for Christmas. Who’s with me?

~Kylie

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

12 slices bacon
2/3 cup margarine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1.Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2.In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3.Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

My family and I, love this recipe and, actually, just had it tonight! :) It's the BEST potato soup in the world! :D

~Ashley

Song Follow Up to "Corrie Ten Boom"

Praise YOU In This Storm

by Casting Crowns

  
I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus 

I think this song goes along really well with the story of Corrie Ten Boom. Through all the storms that she went through, she praised God through ALL of it; being in many concentration camps, her sister dying, her father dying.

  ~Sam

My Hiding Place

You are my hiding place; 

       you will protect me from trouble

       and surround me with songs of deliverance.

       Selah

- Psalm 32:7

Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

- Isaiah 4:5-6

Corrie ten Boom's faith really amazes and inspires me. I read her story not too long ago, and came away with a strong desire for faith like that. She was such a strong and faith-filled lady that I would have loved to meet.

You only have to read a brief biography of her life to gather that her life wasn't easy. She grew up the daughter of a clockmaker in Haarlem, Holland. When the Holocaust began, Corrie and her father and sister Betsie helped hide the Jews in their house. Sadly, they were betrayed, and Corrie and her family were taken to a concentration camp. Her father and Betsie both died during their imprisonment, but Corrie escaped ten months later with nothing short of a miracle. She then went on to speak to thousands of people about how "there is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still." (quote from Corrie)

When I read Corrie ten Boom's book, The Hiding Place, I was baffled by her joy and hope even in the midst of darkness. I couldn't understand it, until I realized something. "The hiding place" may refer to the secret room in the ten Booms' house that they used to hide the Jews, but I think that it also refers to the source of Corrie's hope as well - Jesus. When things were at their worst, Corrie still ran to her Heavenly Father, the only one who could be her refuge during that time. Corrie learned how to truly rely on God for everything, and how to hide under the shadow of His wings. Below is some of Psalm 91, a passage I thought was fitting.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High 

       will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, 

       my God, in whom I trust." ...

He will cover you with his feathers, 

       and under his wings you will find refuge; 

       his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

  You will not fear the terror of night, 

       nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, 

       nor the plague that destroys at midday....

 If you make the Most High your dwelling— 

       even the LORD, who is my refuge-

 then no harm will befall you, 

       no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you 

       to guard you in all your ways;

 they will lift you up in their hands, 

       so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.....

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; 

       I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him; 

       I will be with him in trouble, 

       I will deliver him and honor him.

 With long life will I satisfy him 

       and show him my salvation."

When things get tough, all we have to do is call on the name of the Lord. He's always listening, and always there to lift us out of any pit. I want to rely on His strength to carry me. No matter what lies ahead or how hard things are, He knows what will happen, and He is there to walk through it with us. He's our refuge, and He will always be our Hiding Place.

~Kylie

P.S. - I found this website interesting, because it contains photos of Corrie's home and Corrie herself. Check it out with your parents' permission! Click here.

Corrie Ten Boom

I just recently finished reading "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. I also saw the movie- but that didn't happen to be as good as the book. 

I really enjoyed reading about this very special lady, because she had such a passion for the Lord- and kept her faith, even through all that she went through.

Corrie- and the rest of the Ten Boom family, let Jews into their homes, during the Holocaust- when Hilter was killing all the Jews. 

Eventually, she, her sister Betsie, and her father, Casper, all were sent to Concentration camps- where they were beaten and abused. 

Betsie- Corrie's older sister, by 9 years, was with Corrie most of the time during their time at Concentration camps. Betsie was the one that helped Corrie keep her faith, and still pray and look to God through the whole situation. 

Betsie died in the concentration camp- along with their father. 

Corrie was released from Ravensbruck (concentration camp) on New Years Eve- almost a whole year after she and her family was aressted. 

_____________________________

Corrie is a good example for all of us- while we are going through hard and difficult times- we need to look to our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. 

We've all had hard times- some people have had a harder life than others- but if we look to our Savior, He'll hold onto us, and carry us through our hard times. 

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise  

Kutless "What Faith Can Do" 

~Ashley  

How Beautiful is the Body of Christ

Romans 10:15
"How shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things." 

How beautiful, the hands that served the wine and the bread, and the sons of the earth.

  How beautiful, the feet that walked the long dusty roads, and the hill to the cross. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. How beautiful, the heart that bled, that took all my sin and bore it instead.

  How beautiful, the tender eyes that choose to forgive and never despise. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. And as He laid down His life.  We offer this sacrifice, that we will live, just as He died. Willing to pay, to pay the price, willing to pay the price. How beautiful, the radiant bride, who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes.

  How beautiful, when humble hearts give the fruit of pure lives so that others may live. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. How beautiful, the feet that bring the sound of good news, and the love of the King. How beautiful, the hands that serve the wine and the bread, and the sons of the earth. How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful, is the body of Christ. 

                                                                       "How Beautiful" 

                                                                                 ~written by Twila Paris 


~Natalie

                                            

"Fearless" Taylor Swift

Hi guys! It's Sam! Today, I'm going to be doing a review on Taylor Swift's sophomore album, "Fearless". Now, you might not agree with everything I say, and that's fine, this is just a personal review of this CD. But, I'd love to hear some of your opinions too!

"Fearless" Taylor Swift

The overall appearance of this CD is great! It's fun, upbeat, and has alot of personality!  Taylor Swift write about personal experiences, which makes the CD even better!

Fearless: This song is all about rushing into a relationship. Diving into it headfirst without thinking about what you are doing. This doesn't seem like the kind of relationship a Christian girl should be having. It's sure to go down somewhere along the road.

Fifteen: "Fifteen" describes a girl who is getting into a relationship at a young age. As this song proves, young relationships usually don't go anywhere or as the way you might've planned it, and you just ended getting your heart broken. ["Abigal gave everything/ She had to a boy/ Who changed his mind/ And we both cried/"] I think Taylor Swift is using this song as a warning to young love.

Love Story: I have mixed feelings about this song. I love the tune, and how the song seems to take place in the Victorian era. But the overall message of this song, really isn't the greatest. The girl and the guy are in love, but the father doesn't want them to see each other, and yet they sneak off in the night and see and be with each other ["So I sneak out/ To the garden to see you/ We keep quiet/ 'Cause we're dead if they knew/"] against the girl's father's will. ["And my daddy said/ 'Stay away from Juliet'/"] This is a rebellious song. In the end, though, the boy goes and asks the girl's father for permission to marry his daughter. That was good. ["I talked to your dad/ Go pick out a white dress/"]

Hey Stephen: There's really nothing wrong with this song unless you have an offense to "kissing in the rain". "Hey Stephen" is about a girl who obviously likes this boy names Stephen. Taylor Swift seems to describe this boy as an attractive, young man who has girls around him all the time. ["Of all the girls/ Tossing rocks at your window/"] The girl in this song is almost just like one of those girls, except she's more than just a "fan" of Stephen, she actually has feelings for him, and really wants him to feel the same way about her. I think the message of this song is really cute.

White Horse:  This song is quite sad. and there's really nothing wrong with it. I don't really know what to put for this one. haha. Well, the girl seemed to not realize that guy didn't really love even love her. She was blinded, because she loved him so much. ["Maybe I was naive/ Got lost in your eyes/"] But I'm actually not really sure.
You Belong With Me: This song is upbeat and fun. The girl in this song isn't satisfied without the guy she wants. The girl puts down the other girl that the guy is dating. Saying that she (herself) know the guy a whole lot better. ["She doesn't know your story/ Like I do"] She's obviously very jealous of the other girl. It's not very good to be jealous, but it can be hard not to be sometimes.
Breathe: In this song, the girl and the guy broke up, and the girl just can't get the guy off her mind. She says that it's not easy being in a relationship, ["And we know/ It's never simple/ Never easy/"] and wishes that they're relationship could've gone on, because she can't breathe without him. ["And I can't breathe/ Without you/ But I have to"]
Tell Me Why: I'm a little confused with this song. I think it's weird how she says that she loves the guy in this song so much, but yet he's abusive to her, and she doesn't want to break up with him. ["I need you like a heartbeat/ But I know you've got a mean streak/"] In this song, she just lets the guy do what ever he wants to the girl. ["I take a step back/ And let you go/ I told you I'm not bulletproof/ Now you know/"] It seems to me, like you should make sure the guy isn't mean to you, before you go and fall in love with him.
You're Not Sorry: (coming soon with others) 

 

~Sam