Always Christmas

In Narnia it was said that the White Witch made it always winter and never Christmas.

For all who are in Christ it is always Christmas, no matter the season. May the spirit of the season stay with us all year.

Merry Christmas to all! 

Who Was St. Patrick?

HT: Christian History Made Easy

Don't Miss the Words This Christmas #6

Then let us all with one accord
sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
that hath made heaven and earth of nought,
and with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.

Many of our most beloved Christmas carols and songs are full of good Biblical and theological content. However, it is easy to miss the truth we are hearing or singing due to long familiarity. I encourage you to take some time to really listen this Christmas season. Don't let the music just wash over you without hearing the words!

Always Christmas

In Narnia it was said that the White Witch made it always winter and never Christmas.

For all who are in Christ it is always Christmas, no matter the season. May the spirit of the season stay with us all year.

Merry Christmas to all!

Everyone Needs Some White Christmas

Got to find time to watch White Christmas this year. It has nothing to do with the Christian message of the Holiday, but my wife and I love this movie. And remember, the best things happen while you're dancing! When I am worried and I can't sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep.  Great music!

Little know facts about the movie White Christmas.
 

A Day for Gratitude

“God has two dwellings; one in Heaven and the other in a meek and thankful heart.”
   —Izaak Walton

Hat Tip for the quote to No Sheeples Here

In Honor of Veterans Day, 2010

Today is Veterans Day in the USA. November 11 was originally called Armistice Day, in memory of the end of World War I. It is now called Veterans Day in honor of all military veterans.

I wish to make special recognition today for and to:

1. My Dad (Col. B.F. Simmons, USAF, retired), my late Grandfather (Jefferson L. Simmons, Mississippi National Guard in WWI in France), my late Uncle Franklin Simmons (Navy "Sea Bee" in WWII), Uncle Charles Shirley (Air Force), Uncle Hal Shirley (Army National Guard), Brother-in-law Gary Meier (Army), nephew Dale Meier (Army, 82nd Airborne), and any other family members I'm forgetting.

2. All our men and women serving and protecting us on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan, and many other places around the world.

3. All current and retired American veterans.

4. The families of those lost in Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, and so many other places.

God bless the USA!

Reclaiming the Concept of Vocation on Labor Day

From  WORLD Magazine the following is from an article by by Gene Edward Veith on the theme of  "a return to Luther’s doctrine of vocation would mean a return to God’s priorities for our lives—and a return to being more effective salt and light in the world|"

"Some early church fathers co-opted pagan holidays and turned them into Christian celebrations. Labor Day is ripe for a Christian takeover. A day that had its origins in the early struggles of the labor union movement is now little more than the last long weekend of summer vacation, a final time to fire up the grill before the fall grind starts up again. But celebrating the human capacity to work is an occasion to recover one of Christianity's most important, yet nearly forgotten teachings; namely, the doctrine of vocation.

Vocation is nothing less than the theology of the Christian life. It provides the blueprint for how Christians are to live in the world and to influence their cultures. It is the key to strong marriages and effective parenting. According to the classic Protestant theologians, our multiple vocations—in the family, the culture, and the workplace—are where sanctification and discipleship happen.

Today many Christians have become disillusioned with political involvement and are floundering for ways to engage the culture. Christians struggle as much as non-Christians with broken marriages and troubled families. The stumbling economy and the pursuit of prosperity seem like materialistic treadmills.

Rediscovering the doctrine of vocation could energize contemporary Christianity and show Christians how once again they can be the world's salt and light."

Read the whole thing at the link.

Remembering the Heroes

Happy Mothers Day to All The Moms!

White Christmas

The AMC Channel is running a marathon of "White Christmas" today - and I intend to watch it!

Nothing spiritual about the movie. It's only peripherally about Christmas. But my wife and I love it. Merry Christmas, Everybody.

(Little know facts about "White Christmas.")

Happy Thanksgiving

"We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. "(Psalm 75:1)

“Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.”(2 Chron. 20:21)

"Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence. "(Psalm 140:13)

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign." (Rev. 11:17)

Thanks be to God today for all his abundant and wonderful gifts - life, health, family, job, and most of all the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Veterans Day Salute

Today is Veterans Day in the USA. November 11 was originally called Armistice Day, in memory of the end of World War I. It is now called Veterans Day in honor of all military veterans.

I wish to make special recognition today for and to:

1. My Dad (retired Air Force Colonel), my late Grandfather (Mississippi National Guard in WWI in France), my late Uncle Franklin (Navy Sea Bee in WWII), Uncle Charles (Air Force), Uncle Hal (Army National Guard), Brother-in-law Gary (Army), nephew Dale (82nd Airborne), and any other family members I'm forgetting.

2. All our men and women serving and protecting us on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan, and many other places around the world.

3. All current and retired American veterans.

4. The families of the victims of the Fort Hood shootings.

God bless the USA!

Scary Halloween Costume #3

The Sacred Sandwich

Scary Halloween Costume #2

From: “Large Print Bible” Halloween Costume | The Sacred Sandwich

Scary Halloween Costume #1

“Youth Pastor” Halloween Costume | The Sacred Sandwich

Laboring for Rest!

This Monday is Labor Day in the USA. I do not know why it is that we celebrate Labor Day by taking a day off to rest. However, I shall labor to enter into rest this weekend.

"Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience." (Hebrews 4:11 ESV)

Wishing a blessed holiday weekend to my readers and friends!

The Declaration of Independence

The complete text of The Declaration of Independence is posted at RedState

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Happy Independence Day, everybody. God Bless America!

Father's Day Thought

A Great Father

A great father is a lot like shaving.

No matter how well you did today,

tomorrow you have to do it all over again.

- Author unknown.

Father's Day is Coming!

Don't forget your Dad on Father's Day!