Christmas Celebrations

 Celebrating Christmas is a way of commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came to save the world from sin and death. Christmas is also a cultural and commercial phenomenon that involves various traditions and practices, such as exchanging gifts, decorating trees, singing carols, and waiting for Santa Claus12

There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, depending on your religious beliefs, cultural background, and personal preferences. Some common Christmas activities are:

• Attending church services, such as midnight mass, to worship and praise God for the gift of Jesus1
• Reading the Bible stories of Jesus’ birth, such as in the Gospel of Luke and Matthew, and reflecting on their meaning and significance1
• Praying and thanking God for His love, grace, and blessings, and asking for His guidance and protection1
• Giving and receiving gifts, as a symbol of God’s generosity and our gratitude and love for each other2
• Decorating a Christmas tree, which represents the tree of life and the everlasting life that Jesus offers2
• Hanging a wreath, which symbolizes the crown of thorns that Jesus wore and His victory over death2
• Lighting candles or a star, which represent the light of Christ that shines in the darkness2
• Singing carols, which are songs that tell the story of Jesus’ birth and celebrate His glory and joy2
• Making and eating festive foods, such as cookies, cakes, pies, and puddings, which are often associated with specific regions or countries2
• Spending time with family and friends, and sharing the spirit of peace, goodwill, and happiness2

Answered

 

You don't know how many times, I claimed the protection of our Lord, over this tree.  For protection from it falling and taking out the power lines which are directly under it, where it would fall too.  Protection of the home and cars parked over there is also in the prayers, each time.  As you can see, it is already leaning and many of the large limbs are rotting, which gives it a matter of time before they will start falling.  Depending on the severity of the storms and wind we have in our area, my fingers stay crossed and prayers constantly go up to our Lord.  In the recent week, you can be sure I've done this with all the rain, sleet, snow and ice.  So, far he has protected us and kept everything safe.  Thank you Lord.

Prayer

In the last few days we have experienced winter weather.  It's been a threat of winter precipitation, with some ice.  Having large old trees around my home is a potential problem when the ice arrives.  Last year we had an ice storm that left huge trees broken and toppled from the weight of the ice.  Crews were working around the clock to restore electricity to many areas here in the North Texas locations.  Ours was one of them and it took the next door neighbors a whole week to get rid of the large tree and have the electric company come out to hook them back up.
I have a 200 year old tree that is in my front yard.  It's been large since I was a child and I'm now 70, which places it in the historic category.  I've left it alone out of nostalgia, but it's at the point I can no longer ignore it.  Each time we have a bad storm or threat of ice, I go into a prayer mode.  I can't tell you how many times I've prayed that God would put his hand on this tree and protect us from any disaster it could cause.
Living on a fixed income doesn't leave any extra money at the end of the month.  A tree this large could cost over $300 to $1000 to cut down and remove.  If it falls then it will take out the power lines that it is hovering right over at the present.  Some of the areas are rotting where limbs have gotten old and died.  It's not a good position to be in and it keeps me on edge just thinking about it.
A licensed electrician can also cost a pretty penny, so you see what I'm facing should this occur.
This time has been scary, but God has once again brought us through the storm.  The icy weather stayed up in the other counties and we only got cold rain here.  I am so thankful and this post is my verbal praise to our Lord for his mercy in this matter.  Truly, an answer to my prayers.  Thank you Lord!

Beauty

I never realized the beauty that is in the world until my sight started to grow dim.  Now it seems that everything is beautiful to me.  This is one of the many trees in my yard, which provides ample shade in the summer months.

Finding Strength

The recent storm which devastated a large portion of the eastern states, has left many people relying on what they believe.  Their strength to get up and go forward with come from inside their souls, hearts and their beliefs in God.  Many will turn to the churches and relief organizations for assistance for their dire needs.  The states/local government will help out as best they can when the final assessments are delivered.  Insurance companies will also help with the funds they have. 
I believe these American people have the strength it takes to find the stamina and fortitude to press on.  Rebuilding will take sometime and many decisions.  Today, it's with heavy hearts that we watch as these people make an effort to pick up the pieces of their lives.  Our thoughts, prayers and hopes are with them during this horrific time.

Trees

As you can see there are many large trees located around my house and yard.  It's a very scary situation, when high winds and bad storms greet us with their fury.  I dread to think what one of these large trees would do to my home.

Mulberry Trees

You don't see many of them these days, and I sure it's because of the mess the birds make on your cars, when sitting under Mulberry trees . The fruit is sweet and great for sauces but, you must pick them before the birds get to them. There is always a bumper crop, and the size of the fruit(finger nail) makes it hard to get ample for much cooking. You can get these an many other fruit trees, at The Nursery at TyTy. Go online and shop for your next year's tree planting.