The Journey continues (or begins again?) at Just a Broken Pilgrim

With Chrismas coming up I’m going to be posting some Christmas lyrics. I wanted to start with this song by Casting Crowns. This song is definately my favorite. Its amazing that after 2000 years some things haven’t changed.

As I drove home the other day I asked my self if I have room for the King, and some days I know I don’t

 While You Were Sleeping

Oh little town of Bethlehem
Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you’re lying in the dark
There shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight

Do you have room for the King?

How would you define simple faith in Christ?

Simple Faith in Christ means that even when…

I don’t feel His presence

I can’t see his touch in my life

I feel like a hypocrite and a complete failure

The urge to drink is so strong it consumes me

I see his Church failing to fulfill her mission

I see Christians (myself include) who are just as flawed as everyone else.

Even in the midst of this and more… I still believe that He loves me enough that He died for me, and I believe that He will not leave me where I am but that He will lead me to where he wants me.

 If any feels inspired to answer this question on your blog, please let me know in the comments and remember to link back to Gary’s post 

Ok now I tag Jonathan, Peg, and Derek & Christian

I will be posting some thoughts about Christmas soon, but tonight I just wanted to share this list of relational gift ideas from the sight

Spending Time Together:
Here’s some creative ways to give the gift of spending time together during the holidays.
Prepare a feast with a meal, candles and ambiance music
Buy your child a baseball bat for a trip to the batting cages together
Wrap a pound of local coffee or a tin of favorite tea with a date to get together with a close friend
Nutcracker Suite ballet tickets for a trip with another child
Wrap popcorn and a classic DVD for a movie night with a friend
Host Monday night football and make some homemade pizzas
Wrap 2 copies of a classic book (check out Powell’s) to read with a friend
Hot cocoa, bundling up, & walking through the Christmas lit streets in town

Creative Coupons:
Creative coupons are a way of relationally giving away your skills, talents or time to bless someone close to you. You can make these out of paper or card-stock and feel free to decorate ‘em up!
“Babysitting” for those parents who could use a night out
“Yard work” for an elderly person in your life
“Massage” for that person who’s been working a bit too hard lately
“Road trip” to get on an out-of-town adventure together with your child
“Free Pint” to get together and talk theology and what God is doing in your lives
“Car Maintenance” to change the oil in a friend’s car if you know how
“House project” to help them build that shed, clean the garage, fix the porch, etc.- any house project you could both do together

Bath & Body:
You can make some great bath & body products without ever setting foot in the mall. Here are some great websites where you can find recipes for these and similar products.
Brown sugar body scrub: www.pioneerthinking.com
Facial soaps: www.bellahandmadesoap.com
Scented candles: www.cajuncandles.com

“ReadyMade”:
“ReadyMade” magazine is the most creative resource out there for some really fun, interesting and creative handmade craft projects. Check out their website at www.readymademag.com for some great ideas or for $25 bucks you & a few friends could go in together on their great book “How to Make (Almost) Everything”.
· Messenger bag (no sewing required)
· Stylish doormat from clothespins
· Classic picture frame from a hardcover book
· Closet organizer from shoe boxes and hangers
· Designer clock made from chopsticks
· Wine rack from coat hangers
· Picnic tote from a blanket
· Terry apron from hand towels
· Action-figure snow-globe
· CD Holder made from Lego’s or FedEx tubes

Things to Make:
A recipe book with your favorite recipes for a neighbor
A photo album of the kids for the distant relatives
With the kids hand-paint some new pottery mugs or
dishes at a ceramics store
A memory book with photos, ticket stubs, etc. of things you’ve done together
Record an interview with grandparents on the history of their life to give the family
Build a raised garden bed for herbs or vegetables
A DVD of your life these days for that long-distance friend, take a tour of your town, house, job etc…
Paint or draw a picture

Scrabble board appreciation-arrange an old scrabble board of words that express memories and attributes of that special person. Glue the pieces down and put a picture hanger on the back for them to hang it up as art!

Of course, Martha Stewart has a ton of gift ideas to make that are really nice and many of them are low cost www.marthastewart.com/crafts 

Food & Drink:
If the quickest way to the heart is through the stomach, here are some ideas of some great things to bake for others during the Christmas season! Some websites you can look to for creative recipe ideas are: www.christmas-baking.com , www.epicurious.com , www.foodnetwork.com , www.recipezaar.com Here are some of the types of recipes we found there:
Sweet Potato Pie (with Gingersnap Crust)
Vanilla Hot Cocoa Mix
Holiday Biscotti with Cranberries
Nutmeg Scented Scones
Old-fashioned Peanut Brittle
Mixed Nut Spiced Toffee
Peppermint Bark
Chocolate Truffles
Cinnamon Streusel Cider Muffins

Its easy to judge by externals, I am guilty of it more often than I would like to admit.

I wanted to share this simple prayer from our children’s devotional. It’s not always easy to be kind or show love to some people. In fact it is impossible to show love and kindness to some people on a regular basis, without having a good relationship with Christ

Black Friday- A Prelude To Christmas

Thanksgiving is still my favorite Holiday. Its always a day of great food, family and laughter.

Here’s how it works:

1. Write down five things that you’re thankful for.
2. Tag five friends who you’d like to see participate in this meme.
3. (Optional) Include a link to this post and encourage others to place a link to their completed meme in the comments section of this post so we can keep track of the thankfulness running around the blogosphere.

1. I am thankful that God restored my family: I can’t thank God enough for restoring my family. Our marriage was over by all human standards, My kids didn’t even miss me when I was gone. (I was a mean drunk). I am just so thankful that God can come into a family like ours and work miracles.

2. I am thankful for my employer: I’ve been at my job almost 4 years (a record for me). I am thankful that Dan gave me a chance. When Dan hired me I hadn’t worked in over a year and a half, and had no experience, but he hired my any way. I have since moved out of the shop and into the office, For the first time, I have a job that allowed me to use the natural talents God gave me and develop new skills that will help me outside of work as well.  Getting this job gave me the leg up I needed to put my life back in order

3. I am thankful for a God who cares: It still blows me away that the creator of the universe has the time to care for me and my little problems.

4. I am thankful for my wonderful wife Jenny: God has blessed me with a wonderful wife who loves me so much. She encourages me to become a better father, and a better man. She has been so understanding over the last few months as I have been seeking. I am thankful that she loves me even though I can be moody, selfish, disconnected, and hypocritical.

5. I am thankful for my two boys: (who are standing in the corners right now). They more than anything remind me of the importance of walking the walk and not just talking the talk. I grew up without a father, so I am learning how to be one as I go, and in the process, I am starting to understand the concept of God as father.

I don’t think I have five people to tag.

But I tag Peg, Adam, Derek & Christin, & Tim.

The above quote comes from a post by Glenn Hager over at Re-dreaming the Dream.

It is popular among many Christians today to blame others for all the problems in America. We blame the Democrats. We blame to media. We blame homosexuals. We blame violent video games. We blame feminists. We  blame… The list could go on.

As I touched on in an earlier post the problem starts with us, His Church. We are to be salt an light. To be a preservative force in our society by living transformed lives in the community at large. (Not voting for conservative republicans to do it for us)

The question for Christians shouldn’t be who can I blame, but rather- What can I do to make things better? What can I do to have a positive impact on the culture today? What can I do to show Grace and Love to others today?

Prayer Of St Francis Of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred let me sow peace,
where there is injury let me sow pardon,
where there is doubt let me sow faith,
where there is despair let me give hope
where there is darkness let me give light
where there is sadness let me give joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may
not try to be comforted but to comfort,
not to try to be understood but to understand,
not to try to be loved but to love.

Because it is in giving that we receive,
it is in forgiving that we are forgiven,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

What would happen if Christians prayed a prayer like that ever day and meant it? and intentionally acted upon it?

Thoughts?