‘TIS THE SEASON: SHINING BRIGHT

Good Evening Friends

I trust your weekend went well

The lights of the season are still SHINING BRIGHT

The joy of the season is still SHINING BRIGHT

And I am praying that you are enjoying a MOST RELAXING HOLIDAY SEASON

Christmas is two short days away –

And while we discussed the light of Christmas a few days ago;

Tonight begins the celebration of Hanukkah – the Festival of Lights

I am not Jewish by birth – obviously 

However I am Jewish by rebirth – my Savior, my LORD, my King is Jewish

And I am part of the family of God

‘God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.’ Ephesians 1:5

I love that during Hanukkah, it is not only celebrated the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days;

It also serves as a reminder of what can happen when people are courageous

There is never a right time to do the wrong thing;

There is never a wrong time to do the right thing.

Standing for what is right,

Confronting the darkness with light,

Ignoring the odds - and choosing to fight

This is truly a season of miracles –

And that need to stand for what is right is every bit as necessary today

as it was so many years ago

May the LORD grant you courage in every situation you face

May His blessing abound in your life and His peace surround you as a shield

Happy Holidays – 

                And Happy Hanukkah

בָּרוּךְאַתָּהאֲדֹנָיאֱלֹהֵינוּמֶלֶךְהָעוֹלָםשֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּוְקִיְּמָנוּוְהִגִּיעָנוּלִזְּמַןהַזֶּה

‘Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu liz-man ha-zeh.’

‘Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.’

Praying you have a blessed evening…

'TIS THE SEASON: 299 792 458 m / s

Good Evening Friends

I trust your week went well

And I am praying that you are enjoying a MOST RELAXING EVENING

I for one, am glad to be sitting in the comfort of my bedroom

I had enough of the traffic this afternoon –

In fact, that is probably the only thing I don’t like about this season

– THE SEASON OF LIGHTS

In any event –

I patiently maneuvered my way through traffic,

I stopped to get some dinner and made it home safely – THANK THE LORD

So tonight I am enjoying the lights, eating beef teriyaki and taking it easy

I don’t know why, but I have been craving beef teriyaki all week

Third time having it this week … and I haven’t had this in years. Love it!

And –

While my complete trust is in the LORD,

I also happen to love the fortune cookies which come with my meal - 

                That is, I love reading them more than eating them on my current diet plan

Today’s fortune cookie?

I have to say this is one of the less fun-filled, more thought-provoking fortunes I received

However, it got me thinking ...

This is the season where many reflect upon the BIRTH OF CHRIST 

                 & the miraculous light which shone that night

It is still a marvel to me that – IN AN INSTANT – the Light of God, the Lamb of God

                Penetrated the darkness of the world

Thirty-three years later at the top of Calvary,

                He penetrated the darkness of hell – and secured the redemption for all mankind

And He forever is seated on His throne, a shining beacon of hope to all who turn to Him

YES, TONIGHT –

He stands ready to take on any and every dark situation we encounter

Yet, we must receive HIS LIGHT

He is a perfect gentleman – He will not force His will or Himself on anyone

                Which is why He created us creatures with a will, a freewill – to accept or reject

And the answer to my fortune cookie lies in the TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD

§  'All things become visible when they are exposed by the light…’ Ephesians 5:13

§  'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.' John 1:5

§  'Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.”' John 8:12

You see, it is the presence of light which causes the darkness to flee.

LIGHT VANQUISHES THE DARK

So what’s the speed of dark?

It is 299 792 485 m / s … THE SPEED OF LIGHT

Be encouraged my friend –

And, may every dark situation you are facing be illuminated by the light of His love

                Tonight and all throughout this holiday season

Praying you have a blessed evening …

Much Love