Merry Christmas

my favourite christmas joke

healer

There's a lot of sickness about at the moment.

Everyone I speak to has either been ill recently or knows someone who has.

I have a friend who has pneumonia, another friend who was rushed to casualty at the weekend, and sadly a lovely lady from church died unexpectedly last week.

We know that one day there will be an end to all the sickness and suffering.

In the meantime, we pray for all those who are ill or grieving at this time, and ask that more of God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

awareness

Seeing your children grow up can be a bitter sweet thing.

Seeing them develop and grow and become independent can bring a joy like no other.

Sometimes there can also be a sadness. They become more self aware and more likely to experience a loss of innocence and a greater chance of feeling embarrassment.

This year Abby was very much more reluctant to wear her elf costume out in public. It was clear that she had become more self conscious and concerned with what other people might think. Last year she wasn't worried at all.

It reminds me of Adam and Eve when they discovered they were naked and felt the need to cover up.

We do live in a fallen and sinful world. Like all of us, I have sadly contributed to the sinfulness of our global community.

However, Jesus has set us free. We now live in freedom. We do not live in shame and condemnation.

God's grace is outrageous. May we all learn to live life to the full under the banner of such grace.

busy

Busy, busy, busy.

That's pretty much how things have been this last week.

Fortunately we all got to go away to the Forest of Dean for the weekend and spend some time together relaxing and having fun.

Swimming, walking, visiting family, playing games and not getting up too early all made for a fabulous time away.

Thank God for providing peace amongst the busyness.

Christmas

It's Christmas time!

It's Christmas time!

The best time of the year!

Because it's Jesus' birthday!

Yes! Oh yes!

That's why it's the best time of the year!

Katie (age 7)

Francisco Friday (Week 3)

The Package

I was awakened in the morning by a knocking on the door
So I got up and went to see what all the knocking was for
And there stood the Devil with a box addressed to me
He said "Boy, I've got something here I think you ought to see.”

I said, “I know that I don't want it if it's anything from you
'Cause I hate everything you say and don't like anything you do.”
But then he pointed with his finger and he smiled kind of sly
'Cause the package said "from God" there in the corner, way up high

So I said, "If it's from God, then why'd He send it here by you?"
He said, "He always sends me when there's dirty work to do
This box is full of misery, poverty and shame
To perfect you through your suffering 'till you're worthy of His name.”

Well, I'd been pretty patient, but that last line took the cake
I just could not take no more, I'd taken all that I could take
So I told him what I thought of him and all his filthy lies
And then I fired the shot that got him right between the eyes

I told him "Jesus took my sickness and my poverty away
You nailed Him to the cross yourself when you murdered Him that day
The suffering that I do will be for love and not for shame
I'm already worthy by His blood, to wear His name.”

“And I know my Father loves me and has only good in store
So you just pack up all your jive and get away from my front door
You can write my name on packages ‘til I'm ninety two
But every single one I'm sending back to Hell with you
So you can pack it on up and get down the road.”

I said, “I know my Father loves me and has only good in store
So you just pack up all your jive and get away from my front door
You can write my name on packages ‘til I'm a hundred and thirty two
But every single one is going back to Hell with you."

by Don Francisco