“On the eighth
day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel
had given him before he had been conceived.” Luke 2:21
“The name the angel
had given him . . . “ Wow! Jesus was the long expected Messiah and His name was
written in Heaven before he was even conceived! Give thanks for the coming of
the Christ!
A very full week
has begun. My husband Bill’s birthday and my book signing at Barnes and Noble
were on the first day of the week, yesterday, Sunday. Thursday is Thanksgiving
and an opportunity to give God thanks for all He has given us: family and
spouse, friends and community, meaningful and loved work, and so many more
blessings if they were stars in the sky the entire Heavens would be ablaze with
light! And yet, many of us set aside only one day a year to be thankful. The
rest of the year, we complain about what we don’t have.
Starting on the
first day of next week, Advent begins and the time until Christmas when we keep
our mind stayed on the Child of Christmas, not the gifts or the clamor.
Beginning next Sunday, the first day of Advent, remember to give thanks beyond
Thanksgiving Day. Churches light the first Advent candle and homes often do the
same. My Advent Devotional, Waiting
for Jesus in a Can’t Wait World, has a devotional for each day and
Social Network “shares.” Tweet or text the young people in your life with questions
to dwell on for the day, like, “If Mary and Joseph slept in your garage
tonight, where would you put the donkey?”
My Advent devotional
book is available online at Cokesbury, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and others.
Each of these outlets and standing Christian bookstores in your area, have
Advent Devotionals of all kinds. You have until next Sunday to browse the
stores and online to find the Daily Advent guide right for you and your family.
Let this be the year when you are thankful in all circumstances, every day,
Thanksgiving and each day leading up to and including Christmas. Practice
thankfulness during these days leading up to Thanksgiving and each day proceeding
Christmas – Advent. Practice can develop a turning of the mind and heart to God
and what He has given to us, His beloved Children. Let us pray:
“Father God, Abba
– Daddy, I bow before your holy name. Your angels in Heaven experience your
glory every moment of eternity and yet, in sorrow, I admit that I do not given
thanks always for the wonderful life you have given me. If I would be more
faithful, I too would experience your presence as do the multitudes in Heaven.
May this be the day when I begin a daily practice of thankfulness and say, ‘To
God be the glory,’ speaking these words in my heart and to others around me,
before the setting of the sun. Forgive me when I have assumed too much, felt
entitled too much, and remembered you too little. I love you Lord, and choose
to recognize, ‘To you belong all thanks and glory.’ In the name of your
precious son, the Hope of the world, wrapped in swaddling clothes and full of
light, love and song, Jesus the Christ of the World, I pray. Amen”
Doris
God
gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2014 by
Doris Gaines Rapp
Non-Fiction:
Waiting for Jesus in a Can’t Wait World – Advent 2014
Prayer Therapy of Jesus
Promote Yourself
Novelette:
News at Eleven (Glo Magazine Jan, Feb, March, and April 2015)
Novels:
Novelette:
News at Eleven (Glo Magazine Jan, Feb, March, and April 2015)
Novels:
Length of Days – The Age of Silence
Escape from the Belfry
Smoke from Distant Fires
Hiawassee – Child of the Meadow
Length of Days – Beyond the Valley (January 2015)
News at Eleven – A Novel (April 2015)
Children’s:
Children’s:
Lincoln’s Christmas Mouse
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