CHILD OF THE SUN

It's no wonder that I love to write about mermaids, islands and seashells; I am definitely a child of the sun!  Dark and dreary days can bring me down if I let them.  There are many dreary days in January here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  On days like that, I slip under a blanket with a cup of hot coffee and begin to dream of warmer climates with blue water and sunny sandy beaches.  My husband will come home from work and ask me, "Did you talk to anyone today; I mean anyone real?"  Lol!  Yep, he's got it about right.  : )

MY JANUARY POEM

I originally wrote this poem for my brother Terry in 1996; it was one year after my family and I had moved from California to Virginia.  Things were very tight then and I couldn't afford to buy him a gift, in fact, I think that was the very first year that I wasn't able to give him one.  We had always been close; he was my only sibling and moving was very hard for me.  So, I decided to write a poem for him and I decoupaged it onto a piece of cardboard and I couldn't even afford to mail it to him until later in February of that year.  I consider it to be my January Poem and I hope you like it:

CHRISTMAS LIVES THROUGH US

Christmas comes and Christmas goes

Amid the rain and wintry snows

The bells are silent in the square

The wreaths are gone that hung everywhere

The lights that twinkled so brightly now are dim

The mangers of straw are put away that revealed Him

But His true love still rings across the land

It's a timeless love that will always stand

No one can silence the Angels as they sing

He is still Lord!  He is still King!

The earth is still in joyful song

From the babbling brooks and creeks; to rivers long

In the trees that rise skyward lifting arms in praise

Meadows with tall grass in the wind sways

The birds cannot contain their joy inside

The sun rises and its happy face it cannot hide

God's people are still gathering across this great land

Proclaiming aloud His love hand in hand

We can truly keep Christmas in our heart

Hidden so deeply inside it can never depart

God's Son still lives and deserves our praise

Let us never forget our voices to raise

He is the King of Glory and will ever be!

So Christmas will always live through you and me

Sheri L. Swift

01/31/96

The GOD Man

For hundreds of years the Prophets told of His coming.  God sent an Angel to tell Zacharias that his wife Elizabeth was to have a son (John) that would prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah; which that alone was no small miracle given the age of Zacharias and Elizabeth.  Once more, God sent an Angel (Gabriel) to a young virgin girl (Mary) who was engaged to a man named Joseph.  The Angel told her that she was chosen to bare the Son of God; she was to name him Jesus.  The Angel also told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was now six months pregnant "For with God nothing will be impossible".

The amazing thing to me was that not only was Mary chosen to give birth to God's Son, but that she was willing to do such a thing.  She knew that her Fiance' might not take it so well.  She also knew that in those days, a woman could be stoned to death for being pregnant without a husband.  Yet, she was willing to risk her reputation and even the man she loved for God's will.  Mary decided to make a trip to visit her cousin Elizabeth and when she met her for the first time, Elizabeth's baby danced in her womb at the very presence of God's Son in Mary's womb. 

When the time came near, God wrote the birth announcement of His Son in the sky for the very wise and scholarly of men to read.  Then for even the lowest of poor men (Shepherds who basically lived outside), He sent a personal invitation in the very presence of an Angel who stood right there in front of them and said, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you:  You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths living in a manger" (I can hear Linus saying this in the play *A Charlie Brown Christmas*).  Then the Bible tells us that the sky was filled with many Angels singing a song, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men!"  Of course the Shepherds went to see this child and told Mary and Joseph of all they had heard from the Angels.

Can you just imagine it; God cared so much for the men of earth, that He made sure that all were invited.  I have always related to the Shepherds; to think that God would give us Plain folk an invitation is just so amazing to me that my heart can hardly contain it.  I can see how God provided an instant celebration!  God even made sure that two of His faithful servants weren't able to miss the birth of His Son either.  Simeon and Anna had waited in the Temple daily for Him to arrive; they both praised God for Him allowing them to see their future Savior when Mary and Joseph brought their baby Jesus to the Temple as was their custom to give an offering after a male child was born.

 There was also a sort of baby shower given later for God's Son.  Some very wise men of the East were anxious to greet this newborn King of the Jews.  They did their best to follow God's directions in the invitation that He wrote in the sky and they followed His star to Jerusalem.  They went to Herod the King and said, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him".  Of course Herod was none too happy to hear that the prophecy of this new King said that He would shepherd God's people and that these wise men actually wanted to recognize this baby of a King.  He basically told them to feel free to search Him out, but please come back and let me know too so that I might worship Him.  God continued to shine His star and the wise men were so happy to follow it once more to the house where Mary and Joseph were now living as it shined down over them.  They brought gifts of great wealth; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  These gifts greatly helped Mary and Joseph to make a new life in Egypt for a time.  As you can imagine, God revealed to the wise men not to return to Herod and he became angry and commanded that all the male children who were born during the time of the star were to be killed (basically two years old and younger); such a terrible thing.  An Angel had warned Joseph to take his family to Egypt until the rule of Herod ended.

This was just the beginning of what this God Man would do.  Just think of it, God heard our heart's cry and decided to give us a Savior.  How amazing that His Son took on our humanness and the boundaries of this planet when He could have continued to enjoy all the privileges of His royal station in the Heavenly. But God was determined to not only tell us but to show us His love and mercy.

May you truly know the gift and meaning of this wonderful Season when we celebrate the birth of this God Man.  Merry Christmas and may God's peace reign in your hearts.

(If you'd like to read more about this miraculous event; I mostly took the scriptures of Luke and Matthew)

A SEASON FOR THANKFULNESS

Anyone who knows me knows that I want to start in with Christmas right after Halloween!  Lol!  I love hearing the Christmas music that begins to play on the radio.  I love walking into a store and seeing Christmas Trees, bows and ribbons lining the shelves.  I can't help it, I just love Christmas so much.

Then I step back and think about what this season brings.  It really is a time for reflection and remembering all that we have come through this past year.  I have been blessed to survive a bout with cancer and was able to finish all of the edits on my story and finally get it published.

I have been blessed to see my Church family expand and yet still feel like we are family.  I've been blessed with starting back with my small group that I love dearly.  I've been able to be a part of the 40 Days of Community Leadership Team and have enjoyed getting to know all of them better.

I've been blessed to see my newest grandson born in this past year and to watch all of my grandchildren growing up in the Lord.  I've also been blessed to have such wonderful sons-in-love and beautiful daughters that each help to serve others in their own way.  I've also been blessed to finally see my baby girl find a guy that is the measure of her worth.  I have ever been blessed to have my best friend and husband journey beside me.

All in all, it has been a good year.  I am thankful Lord, for all that you have done on behalf of myself and those I love.  Thank You that all are welcome to sit at Your table!  : )

A POEM FOR FALL

AUTUMN REFLECTIONS

What is it that makes my heart stir

In the autumn of the year

The hues of gold, orange and scarlet

Or the blue skies so clear

Is it the sight of the leaves swirling

As the wind beckons them to dance

Or is it the rolling hills of color

That makes me take a second glance

Is it the sound of booming thunderstorms

From sheets to gentle rain that falls

Or is it the brisk autumn breezes

And the howling wind that calls

Is it the brilliant starry nights

With the October moon that glows

Or is it the little babbling brooks

To the raging river that flows

Is it the smell of fresh cut wood

Stacked neatly in a row

Or the sight of orange pumpkins

With happy faces all aglow

Is it candy corn, hay rides and bonfires

Apples that are red and green

Or the smiles of happy children

On the night of Halloween

Is it the smell of Cinnamon and spice

 And wood smoke drifting in the air

Or is it the blue jean overalls

And knitted sweaters that we wear

I guess it’s a time for family and friends

To come inside and join in on the fun

To sip a cup of hot cocoa or cider

And sit beside your special one

I love all that this season has to offer

From sounds, tastes, scents, and sights

To good food and fellowship

And a warm fire on chilly nights

KNOWING REAL LOVE

Today I started reading "Better Together".  It's a 40 Days of Community Devotional and Journal.  It talks about how God's love for us gives us the reason to love others.  That God's love in us gives us the ability to love others.  And it teaches that God's love through us gives us the way to love others.  It also has a daily journal and although I don't usually share my personal journal, I decided to share this one from today.

DAY 1 JOURNAL

I thought that I never truly knew what love was until I married John; he is so self-sacrificing towards me.  Then I learned another aspect of love as my children got older.  I realized that there is nothing that my children could do to make me stop loving them; it may cause us to have a time of separation, but my love is always there waiting for them.  Then I learned the greatest aspect of love when I went through radiation; I felt God's presence and knew that not even death could separate Him from me.

Whatever you are going through my friend, know that God loves you!  : )

We have NOT forgotten

     We have not forgotten the cost that America paid on 9/11/01.  Though we are battle scarred our spirit is strong.  Our Nation is healing from this terrible tragedy; however, we will never forget the lives that were lost that day nor those who fought bravely to save the victims in the Two Towers as well as those who fought bravely to stop the plane in the Pennsylvania  field and those in the Pentagon as well.

     God has blessed our Nation with His mighty protecting hand since that day.  I am so thankful for the freedom we have in this wonderful homeland.  May we never take for granted all those who fight to defend our freedom even this very day.  I am so thankful for my Nephew and his Family sacrificing the comforts of America as He and They serve in Japan.

     May God continue to bless America!  : )