Wishing You A Happy New Year

 

 

I didn’t go shopping on Boxing Day, but I did find a few Boxing Day Specials.

 

 

I got up early and went out with my camera and took a few shots. It has been awhile and it felt good to be out in the fresh morning air with camera in hand. I went to a friends house to check out her bird feeders. The birds slept in , but the squirrels were out and about, hustling, and bustling, gathering up some nuts for breakfast. They were fun to watch and photograph, as I swept the dust off my camera so to speak , and starting clicking away.

 

 

 

 

There were Black, and Grey Squirrels, and some in between. They never cease to amaze me, as I watched them running across this fence with barbwire on top, and it didn’t seem to hinder them at all. They are so sure footed as they run on almost anything, and jump from tree to tree, up and down and all around. I had so much fun watching them. Soon after a few birds flew in to see what was on the bird feeder menu. I will save them for another day, or maybe until next year. Ha! Which isn’t too far away. :)

 

 

 

 

 

I want to thank you all for your friendship, and all that you have added to my life through your wonderful and unique Blogs, this past year. Thank you for visiting my blog also, and leaving your comments, and kind words. Thank you for your love and support, and encouragement, and sharing.

I am not sure where this new year will take us or the world. We live in a fast moving world where things can change very quickly for the good, or the not so good. I am an Optimist at heart and I do look for God's Beauty in His Creation that surrounds me each and every day. I see the good, and I see the bad in this world, but I try to live my life by Faith, Hope and Love, and that is what I pray for each one of you, as we continue this journey of life. May we all embrace it, for life is precious and each one of you are Precious!

Have a wonderful and safe time as you celebrate the birth of the New Year. In closing I leave you with this little story called, "The Optimist".

 

The Optimist

The optimist sees the doughnut, the pessimists, the hole.

                                           Quote by: McLandburgh Wilson

 

Their is a story of identical twins. One was a hope-filled optimist." Everything is coming up roses!" he would say. The other twin was a sad and hopeless pessimist. He thought that Murphy, as in Murphy's Law, was an optimist. The worried parents of the boys brought them to the local psychologist.

He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins' personalities. "On their next birthday, put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford, and give the optimist a box of manure." The parents followed these instructions and carefully observed the results.

When they peeked in on the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, " I don't like the color of this computer... I'll bet this calculator will break... I don't like the game... I know someone who's got a bigger toy car than this..."

Tiptoeing across the corridor, the parents peeked in and saw their little optimist gleefully throwing the manure up in the air. He was giggling, "You can't fool me! Where there is this much manure, there's got to be a pony!"

Source Unknown

 

I Hope this New Year is kind to you all!  May you have a Happy, and Healthy New Year, filled with many Blessings.

xx’s Dianne :) 

A Gift Of Love

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas is a gift of Love

that can't be bought or sold -

It's ours just for the asking,

and it's worth far more than gold ...

And this priceless gift of Christmas

is within the reach of all -

The rich, the poor, the young, the old,

the greatest and the small ...

So take God's Christmas gift of Love -

reach out and you receive -

And the only payment that God asks

is just that you believe.

Written by Helen Steiner Rice

 

 

 

From my house to yours

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart.

xx’s Dianne :)

Away In A Manger

 

 

Mat 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

 

Away in a Manger

 

Away in a manger,

No crib for His bed

The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head
The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Til morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there

 

 

Away in a manager is always the first carol that children are taught. Away in a Manger was originally published in 1885. The publication of Away in a Manger was in a Lutheran Sunday school book and this created the misconception that the lyrics of Away in a Manger were actually written by Martin Luther himself. The author is unknown. The music to Away in a Manger was composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895.

…………………………………………………

 

I can still remember as a little child, singing this Christmas Carol, at my grandparents house, many years ago, and my grandparents all have gone to Heaven to be with Jesus , who is no longer that little baby in a manger. He grew up, and died on a cross, for the sins of us all. He rose from the dead, and after being seen by his disciples , and over 500 people, returned to Heaven, and said He would one day come back, (Acts Chapter One), for those remaining on the earth who believed in Him, and had Faith in Him, and became His Followers, making them Children of The Living God.

I am one of those who believe , and Jesus is the reason for the season. He is the True Meaning Of Christmas. He is The Messiah. He is Emmanuel which means , God Is With Us. Can you imagine, God stepping out of Heaven, and taking the form of a human baby. Jesus was fully human, and fully God. Some will scoff, and say, “How can you believe such a thing”? I believe God’s Word, the Bible. It is called , Faith. You can read it for yourselves this Christmas , and come to your own conclusions, and pray God shows you who He really is and why He came to earth as a baby lying in a manger. If you truly seek Him you will find Him, and He will change your life forever.

I know it is early but I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Sincerely Dianne :)

 

 

To Listen to this video please put my music player

on pause. You will find it in the side bar.

Who Will Take The Son

 

 

 

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection from Picassos to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door.

A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.” The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man.

He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.

He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.

“Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.”

The father hung the portrait over his mantel. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings.

Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “we want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.”

But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting.”

“We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids.”

But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long time gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

“We have $10, who will bid $20?”

“Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.”

“Ten dollars is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?”

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”

“What about the paintings?”

“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!”

God gave his son 2000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, his message today is, “the son, the son, who will take the son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the son gets everything.

 

 

 

These photos were taken from my archives. We are finally getting some snow today. It was beginning to look like we might have a green Christmas, but hopefully the snow will stay this time. It has been falling steadily all day. It looked like dancing snowflakes , soft and light. I did have a very busy work day, among other things and was unable to get out with my camera. It has been awhile since I have been out taking pictures. Christmas is fastly approaching, and as we all are, I am doing my best to get everything done on time. It seems time just has a way of flying by. I hope you all are enjoying the Christmas Season as we remember the “True Reason For The Season”. Without Christ, there is so Christmas.

I hope you all have a wonderful week.  xx’s Dianne :) Dec.14/2010