It’s Christmas Eve.

Have you finished shopping; wrapping?

Are there any cookies left?

Those traditions are important, but don’t forget to remember the “reason” we celebrate Christmas. Regardless of the actual date of His birth, Christmas is about Jesus being born in a humble stable. He is Emmanuel – God with us.

Enjoy one of my favorite songs, “Adore,” and have a blessed Christmas.

Warm and fuzzy television ads, radio Christmas music (since Halloween!), rushed and masked shoppers, continual online deliveries – do any of these things sound familiar? One of those radio songs tells us among others things that this time of year is what I described in the title of this post – the most wonderful time of the year.

However, for some people, this is a very hard time of the year. Not even factoring in the Covid situation, some of us are dealing with illness, loss, medical treatments, financial worries, and stressful family relationships. Then my thoughts go to those that are truly alone during this time of year – no one with whom to spend time, eat, or share a present or two.

Let me encourage those who feel alone or that no one cares about them to listen to the song I have included with this post. Jesus, referred to as Emmanuel at Christmastime, is “God with us.” He is with us – we are never alone.

I wish I had seen this FB post before I launched my latest “Is anyone Else Dizzy” blog a couple of days ago. This man – I can’t find out who he is – gives us a perfect follow-up to what I said (my post is below this one). Soak it up, my friends.

It’s been ten days since the 2020 election. The President, 35 Senators, and all 435 Congressmen/women were up for reelection or defeat. All but two of the Congressional elections have been decided, but the most important race, the one for the White House, has not because at least five states and their electoral votes are in limbo due to mandated recounts.

In addition, Covid numbers are rising again, resulting in more lockdowns being announced in heavily hit states. I just noticed in my area of Virginia that our Golden Corral buffet has closed for good. The sign has been taken down, and my reaction was simply sadness. This restaurant is just one example of the cost this year has brought to businesses and individuals. 2020 has been disastrous in terms of the loss of life to this virus, as well as the loss of our way of life. We have had to learn and adjust to the “new normal” rather quickly.

When our equilibrium is hit personally or professionally, we are affected. The title of this post reflects my concern, because some days I just want to rest because I don’t feel steady any more. The things I took for granted – family time, school events with the grandchildren, travel, even church worship – have all changed. And it happened so quickly!

Something else is predicted by the Bible to happen even quicker. The Lord will call His people home “in the twinkling of an eye.” This is as fast as one blink, something we do 10,000 to 20,000 times a day. Are you familiar with these words: “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” I Corinthians 15:51-52 “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16-17

These words help me regain my strength; my equilibrium. There’s no reason to feel dizzy when I remind myself that nothing that has happened this year took God by surprise, and that He’s coming to get me when the time is right. Do you have that assurance? You can by trusting Jesus as your Saviour.

Sue

Remnant – a small remaining quantity of something.

Oftentimes we read in the Bible how God withheld judgment for awhile because of a few righteous people who honored His name and ways. For example, Jonah was sent to Nineveh to warn the people there to repent from their evil ways or be destroyed by a Holy God. When the people listened, then fasted and repented, our compassionate God chose to forgive them. That generation was saved – maybe we could call them a righteous remnant.

I would like to encourage people reading this blog who believe in the power of prayer, to lift up this nation to God and pray for repentance for our country. A righteous remnant today could make a difference in the timing of God’s judgment on the United States. As Ruth Bell Graham said, “If God doesn’t judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Judgment will come for the evil that has been allowed to become “normal” in our lifetime. I will pray and trust the timing to Him who loves me and sent His Son to save me. Meanwhile I will try to follow the wisdom of the Unity Prayer I have shared below. Please join me and become part of that remnant praying for America. God bless.

Sue

“God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did,
this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right
if I surrender to Your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.”