We've lit the Advent candles for hope, for peace, for joy and this week for love, and where does love lead us... straight to the manger. Straight to "Emmanuel, God with us." In these busy days leading up to Christmas, it might do us each some good, to pause for a moment, gaze up at the stars and ponder how this amazing love story shapes who we are and how we live. What difference does it make in your life that the God who created the universe, loves you so much that he came to be one of us, to be one with us? Why do you celebrate Christmas? I invite you to come to the manger, come and remember what God has done... for you, for me, for your best friend, for the person who makes you crazy, for the immigrant, for poor, for the world.
Two Opportunities to Practice Love
Whether you’ve been married 1 year or 71 years, you will want to join Tim and Lyn Pajk for these 6 Tuesday evening sessions. Using Gary Thomas’s video based study, we will learn and PRACTICE how going out of our way to notice our spouses, appreciate them, honor them, encourage them, and hold them close to our hearts can bring hope, light, and life into our marriages. We begin January 4 at 7:00 at the Parish Center.
For more information and to register click the link:
https://www.blessed-midland.org/2021/12/03/cherish/
EVERYBODY ALWAYS
This program was loved so much last year, that we are bringing it back for those of you who may have missed it! Please join Jill Kreusch, Eline Morabito, and Laura Allington as they lead us through 5 sessions of uncovering and discovering how we are changed when “we stop avoiding difficult people and simply love everyone.”
For more information and to register click the link:
https://www.blessed-midland.org/2021/12/03/everybody-always/
Like Advent, Christmas is filled with so many wonderful traditions. Some are ones that we participate in as a faith community and others are particular to our families. One of my favorites was listening to Christmas albums one after another when I was a kid, and my very favorite was the John Denver/Muppets Christmas album. Our kids grew up listening to that very SAME album at my Mom and Dad's house and on CD at home, and our youngest, Luke, has his very own copy on vinyl as well. We all love it! On Saturday we were on our way to Bay City for dinner, and I pulled the record up on SPOTIFY (oh how times have changed), and we listened and sang along once again. I want to leave you with THE CHRISTMAS WISH as it is my wish for each of you this Christmas and really every day for... "If you believe in love, that will be more than enough, for peace to last throughout the coming year..."
Wishing you the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love this Christmas and always,
lyn