I slept good last night - apparently too good - for I woke up from a deep sleep about 3:30AM and my head felt like a two by four had slammed into my forehead. I don't know what has triggered it - I just know that it hurt really bad. I got up at 4AM after trying to ignore it and go back to sleep, and grabbed a couple tylenol extra strength on the way to my room. It has subsided the pain somewhat - plus the fact that I haven't done much of anything this morning but try to go back to sleep (and hopefully wake up energetic and free of head pain). And now it is 6:30AM and I need to get this written, get dressed, and get on the work computer. My head still hurts, but not anywhere near as bad as it was when I first woke up. Perhaps once I get moving around it will leave me entirely. Even the caffeine in my coffee hasn't helped.
Church went well yesterday, and of course we had to stop to eat on the way home. After we left there, we came home and I changed clothes and hit the couch. Started to just crochet, but closed my eyes, and slept for about 30 minutes. I was coming to, listening to hubby snore, when I felt my phone buzz. I grabbed my phone and headed to the back room, hoping not to wake hubby, but he had his hearing aids in so heard me moving about. It was from the RV park I am to speak at next week; they were wanting the sermon title and scripture. Glad I don't have to work on it this week; I just need to review it a few times more. But I do need to find a message for January 7th - and then I'm done until February.
It may be a somewhat busy week this week - I still need to figure out SharePoint for my boss. A couple of grandsons may be coming over tomorrow to bake cookies and I'm looking forward to that. I may need to go get more flour and sugar. Friday I have lunch with a friend I've known over 50 years. I can't remember at the moment what else. Oh and I have several packages I need to take to the post office today and get put in the mail. And Christmas cards. I think I have about 4-5 more to address and I think I'm done. Oh yeah - I almost forgot! I have an office Christmas party in Mesa on Thursday for which I need to pull together a gift for another couple of people I support, a white elephant gift, and bake cookies for the cookie exchange. Yeah, it just may be a busy week.
Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV): "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."
Immanuel. God with us. How lucky we are that God loves us so much that He Himself brought forth a Son that would save us, rescue us, and redeem us from our sins. And you know what? It doesn't matter if you feel you have no sins; God still would send Jesus to redeem you. For those of us who have numerous sins to confess - we are grateful for the redemption that God has offered us. Our slates are wiped clean. And the best part?
Psalm 103:12 (NKJV): "As far as the east is from the west, so far He has removed our transgressions from us."
And even better than that, He remembers them no more. So when you confess your sins and receive His forgiveness, and those thoughts come back that 'you aren't really forgiven; what you did was so bad that God is just holding back to punish you again and again for what you did."..... those thoughts are a lie from the devil. God remembers no more our sins when we confess them to Him. He throws them out as far as the east is from the west. Never again will he bring those since before you. When they come back to mind and you feel unforgiven, tell the devil to get out of your way, cause you know that you ARE forgiven, because God said so, and He only has to do it one time! The devil will try to bring us down any way he can. He's evil. But God is so good and in His loving kindness for us, He sent His one and only Son to redeem us and restore us to Him. Why? Because He is a good, good Father.
Aren't you glad we have a Heavenly Father who loves us so much that when we confess our sins He will forgive us and not remind us of what we did? All because of Jesus. How can one not believe in the One who forgives of all things?! Wrong thoughts, wrong actions - yeah, sometimes we have consequences to work through; just because we confess our sins doesn't mean we have to work through the consequences... but we are forgiven. That is huge.
So grateful. I love Christmas and the reminder that my Heavenly Father loves me so much that He chose to send His Son to be born - and to die - to redeem me. By His grace alone. And He did it for you too. Take a moment and thank Him. Whether you believe in Him or not, choose to be thankful.
Blessings!
