Just done this on Facebook

I have just undertaken this on facebook under the title "what kind of woman are you" the outcome is below .. interesting...

You are lovely and caring. You help others and spread out a lot of sympathy. Your life aim maybe is to serve the people. But your weakness is that you forget about yourself, your own needs. All your time is hold back for your friends and family. You are always there for people in trouble. Ready for any emergency. You make a lot of sacrifices just to be a good human. But every woman has her needs, her longings and a destiny. Don't loose yourself in work or curing other people's souls. You will have your own problems in your life. Another problem is that you don't say your opinion when it's right and important to say it. People trample onto your soul if you are always so kind and lovely and helpful. They will play on you. Though you should try to relax more and enjoy your life, you should not loose the gift that was given to you to help others . Not everyone is created this way... You are unique and rare!

hmmmm......

Christmas Day – Emmanuel - God with Us

Reading

Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Reflection

Emmanuel God is with us. In other words “he is here” not somewhere else but right here. In the midst, the centre of the world and OUR world.

Emmanuel. God with us. He who was in heaven, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and Spirit, descended into our world. Breathing our air, he felt our pain, knew our sorrows, and died for our sins. He didn't come to frighten us, but to show us the way to warmth and safety. Another way of putting it – Emmanuel God is with us – we are not alone. A God born as a helpless baby – the word becoming flesh unable to speak a word. The word vulnerable, relying on others and the community. God with us learning to walk, talk – this is not the remote God but the one.

May the peace and love of the Christ Child fill your hearts this day

Prayer
Welcome Holy Child. Your presence here transforms us.
All praise to you O Lord. You have come and become one of us. We thank you for this Word made flesh, revealed to us in the manger. Grant that we may find in his birth the new birth that he brings in us, to live out your gospel of love in the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Christmas Eve – Wonderful Counsellor

Reading

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Reflection
Advent speaks of the coming of the "Promised One" into the world. The promised one Jesus Christ – he is a Wonderful, Counsellor. Justly is He called Wonderful, for He is both God and man.

Wonderful Counsellor… this is literally wonder-counsellor or supernatural counsellor, one who will come with great wisdom and insight that is beyond human capability. When Jesus came he came with a different level of teaching (Mk 1:23,27, Mt 22:33) and knew what people were thinking (Mt 12:25, Mk 2:8, Lk 5:22, 6:8, 11:17) and stopped the mouths of the religious teachers with his wisdom and insight. He knew and he still knows our heart desire, our delights. our joys and the depth of our sorrows. In that knowing God draws so very near and in such an extravagant demonstration of love – as a baby.

Prayer
God,
creator of all life, you made us in your image, and sent your Son to share our flesh.
On this Christmas Eve as we celebrate the glad time of his birth,
we pray that your love may be born anew in us.

Help us to respond to the greatness of your love by sharing it with others.
Amen.

Away in a Manger

Just how many times do we sing this? 15 times so far this year with three services to go - I am determined not to have them at those. It is not that I have anything too major against it - its nice enough - but you can have enough of a good thing.

Thomas - I am sorry i divulged your secret at the Carol Service - for those that made it I am sure he will forgive me - for those that didn't it is up to Tom whether he shares or not....

Caption Competition

Taken from the New Christian Voice website - what could the caption be....

hmmm please post your suggestions

23rd December - Prince of Peace

Reading

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" John 14:27

Reflection

What is Peace? According to Webster's dictionary, peace is a state of tranquillity, quiet, calm, freedom from civil disturbance, A state of security - being secure within a community, freedom from oppression, strife and disorder. In harmony in personal relations. Untroubled by conflict, agitation or commotion. Is peace desirable? Do you have it? Would you like to have it? How may we receive true peace.
Jesus in His last discourse with His disciples before His crucifixion said to them “Peace I leave with you”, How is it that Jesus could give His disciples "peace" when He was about to suffer on Calvary and His disciples would soon go through the worst experience of their lives up to that time? Just three days later, at evening on the day of His resurrection, Jesus came and stood in the midst of His disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you.-- Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord" (John 20:19, 20). What a Prince! Death and the grave could not hold Him.

Prayer

Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the gentle night to you,
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you,
Deep peace of Christ, the light of the world to you,
Deep peace of Christ to you.

22 December - Everlasting Father

Reading

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

Reflection

How complex is the person of the Lord Jesus, in just a few breaths he is called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God and now Everlasting Father.

Jesus is our Everlasting Father in the sense that He is the one who brings us to spiritual life. In John 14:6 Jesus told us that "no man comes to the Father, except through Him". We are new creatures in and because of Christ. It is because of Jesus that we have the opportunity to know eternal life. It is because of Jesus that we can know a new and life-giving relationship with the Father. Also, both aspects of His name give us great hope for our personal lives. The name "Father" is a familial term. And the name "Everlasting" describes how great He is. He's without beginning and without end. He was, is, and always will be. He's the One who revealed Himself to Moses when he asked God about His name. The answer was, "I am that I am." God revealed Himself to Moses as "I am." Yesterday, He was "I am," and today He's still "I am." And tomorrow He will still be "I am."

Prayer

Lord, be like treasure to me this Christmas.
Let me be willing to listen when I'm told of your glory.
Take away my fear and bring me peace.
Whatever else I may receive let me be glad to accept you into my life and to share you with those around me.
Amen.

21 December - Fourth Sunday in Advent - Light of the World

Reading

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Reflection

The sun is the light of the earth. No matter how bad the storm may be, the sun shines above it, and will triumph over it.
Jesus is the light of the world. No matter how tough the times are, no matter what indignities we must suffer in this life, someday the indignities will end and Jesus’ triumph will be revealed. The sun never ceases shining; sometimes clouds get in our way and prevent us from observing it, yet we do not lose faith in the sun! We do not call up the local astronomical observatory and ask where the sun has gone and when it will return! We think that is funny, but why is it that when the clouds of adversity cloud our view of Jesus, we run to a church and ask why God has gone away and when He will come back? Or we lose faith altogether, conclude that we have been abandoned—until the clouds clear up as clouds always do and we can see Jesus in our lives again. Fools as we are, we forget the lesson we’ve just learned and repeat the panic the next time. For sometimes he comes in the clouds.

Prayer

God of light and longing, with hope we look to you this day.
At this season of the year - this time of short days and long nights -
we are looking for the turning of the tide,
that movement which assures us that darkness
will not overcome the world.

O Come O Come Emmanuel and lighten our lives

20 December - Lion of Judah

Reading

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5: 5

Reflection

The central figure in C.S. Lewis’ "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is Aslan the lion. He is the true ruler of the mystical land called Narnia. In the story Aslan fights the White Witch and saves Narnia from perpetual darkness. He sacrifices his life for the people of Narnia. It is thought that Lewis had Jesus in mind as wrote and in some ways it almost appears as though Lewis sat with the New Testament open, especially the book of Revelation, as he wrote this famous children’s novel. Aslan was a wonderful, magical lion, the embodiment of goodness, full of love, a type of Jesus. When Susan, one of the children in the story, meets Aslan she begins to believe in Narnia and understands that things are going to be okay. Aslan, the lion is a symbol of hope, especially when he rises from the dead! The image of Lion from the tribe of Judah that we read in this verse, suggests to us the authority and power of Jesus. He has triumphed over death. Of all the images presented in the Bible for Jesus, the lion is perhaps the most magnificent. The strength of the lion and his undoubted place as king of beasts make him a fitting emblem of the all-powerful messiah. We have a sense of his majesty and his splendour all of which was set aside as he humbled himself, became human and for our sake died the death of a criminal; such was his love for us.

Prayer

Lord God, We stand amazed at your power and majesty bowed by such humility. We stand amazed at the suffering love that transforms our lives. We stand amazed that you, O God most high, were brought low for our sake.
We bow down, to praise, to worship and to adore.
Amen

19 December - Morning Star

Reading
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye witnesses of his Majesty……. And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until, the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
2 Peter 1: 16, 19

Reflection

In many Moravian churches, the fourth Sunday in Advent was known as “Morning Star Sunday." A large multi-pointed paper star would hang from the ceiling of the church and the congregation would sing, “Morning Star, O cheering sight; ere thou camest how dark earth's night! Jesus, mine, in me shine; fill my heart with light divine." Today the service is better known as the Christingle service and is celebrated in many denominations. The Christingle itself is made up of an orange that represents the world; a red ribbon that indicates the blood of Christ; four cocktail sticks bearing dried fruit or sweets to signify the four seasons and the fruits of the earth and a lighted candle that symbolizes Jesus, who brings light to the World.
Jesus, the morning star, is the light of salvation to the world. He is the brightest star seen in the east just before dawn. In this passage the writer encourages his readers to hold on to the old prophecies and Jesus fulfillment of them. He says they are light in a dark and murky place that will be sufficient until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in their hearts. This refers not to the coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem but a second coming, when Jesus will come in glory and majesty. This star signals the end of the night and the dawn of the new day, filling the darkness of our lives and of our world, with light.

Prayer

Lord, lighten our darkness. Let the bright shafts of your love colour our lives. Let us be transformed as the light of the morning star blazes in our hearts, that we may show your light in the dark places of this world. Amen

18 December - Alpha and Omega

Reading

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “Who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1: 8

Reflection

Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. I suppose we might say God is the A to Z, but of course the writer of Revelation is talking about a truth much greater than alphabets. He is saying that God is the beginning and the end, the ruler of past, present and future. Everything originates in him and everything somehow will end with him. This one verse speaks a truth about God that it is difficult for us to comprehend. Before him there was nothing. In fact there was no "before him". For millions and billions and trillions of unending years God has existed and never had a beginning for he is the beginning. From everlasting to everlasting, he is God. There never was a time when he was not. It is difficult to put into words never mind understand!I find this image of the eternal nature of God both comforting and reassuring. For it reminds me that God will never abandon us, he will always be there loving us throughout life’s highs and lows. He will be there at our end just as he was there at our beginning. What an incredible God!

Prayer

We worship you eternal and everlasting God;
Alpha and Omega – the first and the last.
For you are the source of all life.
You set the world in motion, creating solar systems and planets;
You are beyond our understanding more than we can ever imagine.
Thank you for your love, the delicate wrapping in which you enfold us from our beginning to our end. Amen

17 December - The Life

Reading
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel, will save it.”
Mark 8: 34 - 35
Reflection

In John’s gospel Jesus refers to himself as the Life; for by knowing and following him we can have life in all its fullness, life in abundance. In him we can truly be alive! But that may not mean we have an easy life, a life filled with joy, a life without pain, a nicely paved road to wealth and ease. In fact, as these verses from Mark’s gospel demonstrate, we may well experience just the opposite. Jesus tells us that we should deny ourselves, take up a cross and follow him. And that might mean a huge effort, moment by moment, it may leave us open to persecution and ridicule, but we must follow his path even when the work is difficult and the future looks bleak.

Carrying a cross reminds us that our wants and desires are not the centre of the universe. Carrying a cross reminds us that there are others who suffer and reminds us to fight for justice. Carrying a cross has to do with discipline and hard work. It has to do with unselfishness and committing ourselves to the finest of which we are capable. It has to do with forgetting ourselves and concentrating on the needs of others, this is what Jesus meant when he talked about losing our lives; this is way to abundant life, new life lived with him.

Prayer

Loving Lord, we thank you,
For the life that you breathe into each of us;
For the promise of eternal life you offer to us;
For the abundant life that you share with us.
Help us to unselfishly, day by day, surrender ourselves to your will, your way of living that we might find ourselves truly alive in you.
Amen

16 December - The Truth

Reading

To the Jews who had believed in him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you really are my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8: 31 - 32

Reflection

For many people in the secular world, Christianity is viewed as something that is stifling, something that prevents them from living a satisfied and happy life. ‘Thou shalt not this and thou shalt not that’ far too restricting! But actually, as these two verses show, there is a wonderful freedom to be found in knowing Jesus. He is the truth that can set us free; free from our past wrongdoing, free from our guilt, free from the things that weigh us down, free from anxiety about the future in fact free from all that binds us and saps our energy.

Jesus is the source of all truth, showing us the way to eternal life, enabling us to have a fresh, exciting and loving relationship with a God who loves us. This truth does not set us free to do whatever we like; rather it gives us the freedom to follow God and enables us to become all that God meant us to be. If we pay attention to the teaching of Jesus and become his disciples then we can know his truth, and be set free.

Prayer

Lord God we come to you rejoicing that you have revealed to us your truth in Jesus. Help us to open our hands and our hearts to let go of our fear, our guilt and our anxiety that we might be set free to be true disciples. Amen

15 December - The Way: Jesus said- I am the way

Reflection

How I am able to envy you
the people of the day
He walked among you
healing your sick, raising your dead
turning your water into wine
what joy it must have been
to see Him, to touch Him and hear Him speak

How I am able to envy you
the ones He raised to life how it must have felt
life returning to your eyes thrust to your blood
volume to your lungs, waking from your sleep
to tear filled eyes suddenly dry
clouds of grief blown aside by the wind of true joy
could life have been better having tasted death
and knowing its defeat seeing its Conqueror

How I am able to envy you
the seventy He sent out
His divine commission
upon your head the power of His name
fire in your blood you performed miracles!
in His name what a feeling it must have been
to be His hands, and His feet on that long ago road

And how I am able to envy you
the twelve He called His own
walking, talking, being with Him
for years on end how I long to learn those words
the way that you learned them
you loved Him as a man
as I never can
Author unknown.

Prayer

Lord our God you say “I am the way” today we pray that you will show us your way, your way of peace, your way of love, your way of justice, your way of feeding the hungry, your way of humility, your way of grace, Your way, for you are the way, teach us your way we pray.
Amen

14 December - Third Sunday in Advent - Saviour

Reading

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And we know that the story continues as the shepherds go to visit the Christ child.

Reflection

"The Lord is close: come, let us adore him". With this invocation, the liturgy invites us in these days of Advent to approach as it were on tip-toe the Bethlehem scene where the extraordinary event that changed the course of history took place: the birth of the Saviour. On Christmas Night we will pause, once again, before the crib and contemplate with wonder the "Word made flesh". Sentiments of joy and gratitude will be renewed in our hearts, as they are every year, while we listen to the Christmas carols that sing of the extraordinary event in so many languages. It was out of love that the Creator of the universe came to dwell among us. In his Letter to the Philippians, St Paul says that Christ, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (2:6). He appeared in human form, adds the Apostle, humbling himself. At Christmas we will relive the fulfilment of this sublime mystery of grace and mercy.

Prayer

We tiptoe, we move ever closer to the stable, look inside and what do we see, but the Christ child and we give thanks for the Saviour of the world.