Poem ~ What if there was NO Christmas? + Memory Box Card

Hullo there everyone! well on the homeward run here - or hope to be as far as the card writing goes.. I had not time to post them but here are few had done to share.

Each year also write a poem to include on the inside of the cards I make, and this years is below .. and if you have need of it use it by all means. Had meant to publish it a month ago but some people are slow!! this is how it is in the card - but different font. 

And the angel said unto them,  

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2.10-11

What if there was NO Christmas?

What if there was no Christmas star

To guide those wise men from afar?

What if there were no angels to sing

And announce the birth of a newborn King?

What if no shepherds wonderingly did come

To worship at the Birth of God’s only Son?

No straw-filled manger in which Mary laid,

The LORD Jesus, her newborn babe.

But the LORD Jesus did not stay as God above,

He chose a manger & cross to show His great love.

In Jesus’ coming, the JOYful promise of sins forgiven;

For by our faith in Him, we have a home in heaven.

S.L.G 11.11.13

Truly how empty our world would be without the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. Our calendar year is told from His birth, so much would change if Jesus was not born as the babe in the manger.

But most of all, His coming meant there was a Way of Salvation, through faith in His death upon the cross, we have the certainty of a home in heaven (for further details see here). 

Here are some of my cards for 2013; made over 70 and gave some away as a pre-Christmas gift. These were made with snippets as is the one below. I start after Christmas, late Dec. - Jan. as we have summer holidays here and try to make about a third of them then. I really enjoy them.

These were made from a set of "Pass It On" cards (come in sets of 25 bought over here in Oz) with verse 

"the Father sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world" 

Used varying folders and adornments on them.

 

This card is made with a memory box decoration die, and also the embossing under the ribbon is from Sizzix Embossing Folders - Christmas Set #6, EK Arrow border punch. The verse embossed in gold EP is from Our daily Bread.

Many thanks every one of you for popping over for a peek and chat and may God bless your day wherever you may be! Shaz in Oz.x

I would like to enter these into:
Our Dis Snippets Challenge - Snippets Rule! (W) 
Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes (W).

Our Daily bread Challenge - Double embossing. on second card, ODB stamp embossed plus Sizzix border (Tues)
Stamping Sensations free and easy (monthly)
Scrapping Everyday Miracles - Christmas Theme (28th 12)

EDIT: how very thrilling, this bottom card was awarded the Shining the Light Award Challenge! 

Why does God let Sad Things Happen?

(WOYWW post below this one - sorry! :D)

Recently I heard a very sad story of a friend's nephew, her sister's son of five years, full of life and verve, died tragically one night in a fire on the new property to which they just just moved.

One wonders at such a time, why does God allow such things to happen?

As all too often it occurs, it came up in my reading for the day, from the Daily Bread.

"When the Journey gets Tough:

 In August 2009, Blair and Ronna Martin lost their energetic 9 year old son Matti when he was dragged to his death by a family cow. I met with this family in Alaska, to share in their grief. I know how tough this has been for them.

I also know that they are seeking God's care and comfort for their pain. An observation made by Matti's mom is valuable for anyone walking though one of life's valleys. During one of her down times Ronna was reading 2 Corinthians 1:9 which says the "We should not trust in ourselves but in God who raise the dead." She felt as if Jesus was telling here "Ronna I know the journey is too much for you, and you are bone weary. Do not be ashamed of your exhaustion. Instead see an opportunity to let me take charge of your life."

When the journey gets too tough to navigate, 2 Corinthians 2:19 is reminder we do not travel alone. We have the Help of One Who showed His power in the resurrection, and Who will demonstrate His power again when He raises believing loved ones of all generations to eternal life. "My Strength and Hope have to be in Christ alone", Ronna said. "That's a truth we all need as we travel the journey God has for us." 

The storms of life remind us to take shelter

in the loving arms of our Saviour.

~ by Dave Brannon (who incidentally lost his teenage daughter to a car accident when she was 17 years - no doubt that was why he came to this family)".

 So the above, in part, answers the why? We each of us have pain, grief and sorrow in our lives for differing reasons, just as God made us all different.

{I wrote  this verse above, Nahum 1:8 on my leg cast, broken one Christmas, while caring for my ill mother -  and then I asked why? }

Really some things we will never really understand or see clearly the why, this side of eternity. In a person who knows the LORD, it can be to help us grow and as says in 2 Corinthians 1:4  - the comfort wherewith God has comforted us, we can comfort another...maybe by simply being there, as Dave Brannon was and listening. Or if we do not know the Lord yet, it may simply to get our attention, to cause us to seek Him.  

People think it is wrong to seek God when they are in trouble, but this is Satan's lie.

God loves us and wants us to call out to Him. He would never have sent His Son to die on a cross for the sinful world of men and women if He did not care for each and every one of us. 

Human hands lit the fire and let the cow out to the loss of those above, but God did allow it to happen.
His wisdom and His ways are not ours. He longs to know each of us personally, and to grow in this knowledge of Him as Ronna found out.

This is a poem which has always been a great comfort to me. This week I shared it with someone going through a trial in my comment on their blog. God reminded me I had scribbled this post down a month or so ago on piece of paper and not shared it yet.

 The Weaver

 My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me,

I cannot choose the colours; He worketh steadily.

Oftimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,

Forget that he sees the upper and I the underside.

Not ‘till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly,

Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver’s skilful hand,

As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

Behind my life the Weaver stands and works His wondrous will,

I leave it in His all- wise hands and trust His perfect skill.

 Author unknown

 I pray for you who are reading this that you will seek the LORD in whatever it is that you are going through. God created us with a free will.

He will answer if we call. He will be that stronghold in the day of trouble - but only if we we ask.

May God bless you in whatever sorrow or hard path you are walking, 

Love  and praying for you in Jesus name,

Shaz in Oz.x

PS do remember this is a very simplified treatment of a very complex subject - and so any questions please
 ask me further via email link on my profile page or comment and ask me to email you.

I also would like to link this over to Word Art Wednesday. I have actually done an illuminated text of the verse, but too long ago to have very good photograph of it, may try and edit it, but suspect it is beyond it.
Also want to enter it in the Little Birdee Blessing Thursday competition too.
The photo of the bird with Bible verse is an Australian bird in my garden called a Noisy Minor - because
they are noisy! but so cute. They nest in the large neighbour's tree  - they love to feed on the flower of this Geisha girl.