Golden hours come swiftly -

You might think it out of place to put up a Christmas hymn after Christmas, but since this is still the month of December, and really, isn't Christmas in our hearts all year round as well?, then I decided I still wanted to share some Christmas joy. :)

This December was nothing like what I thought it would be. Nothing like I planned. Nothing like I dreamed. Nothing .... nothing. But there was deep deep rejoicing this month anyway.

I didn't throw myself into listening to Christmas carols like I always do, even though I'd been listening to them since Thanksgiving. The last 2 weeks before Christmas, I really only heard about 15 songs in my head. That's really not a lot, for me. :) I played them over and over and over and over, because when something sticks in my head, and impacts me so much, I know that the Holy Spirit is using it to encourage, bless and ground me in the knowledge that HOPE was born in Christ that night.

Hope that we would always always be with Him, that death cannot even separate us from His love, and that all these weary roads are not so weary when viewed in the light of Eternity, and under His very loving and Fatherly gaze.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts."

~ Isaiah 55:8 - 9 ~

I shared with you The Night before Christmas, and I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, and those were two that were stuck in my head, along with this one .... I would listen to this, and tears would fill my eyes, with the way my battered and grieving heart would swell at the last verse. How it feels we are crushed with grief, and falling into our Father's arms so often, with questions and prayers unanswered, and with breaking, sorrowful hearts!! Our steps are painful and very slow, and the weeping fills the night, or nightmares, at least. But in the morning - light breaks through, the sun rises, and His mercies are new again! New mercies! New joy!

For He is always with us, and He goes before us in ALL things. He was born! The Savior, born .... born to fulfill God's redeeming plan to bring us into His loving embrace forever.

Sweet comfort shall fill all our hearts with the knowledge that WE ARE HIS. Forever. :)

There are 2 more verses to this hymn, but I just love how tender the song is, the way that Steven Curtis Chapman sings it, and the lullaby of faith it has become to me.

"Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together

with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore, comfort one another with these words."

~ 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 ~

because of Christ - this was made possible!!!! Hallelujah! Hope has come!

I love you all so much, and hope you delight in the last day of 2011. :)

Love,

~ Jean Marie ~

P.S. And thank you for all the VERY sweet comments on my last post, you made my day! :)