Advent & Christmas

I hope you can experience the true meaning of Christmas.  This is the link to my website about Christmas, including my memories of Christmas as well as other writings I have written about Christmas: https://www.stenslandbooks.com/advent-and-christmas/

Candles. Cards. Carols and Cookies. It’s Christmas! Here I sit      midst beautiful wrappings      and ribbons,      preparing Gifts      and thinking. . . . . Dear God This Christmas I want to give You me. I read that this was on Your wish list. herefore, I will write on […]

Like my name upon a gift tag Of a package brightly wrapped Are these personal words of Christmas . . . Individual, loving, apt. “Unto YOU the gift is given,” sang the angels from on high. Like the shepherds, I’ll believe it And not doubt or wonder why. ‘Twas “for ME” the Father planned it; […]

Lord, I can not truly celebrate Your holy day until I’ve knelt prostrate in humble shepherd style to worship and adore. Oh Lord, I can not truly celebrate Your holy day unless it makes me imitate the wise men who returned another way – for seeing You must alter my ways too. Oh Lord, let […]

Mary, tell me, did you fear To have an angel presence near? How could you really comprehend The mysteries that God would send? Mary, tell me, did you thrill At cousin Elizabeth’s good will? Did her excitement at your part Give needed assurance to your heart? Mary, Mary, did you cry When Joseph thought to […]

God has His plans     And hand-picks people to carry them out. People like Mary…….     God wouldn’t entrust His beloved Son     to just anyone.     She must be loving and humble     But most of all she must be willing.     …..and she was………….     She […]

Is your heart ready for Christmas? Is it full of excitement and joy? Now’s the time to get things in order As we wait to celebrate His birth. Clean out the sin-webby corners; Open yourself up to His Light. Let Him funnel in love, warm and caring, And make your heart sparkle with Hope. It’s […]

I sat and brooded at end of day. . . . . What was the world coming to, anyway?       the price of sheep       our land oppressed. God had forgotten us, I guessed. But then I heard an angel say, “See WHAT has come to the world today!”     […]

Oh, farmer folk Let your heart sing out, For you know what Christmas Is all about. ‘Twas to farm folk keeping watch by night That angels came in glory bright. You’ve seen a manger, and tended sheep. You know the quietness when animals sleep. It was in a barn where livestock stayed, where cobwebs hung […]

Suppose . . .      while caring for your pigs one night      an angel host appeared, would you be scared? If . . .      they announced a Savior’s birth     and invited you to see, would you go immediately? When . . .      you had gazed upon […]

     Dawn was just about breaking. From a distance Mary could hear an early-bird rooster crowing. Now everyone was asleep – the baby and the animals, and Joseph, who sat leaning against the wall, was nodding too. The shepherds had left and Mary had a little quiet time to reflect on the past twenty-four […]

  “A Babe is born in Bethlehem” was the angel’s joyful news.       “He’s lying in a manger!”….       This was the important clue. All other Bethlehem babies were ignored, There would be only one who would be the Lord. They would know Him when their search would show     […]

It was an ordinary night. The sheep now lay fast asleep. And shepherds did their usual chore       as they had hundreds of nights before. It was an ordinary night. The shepherds had made no special preparations; They were not dressed in their Sunday best. They did not know they would be blessed […]

O Lord,      this Christmas give me a quiet heart,      so like Mary I may ponder each significant part;      to have time for the One who was born that day,      to express my love in a special way.      Give me a heart of joy this year, […]