Giving the gift of love!

Good morning! My name is Charlotte and I am writing to help us give our first thoughts to the Lord.

I added a new feature to Charlotte in the morning. Click on 'to you from me at Christmas' right under the pictures and it will go a link that says what Christmas is all about.

Well, it's almost Christmas again this year. I have really gotten a wonderful thrill out of Christmas this year. Have been preparing for many months now and have found it is a wonderful outlet for my creativity. Some of my creativity has gotten too expensive so am going to complete what I have wanted to start after Christmas for a late Christmas/early birthday. That's the best I can do - there are just too many in my family now for me to get around to everybody.

Have enjoyed giving in a different way this year. There was a lady in front of me at the grocery store who could not buy all that was in her basket. I told the clerk to just add the rest to my bill and wished her a Merry Christmas. As it turned out, she was getting a bill of groceries to help a friend of hers so it was a double whammy. That was a fun thing to do!

A lot of the things that I have given this year at Christmas and birthdays are home-made. My mother used to do quilts, etc. and I have learned to do them the way I do them, and I've got to say, they have turned out beautiful. I made one to give to Bill's granddaughter for Christmas to match her lavender room and it turned out FINE! The nice thing about it that every stitch in that quilt is by hand. It took me months to complete, but the end result is fantastic. It is a feel good time for me and surprise time for her.

To give unconditionally with love is what Christmas is all about. There is a feeling in the air and there is no other feeling any time of year like at Christmas. The reason is because everyone is finding something to give to someone with love for a special day.

Giving started with Jesus. That is what He was all about. God sent Him to earth, GAVE Him to us for the purpose of providing for us the free GIFT of salvation.

His whole life was about giving unconditionally to others - healing, delivering, loving, being love personified.

He ended His life on this earth by dying on the cross, which He did not have to do, because He could have called the angels from heaven to take Him down, but (there's the but) He didn't.

He willingly GAVE His life as a GIFT to us to provide the final sacrifice for our sins, so that we could have eternal, abundant life starting the day we accept his GIFT of salvation.

He GAVE for one reason - because He loved us and wanted to provide a better way for us.

Giving the gift of love is what it is all about no matter what package it comes in!!!!!!!

There is a song that says this:

Love was when God became a man,
locked in time and space without rank or place.
Love was God born of Jewish kin,
just a carpenter born in Bethlehem.
Love was when Jesus walked in history;
with great love He brought brand new life that's free.
Love was God born to bleed and die,
to reach and love one such as I.

Love was when God became a man,
down where I could see love that reached to me.
Love was God dying for my sin;
for so trapped was I, my whole world caved in.
Love was when Jesus rose to walk with me;
with great love He brought brand new life that's free.
Love was God only He would try
to reach and love one such as I.

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to this earth and providing life for us. Show us ways to celebrate this season with love for our brothers and sisters the way you want to show love. Let us be your hands extended every day. In Your Name we pray. Amen ( it is done )

Have a great day!

Charlotte