What brings you Joy at the Holidays? Blog #36

Happy Blessed Holy Days!

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah!

Happy First Day of Winter!

The Holidays makes me smile and brings me so much joy! It is one of my favorite times of the year. Growing up, my parents and especially my Mother made it an enchanted time for my brother and our whole family. Decorating the house and the tree with lights, ornaments and finishing the tree covered with angel hair that made it look like a giant angel in the middle of our living room with a beautiful halo. I loved to sit and look at the tree with the flickering lights and listen to the Christmas music, it was so healing for me and so joyful and peaceful.

My Mother, Grandmother and I, would bake cookies for friends and family, and then had the joy of giving it to them and seeing their smiling faces light up. It was such a gift! My Mother belonged to a women’s service group and each year we would help families in need and decorate their homes and take food and presents. It was always such a special healing event.

Of course often times the holidays were a learning curve for me, about the challenges of family dynamics and communication, always something going on with someone!

The most exciting and joyful thing for me about Christmas was being a part of helping, giving and sharing with others. On Christmas Eve we would go to the candle lighting service at church. It was always a wonderful reminder of the divinity that we are celebrating and the divinity that we are, and to joyously share our own light with the world.

 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

I love the inspirational Christmas stories, songs, poems, and cards of the season. It is a joy to read the words that touch our hearts with love and peace. Some of my favorites are:

 
Let there be Peace on earth

 Let there be peace on earth
and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
the peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
and live each moment
with peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me.

 Hanukkah Blessing

 Blessed are you, Lord our God ruler of the universe,
who has sanctified us with your commandments,
and has commanded us to kindle the Lights of Hanukkah.

 Blessed are you, Lord our God ruler of the universe,
who made miracles for our forefathers in those days at this time

 Blessed are you, Lord our God ruler of the universe,
who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,

Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on, 
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years 
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Mary, did you know?

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary did you know.
The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

Joy to the World

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

 
From my family to yours, I hope you have a blessed Merry Christmas
& Happy Hanukkah & Joyous Kwanzaa!

Let us share our LOVE, LIGHT, & JOY today and every day!

Here’s to a Happy Healthy Joyous Peaceful New Year 2023!