May you have a wonderful week leading up to Christmas Day.
May His peace and joy be integral to your daily life now and forevermore.
_________________
No new posts for the next two weeks. We all are taking a short break for the holidays.
Back in the saddle starting January 6th!
Mary Foster
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you and your family. 🎄
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
An unexpected tree is up,
awash in purple lights,
enchanting me and Service Pup
through cancer’s sleepless nights.
How strange a thing of plastic
can make weary heart sing,
and let a joy so drastic
arise on golden wing,
but this dear tree speaks of a truth
that beauty is of God,
and through the night is shining proof
that though Creation’s flawed
by the stain of earthly sin,
His Love, at end, is going to win.
Merry Christmas to you, Steve, and to the whole Laube family, and to everyone in this blog community. You mean so much to me, and to Barb.
Susan Sage
Merry Christmas, dear brother. May God’s love fill you to overflowing now and forever more.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Susan, thank you so much…and we wish you and yours the loveliest of Christmas blessings!
Ellie Langford
Merry Christmas Andrew and Barb may God continue to bless you throughout the New Year. Enjoyed the inspiration of your poem, Andrew.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Ellie, I am so glad you like the poem! We thank you so much, and wish you and yours a blessed Christmas!
Mary Kuhlmann Antholz
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Thank YOU, Mary. We wish you a joyous Christmas!
Ann L Coker
Thanks. Beautiful and wise.
Pam Halter
Andrew, I saw this on Facebook and thought of you!
The word “merry” is from an old Anglo-Saxon word which literally meant “valiant,” “industrious,” “great,” or “mighty.” Thus, to be merry was not merely to be mirthful, but to joyously strong and gallant. Thus, we read in Shakespeare of fiercely courageous soldiers who were called “merry men.” Strong winds were “merry gales.” Fine days were marked as “merry weather.”
So, when we wish one another “Merry Christmas,” we are really exhorting one another to take joy in faith, to take heart, and to stand fast!
That is you, Andrew, even on your weak days. Merry Christmas, friend!
Molly Jo Realy
Amen. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Susan Sage
Merry Christmas to all who serve at the Steve Laube Agency. May you all continue to be blessed as you have blessed others.
Bonita Bandaries
May you be blessed this Christmas and in the coming year as you bless your readers.
Becky Crowe
Merry Christmas!!!
Jan Rogers Wimberley
I stand in awe of God…His power and majesty
whereby his Choice and the sound of his Voice
birthed the World and Space and Time:
His mind over matter; His will over evil; His life over death.
This God who is and was and is to come,
so perfect in his being that
angels adore him,
devils fear and quake before Him,
and people cannot look upon his brightness.
I stand in awe of this God
who was so enraged at death
That he did something about it so personal and painful:
He gave his life so I need not taste his wrath.
I stand in awe of this God
who, knowing we would forget his kindnesses and his words,
still counted us worthy of his time and devotion
to save some of the human race.
If a ship is going down, and you have a way
to save some of the people,
You should not be dissed for not saving all of them–
particularly if the people won’t take the life boat
when it comes by for them many more times than once.
I stand in awe of this God who inhabits the praise of his people.
And, of whom, if proper praise is not given,
even the rock in great multitudes would life their voices
in Hallelujahs
and the trees of the fields would clap their hands
in recognition of their maker.
This God who is and was and is to come
from eternity past through infinity future
is Love so amazing, so Divine that
I fall down before him, love and adore him,
and offer my life, my soul, my all. Dec. 2021
Pam Halter
Yes, Jan!!
Merry Christmas!
red
Amen.
Kristen Joy Wilks
Merry Christmas!!!
Pam Halter
Happy, blessed Christmas!
Eileen Copeland
You too, Steve.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
There is poignancy this season
when I’m looking at the tree.
Is there a deeper, wider reason,
or perhaps is it just me?
We lost two dogs barely last week,
and standing at their grave Barb said
that soon in Heaven they might seek
me out, for soon I will be dead,
and really I’m OK with that;
I am so tired, miss my friends,
each Cuban merc, each dog, each cat,
and I know where this road ends
lies another (so God told!)
whose paving bricks are solid gold.
Katrin Babb
Merry Christmas, Andrew. You’re a blessing every day to read. When in Heaven, may you be met with a slew of wet-nosed kisses.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Katrin, those wet-nosed kisses are really what I look forward to the most!
Blessings to you and yours, this Christmas.
Sarah E. Hamilton
I love your poems Andrew. Merry Christmas!
I will be praying for you <3
Sheri Dean Parmelee, Ph.D.
Merry Christmas to all of y’all!
MaryAnn Diorio
May all of you wonderful people at the Steve Laube Agency experience a joyous Christmas season. Thank you for all you do for writers. Thank you especially for who you are.
Love and Blessings,
MaryAnn Diorio
Pam Halter
I love this poem that’s in my Woman’s Devotional Bible. Merry Christmas, friends!
Incarnation by Anne Ortlund
“The Lord is in His holy house”
Oh, grace beyond describing,
That Christ in me should please to dwell,
Immanuel residing!
“My soul doth magnify the Lord”
I sing with lowly Mary,
That God should choose to enter in
This humble sanctuary!
Not now in little Bethlehem,
As in the tender story;
Not now upon a mercy seat,
The bright Shekinah glory,
But in the body of His saint,
He maketh His residing,
Both He in me and I in Him,
In fellowship abiding.
Within my heart a burning bush,
Within, a mountain smoking;
This flesh of mine a temple veil,
The wondrous Presence cloaking.
Within this broken earthenware,
A high and holy treasure;
Oh, mystery of mysteries!
Oh, grace beyond all measure!
“The Lord is in His holy house”
Mysterious habitation!
I feel His presence here within,
And offer my oblation.
Keep burning, incense of my soul!
Keep cleansing me, O Laver!
I want to serve and praise my God,
Forever and forever!