Stained With Blood So Divine

Jesus died on the Cross for us. The most powerful sentence in the world, and yet we toss it around without a thought. I know I do. It’s something I’ve heard my entire life. Jesus died on the Cross for my sins. Of course I know that. But there’s a big difference in knowing something over feeling something. I’ve always loved Easter. My family is made up of mostly adults and yet we still gather around the kitchen table or on the back deck and dye eggs. I mean, come on. Dying eggs is a blast, I don’t care how…

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A Life Worth Celebrating

It’s so easy to forget what this time of year means. I’ve struggled with it a lot this year. Our house has been a bit hectic lately in Christmas preparations. Amidst all the busyness and excitement, I’ve lost track of why we do this every year. Why we spend so much time buying gifts and decorating and cooking and meeting with family. But then it hit me. It’s a celebration. We put in a lot of preparation to celebrate the birth of a friend or family member, right? We want to celebrate the day they were born and spend that…

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It’s the Little Things

I’m thankful for. . . Stranger’s smiles. Polka dotted umbrellas. The tapping of leaves falling on the rooftop. Penguin socks. The sound of a book’s pages turning. Babies’ smiles. Pink cell phone cases. Those in between moments of sleep where you’re dreaming but half awake. The smell of overturned earth just after a rain. NaNoWriMo The smooth feeling of ivory under your fingertips when playing the piano. When you find a song so beautiful it clutches your soul and brings tears to your eyes. Open windows. The reflection of fall leaves on water. Goofy selfies with my sister in the…

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Joy, Love, and Giveaways

It happens from the very beginning. We gather our dolls and stuffed animals, dressing them all up for the big "wedding" of Mr. and (soon to be) Mrs. Bear. We borrow Mother's dresses and have a make-believe ceremony under the tree in the backyard. As we get older we get even more serious about it. We hear a song that would be perfect for the big day. We make pinterest boards to plan out our entire wedding. (Yes, I have one of those.) We wonder how many kids we'll have and already start naming them, middle names included. (I already…

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Courageous

Ever since the New Year hit, I’ve been seeing all over the place people choosing a single word to live by for the entirety of the year. I don’t know how I’ve missed this until now. When I saw it, I fell in love with the idea. I think we could all use a word to grow in. A word to draw us closer to our Savior. A word to shape us into better people, to make us more like Him. Something to use as the foundation of our year, to expand on. I knew I wanted a word. I…

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Better than Cookies

I love Christmas! The time together, the cheer, the music, the gifts, the cookies. . .and cookies. . .and also the cookies (what’s better than a holiday that allows you to fill yourself with cookies all season? I mean, really!). But you know what’s the very best thing about this day? The reminder that our Savior came down on this earth as a humble baby to die for us so that we can be with Him for eternity. I’d say that’s a lot better than cookies! Happy Birthday, Jesus! And a very Merry and Blessed Christmas to all of you!

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When Life Makes You Say… [Guest Post]

Today I have the honor of my own beautiful mother guest posting. Over at her blog, Sweet Tea & Simplicity, she always has such encouraging things to say. I just couldn’t help but get her to share a post here on Musings of an Elf! So, without further ado: When Life Makes You Say… “But I just don’t know what on earth to do in this situation!”  God is your Counselor. (Ps. 119:24; Is. 48:17) “But I am afraid!”  God is your Protector. (Joshua 1:9; Ps. 91:1; John 14:27) “But I’m so lonely!” God is your Unfailing Friend; your All-time…

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Forever Free

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! Image via Little Birdie Blessings Today, thinking about the blessing of freedom, reminds me of that beautiful freedom we have in Christ. Jesus died on the cross to unlock the chains of sin around us. He set us FREE. If we have accepted Him as our Savior, never again do we have to be weighed down by the burden of sin. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 No matter where we are or where life leads us, we will…

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Blessed Hope

  “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:11-14 I was reading the book of Titus yesterday morning and this passage jumped out at me. Take a look at that passage again.…

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Shine!

In Isaiah 60:1 the Bible says: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” The Lord wants us to arise and to SHINE. Why is that exactly? Let’s look at the verse following. “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.” Jesus is the very light of the world, but, unfortunately, darkness covers the earth. As Christians, we have that light of Jesus within us. Our very purpose is to let…

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