SEASONS - CELEBRATING A CHRISTIAN CHANUKKAH IN 2016 - BLESSINGS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE FIFTH DAY

PRAYERS:

Blessed art thou O Lord Our God, King of The Universe Who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons for gladness. For the glory of The Lord Yeshua, Our Messiah, The Light Of The World.

Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, Master of the Universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time.

We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders and the miracles and the saving acts that You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, by Your Holy Priests.  And all throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to behold them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name, for Your miracles, for Your wonder, and for Your salvation.

MEDITATION:

John 1:4-5:  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 8:12:  Then speaks Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world.  He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.

John 12:35-36:  Then Jesus said unto them, yet a little while is the light with you.  Walk while ye have the light, least darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth.  While ye have light, believe in the light that ye may be the children of light.  These things spoke Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

(Comments by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Just as we have been given by God one sun to light the sky, there is only One Son of God. This is the Son from whom comes the light of life!  He is the ONE and ONLY son!  There is to be no more.  

Be careful that you worship God and are not deceived by the false anti-christs that are out there in the world today.  They come as an angel of light and they catch you off guard.  Study to show yourself approved that they may not deceive you with their dark ways.  

The ways of darkness never line up with the light of Christ. 

His beautiful light shines ever out of the darkness leading us to the one true path of righteousness and salvation.  

He is the way, the truth, the life and the light!  

Follow Him!

Even some of the high religious leaders of today are walking in darkness.  Beware and take heed for yourselves that God knows this and in the end they will be punished for deceiving His children.  The scriptures say it would be better for a millstone to be tied around someone's neck and for them to be drowned in the sea than for someone to deceive a true child of God.  Many will come to deceive but we must walk in the light while there is still the light to walk by.  

If you read the news you will recognize that part of The Holy land was given away in an act of dark deception by people who have no right to say what happens to it.  

I am embarrassed by America's part in this unrighteous move. I feel what happened does not reflect the whole heart of our people.  Can a man that has been defeated by popular vote make this move on his own?   He does not speak for me!  What is fair about that?  

What is fair about an organization making themselves the police of the world?  

Who gave them the right to wreak such havoc with such brutal carelessness?   

What gives a person or an organization the right to give away what belongs to God?  God's people have always lived in Israel.  If you curse them God will curse you.  If you bless them; God will bless you.  Obviously, this organization gone wild has never consulted God about anything.  

How would you feel if some self-proclaimed authority swooped down on you and said, we are taking all you have ever owned and giving it away to some other people; go away and find another place to live. You are not wanted here! You are no longer wanted in your own home.  Leave.  Forget what you have fought and worked your whole life for; it is irrelevant because we have decided to say so!  Who has the right to take part of one country and give it to another people?  

Never has the message of the miracle of Hanukkah been more important!  

We are living in very similar days.  When Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated the Temple before God sent the great miracle of Hanukkah, the people felt hopeless.  They were lost and did not know what to do next.  Then God provided a way and He sent a great light that lasted for eight days as a sign that He was still looking after His own.  

In those days the people of Jerusalem were being forced to adhere to laws they did not want in their land.  The new laws were opposed to those that God gave and they were an abomination unto Him.  God NEVER lets such things continue for long.  He ALWAYS comes to the defense of His people.  The story isn't over yet.  There is more that has been written.  

When such times drop down on us so unexpected we must continue to call on the name of The Lord and trust Jesus to save us from our enemies; even those that are living and moving within our own walls.  

Trust Jesus Christ who died for you to light the way for you.

His truth is the only truth.  

His way is the only way.  

He is the TRUE light of the world.  

SEASONS - THOSE GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLES THAT COME AT CHRISTMAS TIME

PONDERING THE GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLES FOR 2016

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Every year I look for them: those glorious impossibles!  

Glorious impossibles are those things you know God made happen just especially for you; the things of wonder and joy that are surprising; those things you never even expected.  

So!  Have you found the wonder of Christmas this year?

Have you found your "glorious impossible" yet?

If not, there is still time.  

A whole new year lies before you.  What will you do with it?

God always does this; your know?  

He has a way of putting His glory into your impossible and making miracles.

They seem to happen most often at Christmas time, so every year during the Christmas season I deliberately look for the glorious impossibles!

I've never ever been disappointed.  

He always shows me something.  

One year it was a yard full of red birds.  One year it was a famiily I gained overnight.  One year it was the secret of how to make Christmas out of nothing at all.  

In 2014 it was a new granddaughter arriving, a house full of laughter and discovering the fact that that grown children never really actually grow up!  

In 2015 it was a precious toast made by my grandson Vinny when he said "I'm thankful for my family."  It was receiving my father's last gift to me; that of putting me in touch with a precious writing partner that I have had the privelidge of writing a radio series with because of her being in the waiting room during his final hospitilization.  It was the joy of my husband and my daughter's boyfriend finding peace and forgiving one another for old and forgotten problems of the past and starting a new and happy relationship together.  It was the joy of achieving a whole family vacation for the first time ever since the kids had become grown up and ventured out on their own.  My goodness how this famiily has multiplied; and all but one made it to our gathering!  Now it has become an annual tradition!

Many years in the past held the miracle of simple things and the miracles of presence over presents!  So many "glorious impossibles" have come straight down from heaven over the years, and I love recounting them and reviewing them after every Christmas passes.  No year is ever the same but each year is blessed in its own unique way.  

The glorious impossibles for 2016 were awesome!

These glorious impossibles teach us things we never forget.  Christmas is such a teachable time!  There is always something new that God shows us.

What has God shown to you this Christmas Season?

Most of these lessons from God revealing the glorious impossibles seem to come when you least expect them.

They always come at the most unusual times and places.

This is often such a striking unfolding of events when you look back,  like finding solid gold or pure diamonds in the middle of a mundane dessert landscape.  

You never really know that they are going to be there.  You are not really expecting them; but after years and years of solid discoveries, you learn to keep your eyes wide open in eager anticipation.  

The glorious impossibles are always made up of the special within the ordinary.  

That is where God loves to hide until He can surprise you at just the right moment and give you the gift of a memory you will treasure forever.

It is hard to say that they are all done at our house for this year!  There may be many more "glorious impossibles" because for us Christmas is only half over.  

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with our Alabama Family; two of our daughters, our son-in-law, one of our daughter’s boyfriend, my mother and my sweet little granddaughter.  

Our other daughter, her husband and our two grandsons will not make it to see us until New Year’s Day because they now live several states away and needed to be home with their two little ones on Christmas Day.  

So the glorious impossibles I’ve seen so far may have many more added on to them in the coming week!

These family members coming later are part of glorious impossible number one for 2016 though!  

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER ONE FOR 2016:  The very first glorious impossible blessing of 2016 was the arrival of our little Lennon, a perfect little grandson born the day after Rosh Hashanah!  He is awesome and I can't wait to get some holiday time with him this weekend!  The world is a much better place since Lennon has arrived!  We are extremely blessed!

Our family is growing!  I've also learned that the more your family grows the more glorious impossibles you encounter!

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER TWO FOR 2016:  The next glorious impossible thing about the present year has been that of having the opportunity of starting my own freelance writing business.  WordCastle Publications LLC is now open for business and thriving!  We will plan the official public launch soon.  This business is not some new idea I woke up and chose for myself one day; it is what God chose for me because of who He made me to be!  I got a late start and had a few delays along the way; but all of the writing has been slowly growing into something substantial over the last five years.  The whole world may not yet realize what an official writer I have become, but SOME of the world has discovered it is true.  I have taken great pleasure in filling my days with the purpose I know God created and designed for me.  I feel like the Velveteen Rabbit who has finally become REAL!   The company will grow slowly in stages.  In a few years when I retire from my present day job; I will be able to devote full-time to writing.  I can't think of a better way to retire.  Right now I write from 4 a.m. till 8 a.m. and from 7 p.m. till 9 p.m. four or five days a week.  To me writing is like breathing; just another part of my day that I can't put aside or ignore. It isn't ALWAYS profitable; but it IS ALWAYS good.   I am so very thankful to be owning and operating my own freelance writing business and to give the fruit of all my labors of love a chance to pay off in retirement and look forward to growing even more focused in the future.  

A few years ago I realized my glorious impossibles were coming in the form of new beginnings and now with the official launch of this business I am seeing the fruit of those new things come to maturity.  It has been a lot of hard work and it has taken diligence on my part; but  I've never been more grateful and for me; there is no looking back.    I am soaking it all in and cherishing every moment while I still have breath and I am asking all those important questions that come along with change:  Am I giving as much back to others as they have so graciously bestowed on me? Do I care enough about my readers and supporters?  Am I taking the time to let this happen well?  What should I do different in the coming years in order to fulfill the destiny of the words of my heart that I'm putting down on paper every day?  Am I missing any special elements that I need to make the best of every possible aspect of this special time that God is allowing me to enjoy?  Am I realizing all the things I have to be thankful for?  

I ponder these things as I go along recognizing every glorious impossible item and the answers are all different every year because every year brings me to a different stage of life.  This year I have focused a lot on the fact that I want to leave a legacy of love behind for those that have given me so many happy years of a beautiful family.  Each one is so special in their own unique way; and I have certain memories that I wish to enforce with each of them as this year passes on.  They are all quite different, my family members, but they each hold their own sense of the loveliness that defines life.

 

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER THREE:  I caught myself looking at my beautiful little granddaughter during our Christmas family time and thinking; what does she really need from me that she cannot get from everyone else in this room full of loving family members?  When she comes and curls up beside me on the sofa after a long exciting and joyful day at our house and she lays her pretty little head on my shoulder and I feel her peace and quiet joy at the end of a beautiful day, suddenly I know the answer.  There is a certain sense of stability that grandparents give to their grandchildren that they cannot receive from anyone else.  This is what I hope to give to her and to my two grandsons. They know how unconditionally they are loved.  They know they can make mistakes and mess up and still have our full hearts.  They know we are going to be there for every possible moment that they want us there with a smile and a hug and we know that this love is the last thing we want them to remember about us, even when we are not there in the future.  "Getting" this knowledge from first-hand experience is such a blessing!

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER FOUR:  The first glorious impossible of the season came to me when I saw this same granddaughter playing with the manger scene.  She clearly knew who Jesus was (as much as a two and one-half year old child can know)  and she was introducing Him to her "frozen" dolls, telling Him all of their names and telling each doll that Jesus loves them.  She would sneak in to the kitchen where we had a manager scene set under a lighted tree and she would have imaginary conversations with Jesus, Joseph, Mary, the Angels and the Shepherds and the Wise Men and The Animals for hours on end.  I quit worrying about the glass figurines getting broken and let the heart of a child do its work.  Sweet glorious impossible!  I loved my first gift of the season.

It was like God focused on this little girl this year as an instrument to let His light shine through in our home.  

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER FIVE:  The next glorious impossible came when my mother came over on Christmas Eve and I saw this little two and one –half year old take her hand and lead her on a tour of the house that we had allowed her to help us decorate for Christmas.  

She pointed out every little detail to her great-grandmother.  

She had a little story or comment about each item and my Mom seemed thrilled to hear these little stories. 

 I silently thanked God for giving us that time together to decorate the house.  I knew some memories had been made that would never be forgotten.  I loved how she was passing them on to the others that she loved.  The next wonderful glorious impossible!

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER SIX:  I had made my husband a nice set of photo books filled with the memories made by our family over the last year.  

We (my granddaughter and I) put them inside a pretty little box with a card and I let her help me take it to him.  He loved the gift, and they sat down in a chair together to look at the books.  Before we knew it they had spent a few hours remembering together!  They talked about our last Christmas, this past Thanksgiving, her two year old birthday party, and our family vacation to the beach. 

 I’ve never heard so much laughter!  

She was telling him all about those books and saying “That’s me and Pop at ME house!  That’s me and Pop at the beach!  That’s me and Pop at ME birthday….” 

 It was adorable.  

Again I sensed that feeling of stability that a grandparent gives to their grandchild.  

I saw a sense of personal identity that came from being involved in a loving family which was forming in a little child of two.  

Another great glorious impossible!  I silently thanked God.

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER SEVEN:  The seventh glorious impossible was that same one that comes every year when those that could make it gather around the family table and give thanks to God for all He has done for us during the year we are about to leave behind.  

So many memories!  

So much to be thankful for!  

To see them all sitting  around the table and laughing and feeling at ease with each other is something I never take for granted.  

The love in the room as we share the festive meal and the care and thought that has been put into each little present and package; it is an amazing glorious impossible filled up with so many special little moments!  

To see my son-in-law appear with a huge grin on his face after a long hard day’s work with a bouquet of Christmas flowers in his arms for my house was amazing and heart warming!  

I loved watching him and my daughter play on the floor with their daughter. 

To hear my daughters laugh together and hear my son-in-law and my single daughter's boyfriend and my husband engaged in serious conversations felt so nice! 

 To see my granddaughter playfully giving my daughter’s boyfriend a high-five when he entered the room with a huge smile on his face; that was  all very touching and beautiful to me. 

To see the silly faces as they all tried on reindeer antlers and watch my granddaughter go get her princes hat for my daughter's boyfriend to wear was so funny!   I watched the three of them hold hands and dance around the kitchen laughing!  Once again I enjoyed the blessings of laughter in the kitchen!  I love that the kitchen seems to be the most "alive" room of my house.    I took it all in and I watched later as the living room was being filled up with colorful crinkles of wrapping paper and I thought this all was just a great glorious impossible all over again!

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER EIGHT:  Then comes the quiet; the time after everyone has given you their hugs and the door closes on the last visitor and it is just us left together in our home.  

We each go about picking up things here and there, putting the colorful shreds of paper into the garbage and piling the dishes in the kitchen sink.  Then we both take our places on the sofa and in the rocking chair; not having to say a word.  

The blessings of a quiet life. Each knowing the other had a fun and fulfilling day, each noticing the quiet and appreciating it at this end of yet another perfect Christmas Eve; and we finally get to do what we have wanted to do for a few weeks – rest without a schedule and simply bask in good memories and peace.  

It is one of those simple little glorious impossibles.  The peace that comes after a joyful holiday has ended and you know that everyone was well loved.

GLORIOUS IMPOSSIBLE NUMBER NINE:  The next day my husband and I went out to see my Mom for a few more hours.  Tired of cooking and cooking; we took her to eat at the Cracker Barrel and we took our time and chatted with her for a long time. 

 We worked on a few little things going on at her house and we listened to all the adventures at the Senior Center and The Sunday School Class and what was happening with her neighbors and friends. 

 I thought to myself what a blessing it was to have her healthy and happy and well adjusted in this just two years after the death of my Dad.  

I thanked God for a healthy and happy Mother that I can still see and talk to and take to lunch whenever we feel up to it.  She spent a lot of time caring lovingly for my Dad in his last days and it was good to see her adjusting back to a happy and normal life.  

I could probably name a million more glorious impossibles if I just stop to think long enough; but I will stop here and encourage you to review the glorious impossibles of your Christmas Season this year.  

No matter what your circumstances; I promise you if you really stop to ponder God's blessings on your life you will come up with many.  You might want to try writing them down like I have done for the last five years in my blog; just so you can go back to them whenever you are feeling not so blessed and get a very good reality check.  

God is good all the time; but He just sends down so many glorious impossibles in the Christmas Season, and I'm so very thankful for each and every one.  

Those glorious impossibles just never cease to amaze me!  

Year after year I continue to count them and year after year they continue to arrive.  

Have you found your glorious impossibles this year?  They are probably right under your nose if you will just open your eyes and heart to see.

SEASONS - CELEBRATING A CHRISTIAN HANUKKAH IN 2016 - BLESSINGS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE FOURTH DAY

TODAY WE LIGHT THE FOURTH CANDLE OF HANNUKAH:

PRAYERS:

Blessed art thou O Lord Our God, King of The Universe Who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons for gladness. For the glory of The Lord Yeshua, Our Messiah, The Light Of The World.

Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, Master of the Universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time.

We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders and the miracles and the saving acts that You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, by Your Holy Priests.  And all throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to behold them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name, for Your miracles, for Your wonder, and for Your salvation.

MEDITATION:

Luke 11:34:  The light of the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thy eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

Acts 26:18:  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are unsanctified by faith that is in me.

THOUGHTS AND MEDITATIONS: 
(by Sheila Gail Langraf)

There is such a deep, deep message in these scriptures for our world today.  It is a message about being a missionary of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The light of Hannukah was to help us see.  

Those early worshipers of God saw, as we do today; that He was a God of miracles.  Yet; there is MORE to see now!  

When we light those candles we use the tallest candle, the servant candle to bring the light to all the others one at a time one day at a time; and with this act we think of Christ and how God gave Him to the world to save us from our sins.   

A King came as as servant to serve us in order to bring the light of God into the world!  

It is a great miracle!  It is an eye-opening miracle that brings light into the soul.

Having the light; the concern is to use it for sight.  

Why would we be living in light and not see?  

I am not sure how people can do this; but they do.  

They do not see the obvious works of God all around them.  They see and use the evil instead of the true things from God that are good and help us to live.  

The light of the soul is its understanding and judgment and its power to discern between good and evil, truth and lies.   

God has given us great light!  

Let us open our eyes to see!

Brothers and sisters be sincere in your seeking of truth and be ready to receive it in the light and love and power of God, not in the same way of the men of this generation to whom Christ preached who never sincerely desired to know God’s will.  There are many living, even right now, who are also deceiving others and pulling them away from The Kingdom of God.  No wonder so many walk in darkness.   To walk in the light we must display pure truth.  

When I was a young girl I was very active in a missions group called Acteens.  I made many lifelong friends participating in that little group and attending summer camp with them each year.    We had a lot of fun and we learned a lot about life and living in the The Kingdom of God together.  

We learned about the message of the light of Christ!

Way back then the Acteens had a theme song which is an old hymn sometimes sung in churches today.  That old song comes to mind as I light the fourth candle today.  It seems so relevant to the message we have presented here at the lighting of the fourth candle of Hannukah.

I did not even understand Hannukah back then; but the theme of the message was in my heart in the things that we did in Acteens.  It was a message of truth and light!  The words of this old song are still inside my heart and they seem even more significant now than ever:

Let those who know Christ and worship The One True God of Heaven and Earth go forth and proclaim the message of truth and the light to all the earth.

SEASONS PRAYER AND MEDITATION FOR THE SECOND FULL DAY OF HANUKKAH 2016

Strange photo for Hanukkah?  Not really, I'm trying to get you to notice the light in everything this season.  Ironically enough this building that reflects the light so beautifully is called "The Peace Center."  Nothing could be more appropriate when we think of The Light of The World.  

PRAYERS:

Blessed art thou O Lord Our God, King of The Universe Who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons for gladness. For the glory of The Lord Yeshua, Our Messiah, The Light Of The World.

Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, Master of the Universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time.

We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders and the miracles and the saving acts that You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, by Your Holy Priests.  And all throughout the eight days of Chanukkah, these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to behold them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name, for Your miracles, for Your wonder, and for Your salvation.

Have you ever considered scattering the light of your Hanukkah table all over the table with the servant candle standing tallest in the center?  Not to take away from the sacredness of the Menorah (which I love) but to make the point of how little beacons of light scattered here and there are capable of lighting up the whole world when you are looking from a distance?  Something to ponder as you set the table and begin to think about how important the light of Christ is to all of us, whether near or far or scattered.  The next day with the Menorah in tact we notice with great significance how of beautifully and perfect God brings all those who have been scattered into one body forming unity and peace.

MEDITATIONS:

(By Nelson Mandela)

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves:  Who am I to be 

brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn't serve the world.

There is nothing enlightening about shrinking

So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

(By Martin Luther King, Jr.)

When people are placed in darkness,

Crimes will be committed.

The guilty are not just those who commit the crimes,

But those who cause the darkness.

(By Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Let us go about our day today shinning like the lights on the candles of the Menorah.  Let us be a beacon of Christ the King to those living within a dark world.  Let our lives reflect the Messiah that the hope of the miracle of the oil on the first Hanukkah prophesied to us.  Let the light of Christ shine out from you as another great miracle and go change the world from the inside out today.

SEASONS - LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE ON CHRISTMAS DAY

A MEDITATION FOR LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE ON CHRISTMAS DAY

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Christmas is here! 

We have arrived at our destination after a long, long journey! 

What miracles we have discovered along the way; but today brings the greatest miracle of all!

Today we light the four outside candles first; these candles that have spoken to us of hope, love, joy and peace. 

Next we light the large white candle in the middle!   

This is what we have been waiting for so long!

This is The Christ Candle.  

This candle speaks to us of the promises of God fulfilled, that came in the form of a child to save us from our sins and give us eternal life with God forever. 

On our way to this place of lighting the last candle we have pondered many things. 

Today we will ponder the greatest miracle of all; the miracle of Jesus coming to Us! 

Our wait is over! 

He is here! 

Emmanuel has come;

Christ is with us! 

Hallelujah! 

We give glory to God for sending us a Messiah in the humble form of a little child named Jesus!

God sent Christ to give us all the things the other candles spoke to us about:  hope, peace, joy and love. 

Today we thank God for sending us Jesus.  

He is the Messiah for ALL people, not just those who sought God so long ago. 

Just as He came to save the shepherds and the wise men who sought him then; He has also come to save those of us who seek Him now. 

Just as He was born to Mary and laid in a manger; He is born today inside our hearts. 

Let us come to Him rejoicing and bringing our gifts of love. 

God has given us the gift of Jesus!

O come let us adore Him!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6)