Holy Innocents

I have to admit this is a really

horrible hand!

It is supposed to be the 

hand of St. John the Apostle.

But then he was writing till he was very old.

So this is a picture of his old, gnarled hand.

It was St. John's feast day yesterday.

He wrote in his gospel,

"We are writing this so our joy may be complete."

When JOY is shared,

it is completed.

When Joy is kept to ourselves,

something is lacking!

Take time to share JOY 

this Christmas season!

And who better to share it with

than children!

Today, December 28,

is the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents.

King Herod had hundreds of 

innocent children massacred

ostensibly to save his throne.

Macrobius (ca. AD 400), 

one of the last pagan writers in Rome,

in his book Saturnalia, wrote:

"When it was heard that,

as part of the slaughter of boys

up to two years old,

Herod, king of the Jews,

had ordered his own son to be killed,

the Emperor Augustus remarked,

"It is better to be Herod's pig than his son."

source

Ironically today 

countless, innocent unborn children

are being slaughtered legally.

It was better to be a pig

than Herod's son

because Herod was a Jew 

and killing a pig was not kosher!

Today it is better to be an endangered animal

than a fetus in the womb!

Endangered animals are more protected,

aren't they?

Proverbs 4 says:

"Keep your heart with all diligence;

for out of it are the issues of life."

I thought it was time for a

Christmas Giveway.

Here's an ATC I made

and the design was made into a necklace.

Would you like to win the ATC and the necklace?

Visit this post to win.

Every week I choose one wonderful visitor

who leaves a comment

to receive an ATC from me.

This week, random.org chose

#4, Sharon Evans of 

Sharon's Patch and 

Standing on Faith

and Art Inspirations.

Sharon is from New Zealand 

and is my type of lady-

she uses her art to inspire and encourage!

I know it takes so much time and effort

to leave a comment

and I appreciate it so much!

Linking with

Sometimes I put on my best pajamas and

join these wonderful blog parties!!!

Spiritual Sundays, Faith Filled Friday, 

Artists in Blogland, In Search of Beauty, 

True Vine Challenge, Word Art Wednesday,

Random Journal Day Weekend Linkup, 

State Of the Heart,  Sunday Sketches

Art Journal Everyday, Just Journals

Hearts4Home Thursdays, Thought Provoking Thursday

Thoughtful Thursday, Encourage One Another,

Thrive at Home Link Up,

Inspiration Friday, Fellowship Friday

Best Posts of the Week,  Weekend Whatever,

Fresh Brewed Sundays

Thank you for dropping by!

You are appreciated!

Patsy

WOYWW: Ordinary People doing Extraordinary Things

A blessed Christmas from my desk to yours!

Did you know that Christmas is not a single day

but a season which culminates 

with the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus?

  

This is my floor which I will have to take care of, but not yet!

Christmas Day was a busy one for me and my family.

It started with a text message 

that said one of our employees

lost everything in a fire.

Thankfully none of her family was hurt,

but everything was burned.

They even had to escape by climbing to their rooftop, 

and using a ladder to escape out of their compound.

Thank you for that ladder!

Who put it there?

No one knows,

but many lives were saved 

because a ladder was there!

So my husband Luigi, our guest from the US

and I went to the community hall where our

employee and her family took refuge

to give her money, clothes, blankets and towels

to help tide them over.

Then we brought our guest for a tour of Intramuros,

the oldest part of Manila.

Luigi knows many things and was an able tour guide.

We walked around some part of the massive stone walls

and fortifications.

Then we bought Lechon for dinner.

Lechon is roasted pig, 

and one of my husband's favorite dishes.

This is usually what filipinos like 

to serve during festive occasions.

December 26 is the Feast Day of Saint Stephen.

He is the first martyr and was stoned to death

because the Jews got infuriated with the wisdom

of his words! 

St. Stephen is an example of an 

ordinary man who did

extraordinary things because 

he followed Jesus day by day.

He just started out as a "waiter",

as he was appointed a deacon 

by the early church.

His job was to serve food 

to the widows and orphans,

and I suppose help the apostles 

with other menial duties.

Let us stay close to Jesus,

and go about our menial tasks with 

a heart full of praise and thanksgiving.

We too can be ordinary people

doing extraordinary things if we 

keep our hearts focused on the Lord! 

Proverbs 4 says:

"Keep your heart with all diligence;

for out of it are the issues of life."

I thought it was time for a

Christmas Giveway.

Here's an ATC I made

and the design was made into a necklace.

Would you like to win the ATC and the necklace?

Visit this post to win.

Every week I choose one wonderful visitor

who leaves a comment

to receive an ATC from me.

This week, random.org chose

#4, Sharon Evans of 

Sharon's Patch and 

Standing on Faith

and Art Inspirations.

Sharon is from New Zealand 

and is my type of lady-

she uses her art to inspire and encourage!

I know it takes so much time and effort

to leave a comment

and I appreciate it so much!

Joining the lovely Julia for a 

peek at desks and projects!

 

I love blog parties!

Won't you join us?

Sometimes I put on my best pajamas 

and party here:

Joan at Reflections of His Grace

Women in the Word Wednesdays

Laura at the Wellspring, Word Art Wednesday, 

Show Me What You Got Art Link Up

Whatever You Want Wednesday

Thoughtful Thursday,  Hearts4Home Thursdays

Thought Provoking Thursday

Thriving Thursdays with Serving Joyfully

Blessings!

Patsy

Past Postings:

Do We Hear God's Voice and a Christmas Giveaway

May Our Heart be His Manger

Let's Be a Sign

Let it be Done 

What do you have in your Hand?

May our Heart be His Manger!

These words are from Word Among Us:

Mary's "Yes" was momentous for the world,

but don't diminish the importance of the 

"Yes" you can say to God each and every day.

This day before Christmas is a

special opportunity to welcome Jesus

into our hearts

and to be transformed by His presence there.

"Blessed are you who believed

that what was spoken to you

by the Lord would be fulfilled."

Luke 1:45

We are able to say our "Yes!"

to God every day

if we have His word in our hearts

and believe it!

"He will establish a house for you."

2 Samuel 7:11

These words were said to King David

by the Prophet Nathan.

"I have been with you wherever you went.

I will establish a house for you.

Your house and your kingdom

shall endure forever..."

When we give our Yes to God,

we are part of the kingdom that endures forever!

This Christmas, we are all innkeepers.

We can say yes or no to Jesus

staying in our heart.

Do we say, "Yes, Lord Jesus, come in!"

and let our heart be His manger?

A blessed Christmas to all my wonderful friends

both near and far!

Proverbs 4 says:

"Keep your heart with all diligence;

for out of it are the issues of life."

I thought it was time for a

Christmas Giveway.

Here's an ATC I made

and the design was made into a necklace.

Would you like to win the ATC and the necklace?

Visit this post to win.

Every week I choose one wonderful visitor

who leaves a comment

to receive an ATC from me.

This week, random.org chose

#4, Sharon Evans of 

Sharon's Patch and 

Standing on Faith

and Art Inspirations.

Sharon is from New Zealand 

and is my type of lady-

she uses her art to inspire and encourage!

I know it takes so much time and effort

to leave a comment

and I appreciate it so much!

On Your Heart Tuesdays,

Loving our Children Tuesday,

Word Art Wednesday
New Equus Party

and

Blessings!

Patsy

Past Postings:

Do We Hear God's Voice and a Christmas Giveaway

Let's Be a Sign

Let it be Done 

What do you have in your Hand?

Do not be Terrified!

All for the King!

Read Aloud

He is No Fool

With Obedience comes Blessing

Inscrutable Riches