Heaven Help Us

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”   Galatians 2:20

Isaiah's Message
Isaiah Chapter 1 : 16¹ The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.³ The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.⁴ Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.⁵ Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.⁶ From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.⁷ Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.⁸ And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.⁹ Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.¹¹ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.¹² When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?¹³ Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.¹⁴ Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.¹⁵ And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.¹⁶ Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;¹⁸ Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.¹⁷ Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.¹⁹ If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:²⁰ But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.²¹ How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Based upon the above text the Children of Israel were in alot of trouble, I always like that there is nothing new under the sun.  But to go a little deeper, "if nothing changes, Nothing Changes.  

Fast forward we are now living in 21st century dealing with zenith speed in technology and have evolved that if you were to read the above text you'd think the author Isaiah was describing this century.  I enjoy reviewing and posting archives of older posts from Empowering Spirits but lately its been a tug at my heart torn to deliver a word that's really not mine.  I'm not claiming vision or even that GOD whispered in my ear.  Can't even describe what this is exactly so I'll just give GOD the great IAM all the Glory take nothing for myself.

The politics, the people, the music, the movies and television seem to reflect a whole different world from the one I grew up in and alot of us "Boomers" I'm a late boomer born in the 60's are catching our breath just to keep up which brings me to my current condition my profession is now as contractor and previously a civil service government employee I've tried to reinvent myself as times changed so I've always been sort of nosey and tech savvy.  Always wanted to rise above my peers on my level not yours. See my journey has brought me closer due to circumstances all beyond my control to my inner spiritual being and connected me directly to the source.  I'm not a minister not really interested in that field but I am interested in what the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth has planted inside of me, a vision to interpret and see the world as it relates to that Book.

So I really was wrestling with this blog because I'm just gonna type and let it all flow, then when I read it for edit and my editing skills are very mediocre cause I'm not a journalist either I majored in Sociolgy with an eye on pre-med when I found out the math was involved and cadavers changed my whole life went in a direction opposite of that didn't finish college and had scholarships but I was very sharp in my thinking and Richard Nixon did more for our black community with the CETA programs backed by federal dollars gave alot of us a leg up even our community leaders who sponsored these summer/winter jobs programs for youth in the inner cities you could get a work permit at 14 and have enough summer pay to buy clothes and shoes for fall or you save it pay your parents cause my mother always made me give her something.  Contribute to the family.  We've lost that in our homes and here in our Nation.

America is great we have evolved over time but not atoned for there is so much harm that has been swept up under the Constitutional rug.  I just feel so compelled can't knock this nation either because I love my country and know no other, yet my curiosty caused me to do some research and what I discovered about myself, my family, and then overall community was from the time our ancestors got to this continent up til now, we never left most of us don't even know who we really are.  It struck me because alot of urban blacks can't afford the best of anything we have HMO's not private doctors once upon a time we did but not in the 21st century they use to come to your home and if your parents didn't have all the money it was okay RIP Dr. Robinson, and you trusted him he trusted you the family paid the bill.  But unless you were bleeding or couldn't breath like me I had ashthma you had the home remedies.  Things have changed but nothing changed let me dig deeper so you don't think I'm rambling.  If you compare our plight as a race with other immigrants who were invited to come and how well they weren't received America always made you work hard for your dreams but if you had some advantages it was somewhat easier vs. slaves who didn't migrate but were brought here from the distance in ships stacked upon one another it struck me that I can't smell my own underarms when I'm musty what must've been their experience yet 200+years later their children, children, children, children don't even know who they are.  

When you don't know who you are you tend to identify or adapt to the environment take on the languages accents and ways of the natives funny things I found out that Africans were coming here years before Columbus trading with the Native Americans and had settled here with them Cherokee tribe South and West Indians are proof of that.  Yet the slaves struggled to pioneer without any assistance from their masters after they were freed they opened up the boarder and allowed Europeans more access which disallowed the freemasons who were skilled and black from being hired and they couldn't earn a decent wage so it was easier to be a servant and get paid if you got paid.  Cause you have to understand they existed many, many years in the 18th and 19th Century without any human rights.  I am one of those children, and I don't know who I am what tribe and tongue colors that represent my family or Africans have family Crest and tribal dynasties yet I can't relate to any of that.  One of my friends who was from Liberia laughed at one day because I was wearing a afrocentric sweater it was beautiful she said "what tribe does those colors belong too", I said huh? She laughed out loud and said you black americans really don't know nothing about who you are then she told me those colors belong to a tribe in Africa she thought I knew.  In other words, she was testing me.

Now we read above about the Children of Israel well through time man has grossly lied about the true Children of Israel Hebrews but it's okay cause we still all related at the end of the day but I noticed that the darker children on this earth have always suffered at the hand of some regime or government do your research like I did if you feel something about this blog.  Because this is basically how I'm gonna pause cause it's always more to come, in 1938 Adolf Hitler who was a monster and beast killed alot of Jewish people the Holocaust was horriffic no words to describe it was unhuman to say the least and I believe each culture has suffered and GOD who loves us all seen all of that and put favor on America to as King David with a small but mighty we stood up against that monster and won but to atone for all they had suffered UN was established and settlement was built to repatriat them to Israel which is they're homeland except it's not, not really but they are converted and loyal to their faith as were the Children of Israel who were forced out Temple was destroyed all that's left now in 21st century is the waling wall where the Rabi's pray.  But accommodations were made alot of them from Germany had already come over to the "New World" and did movies and films, scientist, authors, philosophers like Dr. Freud.  We owe alot of the great things about our country to their creativity and vision of America but to save time I'll just make my point.  African Americans who were grossly mistreated and maybe not in the methods Adolf Hitler used but to be stripped of your heritage, your native tongue, not be allowed to read and write, eating scrapes pig feet chitterlings, neckbones and watching the master take liberties with a mans wife or even the master wife wanted the stud it happened did you see Roots and that was just one mans story.  12 years a slave was one mans story well it was millions of us here during 18 and 19th centuries who don't know who we are so our last names became whoever owned us.  Think about that and when jewish people came they changed their names so anglos wouldn't discriminate against them they happened to be one cut above us in regard to position in life here in America, they were disrespected and hated too but they had one option a right to duel citizenship and to go to Israel if they wanted Black people don't know where to go they never ever offered to get the Continent of Africa to even designate a piece of land for African Americans you have to spend thousands of dollars just to find out what tribe you belong too and even then it's inconclusive.  So all that being said why is it that we've ALL RACES become resentful and entitled?  Why 

- Corinthians 13:4-7

This is a description of Agape Love. It is described as being patient, kind, truthful, unselfish, trusting, believing, hopeful, and enduring. It is not jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, or angry. True love never fails. The description perfectly fits God's love toward us, and should be the way we love each other and God. However, I have never met any person who perfectly fulfills this biblical definition of love. The Bible says that this unconditional love is more important than everything else (a partial list includes oratory ability, prophecy, knowledge, faith, philanthropy and hope). All of these things, which are "good" things, will pass away. Only love is eternal, since love will be the basis of eternal life. In fact, when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND." (Matthew 22:37)10 He then added that the second most important law was "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Jesus said that the entire law was dependent upon these two commandments

To be continued I love you all, #SHOWSOMELOVE

The most famous biblical chapter on love is from 1 Corinthians:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

@Lovleeannwise 2015 all rights reserved.

Isley Brothers - (Prelude) Harvest For The World

A QUOTE

Bishop T.D. Jakes '8 Second Prayer'

When you reach the end of your rope...

You will find the hem of his garment..

I'm not breaking this one

I would rather live my life as if there is a God,

then to die and find out there isn't one,

than to have lived my life

as if there isn't,

and die to find out there is...

"A Quote" 

 Just repeat this prayer and see how God moves!!

'Lord, I love you and I need you,
come into my heart, and bless me,
my family, my home, my finances,
and all of my friends,
in Jesus' name. 

Amen.'   

When your down to Nothing GOD is always up to Something!"

TRUST HIM.

@Lovleeannwise all rights reserved 2015

EJI's New Lynching Report Documents an Era of Racial Terrorism | Equal Justice Initiative

Knowledge is Power

EJI's New Lynching Report Documents an Era of Racial Terrorism | Equal Justice Initiative  Disclaimer: I am not permitted to reprint the articcle but visit the EJI site for more information and current reports.

In December 2014 I posted an essay in support of #BLACKLIVESMATTER....... to protest the blatant denial in America how little value has been considered for the lives of Black Americans and the affects of the trauma, how it's evolved into bad policing.

This is the original Document as posted by EJI.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2RtxTh9Jf3uX0d2NmhsUElWQTg/view?usp=sharing
If you really want to understand the History and scars which attributes to the black condition in America here's a great article. 

  It speaks to our history as Americans and the experience of both races and what was considered "socially acceptable" way of bringing justice from white race point of view, but it was terror and meant death to the black race utterly powerless in most cases this essay goes indepth to recall factual information and illustrations documenting this inhumane but legal practices here in our Nation.  Maybe this won't change hearts and minds but at least you can't say you didn't know how awful life could be for people of color.  

  To this date no person in power in these United States has ever apologized and offered assistance to the decendants of these people, many "African Americans" who I refer to as Black Americans have been taught to accept and live with many of the generational maladjustments suffered by many families even mine who struggled to identify in a society that loved to "HATE" them and saw them as less than a human being.  We've come a short distance but until we have real dialog such as this piece (just click on the title to the link above in red)  for a frank and open conversation "just the facts" without embelishment, I hold a hope for real brotherhood and healing before the end of the 21st Century.  

  My grandson is Black, Hispanic, Native American, and White.  I guess he's really an "ALL AMERICAN!!" 

That being said I refuse to be afraid anymore
 for him or my Black son whose mere existance to some in our country can be a reason to die......  It's time to heal scars are real.

So check out your mind read the article and you decide..

Show some empathy & be humble lets try that for a start.

http://empoweringspiritsfreeingurmind.blogspot.com/2014/12/our-freedom-in-review-american-justice.html

GOD Bless#Peace&Love

@Lovleeannwise 2015 all rights are reserved  

The Valley of Dry Bones

"Son of man, can these bones live?"

 Ezekiel 37:1-9, 3:4-10 

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

4 Then He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language but to the house of Israel. 6 [You are] not [being sent] to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. No doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted. 8 Look, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 I have made your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don't be afraid of them or discouraged by [the look on] their faces, even though they are a rebellious house."

10 Next He said to me: "Son of man, listen carefully to all My words that I speak to you and take [them] to heart.

TRANSISTION/ACCEPTANCE-SELF LOVE

 I went through my process of letting go of a bad relationship it hurt. Going through, growing through, and living on the other side was like shedding skin.

The reason why it hurt me was because of my commitment raised my tolerance level to pain. I did do the necessary footwork to plant a seed for growth inwardly. I cried about this and prayed and GOD revealed to me almost as an epiphany experience. That I truly did love this person with his defects and assets too, but if he wasn't willing to acknowledge that there exist a problem how could he become willing to change his ways.  I wasn't willing to come down to his level and he wasn't capable of meet me halfway.

Well, I had to change, my mind, my attitude towards him which evolved from resentment to forgiveness.I held onto the relationship even after he had left, hoping for an apology or closure waiting for his voice to say he's wrong... Wasn't growing it was lingering(wallowing inside my head);Ultimately, I would still be in a relationship. All by myself, with a ex-lover living rent free inside of my emotions, my mind I couldn't begin any new romance. Until I could Let Go of the former relationship completely to allow my heart, mind, and body to finally go back in sync. 

I stood up and trusted what GOD has purposed for me that I'm to be honored, adored, loved just as HE loves me and that I'm an exceptionally gifted Black Woman with much to offer.

Let GO Let GOD

 Finally, GOD allowed me to mature to a level of self acceptance to become willing myself to change and let HIM work on me.... I'm a Kings daughter who deserves the best GOD grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change (other folks) and the courage to change the things that I can (me), and the WISDOM to know the difference.  Stop trying to get folks to come up to where you're at if you lack patience to allow them to grow. 

Don't let anyone with a personality disorder affect your life. They can cause harm.. Words do hurt and over time and can Mame....

Believe in yourself enough know your value despite what anyone says. I know most men often when they're angry of cornered love to refer to us Ladies as "ah you crazy" and use all sorts of superlatives to support such asscine behavior when the conversations get serious or when they can't respond rationally. 

For some males this is a defense mechanism what other best way to stop the dialog is by means of  offense "ATTACK, push the button" out comes the buzz words that tend to take you most of us off our square. Poof here comes "Crazy" we often play right into their hands... well Stand! Stand firm in all your convictions and don't let nobody bring you down...

 Read the article below for it's content. Love yourself enough to not disregard the material try to open your mind up to this.

Personality Disorders and Relationships

List of personality disorders defined in the DSM

The DSM-IV lists ten personality disorders, grouped into three clusters. The DSM also contains a category for behavioral patterns that do not match these ten disorders, but nevertheless exhibit characteristics of a personality disorder. This category is labeled Personality Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified).

Cluster A (odd or eccentric disorders)

Paranoid personality disorder: characterized by irrational suspicions and mistrust of others
Schizoid personality disorder: lack of interest in social relationships, seeing no point in sharing time with others
Schizotypal personality disorder: also avoids social relationships, though out of a fear of people

Cluster B (dramatic, emotional, or erratic disorders)

Antisocial personality disorder: "pervasive disregard for the law and the rights of others."
Borderline personality disorder: extreme "black and white" thinking, instability in relationships, self-image, identity and behavior
Histrionic personality disorder: "pervasive attention-seeking behavior including inappropriate sexual seductiveness and shallow or exaggerated emotions"
Narcissistic personality disorder: "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy"

Cluster C (anxious or fearful disorders)

Avoidant personality disorder: social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, extreme sensitivity to negative evaluation and avoidance of social interaction
Dependent personality disorder: pervasive psychological dependence on other people.
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (not the same as obsessive-compulsive disorder): characterized by rigid conformity to rules, moral codes, and excessive orderliness
History
The concept of personality disorders goes back to at least the ancient Greeks,[2] and even earlier to the ancient Egyptians, such as the Ebers papyrus.[3]

Various types of personality disorders were later described by medieval Arabic psychological thinkers,[4][5] and many more have been discovered in modern times.


Studies on clusters
A study of almost 600 male college students, averaging almost 30 years of age and who were not drawn from a clinical sample, examined the relationship between childhood experiences of sexual and physical abuse and presently reported personality disorder symptoms. Childhood abuse histories were found to be definitively associated with greater levels of symptomatology. Severity of abuse was found to be statistically significant, but clinically negligible, in symptomatology variance spread over Cluster A, B and C scales.[6]

Child abuse and neglect consistently evidence themselves as antecedent risks to the development of personality disorders in adulthood.[citation needed] In this particular study, efforts were taken to match retrospective reports of abuse with a clinical population that had demonstrated psychopathology from childhood to adulthood who were later found to have experienced abuse and neglect. The sexually abused group demonstrated the most consistently elevated patterns of psychopathology. Officially verified physical abuse showed an extremely strong role in the development of antisocial and impulsive behavior. On the other hand, cases of abuse of the neglectful type that created childhood pathology were found to be subject to partial remission in adulthood.[7]

In 2005, psychologists Belinda Board and Katarina Fritzon at the University of Surrey, UK, interviewed and gave personality tests to high-level British executives and compared their profiles with those of criminal psychiatric patients at Broadmoor Hospital in the UK. They found that three out of eleven personality disorders were actually more common in managers than in the disturbed criminals:

histrionic personality disorder: including superficial charm, insincerity, egocentricity and manipulation
narcissistic personality disorder: including grandiosity, self-focused lack of empathy for others, exploitativeness and independence.
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: including perfectionism, excessive devotion to work, rigidity, stubbornness and dictatorial tendencies.
They described the business people as successful psychopaths and the criminals as unsuccessful psychopaths.

GOD Bless til next time

Pray for eternal Peace, Grace, and #SHOWSOMELOVE

@Lovleeannwise 2015  all rights reserved   re post 2009

My Everything featuring The Temptations

You're My Everything

The Temptations 

written and produced* by Norman Whitfield* Cornelius Grant Roger Penzabene

You surely must know magic girl
Cause you changed my life
It was dull and ordinary
But you made it sunny and bright

Now, I was blessed the day I found you
Gonna build my whole world around you
You're everything good, girl
And you're all that matters to me

When my way was dark and troubles were near
Your love provided the light so I could see, girl
Just knowin' your love was near when times were bad
Kept the world from closin' in on me girl

I was blessed the day I found you
Gonna build my whole world around you
You're everything good girl
And you're all that matters to me

Baby, you're part of every thought I think each day
Your name is in every phrase my lips say
Every dream I dream is about you
Honey I can't live without you

Baby (baby), baby (baby), baby
You're my everything, you're my everything, yes you are
(Don't you know you're my everything)

You're the girl I sing about
In every love song I sing
(You're my everything)
You're my winter baby
My summer, my fall and spring
(You're my everything)

Now, now, I was blessed the day I found you
Gonna build my whole world around you
You're everything good girl and you're all that matters to me
You're my everything, you're my everything, yes you are
(Don't you know you're my everything)
You're my everything, you're my everything
(Don't you know you're my everything)
You're my everything, you're my everything

Don't you know you're my everything

GOD You're my Everything besides no human being living or dead no one has cared for me the way you have and still do til this very breath and keystroke.  I see you in moving all through my life, in songs like this makes me think only of you, working with my provisions, I've survived more than I suffered all of past sorrows & look ahead to different levels of success.  You nurtured me throughout my life protected when I ran through the RED Lights and STOP signs.  Still true.

All things work together for Good and to Glorify You 

 EL SHADDAI 

Nothing in this world will ever be greater because of You're Eternal Love for me all of these things are made possible~Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit  Living by Faith for your Blessings Eternally - 
Your my Everything always near guiding my path and You're all that matters to me.

#Peace and Love - GOD Bless 


@Lovleeannwise 2014 all rights reserved

Malcolm X Make It Plain (Full PBS Documentary)

@lovleeannwise  all rights reserved.

Strange Fruit By Billie Holiday W/ Lyrics

@Lovleeannwise 2014 all rights reserved

How did Christmas start? "As" lyrics featuring Stevie Wonder

How did Christmas Start?

excerpt from the Re posted CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS - THE REAL MEANING  2005 @http://empoweringspiritsfreeingurmind.blogspot.com/2013/12/re-posted-celebrating-christmas-real.html

Since about 400 AD, Christians have celebrated the birth of Jesus. 'Christ' means 'Messiah' or 'Anointed One' - the title given to Jesus - and 'Mass' was a religious festival.

In the West today, the real meaning of Christmas is often forgotten. It has become a non-religious holiday! More children believe in Father Christmas than in Jesus. Christmas Day is a time for eating and drinking too much and watching television.

But the real Christmas story is found in the Christian Bible. It is told in two different books: Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2. If you have no Bible, you can read these chapters online. You may think that the story of the birth of Jesus, and the way that the West celebrates Christmas today, do not seem to have many connections.

Mary says "yes"

These chapters tell how Jesus was born as a baby to Mary. This was no ordinary birth! She was not married, she was a virgin, (yes, really!) and an angel had told her she would bear a special baby. Her husband-to-be, Joseph, did not believe her at first. Who would? Then an angel told him in a dream that it was true! Probably no one else believed it. So when they had to travel from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem (near Jerusalem), to register their names with the ruling Roman government, they probably escaped many hard words from other people.

Arrival in Bethlehem brought worry and upset: there was no room for them to stay at the hotel. There was only space in the stable - the animal house for travellers' donkeys and horses.

Jesus was born that night, and as they had no bed for him, they used an animal feeding box filled with the dry grass the animals ate.

Christmas cards and pictures today make it all seem very nice. In truth, it must have been dirty and frightening for a young couple, far from their home and families. Possibly the birth was premature after the stress of the journey. This was a very poor place for Jesus to start his life on earth.

God's plan?

Christians believe that it was exactly God's plan that things happened this way. They say that it shows that Jesus came as a humble, poor person and not as a strong, rich king. They also claim that the birth of Jesus was told many years before in the books of the prophets.

Five hundred years before, the prophet Micah had said,

"But you Bethlehem, though you are small, out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

The prophet Isaiah had written,

"A child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler.

He will be called, "Wonderful Counsellor," "Mighty God," "Eternal Father," "Prince of Peace." His royal power will continue to grow; his kingdom will always be at peace....

He will rule as King David's successor, basing his power on right and justice, from now until the end of time."

These are only two of many prophetic words that told of the birth and life of Jesus, written hundreds of years before His birth.

The shepherds are frightened

At that time, sheep farmers were seen by other people as low and of no value. Yet it was to these shepherds that the birth of Jesus was first announced in an amazing dramatic way:

"That night there were some men looking after sheep in the fields nearby. Suddenly they saw a great light. It was an angel, who said, Don't be afraid. I have good news for you, and for all people. Someone great has been born today. He is Christ, the great King you have been waiting for. He will save you from all that is wrong and evil. You will find him dressed in baby clothes, lying on a bed of dry grass.'"

The story of the wise men

After Jesus was born, wise men came to look for Him, from an area which is now in either Iran or Saudi Arabia. Although they are often called the "Three Kings", the Bible does not say how many there were, or that they were kings. Three is only a guess because they brought with them three gifts. Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

They were certainly men of learning - probably today we would call them philosophers or scientists. They had seen an unusual new star in the sky, and knew that it told of the birth of a special king. (The star they saw was probably a exploding "supernova" and is known from astronomical records.) They followed the direction of the star- East - and eventually found the place where Mary, Joseph and Jesus were staying. To bring honour to the child, they brought rich gifts: gold, frankincense (a resin which burns with a beautiful smell), and myrrh (plant oil with a very strong sweet smell). These gifts tell us in pictures three key things about Jesus:

Gold: a gift fit for a King

Frankincense: burnt in worship of God

Myrrh: a sign of mortal human-ness - it was used to bury the dead

Jesus a refugee

Herod, the evil king of the area, heard about the child, saw Him as a threat, and sent soldiers to kill Jesus. But God told Joseph in a dream to take Mary and the baby and escape to Egypt. They lived there till King Herod died and then went back to live in Nazareth. We read nothing more about the life of Jesus, except for one story when he was 12, until He reached 30. By the way - note one important thing: Jesus was not a white European, and Christianity is not a Western religion. Christmas cards from different countries often show Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the landscape of that country, and with the racial appearance of that nationality, be it black African, Indian, or Japanese. This is good and right - Jesus came to identify with every racial group. He is "Everyman" for us all.

"As"

Songs In The Key Of Life. It was written by Stevie Wonder.

As around the sun the earth knows she's revolving

And the rose buds know to bloom in early May
Just as hate knows love's the cure you can rest your mind assure
That I'll be loving you always

As now can't reveal the mystery of tomorrow
But in passing we'll grow older every day
Just as all that's born is new you know what I say is true
That I'll be loving you always

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky, always
Until the ocean covers every mountain high, always
Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea, always
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream

Did you know true love asks for nothing  And acceptance is the way we pay?
Did you know life has given love a guarantee  To last through forever and another day?

Just as time knew to move on since the beginning
And the seasons know exactly when to change
Just as kindness knows no shame know through all your joy and pain
That I'll be loving you always

Until the day is night and night becomes the day, always
Until the trees and seas just up and fly away, always
Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4, always
Until the day that is the day that are no more

As today I know I'm living, but tomorrow Could make me the past, but that I mustn't fear
For I know deep in my mind the love of me I've left behind  'Cause I'll be loving you always

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky, always
Until the ocean covers every mountain high, always
Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea, always
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream

We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles  Can make you wish you were born in another time and space But you can bet your life times that and twice its double
That God knew right where He wanted you to be placed

Until the day is night and night becomes the day, always
Until the trees and seas just up and fly away, always
Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4, always
Until the day that is the day that are no more

Always

Songwriter 

 STEVIE WONDER

With that #MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of you!

@Lovleeannwise All rights reserved 2014