2014!

This year has brought us many ups and downs.
It has brought us new friends and we have had to say goodbye to some friends too.
It's given us new adventures and old traditions.
We have started new ministries and some exciting lessons.
This year was full of memories.
But most of all this year was full of love for God and each other.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 7

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit-----Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously, if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 6

Day six: six geese a-laying. Eggs are an almost universal symbol of new life. The laying geese symbolize the six days of creation where God was bringing new life to this earth.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 5

The five golden rings represented the first five books of the Old Testament, which describe man's fall into sin and the great love of God in sending a Savior.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 4

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  The gospels were written to help us to not only help us to believe but also to help us grow in our faith.  John 20:30-31 says, “30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

12 Days of Christmas - Day 3

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, three French Hens. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says “Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.” French Hens were very expensive when this song was written so they can also be symbols of the three expensive gifts the wise men brought: Gold, Frankincense and myrrh.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 2

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, two turtle doves that remind us that our Bible is broken into two parts the Old and New Testament. The doves are symbols too. In the Old Testament, before Jesus’ death on the cross, it is acceptable for the poor to sacrifice two turtledoves as an offering that helps to bring peace with God. It is believed that when Mary and Joseph come to Jerusalem after Christ’s birth, they sacrificed two of these birds.