Welcome and Merry Christmas Sweet Friends!! Every Christmas Day we have a birthday cake for Jesus. We light candles and sing Happy Birthday to Him! He is the guest of honor! The reason we put up a tree, decorate our house, bake cookies, send Christmas cards and buy presents! Celebrating Jesus’ Birthday is the reason we celebrate Christmas!!
Christmas Emotions
Some of my fondest memories of Christmas are with my Mom and Dad as a young child. I can remember baking
Once we… finished baking, the decorating ensued. Tons of frosting made out of confectioners sugar was mixed which added another layer of stickiness to the already slippery floor. We would then add food coloring to create festive batches of color to decorate our beautiful and delcious cookies. Finally came LOTS of sprinkles…
Happy Birthday Jesus ~ Mike Douglas
My Mom would have the AM radio blaring with JP McCarthy on WJR (for all you Michiganders). A favorite Christmas song would come on by Mike Douglas (not the actor) called “Happy Birthday Jesus”. My Mom had a beautiful voice and she would sing this song at the top of her lungs…
Church bells ring -a- ling…
Angels sing -a- ling…
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Snow flakes ting -a- ling…
Sleigh bells jing -a- ling…
Happy Birthday Jesus!
All year long we wait just to celebrate this Christmas Morn’, cause we want you to know we’re re so glad you were born!
Oh… Have a merry… very Happy Birthday Jesus!
Relationship with Jesus
I think this was the beginning of my love for Jesus! Our lives centered around Him in our home growing up. As an adult, my relationship and love for Him
My relationship with Jesus is not a religion but a daily relationship filled with prayer and reading His word. He has provided love, strength, courage, guidance, knowledge, and wisdom when I have asked and needed it.
“The angel said to the Shepherds, ‘Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL PEOPLE.” Luke 2:10
I love that God gives us ALL an open invitation to His son… no restrictions, no conditions! ALL people and ALL religions. If you are Buddhist,
“Today, in the City of David, A Savior For YOU has been born. He is the Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
A savior for YOU… (me – Mary Ann)! And for YOU… (put your name here). I adore how God personalizes this invitation for each of us.
Pastor Rick Warren ~ Saddleback Church
If you have never asked Jesus into your heart, I encourage you to do so this Christmas. Give yourself the greatest Christmas gift you could ever receive! There is nothing fancy about it. Just say this “For All People” (from Pastor Rick Warren ~ link to service below) prayer to Him:
Dear God, thank you for your goodness to me. Thank your loving me and caring about every detail of my life. Thank you for sharing my pain. Most of all, thank you for sending Jesus at Christmas to save me. I believe He died on the cross for me and I want to receive Him as my Savior. Please forgive my sins and accept me into your family. I want to learn to love you, and trust you, and follow you for the rest of my life on earth. Then I want to join you in Heaven forever, Amen.
If you said that prayer for the first time! Send me a note, I would like to know. Get into a good Bible-based church.
Celebrating Jesus’ Birthday
Saddleback Church has been our home church for 9 years. I adore Pastor Rick Warren! He is like a Dad to me! Their Christmas eve service is always incredible! Here is a link to this years service! Link to SaddleBack Christmas 2018
Here is also one of my favorite Christmas Services by Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church. Link to SaddleBack Christmas 2012
Sending all of my love to you this CHRISTmas! So blessed and thankful for your friendship, love, and support!! You are like family!!
Luke 2: 8-20
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE??
The best way to connect with me is through the comments on my blog posts; I do my best to respond to each everyone. You can reach me by email at info@GraceInThisSpace@Gmail.com or follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.
For more information about me and my chronic illness check out this post called “Finding Hope this Easter”
Kathy says
Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart and home, Merry Christmas! 🎄❤️🎄❤️🎄❤️
Mary Ann says
Hello sweet Kathy!!
I hope your Christmas was wonderful!! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year dear friend!!
All My Love,
Mary Ann
Marijean says
I so enjoyed this beautiful post Mary Ann. The prayer is a beautiful one. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Mary Ann says
Hello dear Marijean!!
Thank you dear friend… I am so glad you enjoyed! Christmas has always had a very special place in my heart! I adore that beautiful prayer too… Jesus is the best gift we can give ourselves at Christmas. I hope your Christmas was wonderful too!! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year dear friend!!
All my love,
Mary Ann
Heather Lane says
Oh my goodness, this is the BEST post!! You are just precious, Mary Ann! I love Jesus, too, and Rick Warren. My husband and I watch his services together online a lot. We will for sure watch the ones in the link. I love you do a birthday cake for Jesus every year. We have done it before but need to do it every year! Thank you for always sharing your heart on this blog and sharing our Saviours love for us!!
Mary Ann says
Hello dear Heather!!
Awww… thank you for such kind and loving words!! We attended Saddleback Church while we lived in CA and it was absolutely life changing. Rick Warren is the best teacher and Pastor. Now, that we are in MI… we still watch his servies every week. He is a true gift! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your beautiful family! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year dear friend!!
All my love,
Mary Ann