BELIEVE

[I am somewhat disappointed in myself for not finishing 2018 with a summary at least of my one word choice BELIEVE so I am now writing a post on January 3rd, 2019, which I should have posted back here on December 31, 2018 at the latest and also hoped to have shared a book review before the end of the year too, but I'm still not done reading it ... and there's really no excuse so I'm sorry] These self-imposed deadlines really can mess a person up when they were hoping to start a new year with a new word and a clean slate of a grand finale of BELIEVE

Yes, I'm a little late in saying

goodbye to 2018

and

greeting 2019

with a new

One Word

I could just take the easy way out and share the beliefs in the Apostle Creed or the statement of beliefs for my denomination or even make a general overall statement that what I believe has not and did not change at all in 2018. As superficial as that might sound, it's true ... so I have to ask myself what was the reason that God put THAT one word before me as I headed into 2018. I actually BELIEVE it is/was to show me that when all the cards are down and life throws some heavy circumstances and the seasons run quickly together and pass from one to the next, by the grace of God, I held on to all I believe and those basics did not and will not change (especially if they are the foundation for my life as they are). I reviewed the devotional that I started with in 2018 and this remains:

...I believe the God of the Bible is the only true God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This is the basis for all my beliefs!{nothing is more important to me than this one}All the rest of what I believe center on this one.
These are key to alliBelievefrom the wonderful 365 day devotionalBELIEVE(by Randy Frazee)
Here are some more that have not and most likely never will change:

" “I BELIEVE GOD IS INVOLVED IN AND CARES ABOUT MY DAILY LIFE.” “I BELIEVE A PERSON COMES INTO A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BY GOD’S GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.” “I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HAS THE RIGHT TO COMMAND MY BELIEF AND ACTION.” “I BELIEVE I AM SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION AS A CHILD OF GOD.” “I BELIEVE THE CHURCH IS GOD’S PRIMARY WAY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES ON EARTH.”  “I BELIEVE ALL PEOPLE ARE LOVED BY GOD AND NEED JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR.” “I BELIEVE GOD CALLS ALL CHRISTIANS TO SHOW COMPASSION TO PEOPLE IN NEED.” “I BELIEVE EVERYTHING I AM AND EVERYTHING I OWN BELONG TO GOD.” “I BELIEVE THERE IS A HEAVEN AND A HELL AND THAT JESUS WILL RETURN TO JUDGE ALL PEOPLE AND TO ESTABLISH HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM.” "

I have to admit that even though I do believe all of these statements (as well as the Apostle's Creed and my denominational statement of beliefs), there are indeed days when I need to work on living out what I say I believe, but these are pivotal to my basic beliefs in Jesus Christ and a "must". Yet because I know Jesus, spend time with Him in His Word, His Holy Spirit will guide the direction of my life and purpose. It was very helpful to have the devotional to keep me on track throughout 2018... each day reading a scripture and a devotion that goes with one of those basic ten elements: God, Personal God, Salvation, The Bible, Identity in Christ, Church, Humanity, Compassion, Stewardship, Eternity. I believe that these are intertwined together in my faith and life. There are other things that I believe about other things in life however these are the ones that are central to my main beliefs - now to live my life showing that these beliefs are important!
"As Christians, what we believe— or the internal lens of our mind— impacts how we live and who we become." Randy Frazee
I will continue on this life journey of renewing my mind, heart and life until I meet Jesus. I believe in God, I believe God is good, I believe God (different than the first one) "He will do what He promises in His Word." And something new I fell upon toward the end of this 2018 journey ... God believes in me! {I never thought of that this way} God believes me. {even I have a hard time with this} yet He knows me and knows my heart with all I believe and purpose. 
One might think that after 365 days living with the one word BELIEVE as your word that you would end the year with something pretty profound and that the accumulation of all that you BELIEVE would have an impact on the one that you were hoping and believing to come to Christ (and it still is a work in progress) so "no, it did not happen, even though that loved one came so close to the brink of death and only by God and a miracle to go on, he has an extension on life so that he will come to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior" - still waiting for this part of the miracle. I do know that God cares and loves every person enough to give them this chance to believe ... in His time. He really does not want - not one to perish (no matter how stubborn and hard hearted). I believe there is still hope and softening, much garden to till and continue planting good seeds to weed out all the other ones that need to be uprooted, and pulled out. Yet God is tender and so merciful.
Anyways most quotes that I found were "believing in yourself" and i was searching for ones that would be more inspirational and encouraging towards my intention to BELIEVE in God ... as my focus point ... so this one came the closest.
"Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing."
{I encountered one repeatedly that I did not like} which was"You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself."Not too sure what I think about this statement or its truth.I tend to think it's because I believe in God that I can believe in myself.

I'm not too sure that this post was worth coming back to complete2018but for meit was necessary so I can move on into2019andhear a new one wordto move forwardBELIEVING

what about you?
how did your One Word influence your 2018?
do you have a new One Word for 2019?
please share if you would in the comments
I have quite a few but leaning towards one that encompasses many.
God bless your 2019!!!

CHRISTMAS ...

Makes Me Cry
... as I shared last week with "The Sweetest Gift". Then, right after I posted that song, our local Christian radio station played this one, which fits a little better. Yet somehow Christmas fills me with many mixed emotions - joyful and sad, so I especially like the part in this song on the variety of 'tears' ...


'Cuz Sometimes Christmas Makes Me Cry and
it can be any of those 
tears

"Tears of faithfulness, tears of hope, I cry tears of joy"

{tears of thanks too}
I guess by now you can tell that I am kind of in a season of melancholy for this time of the year (but I'm not really depressed) ... In years past, on my blog, I would share songs leading up to Christmas, a countdown to Christmas with carols or some of the new songs of the season. Perhaps doing this in past years allowed me to reminisce good times and the joy of Jesus, so sharing those songs was somewhat therapeutic, as I wrote last week that music usually 'does the trick', 'brings the magic' and fills the heart with melodies that soothe and help a heart to keep rhythm with the beat of the 'rum pa pum pum' of the 'little drummer boy' or 'the night wind to the little Lamb' so you get beyond the doldrums and enter into the peace and hope that Our Savior came to bring. And you can smile as a tear drop fills the corner of your eye with a misty memory of times gone by, and the ones that touched your life, as well as those who still do. 

{sorry neither photo is very good}

Silly as it may be for some of you, I happen to be holding precious thoughts of a sweet fur baby that left us this year in August, so my tree has an ornament on top with a special silver frame holding a photo of Chiminito, then other photos of him are scattered here and there between the branches, and the twinkle of the lights (and nothing more). Chimi brought many twinkles and tinkles to my life. Yes, because in the 15 years that Chimi was here ... he touched me and he made me laugh (besides bringing 6 others into this world, 3 remaining), he was a simple, small delight of mine that God allowed in my life to teach me a few things, even about Christmas! Yes, so much in such a small friend! It's hard to imagine how something so small can make such a difference in ones' life. I even sing "Chim, chimini, chim, chimini, chim, chim, cheri ... " and "Chiminito, Chiminito, tiny little thing ... Chiminito dance, Chiminito sing, oh Chiminito, what's the difference, if you're very small, when your heart is full of love, you're ten feet tall"
So this song above, didn't make me think of Chimi, of course, but I did end up writing about him, so you can see who's in my heart this Christmas, and what happens when I sit down and simply share, those tiny pawprints made a deeper impression on me than I had thought - but without tears, just a partial smile thinking of all his many antics since he became my pup and missing him this Christmas. So you can imagine how I must feel about people that are loved ones gone, who have journeyed on from here. Some year, I will get this grieving and lamenting right, but meanwhile I'll keep holding on to the Miracles ... like the Miracle of Christmas. I sure wish others would grab hold of this Gift and realize Jesus is so much more than a 'babe in a manger' ... or a closet of 6 puppies that came into this world because of Chimi (and the stray mommy Toby), one of which who didn't know any better - my mischievious little Chimi found out the hard way and I became responsible for a few more fur babies to care for in this world, born on Day of the 3 Kings ... the Magi - and what a gift Chimi and those pups have been. The Joy of Christmas and the Magi ... Jesus brings the best gift - Himself (and so did Chimi)!
  A Very Merry and Blessed CHRISTmas to you and yours
¡Feliz Navidad!
~Peggy, Chimi, Chiqui, Chispa and Lucky