Hello, My Name Is

Advent. (n) the coming or second coming of Christ. 

My prayer during this advent season is that I would spend my time celebrating the birth of Jesus and having great expectancy that He is coming again. As I’ve been reading and studying, my heart has just been filled to overflowing with great joy!

A familiar passage came up in my study the other day, and this time, it leapt off the page in a new way and I was compelled to journal it.

Isaiah 9:6 reads “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

Often, I get so caught up in the first part of that verse, that I don’t focus enough on the ending. That baby, that tiny baby, that was born in Bethlehem in a stable was going to be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. What? How in the world was a baby going to be all that? Well, it’s because He wasn’t just any baby...He was, and is, the Son of God!

Wonderful Counselor
When I need someone to talk with, and I need advice, there is no one better than going straight to Jesus. He is always there and ready to listen. He’s even got an entire book of advice for me on any given situation. 

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Mighty God
Our God is not just any God. He is the mightiest warrior that ever walked. There is no one or no thing that can defeat Him. And the best part, we don’t have to even do anything but stand still. He fights our battles for us.

“You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you."”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Everlasting Father
To know that there is nothing that God separate us from the love of God is amazing. My God allows me to run straight in to His arms and called him Daddy. I am the child of the everlasting Father. The one who runs to me with open arms, and embraces me, and kisses me is my Daddy God.

“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Prince of Peace
Peace is the thing in the world that I believe everyone is looking for. Peace from the busyness of life. Peace from the stress of day to day. Peace from the million things tugging at our hearts and minds. Peace. Deep peace. He is our Peace. When we choose to think on the right things instead of the things of the world, Peace is ours.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8-9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

During this time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and wait with great hope for His second coming, I encourage you to celebrate all that we have because of who He is.

Hello, my name is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!” 

Art behind the story:

The Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps set Hello My Name Is was the perfect set for this page. I stamped the tags on cardstock and fussy cut them. My sweet team mate, Colleen (stirthesoul on IG), gave me the suggestion for the background. I used gray watercolor and made a light wash. Then I pulled out all types of stamps (I’ll list them below) from several of our sets to add visual depth and interest to the background. Lastly, I splattered brighter watercolors on it. Then I glued the tags down, added a bit of washi, and did my journaling.

My prayer for all of you is that this page will encourage you to dig in, study about the birth of Jesus and the prophecies surrounding Him. Also, that you’ll be waiting with great hope and expectancy. He is coming again!!

Much love,
Gayle
Patio Ponderings

close up of background textures

Hello My Name Is

Doves of Peace

O Holy Night

Texture Tiles 1

Texture Tiles 3

Grunge Elements 2

The First Noel

HELLO FRIENDS!

As I steep in the warm feelings of Fall, I become very excited about what is to come.  

Snow.  

Cold.  

Christmas…

It's a blessed thing to remind ourselves - even as we baste in Fall flavoring - that something incredible happened on a cold, miserable night a very, very long time ago. 

It's a wonderful story: young couple seeks shelter in busyness and mayhem of a city fraught with the oblivious and unknowing.  Said young couple is resigned to a "suite" weighted down in the stenches of old animal feed, animal dung and dust. 

Holding on by sheer will power, as the pain grows and persists, Mary breathes the dusty air and exhales hope made possible by the Spirit that fills her.  She is cold.  She is scared.  She is brave.  She is strong.  She bears down, and within moments becomes the mother of the Light of the world. 

This Light interrupts the darkness of the stable.  This Baby replaces thoughts of fear with His first human cry, loud and strong.  His presence ushers in an unfamiliar but welcomed peace, while His tiny body is swaddled for protection.

There was no night like this.  No night like this Noel.

Nuvo drops helped me get a more 3-dimensional affect
for the stars in the sky.

Colors used are shown above.

When we read the account of Jesus' birth,  we forget that He entered humanity and lived humanity.  He did this to present humanity fully before God as His first love and vow.  This birth was beyond anything Mary or Joseph would experience.  It was far more spectacular than anything the Shepherds had witnessed as lowly and forgotten as they may have been.  It was far more anticipated than the Magi ever knew as they traveled long, hard hours to behold a prophesied King.  This Noel was Jesus' Noel.  His timely birth became the catalyst through which God would Redeem His people.  The Messiah had come, and the world could not comprehend.

We're not given to gratitude, but I think even the most grateful of people could not quite come close to the thankfulness due to the Lord for His act of loving-kindness.  Jesus is His tender mercy to us; our one and only Hope for eternity with the Father.  In His birth, Jesus fulfills God's promise of a coming Savior.  By his Life, Jesus demonstrates His grace, mercy and compassion for the world.  By His death, Jesus satisfies the wrath of God making it possible for this crumby, undeserving world to know and receive Him.  Oh, that First Noel!

That First Noel - Jesus' transition from glory to lowly - is remarkable, beautiful and definitely worthy of song!

Embossing powder aided my attempt to make the snowflakes and deer
stand out above the darker areas.

God bless, and much love,

Deeds