Christmas time is in the air as I could feel the cold morning breeze which indicates the season (though it's still hot in the afternoon). It is the time of year that is dearest to me as I always associated it with get-togethers, parties, lots of foods, gifts and long vacation. When I was a kid, I’m always anticipating for this holiday right after it has ended. Funny eh?! But that's how I do until now. And when the time that I was working, I used to write my Christmas list which contains things I wanted to buy. I window-shop to determine which shop offers better price for the items I wish for. But there's something I can never do. And, that is going to places where I just can't bear the heat as it makes my shopping uneasy or uncomfortable. So, I prefer going to malls where shopping experience is very much convenient and cool.
I begin counting the days as early as the 'BER' months come along. As of this writing, it's still 69 days before Christmas and as usual I started making my list. However, with unstable economy that we have at this time, we should learn how to be frugal, right? And keeping down the budget for the holiday season really stirred me up as some of the items included in my list has been long-time planned by which I find it hard to decide what should be eliminated. Sigh!
After thinking over for a couple of days (yes, that's how long this article has been sitting in my hard drive), I decided not to have "Christmas Wish...Christmas List" project, just for this year only. It is because we failed to participate in our church' "First Fruit-Giving" celebration last September, we promise to give ours this coming December. "First Fruit-Giving" is giving at least one month salary or could it be giving as much as ten percent (10%) of your annual income to God as a form of thanksgiving. "First Fruit-Giving" signifies a Christian's retrospective faith (giving thanks to all of what God has given) and prospective faith (looking forward to possible God's blessing in the present time and in the future). The Lord commanded it with a promise as we can refer to the book of Proverbs; let's read it:
Proverbs 3:9-10 (KJV):"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."
Another verse in the book of Luke speaks of God's promise to those who willingly give such offerings to God.
Luke 6:38 (KJV):
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
Since it would only mean giving all the bonus of Reuel as our first fruit, I should say goodbye for now to my convection oven that I've been longing for almost 10 months. Does this mean that we'll be having a forlorn Christmas? Surely not, because we're holding on to the promise of the Lord which says, "...So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." If I could not have the items in my list this Christmas especially the convection oven, I am certain that I'll have it soon and better than what I wanted.
How about you? Do you practice Christmas listing?
I begin counting the days as early as the 'BER' months come along. As of this writing, it's still 69 days before Christmas and as usual I started making my list. However, with unstable economy that we have at this time, we should learn how to be frugal, right? And keeping down the budget for the holiday season really stirred me up as some of the items included in my list has been long-time planned by which I find it hard to decide what should be eliminated. Sigh!
After thinking over for a couple of days (yes, that's how long this article has been sitting in my hard drive), I decided not to have "Christmas Wish...Christmas List" project, just for this year only. It is because we failed to participate in our church' "First Fruit-Giving" celebration last September, we promise to give ours this coming December. "First Fruit-Giving" is giving at least one month salary or could it be giving as much as ten percent (10%) of your annual income to God as a form of thanksgiving. "First Fruit-Giving" signifies a Christian's retrospective faith (giving thanks to all of what God has given) and prospective faith (looking forward to possible God's blessing in the present time and in the future). The Lord commanded it with a promise as we can refer to the book of Proverbs; let's read it:
Proverbs 3:9-10 (KJV):"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."
Another verse in the book of Luke speaks of God's promise to those who willingly give such offerings to God.
Luke 6:38 (KJV):
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
Since it would only mean giving all the bonus of Reuel as our first fruit, I should say goodbye for now to my convection oven that I've been longing for almost 10 months. Does this mean that we'll be having a forlorn Christmas? Surely not, because we're holding on to the promise of the Lord which says, "...So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." If I could not have the items in my list this Christmas especially the convection oven, I am certain that I'll have it soon and better than what I wanted.
How about you? Do you practice Christmas listing?
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