80 Miles On A Donkey

Just Take Me To The Stable

Part One

  
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ~ Luke 2:1-5

Not a year goes by that I don’t think of Mary and the journey she and Joseph had to make to Bethlehem. I can just see it now as Joseph begins the conversation; “Mary, Caesar Augustus has issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. We have to travel to Bethlehem as soon as possible.”

Now we don’t know for sure how Mary responded to this news. But I know how most women ... myself included ... would respond to something like this today.

"Modern" Mary’s would take one look at the condition of her body turn to Joseph and says, “You have got to be joking, right?”  Then a flood of questions would fill her mind as she thought about what could happen on this trip and what it meant for her and the child who would soon to born.

You see, it is 80 miles between Nazareth and Bethlehem, a trip that would be nothing if traveling by car.  But by donkey, with a woman only days away from giving birth, this journey was no easy task. It took them at least a week to make this trip.
 
Think about that...No car...No paved roads...No hotels...No restaurants not even a McDonalds...No comfortable rest stops along the way...No protection from the hot sun by day or the cool at nights...and riding on the back of a donkey, just days before giving birth. I don’t know about you but that is not a trip I would be looking forward to!

Do you know that nothing takes God by surprise? Often times in our lives we face challenging situations that we wonder who in the world are things going to work out. Situations flood our minds with questions, worries and even fear. Let's face it, the uncertainties of life can be stressful at times. 

God knew that Mary and Joseph would have to make the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. He also knew it would be challenging but He was going to be with them every step of the way. 

What are you facing today? Does the road ahead of you seem filled with impossibilities. Are you fearful of what lies ahead, with uncertainties of things to come? Know this, God is always here for you, waiting for you to ask Him for help.

It's easy to talk to Him. Talk to Him like you would your best friend. You can tell him anything!

I pray for you today.

Father God in heaven, I ask that You will be with those reading this blog today. Help them to know that You care about every area of their lives and that You are there to help them through any situation, all they need to do is ask. In Jesus name, Amen



You can read part two of Journey To The Stable by going to:
http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/12/journey-to-stable-part-two.html 

426 Laurelwood Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

610-323-0480

www.calvarychristian.info 

Feel free to contact me

Cindy McKinley at:

Mckinleyclm@gmail.com

2013 A New Year

It's A New Year 

The year was 1990. The day was May 27. The day I celebrated a New Year. Our youngest son turned three!
The celebration started with the arrival of family and friends followed by the usual children’s games, cake, ice cream and presents. Our son, being full of life and exuberant energy made the day all the more exciting.
 As evening came and he was safely tucked into bed with his new toys, I turned to my husband and said, “I’m so happy, he is finally three. The terrible twos are over!” My husband held me close and replied, “Cindy, he was just two yesterday, turning three doesn’t mean he has changed overnight.” At that moment the reality of what my husband had just said hit me. He was right. In a moment the air leaked out of my party balloons as the celebration atmosphere ended and reality set back in.
 
Many people around the world start each January first with the same excitement I had for my son’s third birthday, great celebration and hopes that in some sort of strange way everything will change over night. Unfortunately, as much as we would like for it to, life doesn’t work like that.
One thing I have come to realize, over the years, is for everything there is a season. Thank God for the seasons of our lives, because seasons come and seasons go. They never last forever.
One of my favorite verses in God’s Word is, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

No matter what you are facing in your life today, there is always hope.

I pray that as you begin 2013 you will come to know the hope that is available to you by coming to know the God of the Bible in a personal way.
Father God, behind every door of every home people are facing things their not quite sure they can deal with. Many are hurting because of loved ones they have lost. Many are fearful because they have either lost their job or could loose their job and they aren’t sure what will happen next. Father, there are even those who have come to the point they have lost all hope. I’m asking You today to touch their hearts and lives. Will You meet each and everyone right at their point of need and let them know there is healing for the hurting, peace and comfort for those who are living in fear and hope for their future. In Jesus Name, Amen! 

I you would like special prayer please feel free to contact me at:
mckinleyclm@gmail.com 

I invite you to visit us at:

426 Laurelwood Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

610-323-0480

www.calvarychristian.info 

 

New Year's Prayer

During the New Year may you have:

- Enough happiness to keep you sweet
- Enough trials to keep you strong,
- Enough sorrow to keep you human
- Enough hope to keep you happy,
- Enough failure to keep you humble
- Enough success to keep you eager,
- Enough friends to give you comfort
- Enough wealth to meet your needs,
- Enough enthusiasm to make you

look forward to tomorrow,
& Enough determination to make

each day better than the day before.

Lord, please help us to use the 8,760 hours of 2013 the wisest way we can for you, & for your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen!

If you would like special prayer...

 

Cindy McKinley

mckinleyclm@gmail.com 

Check out some of my other blogs:

* Shrek the Sheep http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2013/12/shrek-sheep.html 
* It's A New Year http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2013/01/2013-new-year.html

* It's All God's Fault http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/08/its-all-gods-fault_13.html

* How Did I Miss That  http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-did-i-miss-that.html

* Cranky Old Man http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/12/cranky-old-man.html

* I Am FREE  http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/07/i-am-free.html
* Transitions vs. Transformation  http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/04/transition-vs-transformation.html


I invite you to visit us at:

426 Laurelwood Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

610-323-0480

www.calvarychristian.info

Last Minute Quilting!

Just Take Me To The Stable!

This year, the days leading up to Christmas were a bit stressful for me. It's probable because a week and a half before the big day I decided I would make my grandson the red and black quilt he has asked for many times.

Hours went into this assuring this gift would be finished, wrapped, and under the tree by Christmas evening ... which was the time we would be with him. One day I worked from 4:30am till 6:30pm, with an half hour break for lunch. My husband was so patient with me as I put all my efforts into making sure this project was done on time.

My list of 'Must Do Now' was becoming a challenge as so many other things were demanding my attention. Things like: decorating and cleaning our home, planning and preparation for open house for family and friends, shopping, wrapping and church events, just to name a few. Needless to say I was starting to feel the pressure of it all. 

Four days before Christmas I was talking to God and I heard myself saying, "Father, Just take me to the stable. I don't want the tree with pretty light, the stockings and bows. I don't want the phone calls and shopping list. I just want to go to the stable, sit in the hay and spend time with Jesus!"

It's so easy to get caught up in all the hussle and bustle of Christmas and loose sight of what it's all about. Christmas is not the lighted trees, the stocking filled with special things, or the gifts under the tree. 

Christmas is celebrating the greatest gift ever given...Jesus Christ! It's about the Love of a Heavenly Father who gave His very best for man kind. It's about Family, Love and Forgiveness.

After these past two weeks I have been reminded that Christmas is all about taking time to just sit in the stable and spend time with the one we are celebrating ... Jesus!

Christmas ... Christ Has Redeemed all Infirmities So That Mankind is Assured of Salvation.

The quilt...I finished it on Christmas day and wrapped it two hours before it was given to my grandson. He Loved It!



You can view Part One of "Journey To the Stable" by going to:
http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/12/journey-to-stable-part-one.html  

426 Laurelwood Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

610-323-0480

www.calvarychristian.info 

Feel free to contact me

Cindy McKinley at:

Mckinleyclm@gmail.com 

   

Journey To The Stable ~ Part Two

Just Take Me To The Stable!

This year, the days leading up to Christmas were a bit stressful for me. It's probable because a week and a half before the big day I decided I would make my grandson the red and black quilt he has asked for many times.

Hours went into this assuring this gift would be finished, wrapped, and under the tree by Christmas evening ... which was the time we would be with him. One day I worked from 4:30am till 6:30pm, with an half hour break for lunch. My husband was so patient with me as I put all my efforts into making sure this project was done on time.

My list of 'Must Do Now' was becoming a challenge as so many other things were demanding my attention. Things like: decorating and cleaning our home, planning and preparation for open house for family and friends, shopping, wrapping and church events, just to name a few. Needless to say I was starting to feel the pressure of it all. 

Four days before Christmas I was talking to God and I heard myself saying, "Father, Just take me to the stable. I don't want the tree with pretty light, the stockings and bows. I don't want the phone calls and shopping list. I just want to go to the stable, sit in the hay and spend time with Jesus!"

It's so easy to get caught up in all the hussle and bustle of Christmas and loose sight of what it's all about. Christmas is not the lighted trees, the stocking filled with special things, or the gifts under the tree. 

Christmas is celebrating the greatest gift ever given...Jesus Christ! It's about the Love of a Heavenly Father who gave His very best for man kind. It's about Family, Love and Forgiveness.

After these past two weeks I have been reminded that Christmas is all about taking time to just sit in the stable and spend time with the one we are celebrating ... Jesus!

Christmas ... Christ Has Redeemed all Infirmities So That Mankind is Assured of Salvation.


 



The quilt...I finished it on Christmas day and wrapped it two hours before it was given to my grandson. He Loved It!







You can view Part One of "Journey To the Stable by going to:
http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/12/journey-to-stable-part-one.html  

426 Laurelwood Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

610-323-0480

www.calvarychristian.info 

Feel free to contact me

Cindy McKinley at:

Mckinleyclm@gmail.com 

   

The True Meaning of Christmas

CHRISTMAS stands for...

                             C - Christ
                             H - has
                             R - Redeemed all
                              I - Infirmities
                             S - So
                             T - That
                            M - Mankind is
                             A - Assured of
                             S - Salvation....

CHRISTMAS!!!

Isaiah 9:6    For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

John 3:16   “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Merry Christmas my from family to yours!

426 Laurelwood Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

610-323-0480

www.calvarychristian.info 

  Feel Free To Contact Me

Cindy McKinley At: 

www.Mckinleyclm@gmail.com 

Journey To The Stable ~ Part One

Just Take Me To The Stable

Part One

  
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ~ Luke 2:1-5

Not a year goes by that I don’t think of Mary and the journey she and Joseph had to make to Bethlehem. I can just see it now as Joseph begins the conversation; “Mary, Caesar Augustus has issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. We have to travel to Bethlehem as soon as possible.”

Now we don’t know for sure how Mary responded to this news. But I know how most women ... myself included ... would respond to something like this today.

"Modern" Mary’s would take one look at the condition of her body turn to Joseph and says, “You have got to be joking, right?”  Then a flood of questions would fill her mind as she thought about what could happen on this trip and what it meant for her and the child who would soon to born.

You see, it is 80 miles between Nazareth and Bethlehem, a trip that would be nothing if traveling by car.  But by donkey, with a woman only days away from giving birth, this journey was no easy task. It took them at least a week to make this trip.
 
Think about that...No car...No paved roads...No hotels...No restaurants not even a McDonalds...No comfortable rest stops along the way...No protection from the hot sun by day or the cool at nights...and riding on the back of a donkey, just days before giving birth. I don’t know about you but that is not a trip I would be looking forward to!

Do you know that nothing takes God by surprise? Often times in our lives we face challenging situations that we wonder who in the world are things going to work out. Situations flood our minds with questions, worries and even fear. Let's face it, the uncertainties of life can be stressful at times. 

God knew that Mary and Joseph would have to make the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. He also knew it would be challenging but He was going to be with them every step of the way. 

What are you facing today? Does the road ahead of you seem filled with impossibilities. Are you fearful of what lies ahead, with uncertainties of things to come? Know this, God is always here for you, waiting for you to ask Him for help.

It's easy to talk to Him. Talk to Him like you would your best friend. You can tell him anything!

I pray for you today.

Father God in heaven, I ask that You will be with those reading this blog today. Help them to know that You care about every area of their lives and that You are there to help them through any situation, all they need to do is ask. In Jesus name, Amen



You can read part two of Journey To The Stable by going to:
http://cccenterhope.blogspot.com/2012/12/journey-to-stable-part-two.html 

426 Laurelwood Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

610-323-0480

www.calvarychristian.info 

Feel free to contact me

Cindy McKinley at:

Mckinleyclm@gmail.com