Sunday Scripture

 I'm planning to post Sunday Scriptures on both of my blogs this December, taken from an Advent study I did in 2013 with Good Morning Girls.  The study, Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus, is still available as a free download.  Scroll down and click on the book-like image, and the pdf should open right up.  More than just a Bible study, this is an ebook that includes recipes, Advent activities, and more.  I think it will be a blessing to you.

I've mentioned before that I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the studies from GMG use a very similar one.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or passage,  or praise for what it means to you.

This first week's verses are focused on Hope.  If you downloaded the study and are following along with it, this is the one from December 1.

S= "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.  And the angel departed from her."  (Luke 1:38)

O= This is Mary's response to the angel Gabriel as he came to her and explained that she would become the mother of the Messiah.  Though she didn't (and couldn't possibly) comprehend all that was to entail, she responded with "behold, the handmaid of the Lord" -- basically saying "I am God's servant."  

And then she added, "Be it unto me according to thy word" -- or, "let it happen as you have said."  What an amazing statement for an unwed teenage girl to make!

David Jeremiah comments, "This is the glory and wonder of Christmas, that God could plant not only into the womb of this woman the Son of God, but He could plant in her heart the faith to believe the message that she received from the angel. Her response has always overwhelmed me with a sense of absolute submission that ought to be in the heart of every child of God. Mary said, 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word'..” 

A= I have the entire Bible.  I may not understand all of God's plan for my life, but I know it's a plan for good and not for evil.  Therefore, how much more do I need to obey God unquestioningly.  I need to see myself consistently as God's servant, and to accept His plan for my life -- without question or complaint.

David Roper wrote, "What is God asking you to do? It may be something magnificent, or something ordinary. It may be to respond actively to a command of Scripture, or to submit patiently to present suffering."

“What God arranges for us to experience at each moment is the holiest thing that could happen to us,” commented the 18th-century writer Jean-Pierre de Caussade.

"Are you able to accept each moment with grace and submission? Can you respond to the Lord as Mary said to the angel, 'Let it be to me according to your word'?" -- David Roper

P= Lord, I thank You so much that you have provided the example of Mary for us to observe.  We see her trusting response to the angel's news and are so rebuked by it.  So many times we want to question what You are doing.  Mary had questions too, yet once the angel provided reassurance she had this response of unhesitating acceptance.

"I pray that You will help me to be Your trusting, obedient servant, as Mary was.

I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen."

And there is the very simple (yet profound) Sunday Scripture for this first Sunday in December!

December 6

Lots of Christmas busyness today.  My hubby has made salted caramel fudge and has frosted the Eggnog Logs he baked yesterday.  He has just finished putting together a cookie tray for a Christmas party we'll be attending this evening.

He's baked a lot of Christmas cookies in the past few weeks, and I more or less finalized our tentative Christmas cookie list, not a moment too soon.

I've packed an Etsy order and listed a few more Christmas cards.  Also ordered gifts for December birthdays, one Christmas gift,  and worked on a future Sunday School lesson.  Lots of laundry too.

I also wrote a Christmas blog post and worked ahead on some Sunday Scripture posts.  Tonight we attended a Christmas party with the logging crew my hubby used to work with.  A very nice time and lots of yummy food.  It's always a highlight of our season,

December 5

 Let's see, what Christmasy things have I done today?  Quite a few, actually, though not as many as I had hoped to do.

First off was the Advent Bible study I've been working through.

Next, I prepared an Etsy order, a sweet little vintage Christmas card someone had ordered.

We went downtown, mailed the order and visited a favorite thrift store.  Mr. T found some timers for his outdoor Christmas lights, and we picked up a few lovely things that we may use for gifts.

Next we cleaned the church, and I put away some harvest-y decor there and got out a few Christmas things.

We came home, had lunch, and I prepped another Etsy order, this one filled with vintage Christmas goodness.

We had errands to do downtown anyway, so we mailed that order and then did our grocery shopping.  Mr. T popped into our local soap works, right next to the post office, to get some of their shampoo bars as he is running really low on that.

At the grocery store we picked up many components for cookies, fudge, and other food gifts.

We came home, I got supper into the oven and worked on more Etsy listings while Mr. T baked Christmas cookies.  In the meantime, a third Etsy order showed up, but I'll package and mail that one tomorrow.  

Now it's after supper and I'm working on posts for both blogs.  A busy day!

December 4

Probably the most Christmasy thing I did today was to put out some Christmas decorations at our little cottage.  The sign above, for one.  I got out other signs and ornaments and put them here and there, even adding a vintage dish Christmas dish towel in the kitchen!

Meanwhile, Mr. T got the Christmas tree out of storage and put it in the loft window.  With the help of grandson Sam, he strung outdoor lights on the gable end -- colored icicle lights!

He has also baked two batches of cookies today and made a batch of fudge!

December 3

 

Today hasn't been terribly Christmasy unless one counts browsing the Christmas aisles at Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx.  But the 5 inches or so of new snow from yesterday are giving everything a "White Christmas" look.  Very cold weather is on the way, so this snow is likely to stick.

I have worked today at composing some Christmas emails to missionaries our church supports.  Our missions team has been racking our brains to try and think of good ways to encourage our missionaries and so for December we are trying to fill their email inboxes with personal messages.  I designed a graphic to use for the two emails my hubby and I are sending this week, as we are trying to tie each week's emails to the various themes of Advent.  

I did enjoy my browse through the Christmas aisles and ended up finding a few gifts.  I also picked up some Christmas-themed parchment paper which will be lovely to use in wrapping kitchen gifts.

At BJ's, my hubby got a gigantic bag of chocolate chips to use in making cookies and fudge.  At Ocean State Job Lot, he found raspberry and apricot preserves and lemon curd to use in his cookie baking.

I also got out my list of holiday ingredients that we refer to every year, to see what we still need to  buy for our Christmas cooking and baking.  There are a few things, so those will go on the grocery list.

And ... we received our first Christmas cards in the mail today!

December 2

No idea, really, if I will make it here each day.  I am posting daily at my Christmas blog, so hop on over there if I happen not to be here.

It's a snow day here; has been snowing steadily all day long!  The forecast has been downsized from what was originally predicted, but it is still snowing.  

Mr. T made a foray over to our cottage this morning and dropped off an extension ladder so he can string outdoor lights there tomorrow.  We also plan to get our indoor lights there (electric candles, and a Christmas tree in the upstairs window) set up and placed on timers.

Other than that, he has been baking cookies all day long: Blond Brownies; Cookie Dough Brownies; Raspberry Shortbread Thumbprints ... and I think maybe two batches of Heavenly Delight fudge.  He stopped for a few ingredients on the way home from the cottage.

Meanwhile, I packaged an Etsy order, prepared some more Etsy listings, did some decorating, sorted out a large recipe binder which had popped open when Mr. T dropped it.  And did several loads of laundry.  

And that is our Christmasy report for Tuesday, December 2!

Some goals for December

 A new month means new goals (and with me, always some ongoing ones as well).  The December calendar page is already beginning to fill up!  Here goes:

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Spend time with our friends who are younger believers
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering and gift exchange
* Post in this blog as often as possible 
* Post in my Christmas blog every day if possible
* Continue planning and making Christmas gifts and decor
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday Scripture blog posts
* Do an Advent devotional study
* Finish Even If, a study of Habakkuk from the Daily Grace Co.
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Get early light each morning
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week
* Possibly plan a few get-togethers with friends 
* Brainstorm about Christmas with my daughter
* Plan and prepare food for Christmas
* Bake dozens of Christmas cookies (my hubby will do most of this)
* Work at our volunteer jobs as needed
* Prepare kitchen gifts (cookies, fudge, snack items and more)
* Write and send out Christmas cards
* Attend and participate in Christmas events at church
* Enjoy our traditional Christmas activity with four of the local grands
* Write and schedule December posts for both blogs
* Prepare and send at least one gift box to Nevada
* Decorate our home for Christmas

HEALTHY HABITS FOR DECEMBER:  Drink more water/get more sleep/exercise daily/intermittent fasting/limit carbs/get morning light

WORD FOR 2025: Trust 

And there you have it -- a few goals for December 2025!