Old Things New

TRANSFORMED, from broken to beautiful

Navigation
  • Home
  • Painted Furniture & Misc.
  • Tutorials
  • Abortion Story
  • Freedom Friday Posts
  • Funny Stuff
  • My (Our) Story
  • Freedom Session Website
  • Contact

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

December 21, 2015 by Patti 13 Comments

Is it really?  Or is it the loneliest time of the year?  Or the saddest?  Or the unhappiest?  Christmases come and go and there have been years when there wasn’t enough money to buy the gifts that I wanted to buy.  There was the year of the family home broken beyond repair.  There were the years of loved ones recently passed and the years  of estrangement from extended family who had once been close.

Boston 040

Stuff happens to change the dynamic of Christmas and can crush the idealistic dream of what it should be.  I’ve been through a lot of changes in my life and, though I don’t really like change, I’ve learned that it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

Boston 032

This year, for hubby and I, it is the first Christmas EVER that we won’t have any family with us over the holidays.  Is that sad?  Yes.  Is it something to mourn and grow depressed over?  Absolutely not!

Boston 051

I am thankful that I HAVE a husband to spend the day with.  We will cook a good meal, watch old Christmas movies, and maybe go out in search of beautiful Christmas lights at night.

Boston 057

I am thankful that I have my family to love, and who love me in return, no matter how far away we will be from one another this Christmas.

Boston 047

I am thankful that instead of spending a lot of money on gifts for each other this year our family made the joint decision to bless others who are in need this Christmas.

Boston 042

I am thankful to have made new friends in this community, so far away from where we used to live.  Enough new friends to have in for a Christmas With The Kranks Party the day after Christmas.

Boston 055

I am abundantly blessed (which in the Bible is the word makarios or a self contained happiness – happiness independent of circumstances) at this time in my life, but in my happy state I don’t mean to overlook or minimize anything you might be going through this year.  Believe me, I feel for hurting hearts and I do understand the feeling of being so low that I thought I would never rise again.

Boston 080

All I have to offer you are the words, “I care about what you are going through.”

Boston 079

But God . . . He has much more to offer you in His Words.  So here are some Scriptures that I hope will uplift you this Christmas season and bring to you the hope needed to push through to the change that is ahead.  Because things do change, and when you are at the lowest of lows it is most times for the better!

  • Psalm 34:18 (NIV)  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 
  • Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
  • Psalms 55:22 (NIV)  Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
  • Romans 8:28 (NIV)  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
  • Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
  • Joshua 10:25 (NIV) Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.
  • Prov 18:10 (NIV)  The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
  • Psalm 46:1-2 NIV  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.
  • Psalm 55:22 NIV  Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
  • Psalm 118:14-28 NIV (A prophetic song of Jesus) The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.  Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!  The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.  The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.  Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.  This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.  I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.  The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;  the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.  The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.  You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.
  • And finally, Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV   Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. “Leave the broken, irreversible past in God’s hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.”~ Oswald Chambers Click To Tweet

Boston 037

 My prayer for you this Christmas is that, not matter what your outward circumstances, you will find joy in the celebration of our Savior’s birth. One of my friends said, let your presence be your present.  God longs for your presence and for you to draw near to Him so He can meet every need of your heart.

I myself will be taking some time away from writing to enjoy the Season to the fullest but I look forward to “new things” to come for all of us in the New Year.

Abundant blessings to you dear, dear readers,

My Signature

All photos taken in Boston, Massachusetts.

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:

 TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, NiftyThriftyThings, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, Sunday Stillness

Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, ProjectInspired
InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, Making Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles,
Dream.Create.Inspire.Link, MeCoffeeAndJesus,Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky,Time Warp Wife,Solo Deo Gloria Sisterhood,Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story Titus2Tuesday
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,
TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, A Little R & R, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart
Thursday:
ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat,
KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, YourTurnToShine, Serving Joyfully/Thriving Thursdays, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy,  Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,  ShabbyliciousFriday, TheCreativeCollection, Christian Mommy Blogger Fellowship Fridays, Blessing Counters,Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays,Faith & Fellowship Bloghop, Grace & Truth Linkup, Grace&TruthSharingRedemption’sStories, Dance With Jesus, The Weekend Brew
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, 
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks,
TheInspirationGallery, Still Saturday, The Weekend Brew, Recommendation Saturday, Make My Saturday Sweet

Tweet

Filed Under: Christianity, Christmas, Christmas with the Kranks, God's Grace, Prayer Tagged With: Christianity, Christmas, Prayer, Scripture

OldThingsNew

I am Perfectly Imperfect Patti, daughter of the King, wife to the amazing Mr. OTN, mom to two grown daughters, a great son-in-law, and companion to two spoiled dogs. At Old Things New I share DIY’s, budget friendly home transformations, as well as posts about how God transforms our souls. I myself have been made new and I love to share what I’ve learned through WRITING and SPEAKING. To view a short Vimeo of “Our Story” (Mr. OTN and I) please follow the link at the top of the page.

Disclosure: Old Things New is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program, which is designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com . . . or, in other words, Shopping through my links helps Old Things New keep the lights on!

Search this site

Click below to:

Follow on Bloglovin

Click on icon below to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram

facebook twitter pinterest instagram

My HGTV Tiny House Hunter Experience

My HGTV Tiny House Hunter Experience

Christmas Cloche Ideas

Christmas Cloche Ideas

Pottery Barn Knockoff Jingle Pillow

Pottery Barn Knockoff Jingle Pillow

Christmas Shopping Ideas

Farragoz Online Painting Course

Sign Up Now

Save

Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No feed found.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

See what I’ve been pinning lately!

Color Washing Technique

Color Washing Technique

Chalk Painted Kitchen Cabinet Tutorial

Chalk Painted Kitchen Cabinet Tutorial

Three Chalk Paint Recipes Reviewed

Three Chalk Paint Recipes Reviewed

Fab Over 50 (or 60, or 70 . . .)

Fab Over 50 (or 60, or 70 . . .)

Love Fashion? Follow my Fab Over 50 Board on Pinterest!

Archives

  • December 2018 (2)
  • October 2018 (31)
  • September 2018 (2)
  • August 2018 (3)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • December 2017 (4)
  • November 2017 (3)
  • October 2017 (3)
  • September 2017 (4)
  • August 2017 (9)
  • July 2017 (7)
  • June 2017 (8)
  • May 2017 (9)
  • April 2017 (7)
  • March 2017 (1)
  • February 2017 (5)
  • January 2017 (5)
  • December 2016 (1)
  • November 2016 (1)
  • October 2016 (1)
  • September 2016 (3)
  • August 2016 (7)
  • July 2016 (3)
  • June 2016 (4)
  • May 2016 (5)
  • April 2016 (6)
  • March 2016 (7)
  • February 2016 (6)
  • January 2016 (9)
  • December 2015 (12)
  • November 2015 (11)
  • October 2015 (7)
  • September 2015 (3)
  • August 2015 (3)
  • July 2015 (8)
  • June 2015 (6)
  • May 2015 (1)
  • April 2015 (8)
  • March 2015 (10)
  • February 2015 (8)
  • January 2015 (7)
  • December 2014 (9)
  • November 2014 (7)
  • October 2014 (7)
  • September 2014 (3)
  • August 2014 (2)
  • July 2014 (5)
  • June 2014 (5)
  • May 2014 (4)
  • April 2014 (12)
  • March 2014 (7)
  • February 2014 (1)
  • January 2014 (3)
  • December 2013 (7)
  • November 2013 (4)
  • October 2013 (6)
  • September 2013 (6)
  • August 2013 (6)
  • July 2013 (7)
  • June 2013 (11)
  • May 2013 (8)
  • April 2013 (7)
  • March 2013 (9)
  • February 2013 (10)
  • January 2013 (6)
  • December 2012 (5)
  • November 2012 (2)
  • October 2012 (2)
  • September 2012 (2)
  • August 2012 (5)
  • July 2012 (6)
  • June 2012 (3)

Tags

Addiction Antiques and Collectibles Blogging Books Chalk Paint Chalk Painted Furniture Christianity Christmas Coastal Style Crafts DIY Drop cloth projects Entertaining Faith Fall Decor Flowers Food Freedom Freedom Friday Freedom Session French Country Friendship Furniture Painting Gardening God's grace Home Decor Home Decorating Hospitality Inspiration Junking Lakeside living Marriage My Home My Story old junk transformations Prayer Recipes Recovery Redemption Shopping southern living Spring Summer thrifting Tutorial

Fistbump Media, LLC

Copyright © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Blogger Boutique for Old Things New Blog

 

Loading Comments...