Tag: Christmas

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Merry Christmas

I wish each and every one of you following me and reading my blog a very Merry Christmas.

My traditional family “Christmas” actually occurred 4 weeks ago in North Texas on Thanksgiving Day. For the past many years my brother has prepared a hearty home-cooked Breakfast for he and I, and then shortly after that we’ve opened all of the presents underneath the Christmas tree. Once they are all opened it’s time to watch football for the rest of the day and into the night – including for about an hour while we’re enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at around three or four in the afternoon.

On the day after Thanksgiving (“Black Friday”) Christmas is done and over for me. Well – sort of. For the first 3 weeks of December I get to observe and celebrate bits and pieces of Christmas here and there by listening to Christmas music on the radio, watching Christmas shows on television, writing and sending Christmas cards and messages to family and friends from afar, and enjoying several Christmas meals with friends and neighbors. I’m especially looking forward to my second Christmas potluck dinner with 100+ of my neighbors in our clubhouse.

We all celebrate Christmas in our own unique and traditional ways. May you spend this holiday season with your loved ones. Make and share good memories that will last a lifetime. Honor each other. Love one another.

And let’s remember why we celebrate Christmas.

And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21 NLT)

The LORD saves.

All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Bible Blogging Christian Church God Holidays Ministry Scripture

Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday December 22ND 2024, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

It’s another frigid morning in the low-40s here in Sebring. It feels like Christmas. It also looks like Christmas – with all of the beautiful trees, and decorations, and lights everywhere I go.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the season with my Highlands Community Church family this morning at 10 AM. (Service starts at 10:30 AM.) We’re also hosting our “Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Gathering” at 7 PM this Tuesday night. If you’re in the local #SebringFL / #HighlandsCountyFL area, and you don’t already have a home church (or they don’t have a Christmas Eve service) – then I invite you to come join us. We are a no judgment “come as you are” church. No need to dress up. Be yourself. Wear what’s comfortable. But remember – it’s cool outside, and it may be cool inside too.

We’re also on YouTube, and all of our services are presented LIVE and forever at – https://www.youtube.com/@HighlandsCommunityChurch-bw5yi

Finally – our Senior Pastor Tim recently did a podcast titled “Christmas: Jesus The Light”. It’s a little less than 6 minutes long, and you can hear it at – https://sebring.com/?p=podcasts_listen&pid=226

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, a testimony, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord – and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know – then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Christian Church God Holidays

‘Tis The Season

Christmas Tree 2018

This past Monday night my church family gathered together for 2 hours of fellowship, prayer, and pizza as we decorated our newly renovated sanctuary for Christmas. Atop our brand new stage stands our beautiful new(ish) Christmas tree with the multi-colored background. You saw a photo of our stage in midnight blue this past Sunday. Here it is in sunset red. We’ve also got garland, bows, and wreaths scattered all throughout the seating area.

One of my favorite aspects of being part of this small church family is that we are able to do this each year. We didn’t do this in my previous large church family – mostly because for 5 Christmas seasons our Sunday morning services were held inside a local movie theatre.

I don’t decorate for Christmas at all at home, and we won’t do so at the workplace either; although, an independent office in our building does have their own Christmas tree that they decorate. My family in Ohio (soon to be Texas) puts up the Christmas tree during the first or second week of November – just before my arrival each year – so I’m not part of that process either. (We celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in one fun-filled week.)

Being with my church family for those 2 hours each year to create the Christmas spirit in our sanctuary ranks up there as 2 of my favorite hours of the year. I wouldn’t replace that fellowship with anything. The love is there with my brothers and sisters of my church family. Our Worship Pastor Ben said it best on our Facebook wall – “The Love of Jesus is in this place, and is apparent by the love we share with one another.” AMEN.

All rights reserved (c) 2018 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

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God Holidays Music

My Fantastic Journey: It’s In The Lyrics

Christmas means so much more to me today on this fantastic journey than it ever did yesterday.

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia;
Christ the Savior, is born !
Christ the Savior, is born !

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

It’s in the lyrics: