{"id":29363,"date":"2021-12-26T07:07:33","date_gmt":"2021-12-26T12:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=29363"},"modified":"2021-12-26T07:07:33","modified_gmt":"2021-12-26T12:07:33","slug":"5-friday-faves-beyond-the-guitar-on-a-lava-me-3-christmas-poems-overcoming-anxiety-and-which-is-it-christmas-or-xmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=29363","title":{"rendered":"5 Friday Faves &#8211; Beyond the Guitar on a Lava Me 3, Christmas Poems, Overcoming Anxiety, and Which Is It? Christmas or XMas?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Blog-Friday-Faves-006-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14251\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Blog-Friday-Faves-006-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3996\" height=\"2540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Blog-Friday-Faves-006-2.jpg 3996w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Blog-Friday-Faves-006-2-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Blog-Friday-Faves-006-2-768x488.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Blog-Friday-Faves-006-2-1024x651.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3996px) 100vw, 3996px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The countdown is done. Christmas Day looms. For those with an Eastern Christmas, there is still a week to go. We loved celebrating two Christmases when we lived in Egypt. Then there are the 12 days of Christmas still ahead until Epiphany (or Three Kings Day). So we continue to celebrate. Sweet especially for those of us dealing with COVID interruptions or other struggles (loss, holiday work,etc.). Here are my faves this week. Please share some of yours as well &#8230;and Happy Christmas!<\/p>\n<p><strong>1) Beyond the Guitar on a Lava Me 3<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.patreon.com\/beyondtheguitar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nathan Mills<\/a>&#8216; most recent piece is an original composition entitled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aSgMZzyX_2Q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>&#8220;Dreams&#8221;<\/em><\/a>. He plays it on this amazing smart guitar &#8211; the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavamusic.com\/lava-me-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lava Me 3 guitar<\/a>. Check it out below:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The world\u2019s \u201cSMARTEST\u201d guitar?\" width=\"474\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aSgMZzyX_2Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>2) Christmas Poems <\/strong>&#8211; Christmas is the kind of holy day that inspires poetry. This week, I had the opportunity of catching the online program <a href=\"https:\/\/fpatheatre.com\/christmasevent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>A Christmas Celebration: Theater, Song, &amp; Scripture<\/em><\/a>. Created and produced by the <a href=\"https:\/\/fpatheatre.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fellowship of Performing Arts<\/a>, it was a lovely mix of classic Christmas songs, poems, and monologues. Some surprisingly humorous and some deeply spiritual. Two poems, both by Scottish poet <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/George_MacDonald\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">George MacDonald<\/a>, were powerfully performed.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-1884-by-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29381\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-1884-by-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-1884-by-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter.jpg 640w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-1884-by-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter-267x300.jpg 267w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poemhunter.com\/poem\/christmas-1884\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poem Hunter<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Meditation-Poem-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29382\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Meditation-Poem-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Meditation-Poem-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter.jpg 640w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Meditation-Poem-George-MacDonald-Poem-Hunter-267x300.jpg 267w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poemhunter.com\/poem\/christmas-meditation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poem Hunter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>My absolute favorite Christmas poem is <a href=\"http:\/\/divinepageant.com\/LITTLE%20JESUS.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>&#8220;Little Jesus&#8221;<\/em><\/a> written by English poet <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Francis_Thompson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Francis Thompson<\/a>. It&#8217;s a bit long but such a treasure.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>LITTLE JESUS<\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">by Francis Thompson (1859 &#8211; 1907)<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Little Jesus, wast Thou shy<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Once, and just so small as I?<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And what did it feel like to be<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Out of Heaven, and just like me?<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Didst Thou sometimes think of there,<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And ask where all the angels were?<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">I should think that I would cry<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">For my house all made of sky;<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">I would look about the air,<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And wonder where my angels were;<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And at waking \u2019twould distress me\u2013<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Not an angel there to dress me!<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Hadst thou ever any toys,<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Like us little girls and boys?<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And dist Thou play in Heaven with all<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">The angels that were not too tall,<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">With stars for marbles? Did the things<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Play <i>Can you see me? <\/i>through their wings?<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And did Thy Mother let Thee spoil<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Thy robes, with playing on <i>our<\/i> soil?<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">How nice to have them always new<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">In Heaven, because \u2018twas quite clean blue!<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Thou canst not have forgotten all<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">That it feels like to be small:<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And Thou know\u2019st I cannot pray<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">To Thee in my father\u2019s way\u2013<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">When Thou was so little, say,<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Couldst Thou talk Thy Father\u2019s way?\u2013<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">So, as a little child, come down<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And hear a child\u2019s tongue like Thy own;<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Take me by the hand and walk,<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And listen to my baby-talk.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">To Thy Father show my prayer<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">(He will look, Thou art so fair),<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And say: <i>&#8220;O Father, I Thy Son,<\/i><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Bring the prayer of a little one.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">And He will smile, that childrens\u2019 tongue<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Hast not changed since Thou was young!<\/p>\n<p><strong>3) Overcoming Anxiety<\/strong> &#8211; Even as lovely and magical a time as Christmas can be, we can experience anxiety. Over family gatherings, or under-performing on gift buying, or just a creeping loneliness. Whatever our anxiety, the 4-step approach for overcoming anxiety is a healthy practice. Thanks to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicabm.com\/?del=bing316289981&amp;network=s&amp;utm_source=bing&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=316289981&amp;ad_group_id=1350200529996674&amp;utm_term=nicabm&amp;utm_content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NICABM<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Overcoming-Anxiety-NICABM-infographic.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29391\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Overcoming-Anxiety-NICABM-infographic.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"971\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Overcoming-Anxiety-NICABM-infographic.png 750w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Overcoming-Anxiety-NICABM-infographic-232x300.png 232w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicabm.com\/4-steps-for-overcoming-anxiety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Infographic: A 4-Step Approach for Overcoming Anxiety<\/em> &#8211; NICABM<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>4) Healing From Harm<\/strong> &#8211; We hope as parents that we do no major harm to our children. Unfortunately, there are relationships between parents and children that can go terribly wrong. Counselor <a href=\"https:\/\/adamyoungcounseling.com\/about-me\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adam Young<\/a> tackles this topic (and others) really well in his <a href=\"https:\/\/adamyoungcounseling.com\/podcast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">podcast <\/a>. I listened to Episode 23 this week where he interviewed a woman named Autumn, on her relationship with an abusive mother. The title of this episode is <em>&#8220;How to Engage a Parent Who Has Harmed You&#8221;. <\/em>Her story gives hope. The dialog between her and Young is both instructive and prescriptive. To be able to get actual help from a podcast is a blessing. Especially in a time when counselors are hard to find (not enough of them or over-scheduled in these days of heightened mental health issues thanks to COVID).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Healing-from-harm-Hope-1032-Justin-Coulson.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-29392\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Healing-from-harm-Hope-1032-Justin-Coulson.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Healing-from-harm-Hope-1032-Justin-Coulson.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Healing-from-harm-Hope-1032-Justin-Coulson-300x120.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Healing-from-harm-Hope-1032-Justin-Coulson-768x307.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Healing-from-harm-Hope-1032-Justin-Coulson-1024x410.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One of Young&#8217;s free resources is <a href=\"https:\/\/adamyoungcounseling.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/How-to-Write-a-Story-Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>&#8220;How to Write a Story&#8221;<\/em><\/a>. I&#8217;m excited about this assist, because writing the story of my life since my earliest memories is actually on my list for 2022. Not that my parenting was harmful &#8211; I had a wonderful mom and step-dad, but my biological father was neglectful and then eventually just disappeared from our lives. I know the wounds of that have had impact, and actively recalling my growing-up years seems a way to take hold of anything that has harmed and can still be having impact on my family. By the way, this is not an exercise in blaming parents. We all have failings in this area. It&#8217;s an exercise to reframe memory such that it doesn&#8217;t control us.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hope1032.com.au\/stories\/life\/parenting\/2018\/words-that-harm-words-that-heal-a-short-guide-for-parents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Words That Harm, Words That Heal: A Short Guide for Parents<\/em> &#8211; Justin Coulson<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Any resources you recommend for healing from harm? Please comment below.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5) Which Is It? Christmas or XMas?<\/strong> &#8211; The great thinker and writer<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cslewis.org\/resource\/chronocsl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> C. S. Lewis<\/a> became a Christ-follower at the age of 33 (in 1931). He did not come to this decision lightly having first rejected God altogether, as a public and punishing atheist, and then a theist, and finally a Christian&#8230;<a href=\"https:\/\/fpatheatre.com\/production\/the-most-reluctant-convert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>the most reluctant convert<\/em><\/a>. He never looked back. His writing and teaching since then have greatly influenced generations to follow. Even the most uncertain have been riveted by his works on the beauty and reality of God, and Jesus, the Son and Savior.<\/p>\n<p>Again, in watching <a href=\"https:\/\/fpatheatre.com\/christmasevent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>A Christmas Celebration: Theater, Song, &amp; Scripture<\/em><\/a>, I heard, for the first time, Lewis&#8217; essay<a href=\"https:\/\/religiousaffections.org\/articles\/articles-on-culture\/xmas-and-christmas-a-lost-chapter-from-herodotus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <em>Xmas and Christmas: A Lost Chapter From Herodotus<\/em><\/a>. He writes of the irony of Christmas celebrated in the two ways done in the West &#8211; the sacred and secular &#8211; and how we as Christians blend the two. It is a rich narrative, short and very much worth the read. He targets the United Kingdom but it could be about the US as well. We rush around buying, buying, buying, and then partying, partying, partying. To the point, we end up in a heap on Christmas Day with the children wondering aloud &#8220;Is there anything else?&#8221; As they are practically covered over with wrapping paper and presents. Our little grands said themselves, so wise for so small, &#8220;It&#8217;s Jesus&#8217; birthday, but we get all the presents&#8221;.<a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Happy-Birthday-Jesus-Cake-Dec-2021.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29395\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Happy-Birthday-Jesus-Cake-Dec-2021.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2016\" height=\"1512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Happy-Birthday-Jesus-Cake-Dec-2021.jpg 2016w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Happy-Birthday-Jesus-Cake-Dec-2021-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Happy-Birthday-Jesus-Cake-Dec-2021-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Happy-Birthday-Jesus-Cake-Dec-2021-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2016px) 100vw, 2016px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t mean this as a rant&#8230;just wanted to point to the brilliant, short piece by Lewis&#8230;and maybe to call for a pause in the rush. I&#8217;m almost past caring that I get equally amazing gifts for the grands. It&#8217;s ok for the other grandparents to shine. I&#8217;m just thankful to have them all in my life.<\/p>\n<p>So&#8230;have a happy Christmas, Dear Ones. For those who get caught up in the maddening rush without the transforming experience of Christ in it, watch for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.houndofheaven.com\/poem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>the Hound of Heaven<\/em><\/a> &#8230;In the flurry of activity to make Xmas happen, you might chance to notice, like C. S. Lewis did finally, that persistent wooing of God to draw us to Himself&#8230;out of His deep love for each of His created ones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"indent3\">&#8220;<strong>&#8216;Rise, clasp My hand, and come!\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly,<\/p>\n<p class=\"indent\">\u2018Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest, <strong>I am He Whom thou seekest!<\/strong>&#8221; &#8211; Francis Thompson (1859\u20131907)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Dave-Debbie-Christmas-2021-Blog-e1640519137214.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29396\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Dave-Debbie-Christmas-2021-Blog-e1640519137214.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1160\" height=\"1544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Dave-Debbie-Christmas-2021-Blog-e1640519137214.jpg 1160w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Dave-Debbie-Christmas-2021-Blog-e1640519137214-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Dave-Debbie-Christmas-2021-Blog-e1640519137214-768x1022.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Dave-Debbie-Christmas-2021-Blog-e1640519137214-769x1024.jpg 769w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bonuses:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.desiringgod.org\/articles\/labor-to-give-or-take-no-offense\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Labor to Give (Or Take) No Offense<\/em> &#8211; Jon Bloom<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/careynieuwhof.com\/5-keys-to-a-great-apology-and-why-leaders-need-to-apologize-first\/?el=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwAR1R8pR7xY_Gzd0X8f03ZleHVnR8PA84o-kfuVc9xxgIV7beJhI063gYuLY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>5 Keys to a Great Apology (and Why Leaders Need to Apologize First)<\/em> &#8211; Carey Nieuwhof<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"474\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">And, my favorite from Frederick Buechner, \u201cFor outlandish creatures like us, on our way to a heart, a brain, and courage, Bethlehem is not the end of our journey but only the beginning &#8211; not home but the place through which we must pass if ever we are to reach home at last.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Greg Mathias (@GregMathias) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GregMathias\/status\/1473025943941824517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 20, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<p>Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GregMathias\/status\/1473025943941824517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1473025943941824517%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdebmillswriter.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D29363action%3Dedit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Greg Mathias, Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>One of my favorite &#8220;Christmas songs&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nordic Chamber Choir - O Magnum Mysterium (M. Lauridsen)\" width=\"474\" height=\"356\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nn5ken3RJBo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The most beautiful and powerful Christmas cantata I&#8217;ve ever heard: <span class=\"style-scope yt-formatted-string\" dir=\"auto\"><em>&#8220;Saviour &#8211; The Story Of God&#8217;s Passion For His People&#8221; &#8211;\u00a0<\/em>written by Greg Nelson and Bob Farrell &#8211; the cantata itself begins 9:45 minutes into the video.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"474\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/W6JPmXWRDQM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;start=1188&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[Product description:<strong><em> Saviour<\/em> is a pop-classical oratorio created by Bob Farrell and Greg Nelson<\/strong>, in performance around the world since 1994. Recorded live at Gateway Church, this spectacular performance features full orchestra and choir with <strong>standout solo performances by Steve Green, Twila Paris, Wayne Watson, Larnelle Harris, and Keron Jackson. &#8211; <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianbook.com\/saviour-story-gods-passion-his-people\/pd\/001920\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Available on DVD<\/a>.]<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Funny pic captured by our daughter &#8211; vultures at Voter Registration &#8211; must have gotten wind of the rumored registering dead voters:<a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Vultures-at-Voter-Registration.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29399\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Vultures-at-Voter-Registration.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4032\" height=\"3024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Vultures-at-Voter-Registration.jpg 4032w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Vultures-at-Voter-Registration-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Vultures-at-Voter-Registration-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Vultures-at-Voter-Registration-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4032px) 100vw, 4032px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pic below from my dear friend Marc Merlin who captures the most fascinating images at a favorite cemetery &#8211; Oakland in Atlanta:<a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Marc-Merlin-Kenny-Rogers-Oakland-Cemetery-Instagram.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29400\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Marc-Merlin-Kenny-Rogers-Oakland-Cemetery-Instagram.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"824\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Marc-Merlin-Kenny-Rogers-Oakland-Cemetery-Instagram.jpg 750w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Marc-Merlin-Kenny-Rogers-Oakland-Cemetery-Instagram-273x300.jpg 273w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a>Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/marcsmerlin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marc Merlin, Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A favorite Christmas tradition &#8211; canstruction for the food bank:<a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Canstruction-Food-Bank-Christmas-2021.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29401\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Canstruction-Food-Bank-Christmas-2021.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Canstruction-Food-Bank-Christmas-2021.jpg 3024w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Canstruction-Food-Bank-Christmas-2021-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Canstruction-Food-Bank-Christmas-2021-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3024px) 100vw, 3024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>All the candles lit &#8211; focused on the coming Christ:<a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Advent-Candles-Jesus-has-come-e1640519877115.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29402\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Advent-Candles-Jesus-has-come-e1640519877115.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Advent-Candles-Jesus-has-come-e1640519877115.jpg 3024w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Advent-Candles-Jesus-has-come-e1640519877115-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Advent-Candles-Jesus-has-come-e1640519877115-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3024px) 100vw, 3024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Christmas cactus &#8211; somehow it knows &#8211; just days ago, nothing, no buds, nothing &#8211; and then&#8230;it blooms.<a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Cactus-December-2021.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-29403\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Cactus-December-2021.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"4032\" height=\"3024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Cactus-December-2021.jpg 4032w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Cactus-December-2021-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Cactus-December-2021-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Blog-Christmas-Cactus-December-2021-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4032px) 100vw, 4032px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The countdown is done. Christmas Day looms. For those with an Eastern Christmas, there is still a week to go. We loved celebrating two Christmases when we lived in Egypt. Then there are the 12 days of Christmas still ahead until Epiphany (or Three Kings Day). So we continue to celebrate. Sweet especially for those &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=29363\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">5 Friday Faves &#8211; Beyond the Guitar on a Lava Me 3, Christmas Poems, Overcoming Anxiety, and Which Is It? Christmas or XMas?<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5628,926,2986,690,1229,34,813,1704,1705,1148,3395,2307,3976,808,3208,1801,50,903,2556,2547,1267,825,18,1732,5130,317,932,795,2611,888,432,761,789,887,4160,55,4159,32],"tags":[9706,9728,4452,9719,9715,2548,5469,37,6694,1909,979,1846,9713,2536,9711,573,9707,945,8820,2425,9040,1802,9714,9712,9718,3299,9723,9725,2106,1835,1244,9721,9710,9716,6560,1136,9720,2190,9722,5467,9717,9727,9724,9726],"class_list":["post-29363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-anxiety","category-attending-or-focus","category-attitude","category-babies-children","category-beauty-of-gods-creation","category-books","category-christmas","category-communication","category-conversations","category-critical-thinking","category-disciplines","category-emotions","category-fear","category-film","category-finishing-strong","category-friday-faves","category-god","category-grace","category-grief-and-loss","category-guitar","category-healing","category-holidays","category-jesus","category-leadership","category-legacy","category-lessons-learned","category-loneliness","category-love-2","category-love-your-neighbor","category-memories","category-music","category-redeeming-restoring","category-relationships","category-remembering","category-resilience","category-transitions","category-trauma","category-walk-with-god","tag-adam-young","tag-advent-candles","tag-anxiety","tag-apology","tag-bethlehem","tag-beyond-the-guitar","tag-bob-farrell","tag-c-s-lewis","tag-canstruction","tag-carey-nieuwhof","tag-christ","tag-christmas","tag-christmas-1884","tag-christmas-cactus","tag-christmas-poems","tag-classical-guitar","tag-counseling","tag-dreams","tag-food-bank","tag-francis-thompson","tag-frederick-buechner","tag-friday-faves","tag-gary-mathias","tag-george-macdonald","tag-giving-offense","tag-greg-nelson","tag-healing-from-harm","tag-hound-of-heaven","tag-infographic","tag-jesus","tag-jon-bloom","tag-justin-coulson","tag-lava-me-3","tag-m-lauridsen","tag-marc-merlin","tag-nathan-mills","tag-nicabm","tag-o-magnum-mysterium","tag-parental-harm","tag-saviour","tag-taking-offense","tag-vultures","tag-writing-your-story","tag-xmas"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauPAB-7DB","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29363"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29407,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29363\/revisions\/29407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}