Author: charlotteannrobinson.com

I enjoy reading, writing and searching for truths. I am active in my church and like participating in small groups learning and developing new ideas and skills in becoming the person God created me to be. God has blessed me with so much and my desire is to share my thoughts and words with you in hopes they comfort and inspire you.

Christmas Adam • Christmas Eve Eve • Advent 2022

December 23rd, 2022

Christmas Adam is a colloquialism for the day before Christmas Eve or December 23rd. It is a rather new term. An online slang dictionary created a listing for it only nine years ago. Christmas Adam is not listed in any formal dictionaries and we had a hard time finding formal writing examples of its use.  

The general consensus of the origin of the name is that in anticipation for Christmas to come, people were looking for a name for the day before Christmas Eve. Some were calling the 23rd Christmas Eve Eve. Then someone (or more likely several someones) realized that in Christian mythology God created Adam before he created Eve, so the day before Christmas Eve would be Christmas Adam.

It is hard to tell if this term has traveled outside of the United States, since it is too colloquial to be used in most writing. However, if you do intend to use it as a greeting, pair it with the appropriate adjective (e.g., Merry Christmas Adam in the United States and Happy Christmas Adam in other countries.)

- Grammarist
  https://grammarist.com/words/christmas-adam/

God Created Man and Woman

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them;male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”

— Genesis 1: 26-31

The Word Became Flesh

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

— John 1:1-5

The Birth of Jesus

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

— Luke 2:11-12

Friends, this is the season of JOY, PEACE, LOVE and HOPE because of Gods great love for mankind. I pray for you this day, may the God of the universe bless you and keep you for evermore. ✝️💟🛐

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://grammarist.com/words/christmas-adam/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Hope Recognized • Advent 2022

December 22nd, 2022

True Hope comes from God

“A wonderful result of hope is delivered by the Holy Spirit of God. He gives us the power to hope and that is a demonstration of God’s love for us. Hope given by him works together to give us confidence, joy, peace, power and love. That is a true gift!”

— Blog from the Billy Graham Library

Friends, we are just a few days until we celebrate Jesus’ birth. The HOPE that had been prophesied centuries ago by prophets of God, was fulfilled over a two thousand years ago and we too will celebrate God becoming flesh. Our HOPE is the same HOPE that was upon the hearts of Mary, Joseph, the Shepards and the Wisemen way back when.

The Word Became Flesh

John 1:1-18

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

— John 1:14 (NIV)

Believe me, HOPE can sometimes be blurred from our vision when we are faced with life’s challenges; it is in our most difficult circumstances we must place our trust, our HOPE in Jesus, in our Heaven Father. God has promised to never leave us.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

— Deuteronomy 31:8

We see the signs

but cannot always 

divine their meanings.

You call us to move forward 

not always knowing 

whether what we grasp

in our hands

will prove to be

a seed of hope

or a thorn in our flesh.

Train our fingers,

that what brings life

we may with persistence hold,

and that which wastes

our souls

we may with grace release.

- Jan Richardson

Hope is more easily seen when we learn that it rarely comes from outside sources. Hope often rises within us, our soul (Holy Spirit) speaks to us. It is in these moments, we can see more clearly the longings and fears that we have kept silenced for far too long. HOPE is real, Jesus is our HOPE and with His grace, love and forgiveness we can look to the horizon and see a sky filled with possibilities. May you be blessed today and always~ much love to you! 💟

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://billygrahamlibrary.org/blog-5-things-the-bible-says-about-hope/

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut.31.8&version=NIV

Blue Christmas • Advent 2022

December 21st, 2022

The winter solstice is the longest night of the year, falls on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 20 or 21 in the Southern. The winter solstice/the longest day of the year is also a service held at many churches on December 21st called Blue Christmas. This services is about comforting fellow Christians who are grieving and struggling to find joy and hope during the holiday season. The service provides a quiet and contemplative worship service honoring individuals who are experiencing grief and struggling with loss. These services usually draw relatively small, intimate crowds with soft lighting, calm soothing music, scripture readings and prayers.

Psalm 13

Prayers for Deliverance from Enemies

“How long, O Lord? Wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him”; lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in thy steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

Psalm 23

The Divine Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Psalm 61

Assurance of God’s Protection

“Hear my cry, O God,listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to thee, when my heart is faint. Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I; for thou art my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in thy tent for ever! Oh to be safe under the shelter of thy wings! For thou, O God, hast heard my vows, thou hast given me the heritage of those who fear thy name. Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations! May he be enthroned for ever before God; bid steadfast love and faithfulness watch over him! So will I ever sing praises to thy name, as I pay my vows day after day.”

Psalm 62

Song of Trust in God Alone

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will you set upon a man to shatter him, all of you, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his eminence. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Men of low estate are but a breath, men of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. Put no confidence in extortion, set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God; and that to thee, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For thou dost requite a man according to his work.”

Psalm 139

The Inescapable God

“O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me! Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my thoughts from afar. Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou dost beset me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend to heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Let only darkness cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to thee, the night is bright as the day; for darkness is as light with thee. For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right well; my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee. O that thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God, and that men of blood would depart from me, men who maliciously defy thee, who lift themselves up against thee for evil! Do I not hate them that hate thee, O Lord? And do I not loathe them that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Winter Solstice: Blessing for the Longest Night

All throughout these months
as the shadows
have lengthened,
this blessing has been
gathering itself,
making ready,
preparing for
this night.

It has practiced
walking in the dark,
traveling with
its eyes closed,
feeling its way
by memory
by touch
by the pull of the moon
even as it wanes.

So believe me
when I tell you
this blessing will
reach you
even if you
have not light enough
to read it;
it will find you
even though you cannot
see it coming.

You will know
the moment of its
arriving
by your release
of the breath
you have held
so long;
a loosening
of the clenching
in your hands,
of the clutch
around your heart;
a thinning
of the darkness
that had drawn itself
around you.

This blessing
does not mean
to take the night away
but it knows
its hidden roads,
knows the resting spots
along the path,
knows what it means
to travel
in the company
of a friend.

So when
this blessing comes,
take its hand.
Get up.
Set out on the road
you cannot see.

This is the night
when you can trust
that any direction
you go,
you will be walking
toward the dawn.

—Jan Richardson
from The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

Fourth Tuesday • Advent 2022

December 20th, 2022

THE STORY BLANKET

When I look at my life I can see God’s hand throughout it. I see life as a tapestry, the weaving of lives, experiences, hopes and dreams. When we live by faith, often we can’t see where our paths will take us in life. If we allow ourselves the opportunities to sit with our thoughts and memories, to gaze at the roads we have traveled, patterns can emerge. I see a vast array of colors, patterns and textures of my life so far. I see the sprouting of friendships as they grow and blossom, even through the changes of seasons. I have had times of drought, fatigue and restlessness. I have experienced joy beyond measure, the kind that cannot be contained only felt.

I recently read a story called, “the story blanket,” after I read it, embers within me began to spark and this post was created.

I thought of the Bible story of Joseph and the robe his father had made specifically for him. This was an ornate robe made of many colors. I just guessing here, but I believe that robe was made of cloth that had been part of the family, it had traveled with them and was part of the family. A tapestry of the family’s life and experiences. “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.” —Genesis 37:3 (NKJV)

Click this link to view different bible translation of Genesis 37:3 https://biblehub.com/genesis/37-3.htm

Then, my thoughts took me to story of the birth of Jesus, in Luke 2:12 “And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (NKJV)

Depending upon which translation you read, the word “swaddling” is also referred to as strips of cloth or bands of cloth. One thing I am certain of, the cloths were a tapestry all it’s own. And, now these simple strips of cloth…are the clothes of a King! Click this link to view different bible translation of Luke 2:12, https://biblehub.com/luke/2-12.htm

Lastly, I wanted to share my “blanket story” it is a blanket my aunt and cousin had made for me. It contains clothing my mom had worn to work and around the house. When I look at it I see more than a blanket, it’s a story of my mom. A tapestry of woven common cloths that I had previously seen my mom wearing. What a priceless gift given out of love. My mom passed away over ten years ago but she lives on in my memories and in every beat of my heart. She carried me, taught me, supported me, worried over me, and congratulated me on every success. She was my cheerleader in life and these memories as well as my blanket keep me warm and protected. My mom was a gift, God knew I needed her wisdom to prepare me for life.

Photo Credit: Me
Indianapolis International Airport
February 13, 2018
When I scan other skies 

for signs of hope,

and when I walk other paths

with a longing for home,

God of the exile, 

lead me back

through my own door.


Tell me

my forgotten stories,

feed me

the words I have given away,

and draw my gaze

from the far horizon 

that I may see the lights

in my own sky.

- Jan Richardson

Friends, thank you for visiting my blog today. Thank you for you patience as my posts are bit behind. I love sharing stories with you and I am so very thankful for you support and encouragement. May the PEACE of God surround you always~

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.