The Candy Cane

I have bought candy canes for the past 19 years.

It was about 6 years ago my children received a little note along with their candy cane.

Although I don't have the original, you can find the story just about anywhere.

I have never looked at The Candy Cane the same way since then.

The History of the Candy Cane as told to children...

It had to be special to be a gift for the
King of Kings, thought the humble candy
maker from Indiana. Not just any piece of
candy would do. It had to be hard candy
because the church is built on solid rock
and God's promises are a firm foundation.
It would be formed in the shape of the
Good Shepherd's staff. A "J" that would
also stand for the precious name of Jesus.
But it had to say more. White stripes
would symbolize the virgin birth and
sinless nature of Christ. Three small red
stripes would represent the scourging Jesus
suffered on His way to the cross. One large
red stripe would remind those with eyes to
see and ears to hear of the blood Jesus shed
as payment for our sins. It would be a
gift of love that would tell His story -
the greatest story ever told. 

 

 

The True Story

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness,
so he made the Christmas Candy Cane.

He incorporated several symbols
for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. 

He began with a stick of
pure white, hard candy: white to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless
nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the Foundation of the
Church and firmness of the promises of God. 

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior.

It could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who like all sheep have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes.
He used three small stripes for the blood shed by Christ on the cross. 

So that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as the Candy Cane.
It became a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time.

But meaning is still there for all those who "Have eyes to see and ears to hear." 

We pray that this symbol will again be used to witness to the wonder of Jesus and His great love that came down at Christmas.

Hard Candy - Reminds us that Jesus is like a "ROCK", strong and dependable
Psalm 31:3

Peppermint Flavor - Is like the gift of spices from the wise men
Matthew 2:11

White Candy - Stands for Jesus as the holy, sinless Son of God
1 John 1:7

Cane - Is like a staff used by shepherds in caring for sheep. Jesus is our "Good Shepherd".
John 10: 1-18, 27-30

The Letter J. - Is for the name of Jesus, our Savior.
Matthew 1: 21

The Color Red - Is for God's love that sent Jesus, and for Jesus' love in giving His life for us on the cross.
John 3: 16 and Revelation 1:5

The Stripes - Reminds us of Jesus' suffering - His crown of thorns,
the wounds in His hands and feet, and the cross on which He died.
John 19: 1-30

Instead of looking at things as black and white...
how about looking at things as red and white...

Link:

http://justforkidsmagazine.com/candycanelegend.html  

What if Christmas Looked Different this Year?

My 1st Christmas. Christmas 2004.
Sure I celebrated Christmas from the age 18 to 30. 12 years.
But at age 30, it was a whole new ball game.
See it was the summer of 2004 that I found Christ.
So in 2004 CHRIST was in my CHRISTmas!
Christmas looked different for me that year, and has every year since.

I ask you the question this Christmas...

What if Christmas Looked Different For You This Year?

Will it really be different if I ask Christ in to my Christmas this year?
Yes, Really!
Will I really feel different if I ask Christ in to my Christmas this year?
Yes, Really!
Will things really begin to change for me if I ask Christ in to my Christmas this year?
Yes, Really!

Will this be the year you BELIEVE?
Will this be the year you accept the gift, He wants to give you this year?

What gift?
The gift of life.  The gift of forgiveness for ALL your sins.
The gift of salvation. The gift of eternity.
The gift of truth. The gift of love.
The gift of acceptance.  The gift of comfort.
The gift of peace.  The gift of hope, a living hope.
The gift of Him.

Let this Christmas be the Christmas you put Christ in your CHRISTmas.
Let this be the year 2011 that you put Christ in your life from this day forward and FOREVER!

If you are ready, and you want the time to be now, and you want to accept and receive His gift.


Please pray this prayer.


Dear Jesus,
Today is the day, I come to you and ask you to forgive me for all my sins. I want to be better and do better.
I want you to come in and be apart of my life, be my life.  I ask you to take over.
I've tried but I can't do it anymore, I need you, a Savior to save me, from this pit I've been in way to long.
Lord, please reveal truth to me.  See, I thought I was in "the truth", but now I'm confused and I have been for so long.  I have believed so many wrong things far to long.   Please, please show me The Truth your Truth! I need your help to sort through all of this.  I'm afraid, please protect me. Please save me.
Today I accept and proclaim you as LORD, over all the earth and LORD over my life.
I believe you God that you came by way of a virgin birth and that you died and rose for my sins.
I believe that you are alive, and in heaven waiting to return someday.
Please Lord, I accept your gift, your precious gift of life.
Thank you for dying on the cross for me.
I love you Lord. In Jesus name I pray, Amen! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

If this is the first time you prayed this prayer, please let me know.
I would like to get in contact with you and pray with you.

Please click on the Mail tab and send me a message and I will be sure to get in contact with you.

Don't Waste Another Second

I'm back...
Not better, not more put together, not even worthy.
I've been searching, when I thought I would be fixing.
Fixing me.
They offered it to me for a time. Strong arms, a place to lay my head.
Safety? Security? Is this what it's suppose to be like?
The bottom of a bottle. I found a calm, a peace. Temporary, yes. But found. The moment.

Only to awake yet another day-to my chaos, my demise, my life.

I hunger for it, I've been searching forever for it. What is it...?

I know. I won't care. I will be bitter, you don't even have a clue.
I will hate, I know hate.  I will judge, it's so easy to do.
Judgment hiding behind every corner, creeping over my every breathe,
jumping out at every step.
I know screaming matches. I know a house that lived "unequally yoked."
Feeling alone and undiscovered, at every door  knocked on, and
every friendship I could of made.

I have looked every which way.  To the left-To the right-To the front-Even behind.
Where am I going wrong?  Chaos created for me. The only steps I know to take.
The regret-The turmoil-The disappointment-The torment-The tears-The hurt.
Spiraling Down! Life a trap! The lot I've been given!

I can't hold this up anymore! It's so heavy. Death-Come! Come NOW and take me away!

"FORGIVEN!"  "If you can't take it anymore-Come! Come-bring it to Him-Jesus! 
Drop it at His feet. Come now-don't wait-don't hesitate. Come NOW!" 

"I can't go!  What will they think?  What will they say?  Everyone looking at me!
Seeing me!  Seeing my sin, seeing me, seeing right through , piercing my soul!
I can't, I can't!  I was suppose to be ready this time."
"O.k. if the pastor asks one more time, I'll go for sure.  He won't say it again. I hope he doesn't ask again.  I'm feeling something, like I should go, but I can't, I won't!  God if your real, if your there, Please hear this one, Don't have him say COME again!"

"Come! If you hesitated-Come.  Another chance! Come.  This isn't about me, it's not about those around you, this is about you and God, this is between you and Jesus!  Come!
Give your life to Him! Let Him take over!  Give it to Him-Give it all to Him!

Hmm! An Unanswered Prayer!

Shaking-Crying-Unsure-But.....
I wanted better.  I wanted to be better.  I wanted more out of life.  I wanted more for my life.  I wanted more in my life. I want more for my kids, my family, my marriage.  I have a responsibility to my kids, to my family.  Oh, what do I do.....?  What do I have to lose? 

One direction I never looked. Up!-Please don't let me down!

A flood rushed over me-
I felt safe-I felt love-I felt a new peace, a real peace-I felt calm- I felt forgiven...
I was forgiven- I am forgiven-I knew and believed I was indeed forgiven!
and I haven't looked back since!!!

LOOK UP-and DON'T EVER LOOK BACK!

Psst, and thank you Jesus,  for that unanswered prayer!

Come

How many times I cried and prayed someone would love me just for me.
How many times I wondered why?
How many times I asked you God,
why my mom, of all people?
Doesn't a mom love unconditionally?
I wanted her approval, her acceptance.
She broke me, she hurt me, but yet I was afraid to go.

This life has been hard.
This road has been so long.
After all I've been through, How?
I don't know how, what's the 1st step?
I look back on this road I've traveled and I know that I don't want to do it again.
But I miss my family!
Relationships why are they so difficult?
I'll take any relationship, at this point.
I just want to love some one, and some one to love me for me.
I don't want to perform or do for anyone anymore.
I want love, but do I even know what it truly is, what it truly means?
An example of love. I've seen it in part, but when all rejection and shame came, I questioned it, and have continued to my entire life.  I don't ever remember a job well done.
No one has really ever shown me what love is, so how will I know how to love.
Love is patient. Love is kind.
Really, though is it?
Yes 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
What's ahead of me?
Anything?
This journey......is long.
This road...........is hard.

All my bitterness, my tears, my pride, my vain ambitions, all the rage, the hurt, the regret, the loneliness, the shame, the pain, my sin-all of it, all the times I thought something was owed to me because of my past, all my narcissism.
That's what I came with, that's what I gave to Him.
And to know...
He gave me His life.  He died for me.

After all that I've been through now
i realize THE TRUTH.

I could never had made it without you.
You've always been there for me, even when I didn't know.
I didn't know I was lost until I was found.
You found me.
You sought me time and time again.
When I think of where I've come from
and the things I've left behind
nothing compares to what's in front of me.

I say to you reading this-you the former Jehovah Witness or
the one just beginning to search...
I know you have suffered all your life.
I know your own flesh and blood as turned you away,.
I know lifetime friends have turned their backs on you.
The pain, the hurt, the despair, the rejection.
I know for some of you it's a fresh wound, for some of you it starts to close
and someone or something opens it again.


You need some healing, you need a healer.
One who will comfort you if you let Him,
and He will make you whole again.
Your world has been closed off and cold.
You have been wandering...
You've been wondering...
You've been searching...
You've been questioning...
You've been doubting...

I know someone has hurt you who was it?
Who has affected you?
Who was it that told you, you wouldn't amount to anything, or ever succeed?
Who or what still has control over your life?
What stops you in going in a new direction?
Please don't let it be fear.
I myself was stuck there for so long, Believe me there is freedom on the other side.
Are you fully happy with the choices you've chosen in your life since then?

You are more than your mistakes, you are more than the ones you've wronged, or the ones who have wronged you,  you are more than your sins.
YOU ARE MORE!
Your life was meant for more!
Everyone needs love and compassion and you know you want it too.
COME receive it!
He will take you, just as you are.  (He took me)
You don't need to prepare, you don't need to fix.
You don't need to get better. You don't have to be or do better.
COME as you are.  Give it all to Him.  He wants it.
What do you got to lose!
We have eternity to lose out on, and I don't want that for you.

You need a Savior.  His name is Jesus.

You need a love that won't fail you.
You are made for so much more than all of this, He loves you, He treasures you!
He will give you the love that you need, Unconditional love a love that is beyond your understanding.
A love you can't measure, a love that won't fail you!

This new journey, it will be like learning to walk all over again.
But you'll be o.k.
He will help you, he will lead you.
He will never let you go!

John 3:16,17 New Living Translation (my emphasis added)

For God so loved the world you (you are apart of this world) that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it,  but to save it.

Romans 10:9,10 New Living Translation

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Pray this prayer with me:
"Lord, Jesus I believe you are the Son of God.
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.
I have sinned and I am sorry, please forgive me.
Today I do confess that you Jesus are my Lord and Savior.
I believe that you you were born of the virgin Mary ant that you died for all and rose from the dead.
And I receive the gift of eternal life, that only you can offer.
Today I ask you to come in to my heart and life.
I give you complete control of my life, and I want to live my life for you
from this day forward and always.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen!"

If you prayed this prayer, I would love for you to share that with me, or someone else you may know that has given their life to Jesus, so that they may come join you in your walk with the Lord, Jesus.
If  it's o.k. by you I would love to get in contact with you.
Please leave your information!
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(This blog is inspired by Third Day Mountain of God check the song out on You Tube)

Genesis 50:20