Consider this

  Christmas holidays (and, let's face it, life in general) can be chaotic and stressful. Here are three gifts we need right now.  https://youtu.be/4lEnM_HGWsc  

                  When John and Francis Canning were planning their 2012 wedding at Manchester Town Hall, they realized that Queen Elizabeth II was scheduled to be in the building for some official meeting at the same time.   Just for fun, as they mailed out their invitations, they sent one to the Queen.                A few weeks later, they received a response from Buckingham Palace indicating that, while the Queen was happy for them and wished them well, she would not be able to attend.   Surprised that they had received any response at all, John and Francis continued to look forward to their special day and never gave the queen another thought.                That is, until they were standing in their receiving line after the wedding, looked up, and saw the Queen and Prince Philip head...

 We receive the new life for free through Christ. We cannot earn it. However, we must work to experience and live in it. https://youtu.be/naCcKgSu1f0  

                   Rowan Atkinson, the actor who plays Mr. Bean, was in an auto parts store when he noticed a man watching him.   This gentleman followed Atkinson around the store for several minutes until he finally found the courage to speak to him.                “You look just like that Mr. Bean fellow”, the man said.   “In fact, you should become a Mr. Bean impersonator.   You could make a lot of money doing that.”                Atkinson laughed and said, “Actually, I am Mr. Bean”, but the man did not believe him.   For the next several minutes, Atkinson tried to convince him, but to no avail.   The man left the store thinking he had seen a guy who looked like Mr. Bean, rather than believing that he had actually met Mr. Bean.  ...

 This is one change is critical to our spiritual life and strength. It is a bridge between God’s promises and our response. https://youtu.be/gli7fxZZvqw  

  On the evening of Tuesday, November 11, many people left the warmth and comfort of their homes to stand in the cold on dark, rural roads and look at the night sky. They were lured by the promise of spectacular Northern Lights, and they were not disappointed. Personally, I do not remember ever seeing them so bright and red. Stretching right across the sky and even over the top of us, they were amazing! The next day, my Facebook feed was flooded with pictures of the Northern Lights. It was as if people could not help themselves. They had seen something so beautiful and amazing that they had to acknowledge and share it. To me, that is a good picture of what gratitude should look like in our lives. Our blessings should overwhelm us to the point that we must see, celebrate, and share them. Thanksgiving should not be a one-time, limited, “Oh, isn’t that nice!” affair. Rather, it should be a constant mindset and the lens through which we see our world. ...