Sing To The Lord A New Song

The following is taken from "The Word Among Us" - A Catholic Devotional Magazine:

Meditation: Psalm 96:1-2,11-13

1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; announce his salvation day after day.

3 Tell God's glory among the nations; among all peoples, God's marvelous deeds.

4 For great is the LORD and highly to be praised, to be feared above all gods.

5 For the gods of the nations all do nothing, but the LORD made the heavens.

6 Splendor and power go before him; power and grandeur are in his holy place.

7 Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and might;

8 give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bring gifts and enter his courts;

9 bow down to the LORD, splendid in holiness. Tremble before God, all the earth;

10 say among the nations: The LORD is king. The world will surely stand fast, never to be moved. God rules the peoples with fairness.

11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound;

12 let the plains be joyful and all that is in them. Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice

13 before the LORD who comes, who comes to govern the earth, To govern the world with justice and the peoples with faithfulness.

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Have you ever walked in the woods early in the morning and felt a palpable sense of joy in the air? Or rejoiced at the sight of a campfire and imagined that it was rejoicing along with you?

If you have, don’t worry—you’re not losing your mind! As the psalmist tells us, everything that exists has the potential to praise God the Creator. The seas, the prairies, even the desert wastes are no exception. If we could open our spiritual ears, we might hear them singing “Alleluia” all day long!

But notice that the earth is singing a “new” song (Psalm 96:1). It’s celebrating the news that Almighty God has come to rule the earth. The infant Jesus, whose birth we just celebrated, is the One whom heaven and earth are rejoicing over. Creation has never been neutral about him. The sea became still at his command (Mark 4:35-40). When he died, the earth quaked, and the sun grew dark (Matthew 27:45,51). Even now, creation is still proclaiming his salvation and awaiting his return.

Guess what? You are part of that creation, and this means that you are called to join in the praise of God. Jesus told the Pharisees who wanted to silence his disciples that the very stones would cry out (Luke 19:40). How can we not praise him? His kingdom is at hand. Darkness and death have been defeated. We have been given new life with new possibilities to become the people we were created to be. Every day gives us another chance to proclaim with our words and deeds the great gift of eternal life!

As you stand on the cusp of a new year, why not ask God to give you the gift of praise? Why not resolve this year to explore what it means to join creation in worshipping the Lord? Maybe you can try reading a different psalm aloud slowly every day, letting the words fill your heart. Or take time each day to recall the blessings you’ve received. Or take a moment to see the beauty in the world around you. May this be a year of blessing for all of us, as we join in the chorus of praise that is welling up all around us!

“God of the Universe, you are the source of all joy. Give me a heart of praise in the coming year, so that your joy can become my very strength!”

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, Come Worship The Lord, courtesy of You Tube.

The Good News: He Loves Us “Just The Way We Are”

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And He cautioned them saying: “Watch out – beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? … When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.” …Then He said, “Do you not yet understand?”

--Mark 8: 14-17, 19. 21

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Let’s face it; on the whole, the gospel portrait of the first followers of Jesus is an unflattering picture. Although there are recorded professions of faith in the gospels, there are also many instances where the faith of Jesus’ followers was weak and they were slow to understand His message.

Plain and simple: sometimes the apostles just didn’t get it.

Many times they had to approach Him privately to have Him explain the meaning of parables (Matthew 13:36). They were also sometimes shocked by His message:
“When the disciples heard they, they were greatly astounded and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’” (Matthew 19:25). And they were slow to understand His coming death and resurrection.

Luke recounts three different times that Jesus foretold His coming Passion (Luke 9:22, 44; 18:31-33). Yet even after the third explanation, the disciples “understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what He said was hidden from them and they did not grasp what was being said” (Luke 18:34).

The simplicity of the apostles continued to the end. Luke recounts that at the Last Supper, even after Jesus had shared His body and blood with them, they fell into a dispute over which of them was most important to Jesus (Luke 22:24). Jesus tried to warn Peter that he would be severely tested, but Peter brushed His words aside with bluster and bravado (Luke 22:31-33).

Jesus told His disciples to be ready for a time of crisis and they reassured Him that they were indeed prepared for it because they had two swords – misunderstanding the true nature of the coming trial (Luke 22:36-38).

It seems to me that Jesus did not pick the most qualified and promising people to be His disciples, but, instead, simply asked people at random to follow Him. Normally, the leader of any new cause would want to assemble the strongest and the bravest; but not Jesus; He actually selected a group of people who were at best unremarkable.

And that, to me, is the ‘good news’ for each and every one of us. No matter how frail our faith is, or how imperfect we are, or how discouraged and weary we’ve become, we are all in good company. The first followers that Jesus chose were no more adept at following Him than we are yet they found eternal life -- not because they earned it but because Jesus freely gave it to them.

Jesus has chosen each of us personally and despite all or our weaknesses, God really does love us “just the way we are.”

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, The Potter's Hands, courtesy of You Tube.

I Wonder As I Wander

8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.


9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.


10 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;


11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.


12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."


13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,


14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"


15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."


16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.


17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;


18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”

-- Wednesday Luke 2:8-20

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, A Charlie Brown Christmas, courtesy of You Tube.



The following video, I Wonder As I Wonder, courtesy of You Tube.

God is With Us

To be called "simple" is not usually a compliment. Yet one dictionary defines the word as meaning plain, honest and intelligible. So maybe it's not such a bad thing to be. Nevertheless, somehow we feel suspicious when something seems too simple. "Where is the catch?" we ask ourselves. It is almost as though we need some elaborate complexities before we can accept it.

Jesus understood this human weakness very well. Throughout his life he used simple illustrations to reveal God's plans. He used the corn, a relaxed meal with friends, fishing and wine-making, so vividly and effectively. Yet the Scribes and Pharisees constantly asked, "What's the catch?" each time they encountered him.

Simplicity is at the heart of Christ's message, "Your heavenly Father loves you as you are", no strings, no catch. Even if we turn away or do not believe this, He still loves us.

During the weeks of Advent, we listen to many rousing prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. At the end of this season we are presented with a little baby. The baby Jesus might appear too simple a solution to the problems of God's people. "What's the catch?" we may ask.

Christ's birth is the celebration of the great Emmanuel (God is with us) mystery. And God is with us so that we may know that we are infinitely loveable. To come as a baby was His first and greatest lesson to us, for it teaches us the most important lessons of all about God's attitude towards us.

A child is full of freshness and trusting love. Its eyes are to the future - to growing up. Unspoilt by prejudice or bitterness, each child is a new beginning. A child's loving confidence can make the greatest villain think again, and it can bring new life to the old and weary.

But the greatest lesson is one which we have all experienced when we have stretched out a tentative finger to a new baby - he or she grasps it with an uncanny strength. Stretch out just one finger to the Lord this Christmas and he will take strong hold of you for as long as you let him.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, Josh Groban, O Holy Night, courtesy of You Tube.

It’s All About A “Heart Change”

Before his near-death experience, Rev. Howard Storm, a Professor of Art at Northern Kentucky University, was not a very pleasant man. He was an avowed atheist and was hostile to every form of religion and those who practiced it. He often would use rage to control everyone around him and he didn't find joy in anything. Anything that wasn't seen, touched, or felt, he had no faith in. He knew with certainty that the material world was the full extent of everything that was. He considered all belief systems associated with religion to be fantasies for people to deceive themselves with. Beyond what science said, there was nothing else.


Howard Storm's Near-Death Experience
On June 1, 1985, at the age of 38, Howard Storm had a near-death experience due to a perforation of the stomach and his life was forever changed. His life was so immensely changed after his near-death experience that he resigned as a professor and devoted his time to attending the United Theological Seminary to become a United Church of Christ minister.

In Howard Storm's book, My Descent Into Death (2000), he describes the future of mankind as given to him by angels he encountered during his NDE in 1985. Storm wrote how they told him, in 1985, that the Cold War would soon end, because "God is changing the hearts of people to love around the world." Storm states, "Since the time in 1985 when I was told these things about the future the Cold War ended with little bloodshed due to the hearts of people being unwilling to tolerate oppressive regimes."


USA will Collapse Economically
Storm described what the angels told him concerning the way things will be on Earth in future: "God is changing the world now. God wants worldwide conversion. God is going to awaken every person to be the person he or she was created to be. Those who accept God's shall flourish and those who deny God's love shall perish. He asked the angels the question: "Will the United States be the leader of the world in this change?"


The angels replied:

The United States has been given the opportunity to be the teacher for the world, but much is expected of those to whom much has been given. The United States has been given more of everything than any country in the history of the world and it has failed to be generous with the gifts. If the United States continues to exploit the rest of the world by greedily consuming the world's resources, the United States will have God's blessing withdrawn.

Your country will collapse economically which will result in civil chaos. Because of the greedy nature of the people, you will have people killing people for a cup of gasoline. The world will watch in horror as your country is obliterated by strife. The rest of the world will not intervene because they have been victims of your exploitation. They will welcome the annihilation of such selfish people.

The United States must change immediately and become the teachers of goodness and generosity to the rest of the world. Today the United States is the primary merchant of war and the culture of violence that you export to the world. This will come to an end because you have the seeds of your own destruction within you. Either you will destroy yourselves or God will bring it to an end if there isn't a change."

The U.S. has been given the opportunity to be the peacemaker of the world. With the medical, agricultural, manufacturing, and scientific knowledge, the U.S. could teach less fortunate countries how to give to every person food, clothing, housing, medical care, education, and economic prosperity. The U.S. has the power to help every person in the world access clean water and hygenic waste disposal.

There are millions of people in the world dying for lack of things people in the U.S. take for granted. This is not God's will. God wants you to know that every person is your brother and sister. God wants every person to have the same fulfillment that a person in the U.S. has. God sees the people of the U.S becoming increasingly greedy, self-centered, and uncaring. There must be a turning to God or the reign of the United States will end.

Storm wrote, “.... I don't know if the richest country in the history of the world is doomed to lose God's blessing or if the people of the United States will become the moral light of the world. How long will God allow the injustice to continue? The future lies in the choices we make right now. God is intervening in direct ways in human events. May God's will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven!"


Failure of Infrastructure and Power Grid
In a SpiritDaily.com online newspaper article on August 18, 2003 by Michael H. Brown entitled Near-Death Prophecy: Man was shown Failure of Infrastructure, Power Grid, Reverend Howard Storm discussed America's future as shown to him during his NDE. He stated:

They made it very clear to me that God had given this country the greatest blessing of any people in the history of the world. We have more of God's blessing. Everything that we have comes from God. We didn't deserve it, we didn't earn it, but we happen to be the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the world. And God gave us all this so that we could be the instruments of God's light in this world, and we are not instruments of light.

In other countries people see us as purveyors of exploitation, military might, and pornography. They see us as completely hedonistic and amoral -- we have no morality. People can do whatever they want wherever they want with whatever they want. Our amorality is a cancer on the rest of the world, and God created us to be just the opposite.

People get mad at me for saying it, but God is very unhappy with what we're doing. When I came back from the experience I was almost out of my mind trying to convert people. God wanted a worldwide conversion thousands of years ago. God pulled out all the stops 2,000 years ago with Jesus. From God's view, that was the definitive moment in human history. And the impact of the prophets and teachers and the Messiah has been a big disappointment to God because people have by and large rejected it.

I was told that God wants this conversion. And if we don't get with the program fairly soon, He is going to have to intervene in some ways that from a human point of view are going to seem cataclysmic. God is really tired of what we're doing to one another and the planet and to His Creation. We were put in this world to be stewards and live in harmony with His creation and one another and we don't realize the important spiritual consequences of what we do when we raise a child in a faithless society.

I asked how [America's purification] would come about, and they said it would be simple, that our society is very dependent on a lot of very fragile things -- energy grid, transportation. In each geographical area of the United States people used to be relatively self-sufficient as far as agricultural products. Now, how long would any state survive without the transport of food and energy?

What would happen is these very complex and delicate grids of our economic system would begin to break down. We've created a society of such cruel and self-centered people that the very nature of civilization would begin to break down. The angels showed me that what would happen is that people would begin robbing the grocery stores, hording goods, and killing one another for gasoline and tires, and as a consequence everything would break down and would end up in chaos....

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Video Howard Storm - The Future of the United States:



As Rev. Storm states, “it is all about a heart change.” May the Christ Child awaken us this Christmas Season into a nation of conversion instead of a nation of decay.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

Rejoice Always

It was a rough night for sure: Paul and Silas had been preaching the gospel in Philippi when they fell into trouble with some of the Gentiles in the city. A miraculous exorcism led to a great big mess that got the two apostles arrested. They were beaten, chained and put in prison without a trial – injustice pervaded all circumstances. (Acts 16:16-40).

Just how did Paul and Silas react to all of this? Did they seek revenge? Did they retreat into a depression? Did they wonder if the gospel they preached was really worth all this trouble?

None of the above. Actually, they rejoiced and sang hymns of praise to God in the midst of all their pain.

While their bodies were bleeding and their bones ached, their hearts were full of faith.

It was this form of holding onto his faith, even in most difficult situations, that inspired Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice Always.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

Advent is a time for all Christians to rejoice. It’s a time to reflect on the Old Testament prophets who announced that a Messiah from God would come to rescue His people. It’s a time to meditate on Mary, to look at why she could rejoice, even as her world was turning upside down. It’s a time to look at Paul and ask, “Why was he able to rejoice even after he was beaten and imprisoned?”

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Let’s face it: things just don’t always go our way; life can sometimes have a few painful twists and turns. When Paul told us to rejoice, it wasn’t because he thought that Christianity is about “doing the happy dance” – quite the contrary! Paul is speaking about rejoicing in the Lord always because God has done great things for us; because He is always with us and because He loves us unconditionally.

Remember on Christmas night, the angel of the Lord announced “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Then a host of angels appeared, proclaiming: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” (2:14). These words tell us to rejoice because God is going to help and strengthen us when things are going well in our lives as well as when we face difficulties.

Father God, as the earth makes way for the coming of Your Son, please prepare our hearts and remove anything that hinders us from feeling the joy and hope that Paul describes in His writings.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, courtesy of You Tube.

Take No Thought For Your Life

Lisa called in despair, “The deal fell through on that house we wanted. I’m so upset!"

“I’m sorry, Lisa, but I’m sure you’ll find another house that will be just as nice or better; just keep the faith!"

“You don’t understand, Judi: this house is everything we’ve wanted! How can you tell me to keep the faith?"

“Because, Lisa, sometimes that’s all you have."

At this time of my life, things couldn’t be worse, yet I, too, must “keep the faith." My family’s move to South Carolina seven years ago has been a disaster both financially and health wise.

My husband had been a successful businessman for over thirty-five years in New York yet South Carolina did not welcome us as we anticipated; actually it dug us deeply in debt. Compounded to that, the environment in this state seriously deteriated both my daughter’s and my health.

Although we have health insurance, our medical bills combined with a declining business wiped up out; we’ve lost everything, including our home.

The irony is that we lived comfortably in Southampton, Long Island yet got “buried alive" in Loris, South Carolina. I don’t get it. My husband doesn’t get it. But God does and I trust Him to see us through this ordeal.

“How can you trust God blindly?" some ask.

In my life, the Lord has always been faithful and, in time, I am confident that my family will overcome these trials. Although I cannot guarantee the outcome, I am optimistic about my family’s future. When I look at my beautiful daughter, I am reminded of the “faith walk" I had taken several years ago when all odds of having a child were against me.

Basically, although I trust God, I know “blind faith" is not the course for many.

For some, finding faith in God is one of the strongest desires. People genuinely want to believe in God, but don't want their belief to be based on blind faith. If God is real, they sometimes wonder, why is it difficult to have faith in God?

The book of Hebrews says, "that without faith it is impossible to please [God], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).

This strikes many people as a “Catch-22." Many wonder how they can believe in God if He doesn't reveal Himself to them? And, if they don't believe in God or if they are tormented by doubts, He apparently will not hear them or respond to them. How can we solve this dilemma?

Faith Is Trust
When you are a passenger in someone’s car, you are taking a leap of faith. You may not think of it that way, but it's true. Chances are that you have no guarantee that the driver will not be in an auto accident but you [usually] trust the driver to get you to your destination unharmed.

Another example for parents is to trust a baby sitter with your child. As a parent, I am convinced that only I can give the best care for my child, yet there have been times I have needed a sitter. To my “amazement," my daughter happily survived.

The real question, I believe, when it comes to faith in God, is this: Do you trust that God is real? Are you living in the reality that God is your loving Father?

Take No Thought For Your Life
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life..." Matthew 6:25

Jesus said this to his disciples in His famous, Sermon on the Mount. His teaching was on placing our hearts on true treasure and was drawing a line between the world and the kingdom of God.

It is interesting how He starts this, because He says, “take no thought." He knows that the thoughts of our heart and mind are one and the same. It is here that the battle is decided. We choose blessing or curse from here. It is here that we can be drawn away.

Jesus says, in Matthew 6:31-33, “Therefore take no thought, saying,What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Jesus is saying to remove our own thoughts because they are tied up in the treasures on earth. He wants us to take these and “cast them upon Him for He cares for us" 1 Peter 5:7 KJV. We are to think of His kingdom as eternal because it will not fade, and “all these (other) things shall be added unto you." When our thoughts are on His plan and His kingdom, it is then that we can bear fruit. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5 KJV

Do you see what Jesus is doing? He is replacing our thoughts or cares with what? Faith. We take off our own thoughts, and replace them with faith in Christ because without Him we can do nothing. (John 15:5).

In order to have faith, we have to renew our mind. 1 Corinthians 2:12 says, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God…." and verse 16 follows “But we have the mind of Christ." So we have the mind of Christ! We live in victory and in fruitfulness if we put on the mind of Christ.

For those of us struggling this Christmas Season, my prayer is this:

Father God, I ask that You be with us in all our battles. Help us to be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when we persist. Help us to hold firm in our faith. Help us to believe in our ability to act wisely. Amen.

©Judi Lynn Lake. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, El Shaddai, courtesy of You Tube.

A Prayer For Lori

This Advent Season, I feel the urgency to gather prayers for an amazing, God-filled woman, Lori, who is battling breast cancer; what better gift to have bestowed upon her and her family this Christmas Season than the gift of healing?

I encourage each of you to acquaint yourselves with Lori's courageous spirit of love by visiting her blog: http://lorimoon.com/

I humbly [and boldly] ask all whom happen upon this post to join me in prayer for Lori’s healing:

Jesus, Master Physician of all times, Your Divinity did not require a Ph.D. Eagerly, You resurrected the dead, Restoring the health of the sick. Be it physical or spiritual torment, None were a great obstacle to You: For Your loving power is omnipotent.

Oh, Lord, who are the only source of health and healing, the spirit of calm and the central peace of this universe, grant to Lori such a consciousness of your indwelling and surrounding presence that she may permit you to give her health and strength and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I request also that this "prayer-chain" be passed on to others because we know that our Jesus tells us that when two or more are gathered in His Name, He is always present with us.

God bless all of you this Christmas Season.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, Jesus of Nazareth - The Centurion, courtesy of You Tube.

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The following video, All things are possible - Hillsong, courtesy of You Tube.

An Underground Catechism

The delightful, whimsical classic, “The Twelve Days of Christmas" is far more than just a repetitious melody with a list of bizarre gifts. The purpose of the song, to my surprise, was actually “an underground catechism" for persecuted Catholics in England. The "Twelve Days of Christmas" are the twelve days between Christmas and the Epiphany (January 6th) when, it is believed, the Three Wise Men arrived upon the scene of the nativity.

The world in general celebrates Christmas for only one day, but the Church celebrates the event for twelve days because it is believed that the gift of Christ is with all people for twelve months of the year. Between the years 1558 and 1829, it was a serious crime to be Catholic. During this time, every Catholic in England was prohibited, either privately or publicly, from practicing their faith. Without regular mass, sacraments, or catechism lessons, it was difficult for parents to teach their children about Catholicism. Thus, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was created in order to keep Catholicism alive.

The song served as a memory aid to help young Catholic children secretly learn the tenets of their faith during a time when Catholicism was unlawful and could result in either imprisonment or death. Since the words to the song appeared little more than rhyming nonsense, young Catholics could freely sing it without fear of retribution. In a sense, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an allegory with each word symbolizing a religious significance.

The gifts referenced contain hidden meanings to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The "true love" mentioned was meant to represent God Himself. The "me" who is the recipient of the presents was intended to symbolize every person who had been baptized into the Catholic faith.

"A partridge in a pear tree" was representative of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge in memory of the expression of Christ’s sadness over the fate of Jerusalem:

Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so....

"A mother partridge will feign injury in order to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings. Children hearing these words would know, and understand, the parallel between the acts of this mother bird and the sacrifice of Christ. In other words, it was representative of the one true God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Some believe this to also be significant of the "tree" upon which Christ was crucified.

"Two turtle doves" was representative of gifts from God in the Old and New Testaments. Since the dove symbolizes peace, it was believed that the Gospel contained in these scriptures, when practiced, would bring peace.

"Three French hens" was representative of Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues. This is also sometimes referenced as Faith, Hope and Love, the three gifts of the "Spirit that abide" (I Corinthians 13). The French hens may also represent God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

"Four calling birds" was representative of the Four Gospels which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ and/or the Four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

"Five golden rings" was representative of the first Five Books of the Old Testament (also known as the "Pentateuch" or the "Books of Moses") which relate the history of mankind’s fall from grace and chronicle the law condemning humankind for their sins.

"Six geese a-laying" was representative of the Six Days of Creation.

"Seven swans a-swimming" was representative of the "Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit" or the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic faith (I Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12; Ephesians 4; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

"Eight maids a-milking" was representative of the Eight Beatitudes.

"Nine ladies dancing" was representative of the Nine Choirs of Angels or the Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit, namely: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23).

"Ten lords a-leaping" was representative of the Ten Commandments.

"Eleven pipers piping" was representative of the eleven faithful Disciples.

"Twelve drummers drumming" was representative of the twelve points of belief or doctrine in the Apostles Creed: 1. Believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; 2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; 5. The third day He rose again from the dead; 6. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; 7. From thence he shall come to judge the Quick and the dead; 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost; 9. Belief in the communion of saints; 10. The forgiveness of sins; 11. The resurrection of the body; 12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

Although my research questions the validity of this legend I offer this as a gift of encouragement for all. May this tale keep your faith alive, give you courage, and determination this Christmas Season and always.

© 2007 Judi Lynn Lake. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, A Charlie Brown Christmas, courtesy of You Tube.

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YWCA’s Christian Roots Sells Out

The YWCA, also known as the Young Women's Christian Association, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. This organization, a “women’s membership movement nourished by its roots in the Christian faith” is also pro-choice and supports the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).

To launch its 150th anniversary, the YWCA launched its “Own It! Campaign” on November 24 to “engage younger women on the important issues they face today.”

At the event, the group distributed the results of a national survey, “What Women Want: A National Survey of Priorities and Concerns.”

In the report, 31 percent of the women interviewed said abortion should be legal in most cases, and 23 percent said it should be legal in all cases; 24 percent said it should be illegal in most cases, and 16 percent said it should be illegal in all cases. The other respondents were not sure or declined to answer.

“Well, the YWCA has always been pro-choice, so this is a topic that we would be very supportive of, and again, in a survey that we just completed of women, the majority of women across age groups support a woman’s right to choose,” Dr. Lorraine Cole, chief executive officer of the YWCA, told CNSNews.com.

Mark Crutcher of Pro Life Dynamics, a non-profit organization that conducts abortion research and runs the “Abortion Malpractice Litigation” campaign against abortion providers, said an organization like the YWCA taking a pro-choice stance is “outrageous.”

“It’s undefendable,” he said. “I would understand it when you see something like the Playboy Foundation supporting legalized abortion. You see those kinds of people supporting abortion rights, and it makes perfect sense.

“What doesn’t make sense is an organization who claims to be Christian and support the interests of women having a pro-choice stance. That’s absolutely preposterous,” Crutcher added.

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What is FOCA?
The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is legislation co-sponsored by President-Elect Barack Obama which would nullify all state laws that in any way attempt to limit or regulate abortion, including partial-birth abortion. Ironically, it specifies that government will not interfere with a woman’s choice to keep or to kill her unborn child. Nevertheless, FOCA would be a major move towards the dangerous precipice of government-mandated abortion, since it would consolidate all power over birth control into the hands of federal law and authorities. From there it would only be a small step to amend it in the light of overriding national health interests, environmental or population concerns, or any other reason deemed appropriate. Thus the FOCA clause in section 4.b.1.a, stating that a woman has the “right to choose to bear a child” could conveniently and easily be changed to, for example, that a woman has the right to choose to bear up to two children. More ominously, it could be amended to state that a woman has the right to bear a child, except in cases of rape, incest, Down syndrome, etc.

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Barack Obama Promised to Sign FOCA
Video, courtesy of You Tube

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What Is A Partial Birth Abortion?
Video, courtesy of You Tube.

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TAKE A STAND TODAY AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
Americans United for Life (AUL) is calling on state legislatures to take action against FOCA before it reaches Obama's desk.


Nearly 300,000 Americans have expressed their opposition to FOCA. FOCA would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide.

It will eradicate state and federal abortion laws that the majority of Americans support and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at: http://www.FightFOCA.com

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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Alone Is Alone And Not Alive

As an artist, I am often asked if having a family “cramps my style." Wouldn’t it be better to be alone and spend entire days creating without any interruptions?

Wouldn’t it?

Sometimes.

Sometimes, just when I am on a “roll" my daughter comes in my office to ask me something she’s asked me a million times. Or, my husband will insist that I eat dinner at the table when I’d much rather continue doing what I’m doing. Or my father will ask me for the upteenth time when his next doctor appointment is.

Yes, sometimes a family is inconvenient when you are a creative.

Yet…

…I think of the alternative: being alone. Never to be told, “I love you" with “that look;" never to be hugged with jelly covered hands; and never to be protected “because you are mine."

No, if I were to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Alone is alone and not alive and, even with all of the interruptions and inconveniences, I know I am alive. As I pen these short thoughts, I think of an old Broadway song, “Being Alive," by Stephen Sondheim:

Someone To Hold You Too Close,

Someone To Hurt You Too Deep,

Someone To Sit In Your Chair,

To Ruin Your Sleep,

To Make You Aware

Of Being Alive....

Someone To Need You Too Much,

Someone To Know You Too Well,

Someone To Pull You Up Short,

To Put You Through Hell,

And Give You Support

Is Being Alive....

Someone You Have To Let In,

Someone Whose Feelings You Spare,

Someone Who,

Like It Or Not,

Will Want You To Share,

A Little A Lot,

Is Being Alive....

Someone To Crowd You With Love,

Someone To Force You To Care,

Someone To Make You Come Through,

Who`ll Always Be There,

As Frightened As You

Of Being Alive,

Being Alive....

No, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Alone is alone and not alive. Thank you Lord for my family and "all the little annoyances" that comes with being loved…

© 2008 Judi Lynn Lake. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, Being Alive - Company - Patti LuPone, courtesy of You Tube.

What Better Way To ‘Celebrate’ The Birth Of Our Lord…

IN (LifeNews.com) -- In what could easily become the most offensive Christmas offer ever a Planned Parenthood affiliate is offering Christmas gift certificates. Purchasers can use them to give the gift of abortion even though the group claims that's not its purpose or intent.

"Looking for an unusual, yet practical gift this holiday season? Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) is now offering gift certificates for services or the recipient's choice of birth control method," the abortion business says.

The gift certificates can be purchased in increments of $25 online at the group's web site or for any amount at some of PPIN's 35 statewide facilities.

While PPIN president and CEO Betty Cockrum say they can be redeemed for contraception, birth control and legitimate medical services like breast exams and Pap tests, they can also be used to pay for abortions.

"Why not buy a loved one a gift this holiday season that they really need," Cockrum says in a press release LifeNews.com obtained. "The gift certificates are also a wonderful idea for that person in your life who puts everyone else first."

"Please join Planned Parenthood of Indiana and give the gift of health this holiday season," she adds.

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"It is difficult to think of a more tasteless, ghoulish thing to give anyone. I refuse to refer to these financial instruments as gifts as they are nothing more than a legal way to put a hit out on someone," said a participant in a forum at the online Lone Star Times, where the plan was reported.

"Planned Parenthood, this generation's King Herod, you know, the guy who ordered the mass slaughter of babies when Jesus was born," added WND columnist Jill Stanek, who also documented the plan on her blog.

According to the Lone Star Times, the nation's leading player in the abortion industry is "celebrating the most important crisis pregnancy of all time by selling gift certificates, perfect for the woman who has everything but moral fiber … And it's so much easier than finding the perfect 'Baby's First Christmas' ornament."

According to WISH-TV in Indianapolis, the controversial plan has people talking.

"People are making really tough decisions about putting gas in their car and food on their table, so we know that many women especially put healthcare at the bottom of their list to do," Chrystal Struben-Hall, an official for the abortion business, told the station.

The report said the certificates come in $25 increments and can be used for everything from birth control to $58 examinations that include breast exams and pap tests.

"They can be seen for sexually transmitted disease screenings, HIV tests and general prostate exams and those kinds of things," said Struben-Hall.

But can they be used for abortions?

Of course, Struben-Hall said. "We decided not to put restrictions on."




Stanek has campaigned to alert the American public of President-elect Barack Obama's extreme pro-abortion position. In fact, Obama considered partial birth abortion a "legitimate medical procedure" and opposed a requirement that abortionists provide life-preserving care for infants who survive abortion attempts, because of the burden it would impose on the abortionist.

On the Lone Star Times forums page, the reactions ranged from horror, to, well, horror:

• "A gift for those who only want to kill the very innocent."


• "Good for one dead baby."


• "Redeem this at Planned Parenthood. No other redemption possible. Ever."

• "What a marvelous way for the donor as well as the recipient-user to have blood on their hands."


• "No matter what you believe about abortions this has GOT to disgust people that you would 'give' that kind of thing as a gift to someone!?? I mean WHO would you give it to??? 'Here best friend in case you ever need an abortion.'"


• "I met a woman once who CELEBRATED her abortion because she was 'happy that no MAN could tell her what to do with her body.' It was all I could do to walk away silently without puking in her face. She's the kind of person that would give all the women she knew one of these gift death certificates.

• World News Daily has reported Planned Parenthood's various "Choice on Earth" campaigns at Christmas.

One promotion included a "holiday" card that said, "'Tis the season to share with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones the message of 'choice on earth.'"

At that time Jim Sedlak, executive director of American Life League's STOPP International, slammed Planned Parenthood.

"In its continual attempt to 'normalize' abortion, Planned Parenthood has once again chosen to offend the Christian community by releasing the latest edition of its 'Choice on Earth' holiday cards," said Sedlak in a statement. "Contrary to the open-minded image the abortion organization aims to present for itself, Planned Parenthood has zero tolerance for anyone – or any religious group – that recognizes abortion as an evil act that kills a pre-born baby."

The controversial theme is derived from a passage in the Gospel of Luke, where an angel announces to shepherds the birth of their savior in Bethlehem.

The King James version of the Bible states: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"

"By replacing 'peace' with 'choice,' or more accurately, 'killing the innocent on earth,' Planned Parenthood is essentially saying 'abortion on earth,'" Sedlak said. "This blatant mockery of Christian values – and of Christ Himself – truly demonstrates the bigoted, anti-religion, anti-God nature of Planned Parenthood."

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This past November 4, America had made it’s choice, however, all Christians must be in the forefront to lead by good example, and convince the world that Christ and Christian models are the solution for America's turmoil. As Christians, we are morally obligated to pray and to work together to abolish the evil of abortion in America, limiting it as much as we can until it is finally abolished.

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Judi Lynn Lake has kept up with leading edge business trends throughout her varied and successful career. She had already had her "15 minutes of fame" over and over again before starting her family. Judi and her family now reside in South Carolina, but, having been born and raised on Long Island, NY, it is clearly evident that she will always be a "New Yorker." Today, she successfully runs her own advertising agency which handles everything from logos, branding and package design while she continues to work closely with self-published authors from design to promotion. For more information, visit judilake.com

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The following video, Pro-Life, courtesy of You Tube.



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