Published 1st Nov. 23, 2019

By Julia Bettencourt

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14 One of the best things I’ve always loved about Christmas is making handmade gifts and decorations. I’m a crafty person so I guess it falls in the fun category for me, but it’s more than just fun. It’s a meaningful thing for me.

There’s such a satisfaction to see the look in someone’s face when they know you’ve taken the time to go the extra mile for them or to do something catered just for them. I’ve always enjoyed being on the receiving end of those homemade gifts and goodies as well, especially those ones that come from the oven. They envelop all of your senses and help develop some wonderful memories for the future. I really don’t think you have to be crafty or make your ornaments or gifts yourself to enjoy a handmade Christmas though. I think we can make our own handmade Christmas by just using our hands to make it a special time. You might not be cross-stitching or sewing or any of those things, but you might be putting a little time in to decorate and make things special for your family. You might be donating some time to a soup kitchen, going through your closets to make donations, taking some canned goods to the food bank. You may just be planning your activities so you can schedule in the people you love in order to spend time with them. I think it’s all those special touches we add in that makes it a Handmade Christmas. A Handmade Christmas Speaks to the Heart.

When we say someone “speaks to the heart”, we consider that what they say or do is real and genuine. That is how Christ always has spoken. We see it in the way He dealt with people when He was on earth and we see it in how His Word is written for us. We see it in how Christ deals with us and speaks to us on a continual basis. Of course not literally speaks, but how the Lord can give those words of comfort and joy to us when we most need them. He may send along a friend to encourage us, give us a sermon, or a Bible verse that we realize is just for us personally. A Handmade Christmas Requires Investment.

Being a crafter most of my life, I know there are those things you can do on a budget but I also know that creating can also cost a pretty penny. It depends what you are doing. I’ve created things for gifts that I know would have been much cheaper and easier if I’d had purchased them, but to me it was worth it to put in the money, time, and labor required. Not only do those handmade gifts take an investment but even for those who aren’t cut out for the creating scene, gift giving in general still takes time, effort, and investment. That is especially true when you have to go to ten places, fighting crowds, weather, and all the other things that tend to slow down our holiday shopping endeavors.

I love the fact that Christ invested in me. At Christmas we are reminded how Christ left His heavenly home and came to this earth, and He literally gave His life for us on the cross. A Handmade Christmas is Filled With Love.

When people take the time and effort to make homemade goodies for others, or take the time to purchase gifts for their family and friends, it is one of the ways they show their love. When Christ came on that first Christmas so long ago, look at the love that God showed toward us. John 3:16, says that “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…”. A Handmade Christmas is Intended to be Passed On.

I like the idea of sharing gifts at Christmas. I think it is a reminder of how God gave us the Greatest Gift of His Son. We give baked goodies out to share. We give special gifts that can be kept and passed on to one’s family. We do things that can be passed on as traditions. The passing on of gifts and traditions is at the very heart of how most of us celebrate Christmas.

What better thing can we pass on than God’s love and His Son? We are admonished to “go” and tell the world, and Christmas is such an opportunity to witness to others that we should take advantage of it. Conclusion: I love all those homemade goodies at Christmas from the gingerbread men and sugar cookies that come popping out of the oven to taking out the Christmas boxes and looking through all the ornaments my kids have made for me over the years and putting them on the tree. Those are the things that give me a wonderful feeling. Handmade means made with your hands and that is what makes a Handmade Christmas so special.

It isn’t necessarily making everything with material, wood, or yarn. We aren’t all crafters and bakers, but it is putting your hands on Christmas with a special touch whether it’s for your family, friends, or community. It includes all that love and effort that people give to spend time with their families and show their love by choosing the very best gifts to give for each person. What a wonderful gift that God gave us. He knew exactly what we needed as humans. We needed a Savior. It was the greatest way He could show His love for us. Christ was our Gift made and given by God’s own hand. And oh what a treat He gave us in the Christmas story!

We have a star, angels, shepherds, wise men, and a little Baby born through a miraculous birth. You can clearly see God’s hand in all that transpired in the Christmas Story. So, what handmade touch will you give this Christmas?

Excerpts from a paper by {www.Vitin Mehta.com} Humanity is at a crossroads of mindsets. One mindset is that of Domination, which we have been swimming in for thousands of years. This insecurity creates the need to control others, and when this control is threatened then the insecurity deepens further to exercise power to rule over others. In modern civilization the political, economic and religious leaders guide humanity. When their powers are questioned and challenged, they turn to the next level which is manipulation. We see this everyday within our governments, corporation, and NGO” like the World Bank through political elections, corporate lobbying, and international lending. This mind game of manipulation is based on living in the past, which creates an unfriendly world. An example of this is the war in the Middle East . This unfriendly world creates warfare among the geopolitical nations, class warfare between the haves and the have- nots and the war on terrorism based on religious fanatic belief system. This unfriendly world drives us to the mindset of “take or be taken”. How much do I benefit or take away from this proposition? Everyone looks at each other through the eyes of suspicion. Finally, the cycle of domination brings us to “blame” or blaming each other rather than taking responsibility. At this point, no love remains.

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

Metaphysics can be applied to every area of life. Thoughts can become so powerful along with feelings and images when we are young that we can actually believe that we have lived them. Metaphysics is a heart connection and is essential to personal happiness and success. We also have a heart connection with the earth which is essential for human survival. Our ego mind is dualistic in nature. If we ask for health then we are admitting that we are ill, if we ask for wealth we must be admitting that we are living in poverty. Metaphysics is about learning to recognize false fear-based beliefs and replace those with self-love. The heart is actually a center for consciousness and intelligence, it is the connection of our mind to Spirit. If we want to be truly happy and peaceful, healthy and prosperous then we must learn to make that connection. Some people follow a system of rituals and practices such as meditation that help to detach them from mundane activities and live a spiritual life. Now that we have discovered that meditation can improve our lives let us look at how you can attract and maintain prosperity. Some people measure prosperity by the amount of money they have while in actuality it is so much more. It also includes love, health, and happiness. In order to attract these things to us, we have to have an attitude of continued expectancy. Our mind should always be open to new ideas, inspirations, and intuitions flowing from the mind of Spirit because Spirit or our Higher Power is our only true source of supply and prosperity. We can always discover greater prosperity by keeping our mind open and receptive and clear by focusing on what is the truth, it is by knowing the truth and keeping our focus on the Spirit within that we find the peace which leads to prosperity and positive and happy life. We can know that we have the Spirit within through meditation, we are assured that He is the central core of our being and mind, producing the greatest positive attitude for achieving prosperity. We must do away with every negative thought and affirm that with this High Power within us we are already prosperous and living a fulfilled and happy life the way that it was always meant to be.

By Rev. Marie Yvonne

Today I live in the quiet joyous expectation of good.—Ernest Holmes.

As the water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.—Proverbs 27:19.

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

It is not who you are or what you have been that God sees with his all-merciful eyes, but what you desire to be.—The Cloud Of Unknowing {c.1375}.

No one has ever seen God. Yet if we love one another God dwells in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.—1 John 4:12.

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

In a real sense, all life is interrelated. All are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.—Martin Luther King, Jr. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.—Psalm 19:

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved, it is a reality to be lived.—Aart Van Der Leeuwarden.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27{RSV|

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.—Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.—Matt.6:34

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

No matter what looms ahead, if you can eat today, enjoy the sunlight today, mix good cheer with friends today, enjoy it and bless God for it. —Henry Ward Beecher.

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

Meditation is nothing but coming back home, just to have a little rest inside. —Osho

When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.—Proverbs 16:7

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

Life is not lost by dying; Life is lost minute by minute, day by day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.—Stephen Vincent Benet.

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

As the hand is made for holding and the eye for seeing, Thou hast fashioned me for joy. Share with me the vision that shall find it everywhere.—Gaelic Prayer.

Perfect love cast out fear. -1st. John 4:18.

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

There are times in everyone’s life when we become angry and we let our emotions become so overwhelming that we lose all sense of reason and suddenly we are saying things that we should never say..Then all of a sudden reality strikes and we are filled with shame and remorse, wishing we could retract the angry and hurtful things that we said.When we start realizing how disrespectful those words were, we shamefully begin to wonder if we even damaged our relationship with God. But God reassures us in his word that we don’t have to fear because he is always with us even when we are at our worst. He knows where our hurt comes from We sometimes forget that God is strong enough to bear what we say and handle our weakness. He is Devine, we are human, so go to him in confidence, he is always ready to forgive.

May God Bless You

New Hope Ministry & Missions (Baptist)

Thoughts Of Christmas

As Christmas comes around once more
Our mind goes back in time,
To that first Christmas long ago
When so bright a star did shine.

It shone brightly down upon the earth
Showing man the way,
To find the Baby Jesus
That God sent to us that day.

Peace on earth goodwill to men
Angels sang that Heavenly night,
As a choir sang Hosanna
And the Eastern star shone bright.

The wise men followed that same star
Right to the manger bed,
Where only straw was placed inside
To rest the Baby’s head.

But as the lights all glitter
And shoppers hurry by,
Such little thought is given
To that tiny Baby’s cry.

Our time is filled with warping gifts
For giving and receiving,
With little time to think about
The first Christmas and its meaning.

As you and I run here and there
Preparing for that day,
How often do we think about
That Baby in the hay.

God gave the greatest gift of all
And this should be our reason,
To remember our Lord Jesus birth
At every Christmas Season.

Rev. Marie Yvonne.

Begin Your Life With God

As you start your life together

As you’re joined by God above,

Just remember you are guided

By our Heavenly Father’s Love.

As you journey life day by day

As you travel hand in hand,

Remember always trust in Him

Your love was in His plan.

And as you live your life together

As the Lord has planned for you,

And when life’s trials may appear

As trials often do.

Remember just to trust in God

And He will see you through…

And when our dear one leaves us

For their journey far away,

We know if we are faithful

We will join them too someday.

We will greet one another

Around God’s great throne,

We will all be together

When God calls us home.

Rev. Marie Yvonne

Easter 2017

Christ Church Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The church is located at 414 Sparks Street in the northwest section of the city’s downtown, at the western end of Sparks Street, overlooking a promontory that looks down to the Ottawa River.

Philemon Wright, a native of Woburn, Massachusetts, came to Canada in 1800. Making his way up the Ottawa River, and looking for a satisfactory place to settle, he finally came to the Chaudière Falls, and was pleased with the character of the land on the north side of the river, so he decided to settle there. In later years, the flourishing settlement of Wrightstown would evolve into the village of Hull, and eventually become the City of Gatineau. Following the War of 1812, the Township of March was established for the benefit of retired military officers and men. It was situated further upriver on the south side. In 1824, Nicholas Sparks crossed the river from then Hull and carved a home for himself out of the heavy timber on the high cliffs of the south shore. In doing so, he became the first citizen of what would later become Bytown, and much later, the City of Ottawa. Colonel John By and the Royal Engineers arrived two years later to build the Rideau Canal, connecting the Ottawa River with Lake Ontario.

In 1896, the Diocese of Ottawa was established as a separate entity from the northern part of the Diocese of Ontario. The Right Reverend Charles Hamilton was elected as the first bishop of the new diocese. On Easter Day 1897, it was formally announced that Christ Church would become the cathedral of the new diocese.

A memorial plaque is dedicated to Zachary Richard Edmund Lewis, of the North-West Mounted Police and of “D” Co. 2nd Battery Royal Canadian Regiment, who died 18 February, AD 1900 and his father Lewis, Esquire, M.D.

A memorial plaque is dedicated to members of the congregation who died or served during World War I. Erected by the 77th Overseas Battalion, C.E.F., and unveiled on June 11, 1916, a memorial plaque is dedicated to members of the Battalion who attended service at Christ Church Cathedral.

Memorial plaques are dedicated to Lieutenant Ayton Richey Leggo, Eric Munro Anderson and to Lieutenant Edmund Brown, a chorister in the Cathedral who laid down his life for his friends on the fields of France during the Great War.

Erected by the Governor General’s Foot Guards, a memorial 1916 Regimental Colour of the 77th Battalion (Ottawa), CEF, is dedicated to the 77th Battalion (Ottawa), CEF.

In November 1931, a special meeting of the Vestry unanimously agreed to begin construction of a new chancel, extending to the street line of Queen Street, to mark its 50th anniversary in 1932. A.J. Hazelgrove designed an enlarged chancel, and the building contract was given to John Ferguson. The work of tearing down the old chancel began immediately after Easter 1932, and on December 22, 1932, a thanksgiving Eucharist was celebrated in the new, vastly expanded chancel. The completion of the new chancel marked 100 years since the establishment of the first church in Bytown.

A memorial Queens Colour, 1874 Regimental Colour, and description text erected by members of the Regiment, was unveiled on 21 May 1933, and is dedicated to the Governor General’s Foot Guards.

Erected by the Christ Cathedral, a memorial Sanctuary lamp and the lights in the chancel are dedicated to members of the Cathedral who died in World War II.

Erected by the Governor General’s Foot Guards and unveiled on 4 October 1959, a memorial King’s Colour and plaque at Christ Church Cathedral is dedicated to the Governor General’s Foot Guards. Erected by members of the Regiment, a memorial Queens Colour, Regimental Colour, and text was unveiled on 31 August 1969, and is dedicated to the 1st Battalion, The Canadian Guards. Governor General Vincent Massey presented this Colour on 5 October 1957.

The Rowley Family carved the Reredos.

A stained glass memorial window, “I am alive forevermore,” is dedicated to Major Robert Donaldson, Late HM 41st The Welsh Regiment and family members. Major Donaldson had died in December 1864.

A stained-glass Memorial West Window, designed and installed by Christopher Wallis in 1982, depicts the cathedral’s history, early French and English explorers in Bytown, and an ANIK-B satellite. The cathedral is regularly included amongst other architecturally interesting and historically significant buildings in Doors Open Ottawa, held annually in June

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church_Cathedral_(Ottawa)