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(Slow Cooker Pork Chops)
As we celebrate Christmas, there are many sounds and smells that remind us of the holiday. Christmas cookies baking. Chestnuts roasting on the fire. Your favorite meal baking in the oven. Snowflakes. Christmas cards. Favorite Christmas movies. Excited children. Shopping. Wrapping. All are fun things we experience. All are good things. For me the best part of Christmas is the music. I love Christmas music. I love being in church and singing the carols; hearing the Christmas story read from God's Word. As I thought about the "sounds" of Christmas, a short devotional was born. May I share it with you?
J-oy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and heaven and nature sing.
E-mmanuel. Emmanuel. His name is called Emmanuel. God is with us. He is with us. His name is called, Emmanuel.
S-ing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; Sing, all ye bright hosts of heaven above. Glory to God, all glory in the highest. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.
U-nto us a child is born unto us a son is given. The government will rest on his shoulders and he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.
S-weeter as the years go by, Sweeter as the years go by: Richer, fuller, deeper, Jesus' love is sweeter, Sweeter as the years go by.
Is this your Christmas experience? Can you sing "Joy to the World" that God sent this precious Gift for you. This Gift that assures you of sins forgiven and the promise of eternal life?
Do you experience every single day that "God is with you". He is you know. His name reminds us of that. The name Joseph and Mary gave to their precious Son - Emmanuel- which means "God with us".
Is there a song of rejoicing in your heart, not only at this season of the year but throughout the year? Do you hear the angels singing? Does your heart join them in song as you "come and adore Him"? My wish for you is that you would experience true rejoicing every single day of 2014 as you adore the Christ; Jesus the Son of God, because truly He is our "Wonderful Counselor. Our Mighty God. Our Everlasting Father. Our Price of Peace".
If you know the Christ of Christmas personally as your Lord and Savior, then I trust it is your experience that Jesus does, indeed, grow "sweeter as the years go by". I cannot imagine life without him in it. No matter where my journey in life takes me, whether it is a journey of joy or sorrow, knowing that Jesus is with me truly does make the journey less painful and much sweeter.
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16, 17) Invite Jesus into your life this Christmas to know the real meaning and joy of the season.
Slow-Cooker Pork Chops
4 1" thick pork chops
1 can cream of Chicken Soup
1 package of Ranch Dressing mix
Put Chops in the bottom of your crock pot. Spoon the soup over the chops. Sprinkle the Ranch Dressing mix over all. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
