Sunday, December 9, 2012

Will Your Christmas Be Merry?


Why am I so sad?
    Why am I so troubled?
I will put my hope in God,
    and once again I will praise him,
    my savior and my God.


Psalm 42:11

Good News Translation (GNT)

           Are you planning to have a sad Christmas?

            For many of us Christmas can be a time of sadness, despair, and loneliness.  The memories of past happier Christmases may haunt us.  Perhaps we have loved ones who are gone.  Some us may be dealing with financial woes or health issues.  The holiday season may seem like a burdensome time that we'd rather forget about.

           I hope this is not the case for any of you.   We have plenty of reason for celebration.



...the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.

Luke 2:10

Good News Translation (GNT)



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6 comments:

  1. LEE, just curious . . . which Bible translation do you generally study?

    I see you've quoted here from the Good News Translation, but unless I miss my guess, this is a first for this blog.

    I know I've seen you quote from the New King James Version here in the past, and perhaps also from the NIV.

    Do you have any personal preference?

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  2. New American Standard is the translation I keep on my desk. For these posts I go to the Bible Gateway website and pick the translation that most suits me for what's on my mind and what I'm writing about.

    I've been using NAS because I was given a new copy a couple years ago and it's very nicely sized to carry with me and I haven't found any problems with it. I also refer to my wife's NIV if I'm using a hard copy book form, but these days when I look things up I usually go online to do it.

    Lee

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  3. Thanks for the response, ARLEE BOIDMAN.

    I have a copy of the NAS version as well, and it's often my "go-to" Bible for Old Testament passages. For New Testament accuracy I rely primarily on my George M. Lamsa translation into English from the ancient Aramaic.

    I also have copies of the KJV, and the NKJV, which was the first Bible I ever read and which I still like a lot. Overall, the NIV is probably the most popular translation in America today. I've read enough from the NIV to know I don't care for it at all and therefore I've never owned a copy of that translation. I guess it's kind of fitting that the Bible most of America has embraced is one of those I like the least. It seems I'm almost always swimming against the (main)stream. I don't do so deliberately, but it just seems to be the natural order of things for me.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  4. Enjoyed your post albiet late. I will be spending Christmas alone totally. The first time ever. Though hopefully I will be working on my A to Z next year.

    Lee Hypster is not working, do you know of any other music site I can use to put my songs with my post as I miss it very much.

    Yvonne.

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  5. Lovely posting and I don't think I plan of being sad for Christmas, and I don't know whether I would call it sad nor happy. Not sure it's an in between type of feeling. I am happy because once again we can recount the story of Christ's birth; sad I guess because there is so much hustle and bustle and not knowing if my gift will be hated. Then there are the worries about when the bill comes in January. So for me it's like a Pinata of feelings. Enjoyed this posting and your reminder from Luke 2:10

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  6. StMc -- I also have at least 5 other translations besides the NIV and NAS. These days I don't look at most of them. Going on line is so easy.

    Yvonne -- I hope you will make the best of your Christmas. Sometimes alone time can be very productive if we don't dwell on the negatives. No, I don't know of any other music sites. I have used any of those types of site for quite some time.

    GG-- I will probably be experiencing an in-between feeling as well. For the first time in several years I will not be going to visit my daughters and my mother. I'm going to especially miss my granddaughters. I hope not too many people overdo the credit. I'm afraid that a lot of folks have an unrealistic perspective and will be spending money they don't and won't have. Recipe for financial difficulties I'd say. Thanks for taking time to comment.

    Lee

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