The Perfect Christmas Gift~ Rachel Melillo

Christmas time! I love Christmas time! And as most teenagers, I love Christmas... for a multitude of reasons. I love to give, but it would be a lie if I said that I didn't like to receive as well. I remember each Christmas, my aunts and uncles would ask me what my favorite gift was and I would usually name the most expensive Christmas gift. In my head, it made sense for my favorite gift to equal the one that cost the most money.

Though I've always known that Jesus was God's gift to us, it didn't really sink in until I was older. One Christmastime after I rededicated my life to Christ, I realized how crazy it was that God would become a baby. A baby. I mean, think about that, the Maker of the universe became the most dependent human being possible. When it comes right down to it, all babies can really do is cry and go to the bathroom. That's really humbling. God didn't have to do that; He could have skipped that step and just hopped down to earth as a twenty-five year old man and then saved the world.

I've always heard of people referring to babies as God's gift to us. How much more amazing is it to think that God gave us a baby? He gave us a miracle baby from Himself. He gave us the perfect gift.

Did you know that Rachel's favorite number is 144?!?!
Did you know that Abby's favorite candy is Nerds?!

Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Abby Whear.

Christmas Check List~ Haylie Gregory

Christmas comes and goes so quickly, so, in order to get the most out of this joyous holiday, I have made a list of things to do! Why don’t you try to do this list as well!

1)      Read Luke 1 and 2 and pray to God, thanking Him for the best gift ever, His Son!

2)      Send out actual Christmas cards, not those electronic ones you get in an email!

3)      Watch your favorite Christmas movie with you family!

4)      Go through all of your stuff and donate what you don’t want!

5)      Bake goodies and give them away! (I know, it’s hard to give away such treats, but it’s better to give than to receive!)

6)      Share some hot chocolate or apple cider with a friend!

7)      Volunteer at a food pantry or soup kitchen, better yet, just volunteer somewhere!

8)      Get a candy cane.

9)      Read ‘Finding Father Christmas’ by Robin Jones Gunn. It’s a great Christmas read!

10)  Hand out invites to your churches Christmas service! (Family and friends don’t count!)

11)  Sing Christmas carols at the top of your lungs, in the shower!

12)  Grab a friend and do some Christmas shopping!

13)  Buy a poinsettia.

14)  Relax in a peppermint-scented bath.

15)  Give God a gift… yourself!

Enjoy your Christmas holiday and have a Merry Christmas!

Did you know that Haylie has three colors in her eyes? Blue, green and brown! The ultimate hazel!
Did you know that Abby has five sisters?!

Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Abby Whear.

Michelle's Top Songs and Albums of 2011

Top 5 albums:

All Things Bright and Beautiful ~ Owl City

More Beautiful You ~ Jonny Diaz

Nightlights ~ Jimmy Needham

When I’m With You ~ JJ Heller

21 ~ Adele

Top 10 songs:

Honey Bee ~ Blake Shelton

Rolling in the Deep ~ Adele

Deer in the Headlights ~ Owl City

Cannons ~ Phil Wickham

D.A.N.C.E. ~ Justice

Count On Me ~ Bruno Mars

Hundred More Years ~ Francesca Battistelli

Every Other Weekend ~ Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney

Boasting ~ Lecrae

Jesus, I Am Resting ~ Tricia Brock

Did you know that Michelle vintage decor?!

Whiter Than Snow~ Lea Sadler

Icy breaths of chilly demons lining up

taking turns assaulting with deceit.

Her glassy eyes see exactly that they throw

her own failures and pathetic conceit.

They show no mercy, they don't give up

surrounding, laughing, prodding

taunting her with past regrets, past mistakes

twisting her thoughts from worth to accusing.

Footprints imprinted in the frozen ground

to show her where she's heading

where she's been, where she's drowned

in disgusting, sinful lies of her own doing.

Icycles hang ready to strike

pure into her poor, oppressed heart

Glacial knives just waiting war-like

to rip her misled, worn-down life apart.

But soon a soft, light rain of ice will pass through

and she will find beauty in her midst

the beauty of love, and peace, and truth

and most of all a second chance

A second chance, a new start to be clean

another opportunity to be all she's dared to hope

to fight her demons, to toss them out of scene

to grasp a branch to be saved from the slippery slope.

A small light will break through the clouds

and the blaze of sun will blind her enemies

she will call on the one she has found

to be the only one to offer eternal peace.

She has only to hang on and be patient

for her old life is ready to go

her second chance is now on its way

and she will become whiter than snow.

Did you know that Lea is fasinated by cryptozoology?!

Did you know that Sarah changes the color of her nail weekly?!

Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Sarah Ford.