Are you ready for Christmas?

Only two more days before Christmas. Just two more sleeps before the big day. Reality check time again. Am I calmer — more rested? Am I ready to properly celebrate the birth of the Christ-child? His birth is a big deal and worth preparing my mind, body, and soul. His death manifests the ultimate sacrifice. How can I offer any less to God than to prepare myself in readiness for Christmas Day? He gave his all for me and any who believe in him.  

Back to the verse in Colossians 4:2 — “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” 

1.      I must “continue to pray” for family members and friends as I become aware of their needs such as: broken relationships, freedom from addiction, a vehicle to drive, housing, employment, zest and yearning for God’s approval vs. man’s approval.

2.      “Be watchful.” Ever present and aware of people and needs around me. Take the time to pause, smile at a harried clerk and wish them a Merry Christmas before I depart on my way. Many retail personnel work extended hours away from their families this time of year often dealing with short-tempered, frazzled and frustrated customers.

3.      “Be thankful.” I am thankful for a warm home to come back to, a faithful husband, loving family, delightful grandchildren and caring friendships — just to name a few. I truly am blessed and have much to be thankful for this Christmas season!

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

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Devoted to Prayer

Just five days before Christmas and I need to do an emotional and physical check. To be perfectly honest, I’d have to say not so good. My emotions are all over the place between elated and depressed. I’m totally elated and eager to see my son and family with three young grandchildren; yet sad that I won’t be seeing other family members. Other relationships are still not what I’d hoped for given the past history. 

Last night I met a friend for our Christmas gift exchange. She remarked how she could barely contain herself with glee on the drive over. Really? Seriously? She wasn’t kidding. I found myself envious that I wasn’t able to muster up such feelings of joy.

Just what was the matter with me that I wasn’t feeling glowing and happy all over? Immediately I began to question my circumstances and lot in life. Why weren’t those same positive feelings invading my heart and life? After all, it is Christmas — the season to be happy and jolly. So why wasn’t I feeling happy or jolly? What am I investing my time doing? Running here and there, or investing in eternity where present and future rewards emerge.

In sheer desperation, I opened my Bible. Colossians 4:2 jumped out at me and I captured three valid pointers:

*  “Devoting yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” In all honesty, I certainly was not “devoting myself to prayer.” A quick SOS here and there (in between searching for a parking spot) probably did not qualify as devotion. But I’d grown weary of praying for the same individual year after year with no evident change. No matter. God honors persistence. My job is to continue to pray believing change is possible because with God nothing is impossible.

*  “Being watchful” — searching the store shelves and making countless phone calls for the hot ornament of the year is not what God intended by that phrase.

*  “Being thankful” — naming my list of complaints does not equal a positive spirit. It would serve me well to remember the words to the old hymn by Johnson Oatman Jr., (1897) , Count Your Blessings …

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

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Do not be afraid

Moses and the tablets of Law (Wikipedia)

  “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” — Joshua 1:5. 

We need not be afraid because God tells us he will never leave or forsake us. When bills mount, the car breaks down, and our body doesn’t work like it used to, God still cares. God won’t abandon us when times are tough.

Some suggestions for times of crisis found in Joshua 1:  

  1. Be strong and courageous
  2. Obey the law and do not turn away from God’s word (the Bible)
  3. Meditate on God’s word day and night
  4. Do not be discouraged

These are not easy things to do especially when the going get rough. But this is exactly what I need to do during the bleak hours and days. No one else will come through for me like my God. I need to trust and obey — for there’s no other way.

Have you told the God of the universe your troubles today? Isn’t it time you confide in the One who cares the most about you?

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Jesus: the Reason for the Season (part II)

My preparations for the season (so far) consist of running here and there while wearing myself out. I’ve carved so little free time out to just sit and contemplate the real reason for the season. It is Jesus’ birthday and He is the reason for the season. 

I’m pretty sure the God who sent his Son to die on the cross for our sins is less than pleased when I turn the Christmas season into a chaotic competition. Jesus’ birth in a non-descript stable caused angels to sing and shepherds to follow a star. All of heaven rejoiced at the birth which changed the course of mankind forever.

Dear God, please forgive me for being so occupied with my own agenda that I fail to acknowledge the giver of the most perfect gift of all. I’m sure glad you weren’t too busy to think of me. Thank you for sending your son to die in my place and for those who believe on your name.

How about you? Are you taking time during this hectic month to thank God for the indescribable gift in the form of God’s only Son?

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

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Jesus: the Reason for the Season (part I)

 

“Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” –  Ephesians 4:2–3.  

Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus

Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time being patient with some people. Maybe it’s the season of the year. Christmas is approaching fast and I don’t have all the gifts purchased yet. The presents I do have are scattered all around my office. The room is a complete disaster. I’m waiting for the neat fairies to descend, wave a magic wand, and all will be categorized, packaged and labeled ready for delivery. I can dream, right?

Family members can’t make up their minds when they’re available so a Christmas time table can be set. My personality thrives on schedules and unity, and when neither happens, I tend to stress to the max. A gentle spirit rapidly gives way to an abrupt, cool personality. Patience melts into exasperation and love has a hard time finding a home in my heart. The results resemble anything BUT peaceful.

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Longing for the basics of life

My five-year old granddaughter, Liberty, called me the other day to report that she had just watched a TV show that came out when I was only five years old (just like her!)

“Did you watch that show, Nana? There’s a little boy named Opie who goes fishing with his Daddy.”  Just like her and her Daddy.

“Oh, I loved that program, Liberty. It was one of my favorites!”

“Nana, you were five years old too when you watched the program … but it only comes in black and white. There’s no color on the TV.” The show: The Andy Griffith Show.

Out of the mouths of babes! I love hearing wonder and excitement come from young children’s mouths and minds. So innocent and sweet. I want to record and remember her every insightful spontaneous saying and observation.

After doing some detective work, I discovered that the popular sitcom first televised in 1960 and ran for eight seasons. Apparently her Mother already had done the homework.

Do you ever long for the good ole days? Sometimes I catch myself daydreaming about them.

  1. A time when doors were never locked.

 2.  All the neighbors knew your kids and if they were doing something they shouldn’t, they called them on it. 

 3.  Very little objectionable material on television or the radio. Media was informational, but not immoral.

  4.  Anyone could walk the neighborhood streets after dark without fear of harm. 

  5.  Recreation meant bicycle riding, skateboarding, downhill sliding on a sled, building a snow fort and throwing snowballs, or playing dolls and a game of Sorry.

I don’t want to repeat my childhood or my teen years, but there is a part of me that longs for simplicity and a return to the basics of life. How about you?

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Wanting just a little bit more – (Part II)

Wise King Solomon wrote, “I said to myself, ‘Let’s go for it — experiment with pleasure, have a good time!’ But there was nothing to it, nothing but smoke” – Ecclesiastes 2:1 (The Message).

That’s the trouble with taking matters into our own (incapable) hands. At first, it seems innocent enough but often with that first step begins a slippery, spiraling slope downward deeper and deeper. Deeper into frustration, guilt, anger, sorrow, and sin. In the end (and often along the way) a person is worse off than when they began to look and dream imaginatively about the object or person once craved. Life does not become better — just more complicated and people are hurt in the process.

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” — Ecclesiastes 2:10–11.  

Been there and done that.  There are times I wished I could take back the words uttered and the acts done. Trouble is: I cannot go backwards. My only choice is to move forward and forget the past. With forgetting the past comes asking God’s forgiveness for trying to run the show and do things my way. If only I had waited, God would have provided security, love, peace and confidence. I do have a choice: I can say I’m sorry to God and ask him to guide me next time. He’ll do that for me and for you. All we need do is call on him.

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Wanting just a little bit more – (Part I)

   Do you ever struggle with wanting something you know isn’t good for you? Maybe it’s an addiction, or wanting a bigger this or that, or a longing for a certain someone to notice you. I don’t mean just desiring this object or person, but craving it to the point of not being able to enjoy or appreciate present blessings. I know that feeling. No matter how much I try to talk myself into the fact that others don’t have it any better than I do (in fact, I might have it better but I’m just not noticing), it doesn’t work. I still end up obsessing to the point of making my life miserable at times. Why do I do this? Deep down, I know it is not healthy or even remotely productive.  It’s part of our fallen nature to want what we don’t have and try to question God’s ways.  

Look at Eve and Adam. The serpent in the Garden, masqueraded as Satan, placed a delectable fruit within focus of Eve. The fruit (maybe it was an apple) looked appealing and smelled appetizing. What harm could come from taking a mere juicy bite? After all, they reasoned God would want them to be happy. And this looked like a happy way to go in their eyes. Adam and Eve figured it would taste yummy too, so they succumbed, ate the fruit, while believing they knew better than God. Wrong!

What are some of your struggles?

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