I am a recycler. Anything God teaches me has never been wasted it has always been recycled for God's glory.
Friday, December 20, 2013
CREATING THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS
“You get your panties all in a bunch!” he blurted out. Oh boy is he in trouble I thought. I watched my friend Tom bury himself as he rolled his eyes and came out with that to his wife. What was he thinking by saying that?
Tom was expressing his frustration about the family Christmas dinner that was just around the corner. He went on a rant describing how uptight Cindy gets. I felt for Cindy because I understood where she was coming from. I know she loves Pinterest and she has been perusing that website getting inspiring ideas with the desire to create the perfect Christmas.
Have you found yourself trying to keep up with the times and new ideas? Or with the age-old desire of creating the perfect Christmas? Are your panties in a bunch? Or maybe you have found yourself just giving up and doing the complete opposite–nothing?
The Bible teaches us the perfect perspective of how to celebrate Christmas. It starts with the angel declaring to Mary, “And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:31 AMP). Mary’s response “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said” (Luke 1:38 AMP).
We can relate that to our lives. We pray for our plans. We become pregnant with an idea. We respond as the handmaiden of the Lord knowing that “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment” (Luke 1:37AMP). We can fulfill the perfect Christmas in God’s power.
Next time you imagine yourself creating a perfect Christmas think of yourself being nine months pregnant. Imagine Mary travelling 80 miles, about one week on foot, to get to her perfect Christmas celebration. What would happen to all our perspectives of wanting a perfect Christmas? The world could fulfill their perfect Christmas with this promise, “No word from God shall be without power” (Luke 1:37 AMP).
PRAYER: Thank you for the free gift of Jesus Christ. You always have the perfect plans. Help me be guided this Christmas with your promise that I will be with Your power to create Your perfect Christmas plans. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
HO HO HO
My “to do list” is taking over my brain. Bake the cookies (every recipe that grandma gave me when I got married), put up the decorations, plan the holiday meals, send out the Christmas cards, do the shopping (even doing on-line shopping takes up a lot of time), get ready for all the upcoming parties, stock up the house with food (the college students are coming home) and so on…
My phone just buzzed twice. I have to look! It’s hard to stop! I have to hurry up! It all seems urgent!
I am wondering if you are feeling the pressure of Xmas?
I use the word “Xmas” because when you look at my list above there is no CHRIST in it.
The Bible teaches, “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp” (Psalm 92:1-3 NIV). David wrote a song for the Sabbath day, a day of rest. David loved playing music and singing. It had a calming effect.
Whenever I sit down and listen to my Christmas music, read scripture and write in my journal, miraculously I find out I have enough time to get everything done. Guess what? I get it done with a “Ho, Ho, Ho.” The sound that bellowed out of Santa’s gut makes me feel light-hearted; like I want to laugh. I feel the same when I reflect on Jesus’ birth and picture Him in the manger with those little rosy cheeks just like Santa’s. I cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord.” The true Spirit of Christmas.
I was shopping with my daughter when a customer cut in front of us while we were in line trying to make a purchase. We looked at each other, yelled, “Ho, Ho, Ho!” and burst out laughing. As we were leaving the mall there was a huge traffic jam and we realized were not going anywhere fast. We yelled out, “Ho, Ho, Ho!” So many stories I can’t write them all.
Imagine what would happen if in this season when the tension is building instead of giving into that frustration with a negative reaction we could be more spontaneous. We would yell out “Ho, Ho, Ho!” Stop! Laugh! The result would create an atmosphere of what the Christmas season should be filled with…THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS.
PRAY WITH ME: Holy! Holy! Holy! Are you Lord! Heaven and Earth are filled with Your glory. I reflect on Your glory! Lord give me a Ho! Ho! Ho! of love, praise, laughter and song in this Christmas season. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
RISE UP AND CARRY ON
I find myself wondering how to respond to overload in my life. I imagine you have found yourself in situations where you are not sure what to do either.
Maybe you can identify with a day like this. My dogs are driving me crazy because they are starved for attention. They keep following me everywhere. I walk around the house and see the sink full of dirty dishes, garbage that needs to be emptied, laundry piled up, clutter everywhere I look. There is a stack of mail on the counter with bills that need to be paid. Depressing! My kids are griping “Mom there is no food.” I need to get to the grocery store. I look at my cell phone and there are voicemails, emails and texts that I did not respond to.
My son just left the house stressed about the long road trip he was venturing out on. I glanced at my calendar and saw writing deadlines and doctor appointments. I don’t want to even mention the flip-flop in my stomach when I saw Thanksgiving and Christmas coming around the corner. The thought of figuring out who we will spend the Holidays with gives me the willies. It conjures up the nerve-racking thoughts of who is talking to whom. I ask myself “Why can’t we just all get along? Why is so and so always crabby at Holidays?” Blah, blah, blah…Need I go on?
What does the bible teach us on how to respond to overload? Paul was stoned and dragged out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
“However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city…strengthening the soul of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God’” (Acts 14:20-22 NKJV).
Having faith through the power of the Holy Spirit gives us immunity to life’s struggles. Paul had super-human power to endure suffering that we may never experience. Acknowledging his true faith strengthened him. The faith Paul talked about does not preempt us from suffering. Jesus also addressed the issue of how to respond. The Father gave Jesus the faith to believe in Himself so much so that he rose up and went to the cross. The King within each of us gives us the faith to rise up and carry on.
Next time you aren’t sure what to do, ask yourself this question, “Can God give me enough faith to rise up and carry on?” Imagine what would happen in our world if we all had faith to believe God will give us strength to rise up and carry on.
PRAYER: Our Father in heaven I know that all I need is the faith of a mustard seed to be able to accomplish things daily. Help me to rise up and carry on daily. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Monday, November 18, 2013
THE WILL OF THE FATHER
The Will of the Father
While sitting at a Senior Choral practice a frail elderly gentleman turned to me and asked, “What is the will of God for your life?”
I wondered how to respond to this kind man. To me it is a loaded question with many possible answers, but I chose to respond “to be a child of Jesus.”
He blinked and gently spoke, “First Thessalonians 5:16-22: rejoice always, pray constantly and give thanks under all circumstances. Know the love of God. Don’t despise prophesying. Test all things. Do well. Refrain from sin. Reach out to Jesus.”
I can only imagine that you have found yourself in similar situations where you weren’t sure what to do or say either. People may have been asking you “Do you believe God exists?” “Who is Jesus and what does he mean to you?” or, “How do you live out the will of the Father?”
In the book of Thessalonians Paul was exhorting the Church on various ways to seek to honor and reflect God in everything they think, say, or do. I think of it like this: when you go for a wellness check-up the doctor asks you questions about how you take care of yourself. Many times a doctor has a check-list of questions.You, like the doctor, can examine yourself and call it “The will of God checklist”.
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I rejoice always?
2. Do I pray continually?
3. Do I give thanks under all circumstances?
4. Do I know the love of God?
5. Do I test all things?
6. Do I refrain from sin?
Our answers just need to be honest. God is not grading us. He reminds us gently what His will is for our lives. He is not forcing His will onto us. He loves us and gently guides us. He wants us to do well this side of heaven.
What would happen in our churches if all of us began to model the will of our Father in heaven?
PRAYER: Father give me the courage to examine this checklist. Help me to be honest and desire to live out the will You have for my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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