Saturday, December 26, 2015

A True Story




It was a distinctive "click" that caused me to pause as I was vacuuming Christmas residue.  Most decorations had been put away, but in my hurry to enter the New Year with a tidy house, I'd dropped a few things and hastily hustled them into a ziplock bag. But that "clink" caught my attention. A tiny European creche had been a casualty of the fall and I had not inventoried the pieces.  Meticulously I counted the precious pieces only to discover one missing. In my heart I already knew this truth, and the truth was - I had vacuumed up baby Jesus!  And he was in the midst of a full paper bag of dust, cat hair, broken cookies and aluminum tinsel.  I did not want to open that bag. Did not want to take the time to get out newspapers on which to dump the contents. Did not want to get my hands dirty. I wanted to forget the whole matter and act as surprised as everyone else the following Christmas when we discovered Jesus missing.

But "the fear of the Lord" is a mystical reality, and even with no one watching, I simply could not disregard him, throw him out.  So with tears streaming down my face, I rescued the baby. Cleansing him from household dust and debris I reunited him with the sheep and shepherds, and Mary and Joseph, and placed them all together on the mantel.  For some reason, I still could not stop crying. Crying for me and my selfish ways, crying for Jesus, and crying in thanksgiving that I actually had the opportunity to do the right thing.

This is a simple story, but it so touched my heart that I continue to keep him and his little family on the mantle year-round reminding me of the day when I was in such a hurry to get my house in order, to get things clean and tidy, that I was ready to discard the best part. The gift.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Love Letters . . .

Luke 2:10,11



While camping this fall, I had a great desire to write the word of God on leaves.  Don't ask me why. Perhaps it was just a medium I hadn't yet utilized.  So with marking pens and stamps I went around the campground proclaiming the good news.  Some leaves were still attached while others had already taken their liberty proclaiming "free at last" as they first soared to the heavens then fluttered to earth.  Since arriving home I've often thought of those arriving after us finding words of life in unexpected places.  
This Christmas season, let us keep our eyes open 
for those messages . . . surprise love letters from our Father. 

. . .or . . . dare I say it . . . launch some of our own . . .

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Cup of Kindness


Kindness may be translated in the Hebrew 
 to mean being merciful or having pity upon,
to bend or stoop to bestow favor.

My Sunday morning "joy" overflowed
with creativity and passion to preach the Good News
utilizing my foam cup as the canvas for His word!

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Be Like Mary or Esther



Receive and conceive something good and world changing. Take courage. Allow God's Word and promise the space to take root - the freedom to flourish. Protect it and feel it grow.  Nurture this lively intrusion to full term. Allow God to birth through you all His goodness and love, patience and joy, power and peace.

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?  (Esther 4:14)

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Mary Did You Know?

And Mary said,
Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me
according to thy word. 

(Luke 1:38)

Monday, December 14, 2015

He Covers Me

He covers thee with His feathers
and under His wings thou shalt trust.
Psalm 91:4


 to cover - fence in, cover over,
protect, defend, hedge in




These lovely umbrellas
scattered over a hillside reminded me
of a song I heard many years ago
about God's faithfulness and protection:

He covers me,
He covers me,
He spreads His wings
and He covers me.....




Ladies and gentlemen,
we are covered!

... under the shadow of the Almighty... (Psalm 91:1)

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

New Every Morning

His mercies
(kindness, beauty, favor, goodness)
are new
(fresh, rebuilt, repaired, renewed)
every morning.
(break of day)
Lamentations 3:22,23

every morning 
we may have to 
rethink
rebuild
renew
our faith
belief
trust
 in 
His mercies 
depending 
on what may have been 
trampled
lied about
shaken
the day before

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Fear Not

Be anxious for nothing,
  (no, not one, not at all, not even one)
but in everything
with prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
(Philippians 4:6)

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Entertaining Angels - Missed Opportunity

One of our local "bell ringers" on break
in the cold and drizzle.  Seems like she had not
been invited into the the hosting store
to partake of their warmth and hospitality.