Day 48 of 4 more years: Christmas Eve (12/24/12)

Day 48 of 4: Christmas Eve (originally posted 12/24/12)

Christmas Eve! Sounds of thunder, patter of hail, loud booms and heavy rain! Wow! What a morning on the weather front! Bet those little babies are up early this morning… after all, it is Christmas Eve! Only in Texas is it in the 60's one day, shirt sleeve weather; next day, storms, hail and possible snow! How fun is that? Especially the snow! Praying for that and not ice!

Christmas Eve was magical here at my house. Crazy with extra friends, unexpected because of a tamale delivery! That just made it better! I loved seeing people who are ordinarily with their families, but a quick stop was a blessing. My friend made many wonderful tamales and their Christmas Eve delivery made for a fun time. By the way, I've never tasted such delectable tamales… and I come from a long line of tamale lovers! Awesome, Maria! Also, there were the sounds of six children excitedly playing all over the house, the men talking football, basketball and sports of all kinds, watching a bowl game, and family visitors. Oh, and the food, glorious food!!! Chili and tamales, guacamole and queso, hot sauce, chips, and an ice cream dessert…. it was a delightful evening, topped off with some sweet time with my daughters getting things ready for Santa!

Winding down the evening, I turned on the television to see the news, but I was too late. Instead there was a Christmas Eve service from a big church in Dallas. The music was beautiful, so I left it on… it was uplifting and divine. The carols traditional and solidly performed, the choir robes starched and immaculate, the reading from God's Word professionally done, and the sermon was thoughtful and perfect in its delivery. The congregation was impeccably dressed, the faces sincere, the decorations looked like a window from Neiman Marcus. I am serious… the contrast with our own children's service at our church was almost humorous…

Our Christmas eve program was hilarious, the decorations whimsical, the children perfectly "children," the message was an enactment of the Christmas story by the 4 year olds of the church, and it was one of the most precious plays ever. You see, our children's pastor lets the kids be kids even though they are supposed to act like wise men, sheep, angels and Mary and Joseph. Even baby Jesus gets the children's test of love!

Night and day? Maybe. But that is what is so marvelous about the Christmas Story. It is for all people. The perfect, the wealthy, the poor, the sick. Back to the Dallas service, I will admit as the camera panned the congregation, it was apparent that many were not well. Some did not look happy, many looked distracted, some appeared bored and many just looked disinterested. It was as if they didn't know the camera was on them, and I saw their neediness. It was hard to miss. At the children's service at our church, I'm sure there were some sad faces, too; some faces that were covering up pain, loneliness and sadness at this time of year.

Contrast? Maybe not. The services were entirely different, but the neediness is always the same. Jesus did not come to earth to save the already "fine." The "it's ok, God, I've got this." The ones who would say, "I don't need a Savior, I am great just the way I am." No, He came to save us all. And He came as a baby, to reinforce the helpless, human way He came. Our Savior. For all of us! And for each of us!

Let us focus today on the individual person Jesus came to save. You and me. Individuals with different wants, but the universal need of salvation. Baby Jesus! Just imagine that! He came to save everyone, yet He came to save just one! Let the message of Jesus birth ring joy in your heart today, and mine! As Billy Graham always says, "God loves you!" Merry Christmas!

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11

Pray: Father, may each one of us find the peace and joy of a Savior come to earth to save us. Amen

Day 47 of 4: Christmas Surprise Part 2 (12/22/12)

Day 47 of 4 more years: Christmas Surprise Part 2

My Christmas surprise part 2: Yesterday I related the story of the month before Christmas in the Sargent household 1979….boredom turning to delicious candy! The praline saga continued yesterday. I made 4 batches, and I am still recovering from sugar highs! And that is from the crumbs! 

But in 1979, I spent December 24th feeling a profound respect for Mary. The last few weeks of a pregnancy are tough for most women, but to add a ride on a donkey for any distance? "No way, Joseph, guess you'll have to go alone," would have been my response! Mary's obedience took on a whole new meaning for me. And still does! But I was ready…. sort of….for the baby to come.

Christmas Day came and my parents, Scott's parents, his brother and grandmother joined us for the first and only time in Arlington. Thanks to my two Moms and a handy dishwasher (Scott), we got through the holiday. They left. See you soon, real soon! Then I felt the unmistakable feeling of (you guessed it) contractions. Oh, no… but baby said, oh yes! This little baby wanted to come on December 25. Then the praying started for me. I did not want our baby to share a birthday with Jesus. It just didn't seem right, and almost as important, my decorations were still up! No way was I coming home from the hospital with a new baby and the chore of packing up Christmas. So, for the first and only time ever in his life, Scott helped me with this task. You see, Scott was a generous, wonderful man but he did not share my love of Christmas decorations. One of his all-time favorite days was when the house got back to "normal!" Strange partners, weren't we? But Scott saw my face, "the handwriting on the wall," and pitched in. I mean really "in." While I laid on the couch, directing the post-production process and holding back the baby, Scott worked tirelessly. And what took weeks to put up came down in hours! Now, all was done, the day was almost done and ok, baby, it is the 26th, you can come now. Relief spilled over us; it is ok, we can do this. Let's go baby. I guess December 26 wasn't the day, but it sure wasn't Christmas Day!

We rushed to the hospital in the wee hours of December 27 and almost didn't make it, but that story is for another time. My second surprise was….the baby was a boy! We were totally surprised. Yes, my husband was a radiologist and we had several sonograms. But nothing was determined. This was a shock to us and a pleasant one. If you have read my earlier posts, you know how I feel about valuing having a boy over a girl or vice versa, but I do value healthy babies! And our baby boy was a healthy surprise. And his sisters were so proud of him, too. Dan was blessed with three mothers from day one! Scott was delighted to have a son also, but he was equally happy with his daughters. He just wasn't like that: a man that had to have a son. Oh, but he adored that little boy! It was a blessed, amazing, wonderful day! Our hearts were full of gratitude for our after-Christmas surprise! God had once again performed His amazing miracle of birth! He never, ever ceases to amaze and surprise us, does He?

Merry Christmas, dear ones!

I cherish this not so Christmasy verse:

"He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord, His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth, and He will be their peace." 

Micah 5:4-5

Pray:

Heavenly Father, I pray that the Prince of Peace will reign in our hearts today. and the miracle will be new for us as we worship the baby Jesus.

Amen

Day 46 of 4: Christmas Surprise Part 1 (12/21/12)

Day 46 of 4 more years:

Christmas surprises! Fun or not so fun? It depends for sure. Here is a story of my Christmas surprise, part one. Yesterday I talked of giving gifts and the best gift I ever gave. This is about the best earthly gift I ever got, part one. Receiving gifts is about surprises. You know, the anticipation of unwrapping the unexpected. 

My most unexpected gift began in April of 1979, when Scott and I learned we were having our third baby. Surprise! The due date was the big surprise. You ladies know the drill, the doctor pulls out a little paper circle which he turns around until he comes up with the magical due date… "Mrs. Sargent, so happy for you. You will have a Christmas baby!" What? "That just won't work out, Doctor, you see, I love Christmas and I'm too busy to have a baby then!" Seriously?
Well, I am a planner, and decided it would just have to be entirely planned out, done ahead, and I could fix this. I proceeded to do just that. Bought gifts early! Wrapped them, decorated the house, the tree, put up lights, planned, wrote cards, and Christmas was entirely done by December 1st. I even volunteered for the Thanksgiving parties at the girls' school just in case I couldn't make the Christmas ones. Hooray! Thought I would just sit back and enjoy the remaining four weeks. But I got very bored. Very bored.

So, I decided to learn to make candy. Started with divinity, which was too hard to do and not that great. Tried fudge, but everyone can make fudge…well, if you use marshmallow cream, anyway. How about pralines? The whole family loves them and my mother in law made wonderful ones. So that is what I did. Every day or so, Scott and the girls got to taste a new recipe. Some crunchy, some sticky, some chewy, none really bad, but then…. the perfect recipe, the divine recipe…. Creamy Buttermilk Pralines! I have only known maybe 5 people in my life who don't love this recipe. It uses 4 cups of pecans (a lot), cooks easily (ha) and is divine! Truly divine. Since 1979, I have made hundreds of batches of these wonderful candies. I have people who like me just to get a batch at Christmas! People who want to work for me to get some! And neighbors who bring in my paper, mow both our sides of the yard and bring in my recyclable bins without asking… just to get the yearly treat! Seriously, I quit making them for my friends years ago and just gave them the recipe. Many have become accomplished at praline making, and make them for their families. And my daughters have carried on the tradition… both are great at making them. Jill had to switch to angel cookies because of Andrew's allergy to pecans, but she can still make them in her sleep and gobbles them up when she is over here. They are that good! I mean it! I hope I turned a surprise into a way to bless others, or at least put some weight on them! And I became very popular!

Point here, I believe God does surprise us at Christmas and all year long. And we know all His surprises have blessings wrapped up in them. I hope I am not trivializing the surprise of a baby's birth by comparing it to my frantic worry over Christmas. I do know He wants us to use our time wisely. Did I? I do know that I found great satisfaction in making something to give to others that is almost always welcome. And tomorrow I will tell the rest of the story. And how my respect for Mary was never greater than in 1979!

Forgive my light heart this morning!

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!" Luke 2:14

Pray:

Father, may we be joyful in the surprise we have at Christmas, and look for your blessings in all of them! Amen

Day 45 of 4: His Indescribable Gift (12/20/12)

Day 45 of 4 more years: 

Christmas presents! In these last few days before Christmas, that seems to be the obsession….unless you are the cook and you are thinking about the meal! The perfect gift can seem illusive. We want to give the awesome gift that knocks the receiver's socks off! One that will get the response, "For me? You got this perfect ____ just for me!" So where is it? What is it? And if you find it, do you second guess yourself? What was the best gift you ever gave someone? I remember.

When I was probably 9 or 10 years old, my brother and I hatched up a plant to give our Mom the best gift ever. My sister was around, but being 5 or 6, she was just "in the way." This was big stuff and required strategy she certainly didn't have, plus she couldn't have kept the secret. It was a year when the pecan crop was bountiful and the price was high, which was not always the case. In those days, there were good pecans on the native trees along Sims creek and the Lampasas River. Today, those trees have diseases which must be sprayed, so we seldom have good crops. But that year, everyone was picking pecans because of the price and selling them in town for "big" money. Many years my grandmother let pecan threshers harvest the pecans and share in the crop. Mike and I asked my great-grandmother (known as Ma to everyone) if we could have the money from the pecan trees below our house. She was fine with the plan. We went to work: picking, raking, shaking, crawling on the ground, and this went on for days. Daddy helped some and Mom was none the wiser, or so we thought. In those days, "go outside and play" really meant it. We could be gone from dawn to dusk if we checked in occasionally. Our little fingers became black with pecan stain, which was bound to have made Mom suspicious, but we finally did it! We gathered them all, Daddy took us to town, cashed in the pecans for our bounty, and I remember we had twenty dollars to spend! We were so excited, for that was a fortune to us! 

I don't remember why but we selected a wooden canister set at the hardware store in town. We agreed it was perfect! Got it home and with assistance from Ma, we managed to get it wrapped and under the tree. We couldn't wait for Christmas! The waiting was exciting, too! Our secret! And it was perfect! When my Mom finally unwrapped the long anticipated gift, she cried. Was it exactly what she wanted? I really don't think so, but what was exactly right were the hearts of the givers. She treasured it so much that the little brown wooden canister set with the painted white and yellow daisies survived all the years. She even prominently displayed it after its retirement from actual use! It is still on display at Paradise to remind us of a time when we had nothing, but we worked hard to give someone we loved dearly a perfect gift.

You see, it is the thought that counts. That may sound trite, but I believe our hearts are the source of the best gifts. When we give from our hearts, we pattern the gift from God. He gave the first gift, His Son, and it was the best gift….baby Jesus. We want to give as He did. So let's put our hearts into our gifts. That is what He did.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15

Another translation: "Thanks be to God for His gift that is too wonderful for words."

Pray:

Father, we are grateful to You for the pattern of giving the perfect gift. Help us to be mindful of why we give gifts at Christmas and let us honor You in our giving.

Amen

Day 44 of 4: The Star (12/19/12)

Day of 44 of four more years: The Star

The Star…the miracle…the light! Think of the light in your life. Like the lights on the tree…beautiful in the day, but magical at night. Now, think of outside Christmas lights. If you drive by someone's lights during the day, they look sad. Even the most professionally done light displays look ugly during the day: the darling inflatables look dejected laying on the ground, the peppermint sticks seem a little homemade and wobbly, the manger scene not quite to scale and wires everywhere! Oh, but by night, a scene of incredible beauty (or at least fun). Why does darkness make the light so much brighter? Better? 

On my Christmas card this year I said, "God's promises are like the stars; the darker the night, the brighter they shine." 

I continue to find this so true in my life. The light needs the darkness to intensify its strength, its power and its beauty.

There is a Christmas song sung by a gospel group called "The Gentry" which says the following: "I have seen the light, shining in the darkness, bursting through the shadows, delivering the dawn. I have seen the light, whose holy name is Jesus. His kingdom is forever. He reigns on heaven's throne." The whole song talks of the darkness of this world and how we all search for light, yet many never find it and settle for lies. How tragic and sad at this time of light and beauty and worship of the baby come to earth. So if you see the light and believe it, you are changed forever…just like the Wise Men and the Shepherds. And like those men of old, you want to tell someone. Share the light you have found and introduce the hurting world to your Savior. Share the light today, even if it is just with one person. Reinforce the light of Jesus with your family…neighbors…checker at Target even! Give the Good News away! It just might light up someone's life for eternity!

"For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Luke 2:30-32

Pray:

Father, Let us bask in the light of You today. Warm our souls with the light, allow the lift to lift us to worship the Baby Jesus, and share it with those we meet. Amen

Day 43 of 4: Cedar Fever (12/18/12)

Day 43 of 4 more years: Cedar Fever

Christmas _______. Today is "fill in the blank day." I noticed a post earlier this week where you were encouraged to tell what Christmas means to you and why. I think that is a great exercise to do and fun to do with the children and grandchildren. So today my blank would not be very encouraging or great. It is not my best day. I did turn over and get some extra sleep this morning, because I have a Christmas visitor. A memory of my childhood. I have Christmas "cedar fever!" And it is awful any time of the year, but the mystery of my youth was why I always got sick (bronchitis, tonsillitis, any other "itis" I could catch) and at Christmas. Never convenient, never fun, but somehow the timing was always the same. 

Here is the Christmas memory: I may have mentioned it earlier, but my great-grandmother lived in a big old house about a 100 yards from my house. And boy, did she love Christmas! And one of the best memories was the big, gigantic, amazing Christmas tree put in her living room. Rather, dragged, pushed and shoved in there. My older cousins would venture out on their mission to find the perfect tree early in the day. I was never invited, too little and a pest I am sure. But finally, the word would come, "They are back, and it is the biggest one ever!" We would always doubt it could be squeezed in, sometimes it had to be chopped off more, but eventually the big old cedar tree was up, with the top smashed over… and the decorating began. The women were always cooking, so it was up to the kids and the uncles, dads and grandpas. Decorations were homemade and old, with raggedy garland, and faded glass balls. It didn't matter. It was beautiful, it was magical and it was CEDAR!

That was not the problem cedar tree, however. The bad guy was in our house up the road. That cedar tree had been cut weeks earlier, and by this time in December, it was drying out. It was flaking off, shedding like crazy and giving off years of pollen into our house, right around the corner from where I slept. Just thinking of that tree makes my eyes water. Yes, today, you can see the pollen on the cedar hillsides in central Texas, and I am better off up here, where the cedars are more "scarce." But the worst pollen, my allergist later told me was the flaky dead stuff. Great. So that is why having "cedar fever" reminds me of my childhood. And what on earth does that have to do with Christmas? I am not looking for sympathy, but I do have an idea.

Life got so much better for me when my Dad took down the old dead tree, hauled it out of our house, and hopefully burned it! I started to recover. That is just like our lives. If we keep old dead ideas, harmful habits or just plain meanness, i.e sin around, it can make us sick. Oh, not at first. You can take it, breathe ok, live with it just fine, but eventually it starts to show up in our lives. It makes us sick. Physical sickness is bad enough, but being spiritually sick is the worst. Whatever is keeping our Christmas from being magical: money worries, family quarrels, fatigue, stress of getting it all done perfectly, just invite Jesus in and throw it out. Lots of things can pollute the air of your holiday and make you sick.Today, let's toss the old, dead, sinful and just plain mean. It is Christmas, it is Jesus' birthday, the best holiday ever! It is a time to celebrate the baby!

"..whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9

Pray:

Father, help us to clean out the sickening things in our lives, that which keeps us from focusing on the real meaning of Christmas. Let us breathe in the clean air of your love come to earth in the form of a baby. Help us to become well in you. Amen

Day 42 of 4 more years: Mary (12/17/12)

Day 42 of 4 more years:

Mary. My mother's heart has been touched by thinking of Mary's heart. Are you familiar with the song "Mary, did you know?" I was listening to that song yesterday, humming it later and wondering how much Mary did know. How much do any of us know about what our babies will become? But after that song penetrated my thoughts, I felt a little shudder, an unease, a little dread. Was that for Mary? Was that feeling common for most of mothers who don't know the end of the story? I really tried to brush it off, but the feeling compelled me to address our roles as mothers and fathers. 

Mary did know that her baby was God's son since the angel Gabriel told her that much. Did she know more? Did she have any idea of how he would minister to the world in the short years he was here and for eternity in his death and resurrection? We have in common with Mary the extreme feelings that overcome us when we gaze at our helpless, dependent, precious babies. All our thoughts are consumed with how to protect them, cherish them, shield them and keep them close, forever! I am confident Mary and Joseph felt like that. I also believe God protected Mary from knowing the whole story from the start. Jesus' life had to unfold with her. As he grew, so did Mary and Joseph. They could not have borne it all right then.

Here is what I do know just based on what happened to me: if I was told me as I held any one of my babies, to get ready, this precious baby is going to grow up and leave home. Yes, she is! Oh, no… I would have struggled with that idea. For as much as we want out children to grow up, it is a process, the separation process. You can't take in the pain as you hold the baby. But there is a phrase that helps: "when the time comes." While they are babies, you hold them close, feed them, snuggle them, love them to pieces. Just as Mary did for Jesus… mothers are mostly all the same. (Now, teenagers… that is for another day!) Jesus was a normal baby, after all, even though he was the Son of God. As parents, if we live each day taking in each moment, loving those entrusted to our care today, then when the day comes to let go, we can. Let go with no regrets….with tears….with sadness…. but when the time comes, we can. Today's strength is enough for today only, not for tomorrow. Let us enjoy, relish and appreciate today with our loved ones. As Mary held her baby close, hold yours, hug yours, laugh today with them, nourish every ounce of those little children. They do grow up, we pray, in God's time. Today is waiting for us! It will be a full day! 

"God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Matthew 6:34

Pray:

Father, give us joy in the blessings you give us today. Help us to appreciate the moments and not worry over the future. You are our God, the protector of the little ones. We are trusting them to your care.

Amen