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

Day 41 of 4: No Room (12/17/12)

Day 41 of four more years (originally posted on Facebook on December 17, 2012)

Day 41 of 4 more years:

"No room." "Sorry, maybe next time." "I didn't get the reservation, and no, I don't have any suggestions." These are words of disappointment, discouragement, frustration and common words, too. But imagine you are Joseph, gently leading your very pregnant wife to Bethlehem. And at God's commands, too. Can't you imagine he was a little bit annoyed? I can put some thoughts in here: "Great, Lord, I have done exactly as you instructed and here we are, right on time, and what? No where to stay? She is about to have the baby. Help us!" None of those comments are in the scriptures, but Joseph was human after all. Just imagine it. The faith it took! But God had a plan, a perfect plan, a place for Jesus to be born in safety which fulfilled the scriptures that others could come and see, worship and report of the Messiah's birth. I was just imagining Jesus birth in a hotel room. It just wouldn't have been the same. All the shepherds with dirty feet, tromping into the inn, the Wise Men and all their animals and "stuff," angels flying overhead could not have as easily looked down from above. God's plan was just perfect, as always!

Today when we one up against a road block, a "no vacancy" sign, or have to go to the back-up to our back-up plans, what do we do? Here are some I practice: complain (of course), whine (naturally for me), look around at everyone else's perfect lives, and generally become a pain. How about get angry? Really mad at God. After all, He is the creator of the universe. Couldn't He just fix this problem for us? Or for our children? (Sigh, here) Of course He could. Then why doesn't He? We are His children and He loves us, really loves us! Since I personally have no answer for this, here goes an answer straight for scripture:

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Corinthians 4:17

Here is an idea for us to try: The next time we face a difficulty, stay in it….work through it…. thank God for it (just try this)…let go of it…let God finish His plan for us without straining against Him. Let go…let God. Joseph did. Mary did. And the blessings poured out upon them. I like what Max Lucado said about making room, "'In my Father's house are many rooms…' What a delightful promise Jesus makes! We make room for Him in our hearts, and He makes room for us in His house."

Pray:

Help us, Father, to see our troubles as you do. Lead us to ask you to help without telling you how to do it. Give us a heart to trust you when all seems lost, when we are left out and when there is no room for us here on earth. Remind us, God, that there is always room with you. Amen

Day 40 of 4: The Dark Story of Christmas (12/16/12)

Day 40 of four more years (originally posted on Facebook on December 16, 2012)

The Christmas Story. How well do you know it? I like to think that we all are familiar to the point that we can almost recite the passage from Luke by memory. Even the other parts, from the prophesy in the Old Testament, to the angel's visit to Mary, the Wise Men, Shepherds, the Star in the east. There is another part of the story, however, the dark part…the evil part. I have been struggling with this topic for two days, asking God to put something else on my heart. But I can't let go of it, especially in the face of the evil which descended on the elementary school on Friday. I want to run from it, pretend it didn't happen, comfort myself with the idea that it couldn't happen again, not here, anyway. If we think of it as an isolated incident, we can relax a little. Or we can believe that if we just pass more laws, put in more security, pray really hard, then our children will be safe. Can they be "safe" in this world? Were the children safe in Israel during the time of Jesus' birth? After all, it was a simpler time, there was no "social media," no horrible, violent video games, no mental illness…it was a pastoral scene, right? No, it was not at all safe. Here is what happened. I know most of you remember this story from Sunday School class, but my memory of the event was sort of blurred. It does not fit with the nativity scene of Jesus' birthday at all.

 The Dark Story of Christmas: The king of Israel at the time of Jesus birth was King Herod. He was evil from the top down, and he wanted no part of a new king prophesied in the history of Israel. Why, he was king and nothing was going to stop him, no way a baby was going to usurp his throne. All was going pretty well for Herod until the Magi showed up at the palace in Jerusalem wanting to know where the one who was born king of the Jews was. These Gentile Kings were laden with treasures to take to the new king and wanted to worship him. You see, these wise, wealthy kings were searching, following the star in the east, looking for what Herod feared: the loss of his kingdom to a baby. It actually says in Matthew 2:3 that "he was disturbed and all of Jerusalem with him." I can see his motive, but there is no way of knowing how Herod must have painted the picture to those around him of his feelings about the Messiah. So he concocted a story, a lie, to instruct the Wise Men to find the baby and come tell him so he could worship the baby, too. Right. When the Wise Men did find the baby Jesus, worshipped him and offered him gifts, they were warned in a dream by God that Herod had evil plans to kill baby Jesus. They heeded the warning and returned home another way.

Herod's fury… it could scarcely be contained. He had been tricked, and his anger spilled over into rage. He no longer hid his evil plans or pretended to want to worship Jesus. Herod issued an edict that all babies two years and younger in Bethlehem and its vicinity be murdered. You see, Herod did believe the prophesy, but his heart was full of evil and the hideous murder of babies occurred. There are simply no words for the horror, none. Let me just say that it rivaled the atrocity that happened to our children last Friday. I am not trying to explain it, but just point out the fact. We cannot control evil, only God can. He protected the Holy Family by warning Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, where they lived until Herod died. Until it was safe to return, but even then, the danger was still in the land of Judea, so they settled in safety in Nazareth.

Why should we rehash the dark, unbelievable evil part of the Christmas story? This is the season of love come down, the love of God to mankind in sending His Son Jesus. The incarnation of Jesus is the beautiful part of the story of salvation. The reason we need to remember the evil in our world is that evil and sin are the reasons He came to us. To save us from evil. Only when Jesus comes back as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will peace be allowed to reign on this earth. Believe this: Jesus will come back. I have no answer for evil, except that. Evil will then be destroyed forever. I believe we must not give up the fight against the dark powers of Satan while we wait for our Savior's return. What are the weapons that work? The Word of God, the power of the Holy Spirit and God's protection for us today. Claim it. Even though it is Christmas, we must not lay down our weapons. Peace will come.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Pray:

Mighty God, please give us peace as we address the evil in our world. We know you sent your Son to earth as a baby, but Jesus died for us as a man, and rose again as the Eternal Intercessor for us as He sits at Your right hand. Comfort us in the season of Christmas and give us hope for all year. Amen

Day 39 of 4: "O, Little Town of Bethlehem" (12/15/12)

Day 39 of four more years (originally posted on Facebook on December 15, 2012)

"O, Little Town of Bethlehem" - for the children. Hymn day for the babies, the young ones, our precious children. What would you do for your children? For your grandchildren? Would you write a Christmas carol just for them? That is exactly what happened in 1868 when Phillip Brooks wrote this carol for the children's choir. At the time Reverend Brooks was the pastor of the Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia. But three years earlier his church funded a trip to the Holy Land for him. There he rode a horse from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, traveling the route taken by Mary and Joseph. That evening he attended a Christmas Eve service at a basilica built over the traditional sight of the nativity. The impression of the tiny town, the twinkling lights in the darkness, and the amazing quiet of the rural setting, led him to write this precious poem, which was later set to music.

The heart of the story, the moving part is the reason Reverend Brooks wrote the hymn. He loved children, and although he was a large, gangly man, he loved to get down on the floor with the young ones of the church and play games with them. The children adored him and his wish was to give them a new, simple carol for Christmas. His thoughts were unselfish and kind. 

You see, I believe you learn a lot about a person's character in how children react to them. My brother is like this.

He is fairly shy and reserved with adults, yet with kids it is totally different. Children are drawn to Mike like bees to honey. I think they sense his kindness and love; he gets down on their level, never imposes himself on them, but plays their games at their leading. It was certainly inherited from our Dad who was like that, too. Daddy and Mike used patience to woo the shy children, too. It really seems to be a rare quality, but children know these people…even babies "get" them. So, back to Phillip Brooks….the reason for the Christmas carol: he desperately wanted the children to have a new Christmas song because he wanted it to be a special gift from him. He wrote the poem, handed it to the part-time organist who wrote the music, telling him to make it a simple melody so the children could learn it quickly. Overnight the music was written and the next morning, the song was quickly taught to the children, and it was performed on Christmas Day.

As I have said in an earlier post, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is easy to sing but difficult to play. But children don't know that; they know that the vision of a little town in Bethlehem sounds like a beautiful place to go. That it had dark streets which were lit with the everlasting light. The words of the hymn tell of comfort, quiet, and peace. The birth of the God king who became a baby is described here in simplicity and the grand resounding last part, "Come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel!"

"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel." Matthew 2:5-6 (a prophesy from Micah quoted by the Wise Men to King Herod who wanted to know where the Messiah would be born).

Pray: 

Father may the hopes and fears of all children be met in you today. Please let your light shine on our children, especially as the fears of evil try to assail them. Let all fear be replaced with the everlasting light of you.

Amen

Day 38 of 4: Jesus Loves the Little Children (12/14/12)

Day 38 of four more years (originally posted on Facebook on December 14, 2012)

Yesterday was tragedy. Horror. Evil. Our human hearts and mortal minds are wracked with pain…the loss of another community became our loss. We are helpless today to explain or comprehend evil on the magnitude exhibited at the elementary school in Connecticut. Sometimes we can understand (not condone) murder in anger, accept murder in self-defense, deplore but comprehend in some way murder in ignorance or for monetary gain. All of those murders are horrific in their own right. Even 9-11 in its cruelty and horror, murder done so brutally, but in a madman's desire to advance his evil cause, can be addressed and "worked through." But the senseless murder of children, the babies, the defenseless little ones, no way. There is nothing this side of hell that compares with the murder of children. Nothing. Deliberately, intentionally taking the most innocent here on earth. I prayed I could say something that would help, put it in perspective, wipe up some tears, anything. But I need help. You know the saying, "Don't put an oxygen mask on your seat mate before you put it on yourself first." It seems my words here are a weak attempt to put any kind of bandaid on this horrible event.

Satan's evil lies and schemes have knocked me to my knees…and there, that is the place I come to you today. On my knees, pleading to God for answers, for help and for a word of encouragement from Him. How sweetly we have been celebrating the Christmas season. Talking about Wise Men, angels and the beautiful carols. Yesterday's words seem like they were written a hundred years ago. Did everything change when this mad man killed our innocents? Was God busy when that was happening? Did He leave us defenseless to protect our children? Is evil too big? The answer, I firmly believe, is a resounding, "No!" Satan is already defeated. He is not omnipotent like our God. His demise is already written in Revelation. He is limited here on earth and he is never original. Is he clever? Yes, and dangerous, too. And he is real, not some hazy spirit or feeling. But God has Satan on the ropes and going down. So if God could have stopped Satan, why didn't he?

The answer is I don't know. I hope that doesn't sound like a "cop out" or a lame answer. Because here are the things I do know: I know for certain that God values life so much that He sent His Son to save us. Also, God loves and values children tremendously. It is recorded in 3 of the 4 gospels the event where Jesus reprimanded his own disciples who were trying to keep Jesus from spending so much time with the children. "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14 Another thing I know for sure is that God is "in" tragedies as we see the heroic teachers protecting their little students, the outpouring of love and sympathy as we mourn with the families who face this horrific loss and our President "choking" up as he tried to speak words of comfort to the nation. I also saw interviews of parents who were overjoyed with holding their children who had escaped the killer, yet mindfully aware of the parents who were not so fortunate, those parents who had lost their most precious earthly possession, their children. There was no rejoicing without pain yesterday.

A final truth I know about God is that He does not see death as we do. He knows that death puts us in His arms and with Him. There is rejoicing in heaven at the death of one of God's saints. Somehow that doesn't cover our pain here on earth, as we struggle with the separation that death brings. But here is the image I am planting in my brain on this day: Jesus, with arms wide open, welcoming the babies to Himself. Stroking their hair, comforting them and loving them as they rest in His arms. The Good Shepherd, the eternal Father, and the only One who can give them the peace and love they need. That beautiful image is what I am using to replace the horror of yesterday. Jesus saying, "Come unto me and I will give you rest and peace and relief from what Satan tried to do to you. You are mine. Never fear, for I have overcome the world. Trust in me. They are mine."

"And Jesus took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:16

Pray:

Father, please comfort the hurting families. Give them peace that only comes from You. Help us all to heal from the evil that Satan tried to do. Give us abundant love to teach our own children and grandchildren that evil is only for a short time, but the love of God is for eternity. Replace the negative images with the picture of you welcoming the children into your presence. Amen