Give it away

We love because he first loved us. - 1 John 4:19

He couldn't understand why he had to give up his Wii time with daddy to go shopping.  Bundling for the cold to brave the over-crowded store.  An attitude so sour it made me pucker.  So gently I explained.  A big-brother with a sick baby sister.  A big-brother whose baby sister is going to die.  A big-brother whose Christmas could be sad.  a big-brother whose mommy and daddy can't afford Christmas.

And then he understood.

Freely you have received, freely give. - Matthew 10:8b

A Christmas for a big-brother, a Christmas for four who planned to go without.  $50.00 for groceries, a warm coat, new shirts and a few toys.  A meager gift compared to the first gift of Christmas.  But one that would bring joy and maybe a little hope.

...It is more blessed to give than to receive. - Acts 20:35b

An empty pocket, a full heart.  So it is!  Much more blessed to give than to receive. 

God, I have received much from you.  Foremost, your overflowing grace and love that comes through Jesus.  Thank you for loving me, thank you for forgiving me, thank you for blessing me.  Thank you for giving us the resources to be able to give to others.  I praise you for the hearts of my children that want to serve and understand you.  May you give us opportunities to teach and lead them.  We give you the glory, may our works reflect your love.  Thank you for loving us first.

Baby Story

 There was nothing super-natural about my children's conception.  There was no stress of treacherous travel just days before their birth.  No fear for lack of money.  No worry of a place to stay.  Their births both routine in a hospital sterile, and warm.  And each child was celebrated!  Surrounded by family praising God for the miracle of life, and the gift of a child.

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus"..."the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." - Luke 1:30-31,35

A super-natural conception

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David...He went there with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

Hectic, tiresome, dangerous travel

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. - Luke 2:4-7

No birthing coach, no take-home outfit, no hospital, not even a cradle

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby...the angel said to them "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good new of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger"...So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. - Luke 2:8-16 (paraphrase)

Not celebrated by family, but visited by lowly dirty shepherds, strangers straight from the field

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. - Luke 2:19  

Not forgetting a single piece of God's unfathomable plan, not questioning the details - but simply treasuring up the miracle of God's love and provision. 

God, as the Christmas season comes to a close help me to treasure and ponder the way that you gave Jesus to us.  Give me understanding of your heart as I raise the children you've blessed me with.  Let me marvel in the miracle of life.  Let me trust in your provision.

The "C" Word

If you add up all the symptoms and plug them into symptom checker, web MD, google, the search engine of your choice etc. you'll uncover the same results.  And I've been plagued by the thought that cancer may be a reality for my friend.  So we cried, we prayed and we talked about it.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.- Romans 12:15

We are all dying.

What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. - James 4:14b

When I overt my eyes from the clutter of ME.  I see!  I'm not so big.  And with the realization that we are all dying whether by age or cancer, the real question is what does God require of me, the mist before I vanish away?  How do I want to spend my time?

You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden...in the same way, let your light before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise God in Heaven. - Matthew 5:13-14 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. - Matthew 22:37-39

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where  thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:21

Forget the insignificant and really love God, which will flow into loving others.  A life filled with good deeds that reflect the ONE true good, the ONE true light. 

God, May my deeds point to you, and may I be building up treasure in heaven.  You've given me this heart, this body and this life - it is all on loan from you.  May I be a good steward and may you welcome me home someday. 

Truffles

The ingredients all the same, yet each one unique and filled with imperfections.  My hands stained, and sticky - palm to palm I rolled the truffles and they took shape.  The chocolate filled spoon cradled the imperfect sphere- back and forth, covering, until all it's imperfections disappeared.

The Lord formed man from the dust of the ground and breathe into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. - Genesis 2:7


..the gift is not like the trespass.  For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!  For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. - Romans 5:15, 19

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is format he west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. - Psalm 103:11-12

My life, from dust, shaped and formed.  Imperfected by my own choices and wavering heart.  Perfected in his blood that covers me completely and makes me perfect again.

God thank you for the life you've given me.  Thank you for Jesus and the forgiveness I have in Him.  I am covered, perfected in you and I praise you for your love, your patience and your power.  May I honor you by living a life full of worth.  May I always be mindful of my imperfections compared to you.  Thank you for covering me.

Footsteps




Image from
http://www.bowsart.org/images/fullsize/footstep.jpg

Their strides were long, their shoes too big.  The path they walked, the narrow one; straight, 

consistent, guided by ONE greater than themselves.  I watched them love.  I watched them work.  I watched them forgive.  I watched them laugh.  I watched them hurt.  I watched them grow.  My shoes got bigger and I grew too.  I didn't always follow the path their feet lead, and they let me make my own mistakes.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.  You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things... -Colossians 3:5-8

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. -Matthew 7:13-14

How blessed am I!  I once sat in Sunday school under a grandmother's teaching, today I sat under my grandfather's and marveled as he quoted verses from a memory filled with scripture.  I listened as my dad interpreted scripture, and watched my mom, brothers and sisters flip the worn pages of their Bibles.  How blessed am I!  

 My son, do not forget my teaching,  but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. -Proverbs 3:1-7

Raised to see and enter the small gate.  A witness to their examples- striving to walk on the narrow road.  Submitting to HIM.

God, thank you for the blessing of my family.  May I follow in their footsteps of faithfulness.  I submit my life to you, that you may make my path straight.  Daily may I lay my will down so that I continue on your path, not my own.  I trust in you.  I am thankful for your word that guides me, and grateful for Jesus making a way for me to know you.  May I raise my children to know and follow you.  May my footsteps be worthy to follow.

Garbage

We lock it away in bags, it rots away in pits.  We rid our homes of it because it stinks.  But how often do we take out the trash that can clutter our minds, deceive our hearts, and stink-up our life?  I'm not talking about banana peels.

...But each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived , it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grow gives birth to death. - James 1:13b-15

Our own evil desires.  My own sinful nature.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from the nature will reap destruction, the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. - Galatians 6:7-8

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. - James 1:21

Take out the trash.  Rid my mind of the temptations of my sinful nature.  Filter the things I allow into my life, and fill my mind with the seed of the word;  so that what I sow is of eternal value, making my life something worth reaping.

God, thank you for your word which is the wellspring of life.  May your spirit guard my heart and mind, and may I be mindful of the things I allow into our home and in my life.  I want to be a person filled with your word, planting seeds of your goodness in the world.  Guide my life.

Confession

I clenched my teeth, struggling to keep my jaw from dropping, as the words - "I don't believe Jesus is the Son of God" dripped with conviction from her lips.  My heart sank for her and we sat in silence.

Jesus answered. I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

I am sub-consciencely aware I walk among those who don't know Him.  Sadly, I confess, I don't consciencely acknowledge it often.  Do you?  We hear their voices, and see their faces; we bump into them at the store, we pass them on the street.  They are our friends, they are our neighbors, they are our co-workers, they are our families.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  The he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. - Matthew 9:35-38

Am I working for Him?

God, forgive me for not asking to be a part of your harvest.  Shine a light on those I can be a witness to.  Soften the hearts of those who need to know you and give me the words to speak.  You are the good news, the healer of bodies and souls, our shepherd.  Guide me as I seek to follow you.

Why

It plagues me; the grimy muck of this sin filled world.  Hearing about it, reading about it, taking care of kids because it was thrust upon them.  And doubt begins to seep into my thoughts.  I question God and I ask why.  I seek answers I'm not meant to seek.  When my focus is in the gutter of sin it is not on the goodness of God.  When my counsel is of this world I'm deceived.  For the "truth" of the world is no truth at all.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm... - Job 38
The Lord said to Job:
"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?  Let him who accuses God answer him!" 
Then Job answered the Lord:
"I am unworthy- how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer-twice, but I will say no more." - Job 40:1-5
Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm...
"Would you discredit my justice?" - Job 40:8

With a hand covering his mouth and a tongue utterly unworthy to answer God. 
Speechless. 
All the turmoil, all the questions; Job was ready to give God a real piece of his mind.  And yet in the whirlwind of God's presence - silence.  For mearly witnessing God's presence, and hearing God speak of His power and his infinite presence was answer enough.

God may I be quiet and revere the qualities that make you, You. 
Eternal-All knowing-All powerful-Fair-Just-Loving
May I be fearful of your power and respectful of your name and your word.  You require more of me, and I will not question you, your justice or your goodness.  I repent for the doubt I allow to creep into my heart and I praise you.