Merry Christmas!

As we finished up our lesson on the healing of the Centurion’s servant (not real Christmasie but a wonderful lesson in Christ’s love and power), I asked my 7th and 8th grade girls to think about their most memorable Christmas gift and their most memorable Christmas moment. Then I headed to the copier to make our worksheet large enough to add to the wall décor and as I went, my mind raced with all the years and years of Christmas memories.

I thought back to the anticipation of getting the one thing I thought I wanted most in the world, a leather coat with fringe on the sleeves, only to open a PURPLE leather vest with fringe that went to the floor. I didn’t have the nerve to tell mother she had really messed up with this gift – I graciously kept it and my brothers and I had a cornerstone piece of our Halloween costumes for years to come. Many years later, Mom found it in the closet and wrapped it up and gave it to me again. This time it brought tears of joy instead of horror and embarrassment. Isn’t it funny what time can do to something we perceive as awful, embarrassing, and ugly?

I remembered the time Daddy shrunk my favorite sweater when trying to help me out by doing my laundry and how he felt so bad he went and shopped for hours to find as an exact match as possible to give me for Christmas. Mom always did all the shopping for us, but this was special – Dad took time out of his busy schedule to restore to me something precious that had been lost.

Then there was the Christmas that Dad worked so hard to surprise Mom. He always gave her wonderful, well thought out, personal gifts but this year was going to be special. He was giving her a mink coat. Just before Christmas the Neiman Marcus fur vault caught fire and all the inventory and customer storage was lost – millions in fur up in smoke. Dad decided to use this to his advantage. He borrowed my dress up mink stole and wrapped it up in a beautiful package; but before closing the box, he burnt some tissue paper and put it in the box with my toy stole. When Mom opened her present, ashes went everywhere and out she pulled my toy stole. We all had a good laugh as Dad explained that he had purchased a priceless mink coat for her but it had been destroyed in the Neiman’s fire and this was all that was left. Needless to say, he had her coat waiting for her in the other room and she was overjoyed to find the perfect gift Dad had prepared just for her.

Yet, all of these gifts were made possible because of the fist and best Christmas present – the gift from God of His Only Begotten Son; the one perfect gift that would be the example for all future Christmas gifts. God carefully planned the perfect time, the perfect place, and the perfect setting to give His gift. He knew exactly what we needed to be restored and that’s what He gave. He gave His best with more love than we can imagine. His gift took our sin and shame and made it something beautiful – His gift restored what was long lost by our sin – His planning and timing were perfect.

This week is going to be filled with family, fun, and all sorts of new Christmas memories and conversations and laughter about years gone by. As we make new memories and remember the joys of the past, let’s be sure to thank our Father for the perfect gift – that very first Christmas Present – Jesus our Savior!

Merry Christmas!

Out to Lunch Bunch

I have these friends...none of us can really explain how we hooked up as a group to begin with because we are each so different -- not just in personality but also in where we are in life. But now that we're a group we make the most of our friendship. We pray for each other, we celebrate with each other, we cry for each other, and mostly we laugh with each other. God has blessed us with the Spirit of JOY. I couldn't get through without these women! How I wish I had my camera in hand for each of the moments at our last Out To Lunch Bunch Feast, but here are a few shots.

Starting Over with Change....

What’s it look like?

How much change is possible?

Am I qualified to answer the questions?

My church is looking to the future. To see what the body thinks, the group of people in charge of this project has randomly sent out anonymous surveys. We did this a few years ago and as far as I can tell, nothing happened – no change occurred -- which leads me to believe one of four things happened. Either no one answered the survey, everyone was happy (or afraid to “complain”), no one proposed anything new or challenging, or leadership wasn’t interested in implementing any of the changes suggested. No matter which one of those is actually true…how sad.

I’m pretty sure the first isn’t true because I know several people who did fill out a survey and turn it in, me included. Odds say that there is no way everyone was happy with the status quo and I’m guessing a few people had to have enough gumption to throw a few new ideas into the ring. So that leaves the other two…the ideas weren’t seen as good or the leadership wasn’t as interested in shaking things up as they thought they were.

I’m not sure what the answer is since I was not a part of the group who got to read the surveys nor was I a “decision maker”. But either way, it’s a bit disturbing that I am either a part of a church that is completely without ideas or the leadership is lacking what it takes to step out in faith and do something new for the Lord.

Both will dry us up as a church body.

I don’t want anything God doesn’t want and I believe He uses opportunities like this to get His ideas down on paper so I’m going to prayerfully hold on to my survey for a time and re-read the book of Acts. Every church body should come as close as they can to being like the churches in Acts. Those were the ones that set the world on fire and if ever the world needed fresh fire, it’s now.

Just Let Go - He's there to catch you!

Sometimes my heart just hurts for those around me…sometimes for me personally. For times that I just don’t understand or see what God is trying to teach me. For times that I can clearly see what He’s doing (or trying to do) in the lives of others but unable to assist – to push them along.

Now, I believe that at any given moment – during every season of life – God is working on and in us. Since we will never reach perfection on this planet, He is constantly refining us, molding us into His image. Once we develop strength of character and fruit in one area, a whole new area is opened up that needs work and improvement. Some of these lessons are easy – we learn and apply without ever really knowing what happened. Some of the lessons aren’t so easy. We go kicking and screaming into change. We hang on to the door frames and door knobs as He pulls and prods us out of the past and into the present and on into the future. We fight with everything we have to stay the same -- to hold on to what we believe is best for us and to have things our way instead of God’s.

Why do we put up such a fight? Why can’t we just let go and let God have His way with us? Hasn’t history proven that He always knows what is best? Hasn’t He always protected us, provided for us, shown us His unwavering love? Are we afraid of what the change is going to cost us? Are we so comfortable in our present circumstances that we don’t long for more of His likeness? Why are our heads and hearts so soft in some areas of our lives and so darn hard in others?

I can remember a time in my life when I was in such a fight. I was in so deep I was not only comfortable and convinced I was right, I didn’t believe I needed out. I had become someone else – the new, re-birthed me was buried deep beneath my sin. I was not who God had intended but I could feel myself just settling in because it was easier than going back to that new soul Christ made when He saved me. I had lots of justifications and rationalizations for my sin. And it was cheap and easy; the change was going to be hard and cost me greatly. This was going to change the very image of whom and what I had become. I would have to completely let go of my power and control. Even though in my soul I knew the change was right and what needed to happen I didn’t want to let go – I liked my sin – I wanted to be right no matter what it cost me – on this earth or in heaven. However God was persistent and eventually, I could no longer stand the battle – I lost the will to fight. Letting go became the easiest thing in the world and when I finally did let go – just as He promised – God was right there to catch me and put me back together. I praise Him for what He did and how He loved me then and how He loves me now. How preciously He never said, “I told you so!” He just took my shame and covered it with His scars.

There are so many people in my life that I am watching in a battle – maybe not specifically what I was in, but stuck in sin they simply don’t want out of – sin they are not willing to even call sin. I know the battle that must be going on inside them – the battle for control over the sin. I also know who is going to ultimately win. Why not just let go now so that the abundant part can begin – why hang on so tightly to death?

Sometimes, my heart just hurts. I pray for you daily.

Not too Deep...but I get it.

I have a situation in my life that I can't change. The situation is between me and someone I deeply love, and the power to do anything about it is out of my hands. I could harp about it and whine about it and remind over and over how it bothers me and how it is probably not the right (or even healthy) thing to do, but that won't cause the change. I have given some very compelling pleas and offered up a number of solutions, but the power to change is not mine. It's not my decision to make. I see how this is putting a wall up in our relationship but I can't do anything about it...or can I?

I can see, through very foggy human eyes, how God must feel when He gives us the Truth and sets the choice out before us and so often we choose unwisely...frequently holding on to things He died to set us free from...holding on to the old self. I see how that causes a distance in our relationship with God - yet He loves and waits for us to make the choice to change. But until the choice is made and true repentance comes, the relationship is different. God can't choose for us.

God's Holy Spirit must be the convictor and bring my loved one to repentance, but the choice to change is theirs, not mine. Only then will the change come and only then will the relationship be healed. In the meantime I guess I can do something about it, I can pray.

Light in the Darkness

So, I’m not really sure where this is going to go...let’s just follow it for a few minutes. This morning, while on the edge of awake, but really still asleep, a bright light hit my face and my first reaction, even before opening my eyes, was “wow that’s bright – I wonder where it’s coming from”. I really thought it was some sort of giant spot light in my face – not sure from where – but keep in mind I was still half asleep – my imagination was in full throttle.

I opened my eyes and looked at the light – it was coming through the tiniest of cracks in our bathroom door. Not at all giant or huge but making a profound impact on the darkness of morning. All at once a flood of childhood memories came streaming into my head of early mornings at my Nana and Papa’s house. My brothers and I asleep on the foldout couch in the den and the adults quietly sneaking into the kitchen for their morning coffee. They tried to be quiet and not disturb us, but as soon as one would turn on a light, even in the back of the house, the brightness of even a pinpoint of light streaking into the den would wake us.

I don’t know what all that has to do with anything but isn’t it funny where our minds go early in the morning when sleep isn’t quite over yet we’re still far from awake?

Once I had come to my senses, I headed out to see where the light was coming from and what the necessity of having it on was all about. I was drawn to the light to learn more. To my surprise I discovered that it was past time for me to wake up and that I needed to get out of my jammies and into some clothes and get to work – time was running out – I had overslept.

I’ve tossed that moment around in my head most of today. What keeps coming to me are the verses that say, “God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all” and “we are the light in a dark world”. It didn’t take very much light for me to think I was under interrogation this morning. A tiny bit of light broke through the dark morning and disturbed my sleep. Is it possible that only a tiny bit of God can break through the darkness of our lives and disturb our sin? That in fact, we are drawn to the light and have a need to learn more about it – whether it’s the light of day or the light of God?

In Genesis 1:4 it says that “God separated the light from the darkness”. He did it on purpose. And on purpose He calls us to be set apart – holy – from the rest of the world. I never really thought about about it but there must have been a reason He wanted the light separated from the darkness, otherwise He wouldn't have done it. I'm sure it was to show the vast difference.

I think that many Christians don’t really understand, or even often think about, the profound affect (and effect) living their daily lives in Christ has on the world. A life lived for Christ, no matter how small, pierces the darkness and people are drawn to it to learn more. We don’t have to be a Beth Moore or a Billy Graham to be a piercing light in a dark world. Our single small life can break through a dark life and draw them to the source. But before it’s too late, we need to wake up, get out of our jammies, put on all our Christlike clothing and get to work letting our lights shine before men.

Tuning In To What God Has To Say....

Yesterday my family was in Dallas and we attended Brookhaven Church with my Mother. We were there because it was Molly’s birthday and because Stephen was “staring” in KidzStuff as Stephendiana Jones, the Great Adventurer. However, as is usually the case at Brookhaven, we got more than we went in for. Brother Glenn preached the first sermon in a new series called "FREQUENCY – Being In Tune with God."


I’ve joked for years that his sermons are written as if he has followed me around all week and I’m secretly his life example. But this time I’m sure it was true. Bro. Glenn preached a hard-hitting, Bible backed sermon on how we were created with the capacity to communicate with God, but many don’t have the Power (Jesus) or use the Power (the Holy Spirit) and how nothing in our lives – no matter how big and wonderful and more and more and more of whatever it is – will ever satisfy us until the communications between us and our maker is in great working order.


It wasn’t deep theology – it was simple truth that we’ve probably heard before, but for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like Bro. Glenn was using me as the “what not to do” example. See, I’ve really been working on my communication skills with God. Talking to Him frequently and about most everything and doing my best to hear what He’s saying to me. For the past few months, I’ve been completely dependent on Him for all my needs – everything – not just the spiritual stuff but the day to day things like my job, food, finances, emotional support, strength, rest, my relationship with my husband and my (lack of) kids. My prayer life has really been the source of that dependence. Without being directly plugged into my God, there is no way I would have made it through. My life has been hit with some pretty tough situations in the last few months. You know that saying,” what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”? Well I have asked several times, “Are you trying to make me stronger or are you trying to kill me?” I know that He loves me and He’s making me stronger by making me weaker as I become more and more dependent on Him.


Now, I know there were many individuals in church on Sunday and each of them probably walked away with something different than I did. I can see where the sermon could have been considered strictly a “come to Jesus” or a “come back to Jesus” sermon; or where some could have taken away that life is not all about what we can accomplish or accumulate for ourselves or that we need to live for a purpose bigger than ourselves. All of those are true and needed to be heard by someone in the sanctuary, but I needed to feel my God’s love and know that He is so anxious to talk to me and hangs on my every word just like I should hang on His every word.


He didn’t have to do what He did for me, but He did and I’m so amazingly grateful and so deeply in love with the God who sent His only Son to live, die and live just for me. I want Him to be the one I talk to about everything and I desperately want to know what He has to say on every subject.

If you’d like to Listen to Brother Glenn’s sermon – here’s the link…It’s worth the time spent!
http://www.brookhavenchurch.com/sermons.html

All the Small Things

Psalm 86:17 says "Show me a sign of your goodness. When my enemies look, they will be ashamed. You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me."



I've been asking God to show His goodness to me - even in the small stuff. He's doing just that - I'm going to do my best to have my eyes and ears open to what He's doing. I'd love it if you'd join me and post your small stuff too!