INNOCENCE OF BIRTH

Jesus' birth was the beginning of a new family. It marked the consummation of vows of faithfulness of Mary and Joseph to each other and to God. It marked the beginning of an innocent life.

We are reminded of the responsibilities of parents to bring up their children in the safety and admonition of the Lord. We realize once more how precious life is. We long for that innocence of a newborn babe.

God chose his son, Jesus, to come to earth to experience this earthy life from beginning to end. He had to be taught to talk and walk as a human being. He had to build a body to withstand the trials and temptations we all have had to face.

This time of year we remember and envy the innocence and vulnerability of a baby. How dependent we are on other people. As in birth, we find in death our vulnerability to this human form we call our bodies. How we must depend on God to, …grant us with a willing spirit to sustain us. (Psalm 51:12b) my paraphrase).

MOM'S LAST CHRISTMAS GIFT

     Christmas was my mom's favorite time of year. She gave to each family member: Aunts, Uncles, nieces, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, she even gave to friends and their family who couldn't give back.

     Her last days on earth, she was given a Christmas gift she didn't wear. My aunt had given her a nice, pink robe because mom was ill. She had not worn it three days after Christmas when she died December 27, 1969.

     I remember my aunt asked to return the robe.  I remember it was a curious request, but did not jump to judgment. Years later I realized the two women's viewpoint. They were from the "Great Depression" era. They were frugal. "Waste not, want not," was evident in their decisions.

     Mom knew the thought behind the gift was genuine love. She loved back through a last gesture of frugality.

     I see this same quality in her grandchildren as they have grown. They love to shop. They love to give, even when the recipients can't return the favor. Praise The Lord for a giving family.

 …."It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35) NIV

AWESOMENESS OF GOD

Awesomeness of God will surpass all understanding. Knowing God face to face. How will our attitude change when we come face to face with God?

The word "awesome" is used often. But, I cant' think of a higher thought, attitude, or feeling that expresses the thought of coming face to face with our creator. Our concerns would change in a moment. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, His ideas higher than ours. Isaiah 55:9, says: "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than you ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

We are supposed to be preparing ourselves in this life for the next life. It is said that the next life is a continuation of this one. Having a relationship with God will lead us to preparing ourselves for that meeting that will surely cause us to be in awe of our heavenly Father. Only knowing Jesus can prepare us for this encounter. It will bring that peace and awesomeness that passes all understanding.

Too often we become so familiar with Jesus we forget he represents God in human form. As John the Baptist said in John 1:26, "I baptize with water but, there is one who comes after me whose thongs I am unworthy to tie." (NIV) If John knew him intimately and stood in awe of him how much more we need to learn of him and be in awe of him. 

WHAT IF

     How many times have you played, "What if?" Who hasn’t played, "What if I had enough money to give my children all they ever need. If I had enough to buy a mansion and cars for our family, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncle's. Then had enough to be an entrepreneur to heal others."

     Well, last Spring, I had the unfortunate occasion to play the, "What If?" Only I played, "What if I become paralyzed?" It wasn't exactly a game. I was faced with the issue. Any wrong move before I had surgery could become the fact. Thought's of what my family would be required to do was overwhelming. As it was, we didn't fare very well, my husband and I. We became overwhelmed with the responsibility.

     I thought my faith was stronger than at that time. I became devastated. I thought of the worst-case scenario. I was surprised at my lack of faith. However, I prayed that I would not be, and I was not paralyzed. The Physicians Assistant said I could be. I am still faced with the idea that any day I can pop my back out of place and I could become paralyzed.

     Faith is a strange thing. We can think we are strong then fail. Maybe we think too much of ourselves. We think, "I am strong!" or "I can handle this situation!" NOT without God. God is the strength by which we face daily lives.  God is the sustenance that holds the pieces of our lives together.

     We forget to ask as Solomon did, "Give me wisdom." or as Sampson did, "Give me strength." We forget to ask for that, "faith to move mountains."

     We can dream of enough "money" to sustain us and our family and friends. We ask, "Lord give me "faith" to sustain my husband and me, not only in times of despair but daily tasks. Give me strength to take care of my needs and my husbands needs."

     It requires "reigning in our vain imaginations" and "taking captive our negative thoughts" as Paul admonishes us to do.

     As it turned out the Lord was gracious to me and healed me byAugust of this summer. With faith and a lot of people prayers for me, and with the knowledge God imparted to doctors I was able to be healed surgically. I am doing well and will take more time to decide what are the most important activities (and work) to accomplish each day. Taking care of my body as well as my soul.

     (NIV 2 Corinthians 10:5b…"we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.")

Vast Expanse

Looking at the world around us

can bring so many sights

it can bring us to our knees.

for God’s vast expanse of the sky

which surrounds us with the beauty of

creation we do not fully understand.

For God created earth and sky

for all to understand

his beauty deep and wide.

We dare to understand

how He brought a man and woman

into this land to live and die

by honoring Him with their presence

this vast expanse of earth and sky

Broken Back

Lifting a load of stored clothes In the house 

Crack went the back What a terrible noise 

All the way up

The spine it went

A terrible feeling 

All over my being

Something terribly wrong 

With full bodily sound

Woe filled my soul

With a heart filled bound

With a sound that could be heard

All around the town

The doctors could only wonder

Why I wasn't in pain

As later that day

So close to the spine 

Inches from the backbone

The vertebrae they found

CHOICES

     When God made man he gave him choices. If we had not been given choices, we would not know how good God is. We can either choose to do evil or good. We would just take it for granted everything is going to be perfect today. We wouldn’t be able to know the really good feeling of helping another.Without bad things happening to us, we would not be grateful for God being good to us.

     Without choices we would be robots walking about doing as God pleases. We would not know freedom. God would not have created us human.  To be human is to be human.  If not, then we would be wooden statues to move about as if on a game board. We can only know the really good things because God is good. He is our leader and we desire to please him. God desires a relationship, not someone to order around.

     We don’t want to make bad choices. We need others to share our thoughts with and confer with. That is what makes a relationship a relationship; making decisions together. Diversity makes us different from one another and that helps us make choices together.

     My prayer is that you make a choice to serve God today and everyday. By doing so you will know the good relationship you will know the goodness of God.

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV)

Ring of Years Gone By

Dinner rings, popular then

Mom saw that I had one on my birthday

Long ago a a thirteen year old

I admired it from then on

And 50 years later

In a drawer it lays

For some unsuspecting girl to hold

For future generations to admire

The Vase

A vase from Grandpa Scott's family

Of the 1850's era 

On the dinning table 

In the middle of the house 

It's familiar placement lay.

Memories of years gone by

Made special as life goes on

Those "golden years" and simpler times 

A home quaint with possessions old and dear

OPEN DOORS

     We will find the answers to life’s questions by opening the door of our minds and hearts to Christ and we will find Him in the open pages of the Bible. There is a way that leads to understanding God’s gift that is lying just beyond the door. Doors are opening for people each day. We just have to recognize the signal.

     Every situation that you face is addressed in the Bible. When we need to hear from God turn its pages and you will find answers to life’s questions. Keep asking for in seeking you will find.

     When in doubt if you are hearing God right when we read; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

     When we are ill or depressed we have 2 Corinthians 12:9: “…My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made in weakness.”

     When we are miserable and feeling bad, we hear God say, “The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NIV).  When we are looking for direct in our life we see: Ask, seek, and knock. For all who seek find, for all who knock the door shall be opened. For everyone who asks receives.

     When we question God and ask Him in which direction we should go, we can be sure He knows the way and we can find answers in the Bible. For direction God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8 NIV)  

     We must keep seeking new doors to open. The next door that opens for you may be a new world of possibilities.

GOD'S PRESENCE

“The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1 NIV)

     God is not just almighty but, all mighty; mighty in all; most high. He is above all, the power and strength of the mightiest of all creation. He is over all creation. He speaks and mighty are His words. Just a word from His mouth He spoke the world into existence. Talk about the power of the spoken word. This was power above all powers.

     He protects us with His presence. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s presence and gives us power when we have meditated on His word we would not otherwise have. He welcomes us into His presence by His power and might.

     We know the presence of the Lord when we reach deeply into the word of God. Even when hard times come we know He is with us. Because the Bible tells us, “He Himself will deliver you from the ….the destructive plague. His faithfulness will be a protective shield”(Psalm 91:3and 4b NIV)

     When we talk to people, how influential are we? Are we just making conversation or are we influencing them for our benefit or for theirs? Our words are very important. Someone once said, “She doesn’t talk very much”, to which she replied from another person’s quote, “I would rather keep my mouth shut and have people think I’m a fool than open it and prove it.” (Sometimes quoted from Abraham Lincoln, sometimes Mark Twain).

     Our words are a powerful force. They can make someone’s countenance fall are rise. They can lift spirits or bring them down. We have choices to make everyday. We must choose what words are we speaking today and make God’s presence known among the people we meet.

     Do we experience God’s presence every day or just on Sunday when the preacher preaches a sermon. Do we experience God within ourselves then reach others by our words?

     God’s presence is all around us when we just look for it. God’s presence can be in the people we meet. God’s presence is wherever we are. We just have to look for it. If we never reach up, nothing can ever come down.  We look upward for God and He comes downward and lives in our hearts.