Christmas Joys

A jolly old man in a red and white suit
Surrounded by tiny elves
Reindeer looking from outside
While Santa fills the shelves

Is this what we've reduced Christmas to?
An unabashed toy free for all
We've failed to embed in our children that
Christmas didn't start in the mall

In a tiny manger is where it began
No ornaments, trees or a toy
Just God watching over the birth
Of His little baby boy

The gifts that were given to Him
Were given with hearts of love
That God would send them a Savior
Straight from Heaven above

No thoughts of reciprocation
Not expecting a gift in return
Only seeking to see His face
Each waiting for their turn

I suggest we not feel required
To spoil our kids with toys and more toys
I instead say that we should teach them
Christmas' true wondrous joys

Present sufferings to future glory!

Romans 8:18 NIV
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us

I pray that you each took the time to watch this video.  It was inspired by the terrible hurricane we know as Katrina.  The words in this song are truly sent from God.  It tells us that in the midst of the worst day of our life, when we have lost everything and everyone we still have the most important person, Jesus.  He is with us through all times, good and bad.  Just to call upon His name can bring us through the worst times and make the best times taste even sweeter.  

In this video the young man asks the mother "shouldn't you be calling on FEMA, the Red Cross, Bush or Chaney?" (paraphrased)  No, we should call upon He who breathed life into this world.  He who heals the blind, and makes the lame to walk.  The name above all else is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.  

Can you think of a name any sweeter than this?  Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!  Thank you so much Lord for dying on the cross for not only my sins, but the sins of the entire world.  

I cannot wait until Romans 8:18 is fulfilled.  When our present sorrows are but  a distant memory.  When there will be no more sadness, no more pain.  Dried will be the tears, broad will be the smiles, every knee will bow and every mouth will proclaim that Christ IS KING!!!

Thank you all so much for reading.  I pray that each of you grow closer in your relationship to the LORD on this day.

The Little Things

In a world where most only give thanks
For things amazing and grand
I strive to notice the finer details
Of things made with God's hand

A small ant on a hillside
Toiling away all day long
Working for a simple goal
To make it's colony strong

A cloud lazily floating
On a gentle puff of breeze
Not hard to think of God
As you lay back completely at ease

It gets a little bit harder
When you think on things of gloom
A storm of great magnitude
Can darken any room

But He has promised me I can
Give Him all my fears
That He will carry my burdens
And wipe away my tears

If only I put my trust in Him
And the words He has given me
Then the little things will seem so grand
If you see like God can see

Grace...that's what it is

Have you ever met someone who just exudes good "vibes"?  Someone who just seems totally unfazed by lifes constant shifting and the worries of day to day life?  I won't say this is encompassing all people like that, but I would wager that for a large portion it is due to God's grace.  When we have God's grace, things that really use to bother us just seem distant and conquer-able.  He gives us a constant shoulder to cry on, a steady rock to lean on and is always there in our time of greatest need.  These are among many of the reasons that myself and millions of other followers of Christ feel comfort in times of sorrow, release in times of pain and in times of joy, that joy is multiplied a thousand fold because we know that in all things God works for good. 

A wonderful example of my previous statement is a girl I know and adore named Destiny Armstrong.  She lives right here in my community and was diagnosed with Lymphoma recently.  Through all the treatments, the pain and fear, she has stuck to a motto that gives her strength "God's got this".  And He does.  God doesn't promise that when we accept Him that our lives will be picturesque, but He does promise that He will take our burdens and that we can call upon Him at any time. 

I ask for my readers to consider this.  Think of Destiny and the strength she gains by trusting in God.  Not only has He given her strength through this, but has also used her as a remarkable reminder that He indeed does "Got this".

Random-ness

I am hoping that I am not the only person in the world with this problem.  This will be a totally random page.  Sometimes I feel like I can't even clean the house without being unorganized.  I will start on one room and then find something else in another room that needs cleaned and start on that.

Please tell me I am not the only 1 with this problem.

A sad goodbye

Very few times in my life have I met someone I can totally gel with even if we don't always agree on all topics.  Today one if those few people and I said our long term but hopefully not forever goodbyes.  When you find a friend who just likes you for you and not what they get by being your friend, keep them. 

Best wishes to you Samantha! Will miss you all terribly!

Ahhh the good ole days...

What happened to the good ole days?  When did they cease to exist?  Was it maybe 10 years ago? 20, 50, just when exactly did they stop?  An indicator, well to me anyway, is music.  If you note music today, a LOT of it is sampled for music of years past.  All the good love songs are gone, the teen age anthems are recycled garbage and apparently if you don't say 15 curse words in the first 5 seconds of the song, it won't be a hit!  Give me Ray Charles, give me Nina Simone, give me Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, give me an original!  Ah well, guess we will just have to be thankful that we can listen to the oldies and goodies on the web forever. :D

On That Day

This is a  poem I wrote last year for Christmas.


Imagine the joy that Mary felt
When she heard the glorious tale
That soon she would be mother to
He whom all would hail.
That on that day angels would sing
Shouting their glory above
Behold we have a newborn king
The Lord's embodiment of love.
Behold He is our Savior!
Jesus shall be his name.
And from this day you will see,
This world won't be the same.
Shepherds came to see him
Lying in a manger there
So excided where these men
They couldn't wait to share.
Can't we be as excited
As those shepherds on that day
That we've been given this gift from God
Our Redeemer we call the WAY.

It's been awhile

I have seriously been slacking in my post writing.  I need to find a good balance in my life, but life has seemingly taken a alternate route. Prayers are welcome to get me back to what I thought was God's will for me.  Thanks so much.

Go ye therefore into all the world...

I'll wager that if I were able to see a show of hands, that most if not all of you who read this would say that they have heard this before.  This is what we have been commanded to do as Christians.  Not suggested, commanded.  We are to spread the news of Jesus' love, sacrifice of himself for our sins and of his Resurrection.  What I wonder is, why isn't this happening?  I cannot speak for all people, churches or denominations, only myself.  I feel like I have my priorities askew.  Finding time to do missions, learn more about them, teach them to my children and others around me shouldn't be left to whatever time I have left.  It should be priority #1.  It just seems like life jumps ahead, and that is no ones fault but my own.

What I need from each of my readers is to pray for me.  Pray for my church that we might be more mission minded.  I feel like God is leading me to something and it is kind of scary.  I am a helper by nature, not so much a leader.  But!  I will follow God in whatever He wants me to do.  Please pray for me that I will have a steel resolve and will always look forward and never behind.

I pray that God blesses you all, and please don't forget to drop me a line and visit the prayer request page.  I add them as I get them, if you leave me a message, I'll put yours on the page as well.

Respect, what's that?

I remember when I was young there was this underlying almost fear that I held for my parents.  The thing is, I was never spanked, I just knew better.  When I was told to do something, I did it.  And when not, I didn't.  What I would love to know is, where did the respect go?  As you may see by my page, I have three cuties that can make me smile one second and be frustrated beyond belief the next.  One of the three (not naming any names) has a serious problem with their attitude.  I have no idea of what to do with them.  The mouth, the eye rolling and just generally disrespectfulness (yes I know that isn't really a word) is driving me nuts.  There is just an underlying tension between the two of us sometimes and I just can't seem to get them to understand how this is damaging our relationship.  I want us have no irritation in my voice, no stiffness in my back around them but years of disrespect has conditioned me for it.  I would love any suggestions from more experienced parents.  I just wanna know, where did the respect go?

Don't give tools the credit!

Imagine this scenario...
            A masterful carpenter is putting the final touches on an intricately carved piece of furniture.  Just by            viewing the furniture you can tell how much work and skill went into its creating.  Then, a passerby comes along and sees this piece of furniture.  The admirer looks at all the fine detail and all the hard work.  Then the passerby tells the carpenter "Man! Those tools did an amazing job making this furniture".

During Sunday school, this picture rolled though my mind like a movie.  Sometimes that is how God speaks to me, so I thought He might want me to share this.  So here we go.

What is wrong with this picture?  I am sure that you have already discerned that the problem is that we never give the tools the credit for making anything magnificent.  Picasso didn't give his paintbrushes credit, nor did Van Gogh, but rather when people viewed what these men had created, those admirers probably said what beautiful work the artist had done.

Why is it then that when we do exactly what we have been told to do by God, we want to take credit?  We are to go forth into every nation and tell them of the news of Jesus' love, life and sacrifice for them.  Sometimes when people are only an introduction for someone to God, they want to say "I brought them to salvation".  No you didn't.  Only the Holy Spirit can convict someone.  No words we say, no matter how eloquent, no actions we take, no matter how righteous or forceful can make anyone accept Christ's gift.

So don't give tools the credit for a plan laid out so masterfully by the Creator.  Just be glad that you are able to be used in creating such a beautiful thing as a new life in Christ.

God uses women too....

When we think of women in the bible, most of the ones that stand out as godly women are women who didn't come from great means, importance or social status.  The women we associate with good character are women like Mary (Jesus' mother) who was but a mere girl when chosen to be the mother to our Savior.  There are other women, like Ruth, whose actions were such an example as to have a whole chapter dedicated to them.  Neither of these women had wealth, but quite the opposite.  Mary was a teenager who had been affianced to Joseph at around the age of 14.  We know that she was approached by an angel and told that she would give birth to Jesus (from the time before and since there has never been another birth that didn't require two sets of DNA so we know what people probably thought of Mary).  Ruth was an old widow who was faithful to her mother-in-law Naomi.  She found favor in God's eyes and was married to Boaz and taken care of even in her old age.

I say all that to tell you this, women are important to God.  He used them in the bible to do important works for Him.  God used Jael to defeat an enemy of the army of Israel.  He could have used anyone, he could have chosen the most mighty warrior that Israel had, but chose instead to use a courageous and faithful woman.  When you look at statistics for missions funding and we think of those yearly church offerings, what sort of names do you think of?  Eliza Broadus, Annie Armstrong, those ring a bell?  The thing they both have in common is that they are both women and both loved God.

God can use anyone to teach, preach and evangelize.  You don't have to have seminary school under your belt to tell someone of God's love.  There is not a asterix at the end of the Bible saying that all the words in here only apply to men and when Jesus says the harvest is full but the workers are few, he wasn't referring to just men.  He used women in the Bible, and He will use you today.

What Could Be Is Now

Can you imagine a life without worry
Without care and without pain?
A life with joy and peace with
Comfort that is sustained.

Life for you my loves,
Could be called unfair at best.
At time it's seemed unbearable
Like an un-passable test.

Please know that it can be better
If you keep your eyes ahead
Let go of the past, it is unchanging
Your faith in Him embed.

I'll take your pain, if you will
For I have two sturdy knees
Lay your cares, I'll give them away
God will take them away from me.

~For my sister and my niece.  I'll be with you through this new journey.  I love you both with all my heart.  Please always know that.

Don't Do Familiar Again

Sometimes it seems like life is on auto-pilot.  Then suddenly you are cast into a turbulence so severe you are not even sure if you will make it off this trip alive...
Having a niece in the ICU on the brink of death jerked me out of auto-pilot.  The terrible thing would be if we took this gift from God for granted.  If we let life slip back into what is comfortable and familiar.  Please tell me that I am not the only one that realizes that if we do the same thing, we will get the same outcome we have always gotten.  Life is too precious to take for granted.  Think of those that we've lost, those that we've almost lost and then tell me that there isn't room in your life for some improvement.  Each decision that we make should first be thought through.  If it will displease God, it will hurt my family, and it will hurt myself, I try not to do it.  However; I am by NO means perfect.  I do think that I have gotten the main idea of life down.  The secondary concepts I may still need some work on.  But one thing I can tell you for sure that I've discovered in my 30 years is that sometimes people will stick to familiar even if familiar hurts.
Please don't do familiar again.
I love you.
You were created for something beautiful and what you are doing now is not beautiful.


Praise God for bringing my niece back from the brink of death.