I Almost Saw A Whale! February 28, 2012

          “A dolphin!, my husband yelled from the back of our boat. I rushed to where he stood and looked quickly the direction he pointed….no dolphin.   I could see only the concentric rings of rippling water marking a place where something had no doubt surfaced.  I scanned the area, squinted into the sun reflecting off the water, and tried my hardest to see the dolphin.  “Over there!” , the husband now bellowed as I scurried to his side of the boat and followed his pointed finger…again only ripples and waves did I see.  I really, really, wanted to see the dolphin!  I stared into the swift moving current for a  long time.  I was drawn to any disturbance in the water, certain I almost caught a glimpse of the dolphin.

          This brought back a memory from when I was a little girl.  The details, of course, are not clear, so I will no doubt embellish the story a bit…but I do recall being in the Seattle Washington area and visiting a place where it was possible to see whales at times.  My family was there along with and aunt, uncle and my cousins.  I remember my cousin and I trying hard to see a whale…I really, really wanted to see one.  Every white capped wave, every shimmer of sun off the ocean surface, seemed like a promise of a whale sighting…to the point that I convinced myself I had seen, well, almost seen, a whale.  That is when I uttered the memorable line, “I ALMOST SAW A WHALE!”  Yep, the adults thought it funny…my cousin and I felt we had succeeded in our effort to spot a whale.

          Dolphin spotting this day felt much the same.  The hubster kept seeing the elusive dolphin and I kept feeling like I was only “almost seeing” one.  I thought about how in life, it is easy to miss seeing the important things God has for us, lessons, blessings, evidences of Him and reminders of His care for us.   Am I the one who only sees the “rings or ripples”, the one who is a bit late to recognize something, or too distracted to take the time to really look?  Do I look everywhere but where God wants me to look?  Was I destined to be the “ring, ripple” spotter while others get to see the real thing?  Is that enough?  No, I want to see the real thing!  I want to appreciate when I see the “rings or ripples” that mark a place or situation that God had impacted…but I also want to be busy seeking God always, heart open, eyes wide, and ready to witness His grace and mercy.  I want to be able to shout “There He is!”

          I did learn that day that sometimes to see what others see, you have to be where they are and be patient.  I stood on the dock for quite a while, but eventually the dolphin came into my view.  I don’t think seeing dolphins will ever get old…it is always exciting.  We watched as a small pod of them  played  around the marina and then disappeared into the deeper water, but not before I had a chance to point to them for others on the dock nearby and shout, “There they are!”

“How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart” Psalm 119:2

Lord, help us to seek you with all our heart and not just “almost see” , but to truly see Your work in our lives!

Wow, Weird and Wonderful! February 21, 2012

          Had a rather odd thing occur today….Quick background:  I donated a kidney to my dad about 20 years ago (I’ll save that for another blog post someday).  Recently  the university medical center that performed the procedure contacted me about participating in a research project following living kidney donors.  A gentleman from the center has been working with me over the phone and by mail.   I have filled out questionnaires, submitted test results, and stuff like that.  Normally he contacts me, but I have tried to return his call at least once.  I entered his number from a voicemail into my phone a few months ago.  Wellllllllll, apparently I managed to enter in a wrong number…but this is where it gets really really  weird.

          I hit the call button to contact the kidney research guy , I needed to confirm he had all the info he needed.  A nice woman answered the phone.  Obviously, a wrong number…but before I could excuse myself the voice on the other end of the line said, “Teri? Is that you?”   SOMEHOW, I managed to enter a wrong number that just happened to be the phone number of the woman I met last year while running my first half marathon down in New Orleans! 

Let that sink in a minute……….it took me a while to wrap my head around what had transpired too.

         The only thing she had in common with my kidney guy was an area code….what are the chances of that!!!!   I did not even have her number saved in my phone!   She had entered my phone number into her phone following our race, so when I called it came up as “Teri 13.1”….she said the last time I called, I left a message about kidney stuff, but it did not make sense to her.  She wondered what the deal was. 

         Imagine dialing a wrong long distance number and finding the person on the other end is someone you know!!!  Definitely a wow, weird and wonderful happening.  I might say I don’t know why it happened, but I know my God enough to know it was not the freak chance it seems to be. 

          It was so good to talk with Angie again.  My relationship with Angie began as we trudged alongside each other to complete our 13.1 mile run.  She was just a stranger amid the mass of runners but, after a short exchange of conversation, she quickly became my encourager, inspiration, and running buddy.  She lives in Alabama and my only contact with her since then has been through e-mails, and sadly not even recently.

         After trying to reconcile my brain to the crazy circumstance that found me talking to this distant friend, we quickly fell into comfortable conversation again.  It was great catching up.  We may not have a lot in common, but we have a common God.  He continues to use this sweet lady to inspire me.   I’m pretty sure I could not do all that she does, homeschooling, caring for her family and extended family, and working full time and dealing with the occasional health issue.  I love how we kind of get each other too…when I confess that sometimes I am too lazy to go for a run…not because it is hard, but because I don’t want to have to shower again, she laughs…not because it’s funny, but because she knows what that feels like! 

          By the time we said goodbye I felt refreshed and inspired.  To be honest she had not been on my mind in some time, yet now I find myself eager to pray for her and her family.  I am also reminded of our first meeting and the half marathon we managed to complete…even though it was a life impacting event, time had already begun to thin the memory a bit, and I want to always remember that time and the lessons I learned. 

Thank you God, for the wow, weird and wonderful moment today, and for the inspiration found in the faraway friend!

Illuminating Love February 14, 2012

          When I was a little girl, I was afraid of the dark.  This posed quite a problem since I shared a room with my sister who preferred a dark room in which to sleep.  Each night there would be a quiet battle about just how far to crack the door and how much light we could let in the room.  She would try to give me tips on going to sleep in spite of my fear…count sheep, talk to the Sheppard, think happy thoughts…none of which helped in the least, until one night she told me to close my eyes.   She then proceeded to make the point that when I closed my eyes, it was dark and no different from the dark room.  Now, that could have gone badly, I often wonder why I did not start feeling afraid to close my eyes, but it worked.  I also knew that I could banish that mean old darkness with nothing more than the flick of a switch or the opening of a door…peace at last.

          Today is Valentine’s Day.  Today I am not only thinking of those I love, but of a love far greater than any I could imagine.  I am thinking of the love bestowed on us all by God through His son Jesus Christ.  Today I am reminded that in Him there is no darkness.  Today I am thankful for a love that immerses me in light.

          I hope that as you read these Words you will know that you are loved beyond measure by a God who defeats darkness, immerses you in light ,who created you, knows you, sees you, protects you, plans for you and thinks of you more often than there are  grains of sand…that is LOVE. 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

1 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. 2 I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. 3 You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight.

4 You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. 5 I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too – your reassuring presence, coming and going.

6 This is too much, too wonderful – I can’t take it all in! 7 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? 8 If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! 9 If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, 10 You’d find me in a minute – you’re already there waiting!

11 Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” 12 It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.

13 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. 14 I thank you, High God – you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! 15 You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

16 Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. 17 Your thoughts – how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! 18 I couldn’t even begin to count them – any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!

(Psalm 139:1-18)The Message

 

 

When the Wheels Come Off the Wagon February 9, 2012

I have had quite an adventurous few weeks. 

          Two weeks ago, I went into the hospital for a medical “procedure.”   (I will try to walk the fine line between being transparent and honest with not over sharing.)  Late last year I discovered I had developed uterine fibroids.  Not cancer, not even a big health concern, but after discussions with my doctor we agreed it was best to have them dealt with at this time.  Suffice to say it was not life threatening, nor was it a big deal.  Rather, it was a fairly common procedure requiring a short overnight stay in the hospital and an easy two week recovery.  

          All went as expected.  I had great care and was home by noon the following day.  Recovery was nothing more tasking than rest and medicine; I am a fan of both.   Five days later I was feeling fine and excited to see life close to normal around the corner, that is until I went to the grocery store.

          It was Tuesday.  I remember it well.  I had stopped by the local grocer to pick up a few things.  As I was checking out the kind cashier simply uttered , “Hello, how are you today?”  Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was overcome with emotion.  I wanted to crawl over the counter, throw myself into her arms and cry.    I hurried out to my car, thankful I was able to fight such a crazy urge, and drove straight home, crying all the way.  “WHAT WAS THAT?” I kept asking myself once I was safely home.   All throughout that day, I kept having odd bouts of crying, no reason, and not long lasting.  Something was not right.  I admit I am an emotional person, but this was not normal even for me!

          My husband was out of town, which may have been a good thing since I am certain my behavior would have worried him.  The next day I continued to feel on the verge of tears throughout the day.  Anytime someone asked how I was on the phone or in an e-mail, I had to fight back sobs.  Yep, as if crying easily was not bad enough, now I was SOBBING at every kind word sent my way.  I began to pray asking God to keep kind people out of my path.

           I had to go to Target.  I purposefully went to one further from my home in hopes of avoiding running into someone I knew who would ask, “Hey. How are you?”   I knew this would trigger illogical sobbing in public.  I even prayed asking God to place disconnected, stern faced people in my path this day.  It almost worked.  I was practically at the check out before a worse case scenario crossed my path.  Not only did I run into someone I knew, but it was a couple I had not seen in some time, he, a compassionate local pastor and she, a typical kindhearted pastor’s wife complete with a sweet southern accent.   Pastor: Hey Teri how are you? It is so good to see you!  Wife: Oh my goodness, it is good to see you, HOW ARE YOU?(said with a sweet and very earnest tone)Me: I’m good.(do you get in extra trouble with God if you lie to a pastor?)  I hold my shopping cart with white knuckles and we manage a brief surface exchange of pleasantries before I hurry back to the car.  I am grumbling under my breath to God, “Seriously God?  What were you thinking?”

          By Thursday, it is safe to say the wheels were coming off the wagon.  I was sure I was going crazy and convinced it had something to do with the afore mentioned procedure.  Satan latched onto that and soon I was imagining all kinds of reasons why I no longer had control of my emotions, none of them good of course.  That morning I had a previously scheduled doctor appointment, not at all related to the procedure.  It was a simple check in with a doctor who has been working with me on my overall health and diet.  On the way there, I prayed, pleaded, with God. “Please don’t let me cry in front of these people, please do not let them be too kind.”    Felt fine, pleasant hellos in the waiting room, all seems good….yep, as the nurse is simply taking my blood pressure I begin to SOB, not cry, SOB.  Confused and worried she held me and the dam broke.  I am sure I got snot on her shirt as I fell heartbroken against her shoulder.   No reason.

          The doctor entered the room with the kind of caution one would use when approaching a crouching tiger.   I cried as I tried to explain the events of the last few days.  He encouraged me to see my other doctor and confirmed that yes, this was not normal.  Before I left, he took my hand and prayed with me, that I would find an answer and peace. Yep, I cried.

          I then went to the hospital where the procedure was done in hope of securing a follow up appointment so I could ask questions about this turn of events.  As I walked up to the receptionist desk, the two ladies who handle registration and scheduling recognized me and greeted me with big smiles and a sweet refrain of my trigger phrase, “Hey! How are you?”  Once again I fall apart. Who cries when someone asks how they are?  Apparently, I do these days.  It did not take long for one of the dear women to take me in her arms.  Both of them uttered loving encouragement.  “God has this.” ,“The Holy Spirit is here, you are here for a reason.” “We’ll figure this out.” 

          They had a nurse come and speak with me.  Of course I cried as I told her about my problem, which was obvious I guess.  She was kind and caring.  Even though I did not have an appointment, one of the doctors agreed to see me.  As I sat waiting for her, one of the nurses who remembered me from my procedure stopped in the midst of her busy day and asked how I was doing.  Instead of hurrying away when I burst into tears once more, she gave me comfort and assurance. The doctor arrived and asked, “How are you?” (At this point I think everyone is saying that because they know I’ll cry.)  Eventually, after listening to me and asking all the right questions, she confirmed I was not crazy, whew, but that my hormones were a mess in part due to the procedure and a change in medicine I had recently had.

          Today the sun is shining and I am sooooooo much better.  Things are leveling out and I no longer feel compelled to launch myself into the arms of unsuspecting kind people!  God is GOOD!

          During those days I spent considerable time asking God to KEEP kind people from me.   Instead, God in His infinite mercy, put kind people in my path.  His people, who would reflect His love to me.

         I was surrounded by friends, medical professionals and even strangers who lived out Colossians 3:12 “…those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”    They were the hands and feet of our God.

           I share this challenge with you, that we not only be the  hands and feet of God to those He puts in our lives, but that we also welcome and recognize when God is using His people to love us….even when the wheels start coming off the wagon.

Swoosh Thud! January 9, 2012

          It was an uncharacteristically warm January day.  Scott and I decided to go on a bit of an adventure.  We had discovered a nice civil war era hiking trail and wanted to do some more exploring. 

         The riverside trail had obviously been overrun fairly recently.  Long grasses laid flat like hair slicked back on a 1950’s teenager.   Trees, leaves, and mud lined the path as if someone had taken a spackling paddle and smoothed it down.  At first, it was neat to see the river’s meandering footprint…until we realized that also meant the trail was reduced to a quagmire of mud and leaves.  The further we ventured the more time we spent walking on mud than dry ground.  Our fancy hiking gear, i.e. tennis shoes, soon became caked with mud, which greatly affected traction. 

          I was following behind Scott and thankful I could plot my next steps based on how far he sunk in the mud before me.  For the most part, we managed to avoid great tragedy, but there were several close calls…mainly on my part.  There was no way to step confidently, even if the path appeared dry.  Slick mud hid below dusty leaves as if nature had created her own booby-traps for wayward hikers. 

          Several times I found myself flailing my arms in an effort to realign my torso with my feet and keep from falling in the mud.  After a while, I began to notice something.  No matter how treacherous the terrain was, or how difficult a particular patch of the trail was to navigate, Scott never looked back to check on me!  Oh, every now and then he’d ask “You okay back there?” without so much as peering over his shoulder.  At first I figured he was too busy focusing on his own effort, and who could fault him for that, I did after all count on his good foot choices to guide my own.  However, eventually I began to feel a little uncared for and neglected.  What if I needed help?  What if I could use a hand to steady my step? What if I fell?

          “Scott, aren’t even going to turn around and check on me?” I asked after a particularly squishy passage.  “I don’t need to, I am keeping an ear out for you.” He replied.   I’ll let that statement set with you a while….umhmmm The man of my dreams, friend for life, father of my children and current hiking buddy was only listening for my falling!  Apparently he was sure that he would hear the “swoosh, thud” that would no doubt result should I fall and THEN he would help me!!!

          You will not find it surprising that I took opportunity in the middle of the forest to correct his mindset.  Just keeping an “ear out” for me only allowed him to assist with the consequences of my fall, whereas if he would keep an “eye out” for me he could see I needed assistance and perhaps lend a hand to lessen, or even PREVENT, a fall.  Surprisingly, we made it back to our vehicle without him ever hearing the dreaded “swoosh thud.”   

          I am happy to report that on a more recent hiking endeavor, he did visually check on me periodically and asked if needed assistance at least twice!   I can’t help but think about how grateful I am that my God does more than “keep an ear out” for me.  A life journey can be filled with slick spots, hard rocks, and difficult passages.   I know that every step I take is under the watchful eye of a sovereign God.  He is there to prevent my falling.  If He allows me to fall, it will be so He can show me His provision.  If I fall because I fail to follow Him, He is the first to see it and the first to be there for my recovery.

          “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”  2 Chronicles 16:9

 

 

 

 

A Christmas Tree Angel, A Reminder of Grace December 24, 2011

            I’m not sure where she came from.  I’m not even certain of her age.   I do know that she sat atop the Christmas tree for many of my growing up years, quietly presiding over each holiday season.  I acquired her from my mother many years ago.  These days she resides in a curio cabinet until we bring her out each Christmas.

Her gold foil, cardboard wings, once ended in perfect points extending her stature to seven inches.  Now her wing span is slightly reduced, as the tips went from being slightly bent to folded, until they eventually tore off.  Her dark red velvet dress, trimmed with gold brick brack, fits snuggly to her waist before flowing over her cardboard form.  Her once silky, radiant white hair, now hangs in brittle coils around her shoulders.  A little gold foil halo covers a place on her head where some of her hair has given way to the passage of time.

Her head and hands are made of wax, as is the candle she holds in one hand.  I remember her as a beautiful lady, her face perfect and delicate.  Those qualities are now faded.  Her head, once held high and straight, has melted somewhat.  It now bows lovingly downward and a bit to the right.  Two years ago a significant amount of time and effort was put into reattaching her long held candle to her now misshaped hand.  Yep, she’s a bit of mess you might say.  I like that about her.

She doesn’t light up or sparkle, and quite often she is too small for the tree, making her look even more out of place.  But I look forward to her presence in my living room each Christmas.  Late at night, when the tree is lit and others have gone on to bed, I find myself thinking of her and all we have in common.

I too, know what it’s like to have my wings bent and torn.  I know what it feels like when your body gives itself over to the challenges of time.  My hair is no longer silky or radiant, and I only wish had a halo to hide the places where it has become thin.  I understand the sagging of her shoulders and the bowing of her head.  I have felt the weight every mother bears for her family.  I know the need to bow my head in constant prayer.   I love her imperfection.  She’s a holiday reminder that God loves us in our imperfection.

A love full of grace, a savior born to take on the sin of the world, a reason to celebrate, reflected in the melted features and unraveled edges of our Christmas tree Angel.

God’s love was revealed among us in this way. God sent His son into the world so we might live through Him. 1 John 4:9

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

 

Enthusiastic, Tenacious LOVE December 20, 2011

         This week we continue our advent celebration.  Each week, four prior to Christmas  Eve, we gather to light a candle and consider the coming of our savior.  It is a  wonderful time to stop in the midst of the season and truly focus on the reason for all the wonderful merriment of Christmas.  This final week we celebrate His LOVE for us.

         As I sat at my computer beginning to compose this week’s devotion, I was met with a bit of an intrusion…my pesky, porky Yorkie, Hughie.  I had finished my Christmas shopping, house cleaning and dinner preparations and was looking forward to collecting my thoughts in a rare moment of quiet and calmness.  Hughie normally sits at my side on the bench with me as I write devotions for the blog.  Today he had other plans.  Today he kept jumping up onto the desk sticking his wet nose in my face, laying down on the mouse pad or licking my fingers as I tried to type.  Hughie is a Yorkshire “Terrier”, which is by God’s design a very persistent breed.   This may be a handy quality if you need him to track or catch prey…not so fine a quality when the task he is focused/driven to accomplish is to have your attention.

          No matter how often I placed him off the desk or scolded his efforts to distract me, he continued to insist I stop everything and love on him.  Yep, all he wanted was for me to stop typing and pet his head, scratch his ears and hold him in my lap….none of which are easily done while writing.  When placed on the floor he sat below my desk and cried/whined nonstop.  He was not going to give up; he is a terrier after all.  He wanted love and attention, and NOTHING was going to keep it from him.  I finally conquered his strong will by placing him in another room altogether, along with a nice bone and his favorite blanket.  I tend to get frustrated with his antics; dogs should not be this needy.  Of course, I realize I am to blame in part…he loves me.

         In the morning, he seeks me out.  He needs to lick my face and feel me rub his furry noggin before he even thinks about eating his breakfast.  If I am still upstairs, and the hubby lets him out of the kennel, he races to the bedroom door and whines/waits for me to emerge and greet him.  Every time I come home, no matter how long I have been away, to the mailbox or mall, he wags his whole body with absolute relief and joy. 

        I have often teased my family that if they would love me as much as Hughie does life would be so much better for all of us.  I’m not saying my family doesn’t love me, they just don’t  love me with the tail wagging, face licking enthusiasm I get from the dog.  (I am not saying I want my face licked by any member of the family by the way…you know what I mean). 

        Now that I think of it, I do know what it feels like to be loved enthusiastically by someone other than my dog.   My God loves me like that and more.   God desires to be close to me.  He never gives up on me, never stops loving me even when I try to shut Him out or quiet His calling on my heart.  He never tires of my pushing Him away, He waits patiently for me to turn to Him and experience His love.  He does not love me because I have earned or deserved it.   He loves me because I am His creation and it saddens Him that my sin separates me from Him.  He has provided a way for me to be restored to His fellowship, be forgiven of my sin, and find peace through the sacrifice of His Son.

“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins.”   ( 1John 4:9&10)

Our God is more tenacious than any terrier and loves us with unfathomable enthusiasm!  This week we consider His great love evidenced by the birth of His son, our Savior.  Let us respond with an enthusiastic, tenacious love for our God!

 

Missing Pieces, Finding Peace December 15, 2011

          It has been a while since I worked a jigsaw puzzle.  I used to like having one set out on the kitchen table so everyone could work on it throughout the week.   The other day, as I was cleaning out a cabinet, I found a small pile of puzzle pieces in far corner on a shelf.  This seemed odd at first; I did not have a boxed puzzle in the cabinet.  I laughed when I realized where they must have come from. 

          One year, when my mother was in town visiting us, I emptied the contents of a puzzle onto the kitchen table.  It was a puzzle we had tried to complete before but had eventually put away .  My mom is good at working puzzles and I thought she would enjoy the project.  We all worked on the puzzle from time to time, but it was my mom who managed to fit most of the pieces into their proper place.   She seemed to enjoy working on it throughout her stay…until she came to the final stages of the puzzle.  With almost all the stray pieces nestled in place, it was obvious there were numerous pieces missing.

          Yep, I had inadvertently given my mom an incomplete puzzle!  In my defense, I had no way of knowing there were missing pieces, but that did little to detract from the cruel reality that she had started something she would never see finished.  The beautiful scene was marred by a severely lacking sky, bits of a house and carriage and even a few vital “edge” pieces.  I have no doubt the small pile I unearthed from the cabinet was comprised of those missing pieces.   I tossed them in the trash; the puzzle they belong to had long since been discarded.

           I thought of that day when we concluded our puzzle would never been complete.   It was frustrating and deflating.  How much is humanity like our puzzle?  Nations and generations of individuals have tried to work things to fit a plan or expectation.  How much have we strived to find our place in the world and to be happy?  We are not complete.  By our own deeds we find we are lacking.  We are separated from one another by so many aspects.  We are separated from our heavenly Father by our sin…we are as a group and as individuals, incomplete. 

           The missing pieces of my puzzle may have been found on a back shelf in a cabinet, but the piece we are missing in our lives was been found lying in a manger long ago.   This week we consider the PEACE brought to all of man at the advent of Jesus Christ our Savior.   It is through his birth, life, death and resurrection that we find the pieces that reconcile our imperfection with the perfection of our God.  Through Christ, we find true PEACE and forgiveness for our sin.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.  For He himself is our peace…”  Ephesians 2:13-14

 

Broken Crayons December 9, 2011

        This week we continue our advent celebration.  Each week, four prior to Christmas Eve, we gather to light a candle and consider the coming of our savior.  It is a wonderful time to stop in the midst of the season and truly focus on the reason for all the wonderful merriment of Christmas.  These devotion entries will center on the advent themes of Hope, Joy, Peace and Love.  This week we consider JOY.

           I could not help but smile as I read this facebook post from one of the young moms at our church, she wrote…

“I asked Zachary to pick out the little broken crayons for a project. He comes back with a handful and tells me that there weren’t enough so he had to make some (by breaking our good crayons). God is testing me…”

         Beyond the hilarity of this miscommunication and Zachary’s creative problem solving skills, I keep thinking of those broken crayons.  Though I do not know what sort of project his mom had in mind when she asked for the little broken crayon pieces, I am assuming it might involve melting them into something new, beautiful or useful.  Broken crayons are perfect for things like that…they are easier to melt and are more than likely not being used in their current state.

          While it may not have been his mom’s intent, little Zachary’s efforts were meant to provide his mom with all the pieces she might need for her project.  Are we like these crayons?  Perhaps we are whole and finding ourselves being put to use just as we are, where we are.  Perhaps we are broken, waiting for God to repurpose us for His glory and melt us into His perfect will.  PERHAPS we are intact, but find God snapping us into the piece He needs for His perfect plan for our lives.

         I think of the many times I have felt broken and realize that it has been in these times that I found growth and God’s grace.  When I am broken, I am eagerly seeking my God.  When I am broken, I am listening to God.  When I am broken, I am more easily molded into what God’s plans are for me.  Just like Zachary broke perfectly good crayons, maybe God breaks seemingly perfectly good people so He can use them and melt them into something even better!

This week of advent, we consider the JOY the birth of our Savior brought to us all.  Today I am praising God that the advent of the Christ child, means that though I may be broken He can restore me for His glory.  The birth of our savior was indeed, “good news of a great JOY, which shall be for all people”!

May we take JOY in knowing He has provided redemption for all people…

broken people.

“And the angle said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold I I bring you good new of a great joy which shall be to all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”   Luke 2:10-11

 

 

 

 

Celebrating the birth of our HOPE November 29, 2011

          This week we begin our advent celebration.  Each week, four prior to Christmas Eve, we gather to light a candle and consider the coming of our savior.  It is a wonderful time to stop in the midst of the season and truly focus on the reason for all the wonderful merriment of Christmas.  These next four devotion entries will center on the advent themes of Hope, Joy, Peace and Love.  This week we consider HOPE.

          I forget what year it was, all I recall is that I was young and my dad was deployed overseas.  My mom had taken my sister and I to see our grandma and family members in Illinois.  It was a long ago and my entire thought process has long since been lost to time, but for some reason I had conjured an expectation in my wee little head on the way to grandma’s house.  I had begun to hope that my dad was going to surprise us and be there when we arrived.(This was long before images of military  dad’s and mom’s returning to surprise their families appeared on YouTube or even on television.)  To this day, I am not sure why I ever thought this could happen. 

          So certain was I that upon entering the house I took one quick glimpse at the man before me and ran to him and wrapped my arms around his legs and shouted “dad!”.  While my memory of this day has sadly grown cloudy, I do recall some things with great clarity.  I remember a shocking silence.  I remember allowing my eyes to truly focus on whose legs I then held.  I remember seeing the sad; tear filled eyes of my dear Uncle Max and becoming aware of my mistake.  I was horrified.  I was embarrassed first because I had mistaken my Uncle Max for my dad, although they have always looked a lot alike.  Secondly, I was embarrassed that I had even allowed myself to hope my dad would surprise me.  My Uncle Max would later tell me that he never wished he was my dad any more than at that moment.

I have known misplaced hope.

          I  am now the proud parent of a 25yr old.  Yep, as of November 27^th my “baby” boy is officially a quarter of a century old!  Not sure where the time went, but I am sure it did not go uncelebrated.  Since Steven was born on Thanksgiving Day, his birthday has always been on or near this special holiday.  It is easy to celebrate each year of his life with thanksgiving.  We had hoped to start our family.  The day we found he was expected was both a relief and terrifying. 

I have known Hope fulfilled.

          I often joke about being “hopeless” when it comes to certain things.  My husband could clearly argue that I am hopeless when it comes to retaining information that is in any way technical.  I have been described as hopeless when my daughter has attempts to increase my fashion sense.  Just today, my son was trying to help me throw out some clutter so, as he so kindly put it, “I would not end up on an episode of Hoarders.”  It is safe to say he too thinks I am a bit hopeless.

I have felt hopeless.

We are not strangers to hope.  Maybe this finds you celebrating a hope fulfilled or struggling with misplaced hope.  Perhaps this holiday season finds satan burdening you with feelings of hopelessness. 

WE ARE NOT WITHOUT HOPE!

          Today, as we celebrate the first day of advent and light the candle of HOPE, let us remember the hope for forgiveness and redemption His birth brought to us all.

We celebrate the birth of our Savior because it is through His birth, life, death and resurrection, we have the hope of forgiveness of our sins and eternity in heaven!

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for us appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing and regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that by being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”  Titus 3:4-7