Ponder Anew

Ponder anew. It’s one of my favorite lines in one of my favorite hymns. And as we head into a new year, I can’t get it out of my head.

Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.

We are on the edge of a new year. And we wonder what it holds. These last two years have been challenging, to say the least, and currently we see no sign that life as we knew it before Covid will ever be like that again. Even as we want to feel hopeful about a new year, we find ourselves frustrated or fearful or anxious. Life as we once knew it has changed.

But not everything has changed. God has not changed. And as we head into this new year, we would do well to focus on that. To ponder anew.

What does that mean, exactly? 

Dictionary.com defines the word ponder this way: to consider something thoroughly and deeply. 

Let’s apply that definition to the line from the hymn. It would then read this way: consider, think about, deeply and often, what the Almighty can do.

As we prepare for a new year, as we are decluttering and making plans, as we are making our resolutions and writing new bucket lists, we would do well to set aside some time for pondering. As we anticipate what may come in 2022, let’s focus on what The Almighty can do.

And before we get too bogged down in our own plans and too frustrated about what didn’t work out exactly as we might have hoped, let us also pause to ponder what The Almighty has done.

Taking some time to ponder will put us on the right path to 2022.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!

O my soul praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!

All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near.

Praise Him in glad adoration. 

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adoreHim.

(-Joachim Neander)

Keeping Christmas

 

Just a couple of days ago, it was Christmas Day. And now Christmas Day has come and gone for another year. Some people will be sad about that, and others are ready to move on to the next thing.

We had a quiet, but wonderful, Christmas Day. It was just the two of us this year. Although we missed our family, we loved hearing their voices on the phone and seeing pictures from their celebrations, as well as all the photos from family and friends near and far. We enjoyed a yummy steak dinner and too much coconut cake, and took a little journey down memory lane, remembering previous Christmases.....like the one in 2009 when the power went out and we had peanut butter and Ritz crackers for Christmas dinner! How blessed we are, and how thankful we are to our loving Heavenly Father for the Gift of Jesus!

But now it’s that time again. Time to pack away Christmas for another year.

For some, the process begins immediately after Christmas Day is done. For others, like me, it's a very gradual process. I'm not quite ready to give it up completely yet. We'll be enjoying the tree a little longer, at least into the new year, through the 12 days of Christmas. But this week I’ll be gathering up things, one room at a time, to be packed away again until next year. It's time to put Christmas away. That sounds a little sad, doesn't it?

Have you ever noticed how generous people become with their time and money during the Christmas season? They drop money in the Salvation Army kettles. They donate more generously to their church. They tip more generously in the restaurant. They give more freely of their time at homeless shelters and food ministries.

Then December 25 is past, and life gets back to normal. The generous Christmas spirit is put away until next year. That's so sad. There are still homeless people and hungry people and people with all kinds of needs who could use our help, not only in December but throughout the year. How sad that we seem only to think of them at Christmas.

We often hear about random acts of kindness, particularly during the holiday season. Then we don't seem to hear about quite so many of those kindnesses.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were generous all year long?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we did our random acts of kindness throughout the year?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we kept Christmas all year long?

Not just in December.


“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” (Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol)

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me."  
(Jesus, in Matthew 25:40 KJV)

Remembering Christmases Past

Christmas is such a nostalgic time, isn't it?

Every year as the season rolls around, I find myself traveling down memory lane, remembering Christmases past and the people that shared them.



It starts as I get decorations and ornaments out of their storage spaces. Remembering where I bought this ornament or who gave me that one. Remembering my mother as I get out the snowmen she made or as I hang the door decoration she quilted.  Remembering travels and the ornaments purchased on those trips.  Remembering.

Throughout the season, more memories flood my thinking.

Baking sugar cookies with my mother, many years ago when I was a child.

Christmas dinners with coconut cake and ambrosia and cranberry tip-tops (still my favorite!) and fruitcake cookies.  I never have acquired a taste for fruit cake, but I loved my mother's fruit cake cookies!

Christmases in the living room at Grandmother Neil's house.  Some children go over the river and through the woods to grandma's house.  I went next door!  Sometimes at Christmas all the aunts and uncles and cousins would be there as well, and we would pile into her tiny living room, which usually stayed closed off to keep the rest of the house warmer, and we would open our presents.  Grandmother loved Christmas!  She loved giving gifts.  As did my mother.  As do I.

Sending Christmas cards is a dying tradition.  (Probably that has a lot to do with the price of postage!)  But I love receiving Christmas cards from friends and family I seldom see.  I can still remember the Christmas card we sent to our friends and family on our first Christmas.  It was red, with a part of the score of Handel's Messiah embossed in gold on the front of the card.  And the greeting inside read "wishing you every blessing as we celebrate the birth of Christ."  I don't know why I remember that, but I do. I didn’t do a very good job sending cards this year. I’m hoping to do better next year.

I also remember our very first Christmas tree, back in 1972, our first married Christmas.  It was a beautiful tree, a scotch pine, perfectly shaped.  It had hardly any ornaments on it, since we really couldn't afford any!  And by the time Christmas rolled around, it had not a single gift left under it, since we had opened them all long before Christmas Day arrived!

In my childhood we always had cedar trees for Christmas, decorated with large colored lights and lots of icicles.  I didn't like cedar trees then (and don't now) because of how scratchy they were and how the branches were too flimsy to hold the ornaments up.  But I loved the smell, and still associate that with Christmas!

In the early days of our marriage we always spent Christmas Eve with Al's parents and Christmas Day with mine.  That worked well when we only lived a couple of hours from my parents.  As we began to move around the country, we still usually managed to make it back to SC at Christmastime, and so that Christmas Eve/Christmas Day tradition continued.  Eventually, it became more difficult to travel back here every year, so we began trying an every-other-year visit, and that worked until we moved closer.  As our sons grew up and married, the every-other-year tradition has continued, but in a little different way.  We spend every-other-Christmas together, and Thanksgivings together in the alternate years, and so we alternate with the girls' families.  So far that has worked out for us, and so that tradition continues.

Christmas is a lot about traditions.  About where we always put the tree, and what we always eat, and the kind of cookies we always bake.  It's about what we always do together as a family, whether always going out to look at Christmas lights on a certain night, always going to Disney, always going to Christmas Eve service.  Traditions vary from family to family.  But they are part of the fabric of who we are and how we celebrate.

When we lived in Florida, it was our tradition to always attend the Candlelight Christmas program at Epcot.  When we lived in Minnesota, we always participated in the luminaries display in our neighborhood.

One of our Christmas Eve traditions has always been a birthday cake for Baby Jesus, and reading the Christmas Story from Luke's Gospel.  It's a family tradition that continues to this day.

Because Christmas is about memories.  And it's about traditions.  But most of all, Christmas is about Jesus.

"And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."  (Luke 2:6-7 ESV)

The Greatest Christmas Miracle

 I am a Christmas miracle!

If you are new to this blog, you may not know my story. In November, 2016 I had a hemorrhagic stroke. At Christmastime that year, I had been discharged from rehab and was beginning outpatient therapy. While I was in the hospital, the doctors had told my husband that I might not wake up. That if I did wake up, I would have severe limitations as a result of the stroke. I might not be able to talk normally. I probably would, at the very least, need to use a cane. More likely, I would need a walker or a wheelchair. The prognosis for my full recovery was very bleak.

When I was taken from the hospital to Spartanburg Rehabilitation Institute, I was taken in an ambulance. Three weeks later, I walked out the door, with help from my walker. Today, I need no assistance to walk. 

While I still have some limitations, the doctors got it completely wrong! I sometimes mix words up and I have trouble remembering things, but my recovery is nothing short of miraculous! 

I have often been told that I have done well because I worked really hard (I did!) and because I am a really strong woman. While that may be true, that is not why I am a Christmas miracle. This is all because of God and His amazing grace! This is a miracle of God's doing!

Why me and why not others? I don't know. I have no answer for that, except to say that God has a plan and a purpose for all things. Just as He had a plan and a purpose for the miracle in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago.

The greatest Christmas miracle took place in a stable in Bethlehem. The miracle had been set in place in eternity past, when God had a plan for the redemption of all mankind. Thousands of years before Christ came to earth, the prophets foretold His coming. And in the little town of Bethlehem, Christ was born, just as the prophets had said He would be. 

That baby in a manger grew to be a man. Having lived a sinless life, He died on a cruel Roman cross to pay the sin debt for all mankind, just as the prophets had foretold. Just as God had planned. He was resurrected from the grave, and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, until the time comes when He shall return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Just as the prophets have foretold. Just as God planned in eternity past.

That is the greatest of all Christmas miracles! God Himself has sent Jesus to make a way for us to be in right relationship with Himself. God and sinners

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."

Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;

With th'angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the Newborn King!"

words: Charles Wesley; music: Felix Mendelsson

Listen to "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" here: https://youtu.be/SFjMPaOBzXc



Life-Changing

Today is an anniversary.  On this date 12 years ago - December 15, 2009 - I had surgery to fuse my left ankle.

That surgery was necessary because, 4 years earlier, I took one wrong step, fell, dislocated my foot, and shattered my ankle. The ankle was repaired with multiple surgeries and lots of hardware. And after all those surgeries, and all those hours of physical therapy, it worked fine. Until it didn't.

Somewhere along the way, the hardware was no longer doing its job and the ankle joint collapsed, which made walking very painful, and sometimes nearly impossible.

Consultations with orthopedists led to the decision to fuse the ankle, and a surgery date was set.  December 15, 2009.  

And so it was that 12 years ago on this very morning, I was in University Hospital in Charlotte, having an ankle fusion surgery. Then came months of recovery. Another cast. Then another boot. More hopping around on one foot, since the left foot was non-weight-bearing for several months while the bones fused together.

The surgery was successful. The bones fused. The scars healed. And I can walk. But the consequences from that surgery were life-changing. Yes, I can walk, and I walk almost normally. I approach stairs differently than I did pre-fusion. I can't wear the same kinds of shoes I once wore. Definitely nothing with a heel, since my ankle no longer bends. And because it doesn't bend, my foot takes all the stress that an ankle normally absorbs, which means I now have foot "issues" to deal with.  

Foot issues. Different shoes. Walking a little differently. One leg every so slightly shorter than the other.

All because, on a beautiful spring afternoon, I took one wrong step.

Wrong steps have consequences. Often, as in my case, life-changing consequences.  

Thankfully, at the time of the original break, I had a wonderful orthopedic surgeon who did a masterful job of putting me back together. And thankfully, when I needed another orthopedic surgeon, I had another great one. God certainly provided for me what I needed when I needed it, and I am forever grateful.

Wrong steps are not only physical. Often we take wrong-steps in other ways. Emotionally. Mentally.  Spiritually.

We think wrong thoughts. We make bad choices. Often those can be life-changing.

We refer to those wrong steps in the spiritual arena as sin. And just as God provided help for my physical wrong steps, He also provides a solution to our spiritual wrong steps.

He sent us Jesus. Born as a baby in a manger. But the baby grew up. He became a man, and fulfilled His purpose for coming by dying a cruel death on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. The good news is that He didn't stay dead! He rose from the grave on the third day, just as He said He would, and has now ascended back to the Father where He waits until one day He will return to earth again! 

 That is the life-changing message of Christmas!


"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive adoption as sons."  (Galatians 4:4-5 NASB)

 

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all around,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond'ring love.

O morning stars together proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God, the King, and peace to men on earth.

 

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv'n.

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav'n.

No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

 

(O Little Town of Bethlehem, stanzas 2 and 3.  Words: Phillips Brooks; Music: Lewis H. Redner)

 

 



Hear David Phelps and friends sing this carol here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zj4vM3PM3w

The Main Thing

Some years ago, we had a pastor who often exhorted us to “keep the main thing the main thing”. It’s good advice.

Last Sunday I had the privilege of teaching a Sunday School class of precious senior adult women.  One of the passages we looked at was John 1:6-8. We had been studying Old Testament prophecies that are fulfilled in Jesus. But we also talked about John, who is also a fulfillment of prophecy.

John the Baptist, or John the Baptizer, was a fulfillment of a prophecy of Isaiah.

The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."  (Isaiah 40:3)

Fast-forward from Isaiah and from John to our lives here in the twenty-first century, many years after Isaiah prophesied and John lived.  Even all these years later, there's quite a lot we can learn from John.

The main thing about John the Baptist was that he was always pointing to Jesus! He kept the main thing the main thing!

Even though John was well-known and even though crowds were coming to hear him preach and to be baptized by him, John's life was not about John.  John's life was all about Jesus!  John always made it very clear that his ministry was to point to someone greater than himself.

John had a purpose. A mission. A commission. His purpose was to "prepare the way", to point people to Jesus.

What does all that have to do with us, especially here in this Christmas season?

John has set an example for us. John pointed to Jesus, and so should we. Here at Christmas especially, we need to keep the main thing the main thing!

For those of us who are Christian, life is not about us, but is all about Jesus!

No matter what the circumstances of life. When things are going well, and when they aren't. When life is good, and when it isn't. When we're happy. And when we're irritated. Whether with our children or with our spouse, or with our parents, or our best friend, or the neighbors, or the politicians. In every circumstance of life, our mission is the same.

To point people to Jesus.

Let's keep pointing people to Jesus at the forefront of our Christmas celebrations.

That was John's mission.

And it's ours as well.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB)

Because Sometimes Things Don't Go According To Plan

 

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

 

(Robert Burns, from "To A Mouse")

 

 

Robert Burns was right. The best laid schemes (plans) of mice and men do gang aft agley (go oft awry).  Life doesn't always follow the script we have written in our minds.

 

Such has been the case for almost 2 years now. Cancelled vacation plans. Missed opportunities to visit with family and friends. Changes in the way we do almost everything. Most recently, our Thanksgiving plans were altered, this time not due to the impact of a virus, but because a family member was in an automobile accident. Today, I had planned to be on a river cruise in Europe; instead, I'll be having an MRI here in Spartanburg this afternoon. Our best laid plans often go awry.

It's frustrating when things don't happen the way we had planned them. When circumstances force us to make changes. When we can't do what we want to do. And it's especially true at Christmastime. When we have to give up travel plans. Or give up cookie baking and decorating. When our cherished traditions have to be set aside.

But if your decorations are minimal....and mine are;

And if your gifts are not all bought....and mine aren't;

And if you haven't done much (or any) of your usual Christmas baking....and I haven't;

It will still be Christmas.

Because none of those things are Christmas. They are traditions.

Christmas is Jesus.

We make our plans. And our plans often change. But God's plan has not changed. God's plan for Christmas is still the same. 

"For He (God) rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins....For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross." (Colossians 1:13-14, 19-20 NASB)

When things don't go according to our plan, we would do well to take a moment to refocus on God's plan.

Because His plan doesn't change.

"We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the World."

(1 John 4:14 NASB)

 

Continually

 "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess his name."  (Hebrews 13:15 NIV)

Continually. Continually offer a sacrifice of praise.

Continually. What does that mean anyway?

Dictionary.com gives this definition: very often, at regular or frequent intervals; habitually; without cessation or intermission; unceasingly; always.

Continually. Always. Unceasingly. Habitually. Without intermission.

Even when there's too much month at the end of the money. Even when the roof leaks and the plumbing backs up and the dishwasher quits......

Even when there's devastating illness. Or job loss. Or bereavement.

Even when you don't feel like it.

Even when there's so much to do that you think you can't possibly get it all done. When there's cookie baking and shopping and decorating and Christmas events to attend and gifts to wrap.

Even then.

Continually.

We have just over two weeks until Christmas Day. Perhaps this is a good time to reexamine our Christmas traditions and exactly how we are celebrating the birth of Christ. In our celebrating are we continually offering our praises? Are we really celebrating Christ? Or are we only giving lip service to Him while we get caught up in elves or Santa or all our other traditions.?

When we stop and really consider what we're doing this Christmas, what is it that we are continually focusing our attention on? 

Is our focus directed toward the "name that is above every name?" (Philippians 2:8)?  Or have we lost sight of the "reason for the season"?

My prayer is that we might all focus our celebration on that Wonderful Name.....Jesus! That we might truly - and continually - celebrate the Christ of Christmas. And not only in December!

Wonderful Name

Mary was the first to hear it, name that came from heaven above;
Name that raises souls from darkness, this the only name worth singing of.

Wonderful name, Jesus! Wonderful name, Jesus!
Name angels sang the night all heaven rang; wonderful name, Jesus!

Heaven touched His name with glory, precious name of Jesus, our King;
In God’s Word is told the story, of this wondrous name the angels sing!

 

Wonderful name, Jesus! Wonderful name, Jesus!

Name angels sang the night all heaven rang; wonderful name, Jesus!

-Roger Strader

God Rest Ye Merry....Remember

God rest ye merry, Gentlemen,

Let nothing you dismay.

Remember Christ our Savior

Was born on Christmas Day.

 

 

So begins the well-known carol God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. And no, I didn't put the comma in the wrong place. This is not a carol about merry gentlemen who need not be dismayed! This carol, in its archaic language from many years ago, is calling gentlemen (and gentlewomen as well!) to remember the birth of Christ.

Because this is an older carol, and because words and phrases don't always mean the same thing today that they did originally, there's some disagreement about exactly what the phrase God rest ye merry actually means. Taking everything I've read about that phrase and putting it all together, it seems that the best way we can understand the phrase is to consider it to be roughly equivalent to our saying God bless you!
 

I've written about this before, in previous Christmas seasons. Perhaps it has become a tradition for me to wax eloquent about this carol. Actually, truth be told, I don't think I have ever waxed eloquent about anything! In any event, here are a few thoughts about this carol.

A little research (translation: reading internet articles) reveals that the composer of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is unknown, and that there is record of it being sung within the Christian Church since the 15th century. The hymn was first put into print for the general public when William B. Sandy included a version of it in his publication Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1833), and it was subsequently added to various hymnals and carol books. In 1843 Charles Dickens included the song in his famous novel A Christmas Carol. That's reason enough for me to like it, since I'm a Dickens fan from way back!

But rather than dwelling on the carol's history, it's the second line of the carol that I am focusing on today. Let nothing you dismay. Nothing. 

Have you noticed how many people in our world today are dismayed? There's sadness and dismay and stress all around. And with good reason. There's the never-ending Covid. There are things in life that don't go according to plan. There's the unexpected. There's busyness. And illness. And terrorism. And persecution. And on and on it goes. All sorts of valid reasons for dismay.

Have you also noticed how many times in the biblical account of Christ's birth the phrase "fear not" appears?  Depending on your translation, fear not may read as don't be afraid. In other words, let nothing you dismay. Nothing.

Many years ago I directed a children's choir musical titled Three Wise Men and a Baby.  With a title like that you won't be surprised to learn that this was a somewhat humorous retelling of the Christmas story.

One of my favorite scenes in this story involves the angel's announcement to the shepherds, which in this musical went something like this:

Angel (in a very deep voice from off stage):  Fear not.
Shepherds:  (screaming with fright)
Angel:  Fear not.
Shepherds: (more frightful screaming)
Angel:  I said 'Fear not.' What part of 'Fear not' are you not understanding?

I sometimes wonder if God might not like to ask us that question. What part of 'fear not' are you not understanding?

Without delving into all the other parts of Scripture where we are told not to be afraid, 

let's just consider these examples from the Christmas story:

"Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'" (Matthew 1:20 ESV)

"But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.'"  (Luke 1:13 ESV)

"And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'"  (Luke 1:30 ESV)

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'"  (Luke 2:10 ESV)

Did these people have reason to fear? Sure they did. When was the last time an angel appeared and started talking to you? Don't you think you would be afraid? Maybe at least a little bit?  Think about the shepherds, out in the Judean hills in the darkness of night. Then suddenly the sky is bright with a host of angels, and as if that weren't frightening enough, one of the angels starts talking! I know that would frighten me a bit!

All of these people had a reason to be dismayed. And perhaps you do too. But the advice to each of them, and to each of us as well, is don't be afraid. Do not fear. Fear not.

However you say it, the message is the same. That's the message we get from this carol. Let nothing you dismay. Remember.

Remember that Christ has come. Remember why He came. Remember that God has a plan and a purpose for all things. Remember that God has it all under control. Remember.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.

From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came;
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tiding of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name.

"Fear not, then," said the angel,
"Let nothing you affright;
This day is born a Savior
Of a pure virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in him
From Satan's power and might."

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
this holy tide of Christmas
Doth bring redeeming grace.

O tidings of comfort and joy,
 Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy!

 

Listen to God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obc_Rro7zg8



Not That Far

 "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger."  (Luke 2:4-7 ESV)

It was eleven years ago this month that I first traveled to Bethlehem. That I first visited the Church of the Nativity. That I first saw this very special place:

 

 

Inside the Church of the Nativity, the oldest church in Christendom (built about 326 AD), this silver star marks the traditional birthplace of Jesus. It is inscribed, in Latin, "Here of the Virgin Mary, Christ was born."

That may or may not be the exact spot where Christ was born. But Christ was born. In Bethlehem. Just as it had been foretold by the prophets long before.
 

Bethlehem seems very far away to most of us. If you've traveled there, as I have, you realize that it is quite a long distance to travel. Our journey to Bethlehem does not involve travel by donkey, as it did for Mary and Joseph. But even with modern jet planes, it's a long trip, flying from the U.S. into Tel Aviv, and then traveling by car or bus on to Bethlehem.  

It's very far away. Or is it?

Several years ago, the group Point of Grace recorded a song titled We're Not That Far From Bethlehem. One of my favorite lines in that song says When our hearts still cherish Him, we're not that far from Bethlehem.

As I have been thinking about that song, and about that particular line, I've been remembering the times I traveled to Bethlehem. The times I knelt at this place of Jesus' birth. The times I worshipped there. The times we sang the songs of the Savior's birth. The times I sat in awe and wonder, reflecting on what happened in Bethlehem so long ago.

 

There are times when that seems very long ago. And times when Bethlehem seems very far away.

 

But it isn't. Not really.  

 

That song, We're Not That Far From Bethlehem, offers us a profound truth. When we cherish the Savior in our hearts, when we remember His birth, when we remember why He was born when and where He was......when we remember. And when we cherish.  

 

Then we're never very far from Bethlehem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underneath the stars

Just a simple man and wife.

Somewhere in the dark

His words cut the silent night.

Take my hand, for the child

That you carry is God's own.

 

And though it seems the road is long,

We're not that far from Bethlehem,

Where all our hope and joy began.

For in our arms, we'll cherish Him.

We're not that far, from Bethlehem.

 

Let us celebrate

As the Christmases go by;

Learn to live our days

With our hearts near to the child.

Ever drawn, ever close

To the only love that lasts,

And though 2000 years have passed

 

We're not that far from Bethlehem

Where all our hope and joy began.

For when our hearts still cherish Him

We're not that far,

 

We're not that far from Bethlehem

Where all our hope and joy began.

For when our hearts still cherish Him,

We're not that far

We're not that far from Bethlehem.

 

---

(Songwriters: Lowell Talmadge Alexander Jr., Gayla Hester Borders, Jeff  A. Borders)

You can listen to We're Not That Far From Bethlehem here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfI2x2krjGA

The Purpose Of It All

He's the reason for the season, He's the purpose of it all,

He's the Lord of all creation, and the mighty Lord of all.

He's the reason for the season, for the trimmings and the tree,

May this Christmastime remind you that He came to set us free.

Christine Wyrtzen wrote these lyrics a number of years ago, yet they are as relevant today as they were when she wrote them. Sadly, however, often the purpose of it all gets lost.

In this super-busy season, we often forget our purpose. In the middle of cookie baking and decorating. Of parties and presents. Of hustle-bustle. Of got-so-much-to-do. We are often so busy hustling and bustling, of planning the next event, of fretting that we forgot something or someone, that we lose our way. We lose our purpose.

Even in the middle of hustling and bustling, we need time for some quiet. Some silence. But silence is a hard thing to come by at this time of year.  

 

Everywhere we go, there's noise. Everywhere we go, people are in a hurry.  

 

Have you noticed how many more car horns you are hearing these days?  

 

Have you noticed how people always seem to be rushing about?  

 

Have you noticed the noise in the malls and the shops?  

 

Have you noticed the stress on people's faces?

 

All that may well be similar to what the world was like when Christ was born. Without the malls and automobile horns, of course. People were likely busy with their lives, hustling and bustling about with the activities of daily living. Their world was not unlike ours in that regard.  

 

And into that world, with its busyness and its noise and its daily routines, Jesus came.

No one even noticed.

 

It's still the same, isn't it? We're busy and our world is full of noise. Even though we hear and sing carols about Christ the Savior being born, not many are really paying that much attention. We put out our nativity sets and we sing our carols and we send our Christmas cards, but far too often all that is only done out of a sense of habit. It's December. Christmas is here, and this is what we do.

 

We buy candy hearts for Valentine's Day. And we wave our flags in July. We buy pumpkins in October. And we talk about Jesus in December. It's what we do.

How sad it is that in all our busyness and routines and noise, we too often lose sight of the reason we are doing all these things. How sad that we forget the purpose of it all.

One of the carols we seldom sing, with words dating back to the 3rd century, says "Let all mortal flesh keep silence."

Silence. It's what's often missing at Christmas time.  

How much better might we understand the magnitude of the Gift we have been given and the reason for our celebrating, if we would take some time for silence. Some time to be still. Some time to ponder. Some time to worship.

It may be challenging to find time for silence.

But it will be worth the effort.

 

 

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,  

and with fear and trembling stand; 

ponder nothing earthly-minded, 

for with blessing in his hand, 

Christ our God to earth descendeth, 

our full homage to demand. 

 

Text: Liturgy of St. James; trans. by Gerard Moultrie 
Music: French carol melody; harm. from The English Hymnal 
Tune: PICARDY

Click here to listen to Fernando Ortega sing this carol:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wl4u8lnDQs 



Thankful. So Many Reasons.

It's Thanksgiving week! There are so many reasons for thanksgiving.....where do I begin? I'm thankful as I anticipate the arrival of family later this week. I'm thankful for a weekend with friends, celebrating God's goodness and the 10th anniversary of their church. When we arrived home last night, I was thankful to be sleeping in my own bed! 

This morning I'm feeling particularly thankful for memories. If you are on Facebook, you are familiar with the daily Facebook memories that show up each day on your home page. For me, these have been opportunities to see pictures of my grandchildren from a few years past, or to be reminded of places we have traveled, and occasionally get a good chuckle over something I or some friend had shared.

At this time of year, these Facebook memories are something altogether different for me. They have connected me to this time five years ago, to a time I have no memory of. Every day this week, Facebook has connected me to friends and family, and even to strangers, who prayed for me during the days and weeks following my stroke in November, 2016. I had no idea what was going on back then, but as Facebook has brought these things to my understanding, I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving.

Here in our family, we often refer to this as the time I was "away". Since I "returned", I have often been told that there had been a lot of people praying for me. Until these Facebook memories started showing up a few years ago, I had no idea just how many people had prayed for me. Friends I hadn't seen in years. Family members. Neighbors. Church friends. People I don't even know. I am overwhelmed and humbled by this outpouring of prayer on my behalf.

While I was in Rehab, I received a number of cards. From friends, from family, from church members, from people I don't even know. I saved every one.



Al read these to me as they came in each day, because I couldn't read them myself. Several times over the course of these last few years, I have reread these notes. The reading has been a little easier each time. And it is my plan, during this season of Thanksgiving, to read them again.

Just as with the Facebook memories, each of these notes is overwhelming and humbling. Each is a reminder of just how much I have to be thankful for this year.

Along with the cards and notes, I also received a number of other notes.



I have no idea who sent these love notes from God. Like the other cards and notes, I didn't really understand them at the time. But, like the other cards and notes, I have reread them several times since than,  and been blessed and encouraged.

Sometimes, it is easier to focus on what is wrong than on what is right. To focus on what I can't do rather than on what I can do. These Facebook memories remind me of how far I have come. Of how much I have to be thankful for. They help me remember the things I don't remember. And they help me remember that what I can do is a whole lot more than what I can't do.

What happened to me in November 2016 could have had a very different outcome.

These Facebook memories are a reminder of that.

And these Facebook memories are also a reminder that with God, nothing is impossible.

Today, in this season of Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for the miracle God brought about in my life. I'm thankful for friends and family and strangers who prayed me through that experience. And I'm thankful for Facebook memories!

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits." (Psalm 103:1-2 NASB)

Didn’t See That Coming. Five Years Later.

Tomorrow is my stroke-iversary. Five years ago, on this day, life was normal. And the next day it wasn't.

Five years ago, I had a brain hemorrhage. These last five years have been quite a journey.

There was the time in the hospital. I still have no memory of that.

There was thanksgiving dinner at Spartanburg Rehabilitation Institute, another thing I don't remember.

But things began to improve. My first clear memory comes from a few days after Thanksgiving. On that morning, I had a clear memory of a passage of scripture which I shared with Al and Brandon when they arrived. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in Thee."

That was my first clear memory. It stands out because, at that time, I couldn't speak clearly. I was wearing an eye patch because my eyes wouldn't work together. I couldn't read. I couldn't write. I couldn't always understand what was being said to me. Even so, God brought this verse very clearly to my mind. It got me through those days in rehab, and through all the days since.

From that morning forward, I made steady progress.

Eventually, I traded my eye patch for a new pair of glasses.

Several months later, I was able to teach Sunday School again. That was something I had never thought would be possible.

Since then, I've made steady improvement. When I finally graduated from speech therapy in May, 2017, my therapist told me I would continue to make improvement. I confess that I didn't really believe her. But she was right!

Since then, we have had some wonderful adventures! We have been able to travel.....

I've celebrated birthdays and Christmases and family vacations. I've even done some baking, which is a real accomplishment, since the stroke has left me very challenged with anything to do with numbers and baking requires accurate measurements. These years have been full of challenges. Of ups and downs. Of frustrations and discouragements. And of great joy. 

This has been quite a learning experience.

Learning to talk again.

Learning to read and write again.

Learning that even on that days when I struggle with those things, and I still sometimes do, God is still good.

These have been years of learning to trust.

Of learning to deal with my limitations.

Of learning that it's OK when I have to say no to some things.

Of knowing that even though I have limitations, God is still God.

God is still good.

God is still in control.

God has a plan and a purpose for all things.

Even for strokes.

I may not understand (I don't!), but that's ok.

Because God is God and I am not.

Because even in the valley, God is still God and He is still good.

Life is filled with good days and bad days, frustrating days, and encouraging days. These five years have been years of learning and growing. It is an experience I certainly don't want to repeat, but I am thankful.

Thankful for all God has taught me, and is still teaching me, through this experience. Thankful for family and friends who have walked through this journey with me. Thankful for all the people who have prayed me through this experience.

I didn't see it coming. But it happened. And I survived.

I am a stroke survivor.

And it's all because of God's amazing grace.

"Now therefore, our God, we praise You, and praise Your glorious name." 

1 Chronicles 29:13 NASB

Bought With A Price

Yesterday we observed Veteran's Day, a day when we remember and honor those men and women who have served in our nation's military.  I'm glad there is a day set aside for this purpose, but I also think it's sad that we don't remember them more often.  That we don't think about and honor those men and women, and their families, who sacrifice so much on our behalf.  Who pay the price so we don't have to.  We must never forget that freedom isn't free, and that many have sacrificed much on our behalf.

Freedom comes at a price.  A great price.  And not only the freedoms we enjoy as American citizens, but the our freedom in Christ as well.  May we never forget the great price that our Savior paid that we might be free from sin.  May we never forget what it cost Him.  May we never take it for granted.

We so often take our freedoms as Americans for granted.  Shame on us!  And shame on us when we treat our freedom in Christ that casually as well.

May we live this day, and every day, with gratitude for all that is ours in Christ Jesus.  May we never forget what it cost.

"For you were bought with a price."  (1 Corinthians 6:20 ESV)

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  For he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."  (Isaiah 53:4-5 ESV)

In Everything

 In everything give thanks."  (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB)

In everything. In all things. However, you want to phrase it...

No exceptions. There are none of those phrases we want to add to the end of the verse.

It doesn't say in everything except.......

Except when my back hurts. Or my knee hurts. Or whichever part hurts today.

Except covid.

Except when I lose my job.

Except when I run out of money.

Except politicians. Or government-run health care. Or when I don't like election results.

Except when my friend or my spouse or my son or my daughter or my best friend hurts my feelings.

Except any of the other things you might be able to think of. There are no clarifying phrases at the end of that sentence.

I originally wrote this post in 2013. Today I would add "except strokes". I originally wrote this post before having a stroke had ever entered my mind. Actually, today I would say "even when you have a stroke", because this verse is one of the verses that got me through stroke recover.

In everything. 

Everything means everything.

It's pretty clear.

Note that the verse doesn't say anything about feeling thankful. This is not about an emotional response to circumstances. The verse says to give thanks. That involves the will. A deliberate choice to give thanks, not because I feel like it but in spite of the fact that sometimes I don't.

Give thanks. In everything.

Today might be a good day to start.

"If we win, we praise Him. And if we lose, we praise Him. Either way we honor Him with our actions and our attitudes." (from the movie "Facing the Giants")

"In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."                           (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB) 

But Now

One of my favorite words in the English language is the little word "but".  It is also one of my least favorite words.  “But” that’s a story for another day.

I most love that little word "but" when we put it together with another word to form a phrase......but God.

But God. The little word "but" used alone can be so negative, but the connotation changes completely when you put the two words together. You'll find that phrase a number of times in Scripture.  

Another favorite phrase is but now.  You can find that phrase in several places in scripture as well. I love the that was how it was then, but this is how it is now truth the phrase conveys.  

Let's use Ephesians 2 as an example.The chapter begins this way: "You were dead in trespasses and sins."  That's pretty negative, isn't it? That's how it used to be, how it was then. Sounds pretty hopeless.  However, there's more to the story!

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved."  (Ephesians 2:4 ESV, emphasis mine)

That should brighten your day!

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."  (Ephesians 2:13 ESV)

Out of Tune

In the years since I first sat on a piano bench in our living room and learned to play the brand new spinet piano my parents had purchased for me, I have had opportunity to play many pianos. Large ones and smaller ones. Brand new ones and older ones. Concert grands and small spinets.  

I have played in living rooms and practice rooms. In churches, large and small. In gardens and under tents. In grand concert halls and in much smaller venues. And even though I am no longer able to play as I once did, I am still aware that all these places and all these instruments have something in common. For a piano to sound its best, no matter who is playing it, it needs to be in tune.

When our younger son was about three years old, he began learning to play the violin. Although he has since abandoned the violin in favor of the guitar, I still have very vivid memories of those early days with his tiny violin. The first song he learned to play was Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, followed by five variations on that theme. From the beginning notes of Twinkle to the Bach minuets that came later, all of us within earshot of Brandon's violin learned early on the importance of an instrument that is in tune. In fact, I would venture to say that nothing sounds quite as bad as an out of tune violin!

Any musical instrument needs to be in tune to sound its best. The writer of the hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing used that analogy in this hymn line:

"Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy praise."*

For us to live life the way God intends, for us to praise Him as we should, for us to be reflecting Jesus and letting our light shine for Him (see Matthew 5:16), we need to be in tune. Even in these days of Covid-19. Perhaps especially in these days.

The reality of life is that sometimes we are out of sorts. Out of tune. It happens because life happens. We are tired or insecure or frustrated. Our feelings have been hurt. We've been offended. We're discouraged. We're lonely. We're angry. We're sad. We're jealous. There are any number of reasons or events or emotions that send us over the edge, and those differ from person to person. And our emotions haven't been put on hold because of a virus. Perhaps they have been enhanced. What sends me into an emotional puddle and puts my life out of tune is likely different from what would do the same to you. But I would venture to say that we are all dealing with a roller coaster of emotions in these stressful days.

Especially since my stroke I sometimes find myself a bit out of sorts. Out of tune. And it happens more often than I remember it used to. Perhaps it's all part of the natural course of things following such a major trauma. Perhaps it's the fatigue that is part of stroke recovery. Perhaps it's the frustration when I can't remember things or when I get words jumbled up or when I can't do what I was once able to do. Whatever. The reality is that sometimes I'm out of tune. And if I'm going to be completely honest with you, it's something I have struggled with in these recent days.

You may find yourself out of tune as well. It may be because of this ever-present virus or for some other reason. The circumstances of my life are not the same as yours. You may be out of tune because of a personal relationship. Because of a different health concern. Or a financial difficulty. Maybe you lost your job or your spouse was laid off. Maybe there's an issue with one of your children or your grandchildren. Maybe you were falsely accused of something. Maybe someone you thought was your friend turned out not to be. Maybe your best friend is being anything but friendly. 

There are as many reasons for being out of tune as there are people. Perhaps more. We all have different life circumstances. We all respond differently. 

Whether we have a major meltdown or we are just a bit out of sorts, the reality of life is that from time to time each of us is a bit out of tune. When those times come, and they will, what are we to do?

1. Read and Remember.

I am a big advocate for writing things down. (I have always been a big believer in writing things down, but especially in this post-stroke season of my life when remembering is such a challenge.) Writing down your prayer list. Writing out your prayers. Keeping a gratitude journal and writing down all the reasons you have for being grateful. These out-of-tune-times prove the value of those lists. When you are out of tune, when you are discouraged, when you are frustrated, when you feel you've hit rock bottom.......these are the times you get your journal out, not so much for writing as for reading. In these out-of-tune-times you read back through your lists and you remember.

When you refresh your memory with all the good things about your life, with all the ways God has blessed you, and with all the good things that have happened to you, then you are encouraged.  Reading the list helps you remember God's goodness to you. When you remember how good God has been and remember all the ways He has blessed you, your focus is turned away from your negative circumstances.

"This I recall to my mind, and therefore I have hope.  The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning.  Great is your faithfulness."  (Lamentation 3:21-22 NASB)

2. Change your focus.

Often we are out of tune because we are spending so much time thinking about everything that is wrong with life. Maybe we are spending too much time thinking about this virus! Or about politics. Or about the economy. This focus only causes us to be more out of tune. Turn your focus away from yourself and your circumstances, and toward God. This requires a deliberate act of your will. Choose to think differently. Choose to change your focus. Think about God, about His character and His ways. Think about the names by which He is called in Scripture. Make a deliberate effort to focus your attention toward Him and away from your circumstances.

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith."  (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

3. Talk about it.

I don't mean talk about it to your friend or your neighbor or to the entire social media community.  Rather, I mean talk to the Lord about it. Tell Him exactly how you feel, and why. Pour out your heart to Him. In the words of the old hymn, "Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted?  Tell it to Jesus."**

Spending time in prayer, being honest with God, is the best way I know to get your heart back in tune.

"casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."  (1 Peter 5:7 NASB)

4. Choose joy.

Make a deliberate choice, as an act of your will rather than your emotions, to choose to be joyful in spite of your circumstances. It may take a while for your circumstances to change. Just like a piano, the more out of tune your life is, the longer it will take to tune it. But no matter how long it takes for circumstances to change, and even if they never do, choose joy.

Make the choice. I've often heard Kay Arthur say we should "Philippians 4:8" everything. It's good advice.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."  (Philippians 4:8, NASB)

Remembering and refocusing and talking to the Lord always helps get me back in tune. These are the things I'm doing today to get myself back in tune. If you're feeling a little out of tune today, I'm praying these suggestions will help get you back in tune, too.


"Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  (Hebrews 4:16 NASB)


 * Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing:  words, Robert Robinson; music, John Wyeth
**Tell It to Jesus:  words and music, Edmund S. Lorenz

Remembering My Mother

 How quickly time passes. Has it really been twenty one years?  

On this day, twenty one years ago - October 30, 2000 - my mother passed from this life into eternity. In many ways, it seems very long ago. And yet sometimes, it is still a very fresh memory. Hardly a day goes by that I don't think of her: remembering something she said; laughing at myself for doing the "I'll never do that" things she used to do; wanting to share something with her; seeing her face as I look at myself in the mirror.

Many years have passed, but I still miss her so much. I miss the twinkle in her eye and that silly grin when she was trying hard not to laugh out loud. I miss her laughter and the private jokes we shared.

My mother was a tiny little woman, one who might have been described as "delicate". But she was mighty in spirit, a strong-willed woman who loved her children and their spouses. Who loved her grandchildren. She loved her husband and was devoted to him. Above all, she loved Jesus!

One of the things I most remember about my mother was her love for her Savior. And her love for God's Word. Even in the later years of her life as her health was seriously declining, her Bible was always next to her on the bed. She read it faithfully every day. One of my treasured possessions is a set of index cards with Scripture verses - the verses she had memorized - written in her own hand, well-worn from use.

I loved my mother. I respected her. I admired her. And especially on this anniversary of her passing, I miss her.

Twenty one years ago, I watched my beloved mother take her last breaths in this life. It was a sad morning. A difficult morning. It was one of the few times in my life that I ever saw my daddy cry. It was on that morning that I had to say to him, "It's over."  Even now, all these years later, it is a very vivid memory.

But it isn't over. Not really. Because there is the promise that we will see each other again. And though I still miss my mother so very much, I don't "grieve as those who have no hope"          (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Because "since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."  (1 Thessalonians 4:14 ESV).

Until that day comes, I remember. And those memories make me smile.

 

 

 

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.  Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.  Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."  (Proverbs 31:26-30 ESV)

The Gift of October

I say this every year when October rolls around - October is a gift. And my first post every October seems to follow this theme, so here we go again!

A few years ago, I took this photo while standing in our driveway. We don't live in the mountains anymore, and there isn't this much color yet on leaves where we live now here in the Upstate of South Carolina. But colors like this are part of the reason I love October! Perhaps it's the same for you as well.

October is the month of red and gold and orange leaves.

Of pumpkins and apples.

Of fall festivals.

Of cool mornings and warm afternoons.

Of leaves falling.

For those who live here in the South, October is a welcome respite from the extreme heat we experienced all summer, and even through September.

For those who live further north, October extends the beauty of summer a little longer before the winter months of snow and ice and extreme cold.

October is a gift! Let's enjoy every moment of it, and give thanks to the Giver of all things for such a wonderful gift as October!

"O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."  (Psalm 106:1 ESV)

Eavesdropping

 

Go ahead and admit it. We all do it. Listen in on the conversations around us. I'm not talking about the hide-behind-the-door-like-a-sneak-so-you-can-hear-the-conversation-between-your-parents kind of eavesdropping. I'm talking about just listening in on conversations that happen around you, the conversations that you aren't really a part of. In the restaurant. In the doctor's office. At church. In the mall.

When you listen to those conversations, what do you hear?  

Here's what I've heard a lot of lately: complaining, whining, grumbling, negativity. It's too hot. It's too cold. It rains too much. It doesn't rain enough. The coffee is too hot. The coffee is cold. The coffee is too strong. The coffee is weak. The tables are too close together. It's too crowded. I don't like that song. The music is too loud. Why don't we sing my favorite song? Why are the chairs arranged this way? The chairs are too close together. The chairs are too far apart. On and on it goes.

There's a recurring theme. What I like. What I don't like. Me. I. My.

Even among those of us who call ourselves Christian, there's an awful lot of complaining and grumbling and selfishness. Maybe especially among those of us who call ourselves Christian. As though life is all and only about us and our own personal preferences.  

That's sad, isn't it? Because the truth of the matter is, it's not about you. Or me.

Is this how we are displaying Jesus to the world?

I challenge you to pay attention to your conversation today. Really listen to yourself. Eavesdrop on your own conversation, not just the conversations around you. What's the dominant theme?

Certainly we live in challenging times. A never ending virus. The economy. Self-serving politicians. The list could be very long.

But our joy isn't based on circumstances, is it? Our joy is in the Lord Jesus. And shouldn't that joy should be reflected in our conversation?

Something to think about today.

"Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."             (Philippians 4:8 ESV)

"From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers [and sisters], these things ought not to be so."  (James 3:10 ESV)

"Through him [Jesus], let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name."  (Hebrews 13:15 ESV)

"Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude jesting, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."  (Ephesians 5:4 ESV)

"Do all things without grumbling."  (Philippans 2:14 ESV)

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."  (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

You’re Composing!

When I was a college student, one of the most dreaded hours of the week was Tuesday morning’s Sightsinging Class. Sometimes we sang as a group, but most often we were called on individually. Each of us was given a line from the the textbook and a pitch, and then we were to sing the line correctly. A capella, of course. I can still hear Dr. Will saying, “Miss Austin, you are composing.”

Composing would have been fine in composition class, of course. But not acceptable in sightsinging class. This memory came to mind on Wednesday night in choir practice as we were struggling a bit over a section of music for our Christmas program. I joked about it being “creative license”. After all, that sounds better than “mistake”. And I could hear Dr. Will’s voice in my head. “You’re composing.”

Soloists often take some creative liberties with the music. (If you have ever heard a pop artist sing the National Anthem, you know what I mean.) But a choir, singing a passage in unison, has no such liberties. 

Neither do we when it comes to the scriptures.

But this morning, I am wondering how many of us are doing exactly that. Taking “creative license” with the Word of God. 

We do that every time we pick and choose the parts we like, and ignore the rest. Every time we quote it out of context. Every time we make it about us. Every time we mis-apply it. 

How that must grieve the heart of God. 

In order to avoid “composing”, we must read the Word. Study it. Read all of it. Not just the favorite parts. And read the Bible itself, not just books about the Bible. Not just devotional books. The Book itself. The whole Book.

Let’s stop composing. Let’s honor God by honoring His Word.

“Be diligent to present yourself to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB)

Tinted Moisturizer and Mascara

Despite what you may have thought when you read the title, this is not a post about makeup. Even so, thinking about makeup helps to illustrate the point.

Makeup is a fact of life for many women. Truth be told, most women past 25 or 30 just look better with judicious use of some cosmetics. In the words of a pastor friend of ours from years gone by, a little paint never hurt an old barn!

In spite of that, the older I get, the less I want to be bothered with all that. I need it more, but I want to deal with it less. As a result, on most days, if I'm not planning to go out of the house, I don't go through the whole makeup routine. Those are pretty much tinted moisturizer and mascara days. Maybe a little lip gloss. But not much more. Just enough to get by. Just enough not to scare anybody!

Just enough to get by. There's a lot of that going around. Most days, I have just enough cosmetic products on my face to get by. I hear teachers complaining about students who are capable of so much, but do just enough to get by. In the workplace, many are doing just enough to get by without losing their jobs.  

And, sadly, many who call themselves Christian are doing just enough to get by. Certainly becoming a Christian is not about what we do. The Scripture tells us that we must "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 16:31). That's it. It's not about what we do, but about what Jesus has done that is the issue in salvation.

But what about living out our salvation? What about living the Christ-life?  

Spend some time in the New Testament book of Acts. That book has a lot to say that can help us understand how we are to live the Christ-life as we draw nearer and nearer to the return of Christ to this earth. How do we live the Christ-life in a culture that rejects Him? How do we live the Christ-life in this 11th hour?  

The early church, as described in Acts 2:42-47, has much to teach us about how we should be living in these days. This group of believers was not satisfied to just get by, and that makes them very different from many believers today, certainly here in the United States.

If you think about it, we here in the United States have much in common with the early church. We are in the minority in our culture, as were they. The early church faced persecution because of their faith, and more and more we are seeing that in our culture as well, as the Christian faith is ever more marginalized in our society. The early church believed that Jesus would return to earth very soon, within their lifetime. While many years have passed since Jesus left this earth and we don't know exactly when He will return, we do know with certainty that He will return because that is what He said He would do. And we also know with certainty that we are closer now than we have ever been to that time. In the words of the Apostle Paul, "salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed."  Romans 13:11b NASB).

That's what we have in common with the early church. Sadly, for many modern-day Christians, that's where the similarities end and the tinted moisturizer and mascara comparisons begin. The early Christians were much more than just enough to get by church members.

Here's what we know about them: "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42 NASB)

Continually. Devoting. Those are very descriptive words. They describe a lifestyle, not an every now and then, just enough to get by, attitude. These early believers were devoted to the apostles' teaching.  They listened. They learned. They applied. And what were the apostles teaching? They were teaching what Jesus had taught them! So to bring this into the 21st century, what should we who call ourselves Christian be doing? We should be, as they were, devoted to, as a habit of life, the study of the Scriptures! Not just to occasionally reading some Scripture. Not to occasionally, when it's convenient and it's not raining and there's no ball game that has our attention, showing up for Bible study and worship on Sunday morning. But as a habit of life, if we are following their example, we should be devoted to the study of the Scripture.

They were continually devoting themselves to fellowship and the breaking of bread and to prayer. In other words, they were doing life together. As a habit of life, they were spending time together. Eating meals together. Celebrating what we now refer to as the Lord's Supper. Together. Praying. Together. They routinely spent time together doing these things. As a habit of life. Not just enough to get by. Not just enough that their name wasn't removed from the class roll. Not just occasionally. Not just when it was convenient and they didn't have anything better to do. This was the better!

That's the model we have from the early church of how to "do" church. How to live as a believer in the 11th hour. (Remember that they thought they were in the 11th hour, too!) This is the model the Scripture gives us of believers living in community with one another.  

The Gaithers wrote a song some years ago titled The Church Triumphant. The song begins with this line: Let the church be the church.

These early believers in Acts 2 show us how the church is to be the church. They show us what it means to be a community of believers. Not just tinted moisturizer and mascara believers, but believers who, as a habit of life, live as a community.

This is not to say that they lived out in some holy huddle, or commune, on the side of a hill somewhere singing Kum Ba Yah all day. Not at all. They still had life to live and families to raise.  They had to make a living and go fishing for the day's meal. But through all that, they lived in community with one another. They did life together. They spent time together. They studied together. They fellowshipped together. They prayed together.

Continually devoting themselves to. As a habit of life. As a priority of life.

"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."  (Acts 2:42 NASB, emphasis mine)

They were not tinted moisturizer and mascara believers. Neither should we be!

What was the result of that kind devotion?  

"Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe, and many wonders and signs were taking place."  (Acts 2:43 NASB)

"And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."
(Acts 2:47b NASB)

If we're missing the sense of awe, perhaps it's because we're also missing that kind of devotion.

That's really the question for us as believers here in 21st century America, isn't it?  What are we devoted to?

How would you describe yourself? What would those who know you best say about you? What about those who just see you occasionally? Are you known more as a continually devoted kind of believer? Or are you better described as tinted moisturizer and mascara?

Something to think about.