It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas!

Have you noticed? The sounds of Christmas are everywhere!

In churches, certainly, singing the songs and carols of the season.

But also in malls and grocery stores, Christmas music is playing. And not just the "Jingle Bells" kind of Christmas music, but also "Silent Night" and "Joy to the World". The music of our Savior's birth is also being played. Isn't it wonderful that we get to hear our Savior's name proclaimed in places like the mall and the grocery store!

As we head into December, the sounds of Christmas are everywhere!

In the laughter of children.

In the sounds (and smells) that emanate from kitchens at this time of year.

Maybe you have Christmas music playing in your home throughout the season. I know I do.

As I was looking back over my Facebook memories over the last few days, I realized that, over the last several days, I have spent a lot of the holiday season having medical or dental procedures. As an example, on December 15, 2011, I had a cataract removed from my right eye. What does that have to do with the sounds of Christmas?  The surgeon was listening to Handel's Messiah during the procedure!

A few years ago on this date, I had a root canal, and I noted in my Facebook post that there were Christmas carols playing in the dentist's office.  

Music is a big part of the Christmas season.  And it’s everywhere! 

This is one of my Southern Gospel Christmas favorites:

https://youtu.be/sKzi4A1ldxE

What sounds of Christmas are you experiencing today?

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'"  (Luke 2:13-14 ESV)

Silence.

Silence.  It's 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 how we get ready for Christmas. It’s time for Christmas, 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.

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. Because we noise is what we do. We aren’t very good at silence.

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

Expectantly

'Tis the season for waiting.

For waiting in long lines in the mall and in the post office and in the grocery store. For waiting for the gifts you ordered on-line to be delivered, and for hoping they make it here in time for Christmas. For waiting until the Christmas break begins and there will be no school for a couple of weeks. For waiting for the family to arrive to celebrate together.  

Interestingly, many times in recent days I have been confronted with verses from Scripture about waiting! It was not intentional on my part. I was not looking for Scriptures about waiting. Here’s just one example:

"You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long."  (Psalm 25:5 ESV)

It's the season of waiting in another sense as well. It's the season of Advent, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

As I said in my last post, I didn't grow up in a church that marked the Advent season. It wasn't part of my church's tradition to light the candles in the Advent wreath or to have special advent readings. As I've grown older, and as we've moved around the country quite a bit, I've come to embrace this tradition. But whether or not you have a wreath with candles to be lit, Advent - the time of expectant waiting - can be an important part of your Christmas celebrations.

Advent is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Coming, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Coming. This makes Advent far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. Advent is about looking back at Christ's birth, but also looking forward to His return.

In between, Advent is about an awareness of His presence in the world today. And, on a more personal level, it's about an awareness of His presence in our own lives. About listening for that "still, small voice".  About hearing Him speak through the Scriptures. About paying attention. About focusing on Jesus.

A popular Advent hymn is Charles Wesley's Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus, which looks forward to Jesus' Second Coming.  It begins, "Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free."  Wesley was looking forward to the time when Jesus would come again to set us free from fear and sin.

What are you looking forward to this Christmas season?  In this Advent season, this season of anticipation and waiting, what are you expecting?  What is your focus?  

In this holiday season, it's really easy for us to get stressed. There's so much to do. Cookie baking, decorating, gifts to buy and wrap, parties to attend. It can be exhausting! 

How do we avoid the stress and exhaustion? It really is a matter of focus. Of remembering why we do these things. Of learning to wait. Of waiting expectantly. Of keeping eyes fixed on Jesus, as the writer of Hebrews tells us in Chapter 12.  

It's a matter of focusing on the long-expected Jesus. The One whose birth was foretold by prophets hundreds of years before it actually happened. The One whose return is also foretold. The One for whom we are eagerly, expectantly, waiting. The Hope of the world.

He's coming again. And until then, we wait. Expectantly.

"Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."  (Titus 2:13 ESV)

 

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free.

From our fears and sins release us; Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's Strength and Consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

 

Born Thy people to deliver, Born a Child and yet a King.

Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all-sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

(Words:  Charles Wesley; Tune:  HYFRYDOL, Rowland H. Prichard)

 

 

 

You can listen here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dmO8UPlWoo





Transition.

For many, this is a weekend of transition. It's time for the shift from fall décor and pumpkins and leaves to Christmas trees and holly. Many people begin November by putting up a Christmas tree. For us, the tree goes up after Thanksgiving. It has been our tradition since our very first Christmas.

This is the week we transition from the season of Thanksgiving to the season of Christmas. Even though the malls and discount stores and TV commercials have been pushing Christmas on us earlier and earlier each year, now that Thanksgiving is past we are officially in the Christmas season.  

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent. Although I didn't grow up in a church that talked about Advent, at least not that I can recall, and we didn't light Advent candles in our church back in my growing up years, as I get older I find myself drawn to that tradition. To the way it focuses our attention on what we are really celebrating during this season of the year.

While we enjoy our snowmen and our Santas and our elves, that's really not what the holiday is all about.  This is a season to celebrate the birth of our Savior. To celebrate Jesus! Even though it is unlikely He was born on December 25, or even at this time of year, this is the time we celebrate that event.

Whether or not your particular church has an Advent wreath, and whether or not you have an Advent wreath in your home, you probably use candles in your Christmas decorating around the house. Even those candles are a reminder to us of what Christmas is all about. Jesus, the Light of the World, is the reason we are celebrating.

In many churches where an Advent wreath is part of the celebration of Christmas, the candle that is lit on the first Sunday of the Advent season is the Prophet's Candle. It's a time to focus attention on what the prophets had to say about the coming of the Messiah, and how these prophecies are fulfilled by the birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem.

This week, as you are transitioning from Thanksgiving to Christmas, why not take some time to find a quiet place and read some of these Scriptures yourself. Maybe you could even light a candle. Set aside the hustle and bustle of the holiday season for just a moment and reflect on the One whose birth was foretold so long ago by the prophets.  

Read the prophecies. Reflect on how they are fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. Let your spirit be renewed by focusing on what Christmas is really all about.

It's a good way to transition into the Christmas season.


"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel."  (Isaiah 7:14 NASB)

 

 

"Come, thou long expected Jesus,

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art;

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart."

(-Charles Wesley)

What's On Your Tree?

It's Thanksgiving Week! Just a few days away from Thanksgiving Day. What are your Thanksgiving Day traditions?

For many, the day includes turkey and pumpkin pie, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce.  It may include watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while the food cooks. Football may be a regular part of the day's festivities, whether watching a game (or two or three) on television, or getting family and friends together to play a game in the front yard. 

 

In recent years I've been hearing more and more about including a Thankful Tree in the Thanksgiving celebrations. I found this particular Thankful Tree on Pinterest, where there are many versions of Thankful Trees if you're looking for inspiration to begin your own tradition. 

I love the idea of a Thankful Tree! It's a great opportunity for you and your family members to write down the things you're thankful for, whether you write on construction paper leaves or on Post-Its or on scraps of paper, and then decorate your tree with your "thanksgivings".  And that means you actually have to take time to think about all the reasons you have for being thankful!

We will be spending a quiet Thanksgiving here at home, just the two of us, so I haven't done a lot of Thanksgiving decorating. I'm saving my energy for Christmas decorations, anticipating a Christmas surrounded by family. Since that's the case, Al and I will be talking with each other about all the reasons we have to be thankful, rather than decorating a Thankful Tree.

If I had a Thankful Tree, I would certainly give thanks for being able to call myself a Stroke Survivor. But the first thankful I would list is Jesus!

My heart overflows with thanksgiving for my Savior! That He loves me. That He died for me, so that I might have an eternal relationship with the Father through Him. That He was willing to pay that sacrifice for me. That He died so I might live.

He did all that, and so much more, not because I did anything to deserve it, but in spite of the fact that there is nothing in me deserving of such grace.

And He continues to love me. Not because I deserve it. In spite of the fact that I don't. Even when I'm unlovable. Even when I mess up. Even when I lose my temper or say things I shouldn't or I'm unkind or I'm irritable or impatient. Even then.

I am overwhelmed by such love. Such mercy. Such grace.

"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8 ESV)

Didn’t See That Coming!

Today is my stroke-iversary. One day life was normal. And the next day it wasn't.

Six years ago on this day, I had a brain hemorrhage. The years since have 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 those days when I struggle with those things, and I still sometimes do, God is still good.

Learning to trust.

Learning to deal with my limitations.

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

Being reminded over and over 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 six years have been years of learning and growing. It is an experience I certainly don't want to repeat, but one I am thankful for. 

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

Never Forget

It’s 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)

A Song of Thanksgiving

November is a month for giving thanks. It's the month of Thanksgiving, after all. For me, when I turn the calendar to November, I'm reminded once again of just how much to be thankful for. You see, it was in November, 2016 that I had a hemorrhagic stroke. That significant event forever altered my life. But that's a story for another day.

Today I'm focused on being thankful. And this great old hymn comes to mind:

"Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving

To God the Creator triumphantly raise,

Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,

Who guideth us on to the end of our days.

His banners are o'er us, His light goes before us,

A pillar of fire shining forth in the night,

'Til shadows have vanished and darkness is banished,

As forward we travel from light into light.

His law He enforces, the stars in their courses,

The sun in His orbit, obediently shine.

The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,

The deeps of the ocean proclaim Him Divine.

We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing,

With glad adoration a song let us raise, 

'Til all things now living unite in thanksgiving 

To God in the highest, hosanna and praise!

                                                                              -Katherine K. Davis

Those are the words to a hymn titled "Let All Things Now Living", written by Katherine K. Davis and typically sung to a traditional Welsh melody. It's one of those hymns we don't sing in church any more, but it's still one of my favorites.

 

This hymn seems to come to my mind every year at this time. It isn't because we frequently sing this hymn at this time of year, or at any other time of year, for that matter. In fact, I can't remember when I last heard this hymn as part of congregational singing. Rather, at this time of year particularly, this hymn is called up from deep in the recesses of my memory. It's a catchy tune, but the text is what grabs my attention.

 

Perhaps it's because I'm not as young as I used to be. Or perhaps there is some other reason. In any event, I am becoming more and more aware of how much I take for granted. How often I forget to say "thank you". It's not that I'm ungrateful. Forgetful, yes. A little scatter-brained sometimes. More forgetful post-stroke than I was previously. Easily distracted, particularly since the stroke. But not ungrateful. Never ungrateful.

 

At this time of year, and particularly as I am approaching my "strokaversary", this Song of Thanksgiving is appropriate. I have so many reasons for thanksgiving this morning, not the least of which is the beauty of the world around me. I love this season of the year with its brilliant reds and golds. With its spectacular sunsets and breathtaking morning skies. It's a beautiful season of the year, my favorite season, and I am so thankful. This year the colors haven been spectacular! But even in years when the colors are more muted, it’s still my favorite.

 

 

Beyond the beauty of the season, I have so many other reasons to be thankful. I'm thankful for my husband and my family. For dear friends. For my church family. For my health. Especially for my health.

 

I'm thankful for the privilege of prayer. I'm thankful that God hears and answers. I'm thankful for those times when I utter a prayer with a very specific request, and within just a few minutes I have my answer! And I'm equally thankful for those times when the answer is a long time in coming. The times when I'm learning how to wait and how to trust. I'm thankful for all that those times are teaching me about God and about faith.

 

I am so very grateful for a Sovereign Lord. One who knows me best and loves me most. One who has all things under control. One who has a purpose for all things.
 

This morning I am so very grateful. For another day of life. And for the privilege of living it for Jesus! 

So very grateful. 

It's a good day for a song of thanksgiving!

"My heart overflows with a good theme."  (Psalm 45:1 NASB)

Some Thoughts About Election Day

Tomorrow is Election Day. For that I am thankful. Thankful for the process, but also thankful it will bring an end to incessant political commercials, phone calls, and texts!

I'm thankful for the privilege of voting. Voting is a privilege denied to many around the world, a privilege many around the world only dream of.

We are blessed in this country to have this privilege. To be free to go to the polls. To voice our opinions through our ballot choices.

I’m thankful for the founders of this country. Thankful for their wisdom in designing this system. And I'm thankful for the men and women who, for more than two hundred years, have fought and died so that we might continue to have the privilege of voting. Let's not take it for granted.

Beyond the privilege of voting, I am thankful today that no matter what the results of this election may be, God is still God. God is still in control. God is still sovereign. We need to cling to those truths.

Elections have become a very contentious process. Because that is true, I'm thankful for the Word of God. Thankful for its truths to cling to even in the midst of stress and weariness over this election season.

I'm thankful today for these words that remind me Who is in control:

"Daniel said, 'Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him." (Daniel 2:20-22 NASB)

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear." (Psalm 46:1-2 NASB)

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10 NASB)

Especially today, how thankful I am for these words of truth! How thankful I am that, no matter what happens tomorrow, the sun will come up on Wednesday. God will still be God, and God will still be in control.

Today, may we rest in that truth. May we keep our eyes on Him. May we vote. May we continue to pray. And may we be still - cease striving - and know that He is God.

"For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us, nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chronicles 20:12 NASB)