Are We Ready?

Christmas is near. Are we prepared? Not prepared as in - shopping is finished, gifts are bought and wrapped, a decorated Christmas tree stands proudly in a perfectly appointed room, and plans for a holiday feast are complete.

Prepared as in - are our hearts prepared for the birth of the Baby Jesus to once again come into this world to save us? Have we laid our hearts and minds and arms open to receive Him? Have we thrown our shortcomings and sins before Him, begging for forgiveness, fully ready to joyously welcome His Holy Spirit?

Each year we hear the Christmas story, we watch the manger tableau played out in school Christmas programs, and we sing the joyous familiar Christmas carols. Is it merely enjoyment and tradition or does it truly touch our hearts? Does it bring tears to our eyes to know that this little baby, this Christ Child, came for you and me? He entered the world, growing in the knowledge that He would shortly die for His children in order to set us free. Are we even able to comprehend the concept, the magnitude? I wonder.

So many rituals make up the season of Christmas. Families coming together, gift-giving, holiday meals – all so wonderful. We must also be certain that there is still Christ in the celebrations of Christmas. Our hearts need to be as open as our arms would be to receive a new-born baby - any new-born baby, but especially this little Child of Bethlehem.

So hear the angels singing and the bells ringing, marvel at the Star of the East, watch the shepherds make their way to the stable, see the wonder in the eyes of Mary and Joseph and know that this baby, lying so humbly in a bed of straw, came to save us, came to give us life, came to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Be prepared with an open heart because He came for YOU and He came for ME. CHRIST is in CHRISTMAS – CHRIST is CHRISTMAS.

“ …Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” Matthew 3:3b
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’ ” Luke 2:10,11

Homecoming

I recently experienced the feeling of homecoming when I visited my oldest son and his family. Seeing their faces as I stepped down from the shuttle from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, New Mexico, was so joyous, I could hardly keep it all in. Hugs and kisses and smiles, yes, and tears - but it was so, so wonderful. I recalled little nuances about my son’s facial features, his eyes, his smile that had grown dim. The same is true when I visit my loved ones in Wisconsin. New delights arise with each conversation, each shared experience. Memories are stored away until the next rejoining. Hearts overflow with love and happiness. And then the agony of saying goodbye; one last hug, one last stroke of the shoulder, one last look from the window.

We’ve all been separated from loved ones through geography or the worst kind of separation – death. We heal from these losses with the help of our Lord and time, but etched in our hearts is that loved one’s smile and personality “tics” that are unique and individual. Memories come to us unaided by conscious thought – they just appear, making us smile and yes, sometimes shed a tear. A certain walk, a turn of the head, a twinkle in the eyes brings it all back.

I think heaven must be like that. I believe we will recognize those loved ones in heaven by those characteristics that we so fondly remember as we live here below. And when we join them, what a homecoming it will be! There will be kisses, hugs, (no tears this time) – only joy, the heart-filling ecstasy of an eternal reunion with no more separations. There will be unending singing and music and lights and colors and dancing and conversations and finally, understanding of the meaning of our lives here on earth – and no more sad goodbyes. Our joy will know no containment, it will be evermore and unending. What glory with Jesus our Lord on high!

When the holy angels meet us
As we join their happy band,
We shall know the friends that greet us
In that glorious spirit-land.
We shall see the same eyes shining
On us as in days of yore.
We shall feel the dear arms twining
Fondly, round us as before.
Author unknown.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

Cherish the Moment

“We are a people of jugglers. We juggle family, work, friends, commitments, responsibilities, relationships. We don’t take the time to ‘cradle’ moments, experiences or even the people we love.” I’m paraphrasing here from a brief recorded inspirational message by Sheila Walsh of Women of Faith on KLove. Struck by this sound bite, it became my most recent “aha” moment.

What a lovely visual! Cradle the whirring beats of a hummingbird’s wings as he hovers over a flower – God’s dual creation in the bird and the blossom – both fleeting – hang on to them! Cradle a child’s upturned face, lashes dark against perfect skin, little white teeth shining in an uninhibited grin. Extend that moment for a couple of heartbeats – be reluctant to let it go. Days flip by, a blink of the eye and the moment is gone. Cherish a phone call from an older child, a relative or a loved one – breathe in the sound of their voice, their laugh across the miles; picture in your mind their face and their mannerisms. Hold them all in your heart.

Cradle the time spent with a friend – a friend who may be hurting, who may be ill, someone you don’t see often enough, or someone you see every day. Whether laughing together or crying together, embrace the minutes or hours you are together. The fragility of life cannot guarantee another meeting in this lifetime. Cradle it.

Cradle your ability to think, to see, to hear, to feel. Some are not so fortunate. God created us to be marvelous beings. Think of your hands, your feet, your brain, the workings of your body – and marvel. Cradle the magical aspects of your creation, the miracle of life. Hold your beauty in your hands as you would a newborn baby.

Take moments to cradle your time spent with God – in prayer, in Bible study, in quietness. It may be the best part of your whole day – hearing the whisper of His voice, feeling His comfort, His forgiveness, His Spirit, His being.

When we juggle all the “hats” that we must wear in this life, when we don’t cradle moments and people, we find that we’ve come to the end of our lives with a muddled mind and very tired arms. And really, now what was it all for? Did we enjoy and cherish the moments that God gave us or were we too busy keeping balls in the air to even notice? Drop the balls and cradle those people, those take-it-to-my-heart pieces of life that need preserving. Time is short. Do it now.

“You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro. He bustles about, but only in vain. . .” Psalm 39:5-6a

"I DON'T FIT!"

My sister is holding out an ugly pair of orange Crocs, size 12, which she insists are mine. She tells me to put them on. I keep telling her that I wear a 7 ½, and that the shoes are not mine. They will not fit. She insists they will. It’s quite a battle of wills. Then I wake up, shaking off the silly dream.

We are sometimes expected to fit into a preconceived mold which may not be us at all. It could be at school, at work, at home, socially, or professionally. Young girls’ images especially, are challenged constantly through TV, movies, and magazines that scream, “You can’t be too thin, too blond or too rich!” Our youth is striving for unattainable image goals and suffering greatly for it.

There’s a Christian song out called “More Beautiful You.” A verse goes like this:
“You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you.”

God made each one of us individually – no molds. It took me years to learn to be myself, not what someone else expected me to be. God was good to me – he gave me intelligence, a love of learning, compassion – and red hair. OK, so I didn’t get the gorgeous face, but I’m happy. God gave each of us talents and traits that belong only to us. He lovingly created us – and just like snowflakes – not one of us is completely alike. We were made in His image. How can that be at all imperfect?

It’s OK to be ourselves. It’s important that we be ourselves. Many times we learn more from the characteristics we don’t have than from the ones we do. We turn to God for help in our deficiencies, asking Him for guidance and knowledge and insight and discernment. He blesses us with these things as we need them.

Young people will learn that image isn’t everything. The love of Jesus Christ shining from within is what people will remember. The people we are drawn to are those who reflect an inward light, caring for fellow men, comfortable in the skin that God gave them. We WERE each made to fill a purpose, each one of us. Prayer and a daily relationship with our Lord will reveal that purpose.

In God’s sight, we are all beautiful. We are all perfect. We are God’s children. We are meant to be who we are. Determine your purpose and do all you can to fulfill it, asking God’s guidance and strength, praising His holy name.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts….and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

Every Breath We Take

Life is fragile. I am so aware of that following the most recent life-threatening medical emergency with my sister, Cookie. She’s come through many serious illnesses and complications of her blood disease, but the last one could have been her last – and very nearly was.

I’m asking you to do something for Cookie. Place a hand on your chest. Hold your hand under your nose to feel your breath. Take your pulse. Your heartbeat, your every breath, your blood flowing through your veins – all gifts from God. Do we think about that very often? I do every time my sister is sick, but not often at other times. No one needs to be obsessive about this, but think about it. Each breath we draw, each beat of our heart, God ordains. We don’t know when these life-giving cycles will end. But shouldn’t we thank Him for them as we live our lives? I think we should.

Our bodies are temples for our souls. Things go wrong from time-to-time. We ache, we bleed, and we suffer – all part of life. But our bodies are marvelous things, really. God created us so perfectly. Yes, in different sizes, shapes, colors, forms. But wonderfully! Sometimes we just wear out and wear down as in Cookie’s case. And yet I marvel at how she smiles, she laughs, she looks to the future with hope, thanking God for the things that DO work!

Life is amazing – not to be taken lightly. Waking up each day is a gift (I know – that’s why they call it the “present”!) I saw my doctor today and felt my blood beating as the assistant took my pressure. And I thanked God. We sometimes take time to “smell the roses,” marvel at a hummingbird, become overwhelmed looking into the face of a child. Take time today to marvel at your Maker’s creation – YOU! Because He loves us so, He made us in His image. And it is perfection. Our time on earth is limited. Enjoy the beat of your heart when you’re pumping that Stairmaster, take pause at your breath on a mirror. You are experiencing life itself – so very precious. Take time to thank and praise your Maker – our Lord God Almighty – for life, for breath, for living.

“The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

Lift Up Your Heads!

My California poppies are a brilliant profusion of yellow-orange blossoms – so beautiful! I’ve been noticing as they lift their heads to the day-long sunshine and bow their heads at the darkening evening. Need I say more? Such a simple analogy as to what we, as Christians, do, or should be doing.

Each day is such a gift from God – a new beginning, a new chance to live life doing His will. As my poppies do and as Christians, we lift up our heads to praise God as the sun rises; bow our heads in prayer in the evening. But are we looking upwards to our heavenly Father all the day long – the day that He gives us? Or do we lag somewhere past noon; drag our heads downward by grumbling about our work loads, our finances, our aches and pains?

Lifting our heads up, can we make another’s day brighter by a helpful act of kindness, a simple smile, or caring concern? Can we witness our faith and help to turn another’s face upward in worship and salvation? How about erasing those frown lines between the eyebrows, making a conscious effort to replace them with laugh lines around the mouth instead? So much more attractive!

Many wonders of nature lift their heads to the sky above. Have you never noticed? Notice now. Trees, grass, flowers, even weeds! Birds trill their songs with their throats stretched, heads up. Lizards raise their heads as they sun themselves. Aren’t we “perkier” when the sun shines as opposed to a gloomy, cloudy day? How have we missed this lesson demonstrated daily before our very eyes? Maybe that’s why God placed our heads on top of our bodies – so we could lift them up to Him! He plans our days, He plans our lives. How can we not look upward to discern what that plan is for us daily and throughout our lives?

When evening comes, we rightfully bow our heads in prayer, giving thanks to our Father – for daily bread, for health, for children, for forgiveness, for a life to come with Him in heaven. We ask His guidance for the coming day when we can once again lift up our heads in praise to our heavenly Father. My poppies are so wise. They not only give me immeasurable pleasure by their beauty. Observing their raised heads throughout the day, their bowed heads at eventide, my Savior speaks a lesson to me. Will you also learn from my poppies?

“Lift up your heads, you mighty gates!
Behold the King of glory waits,
The King of kings is drawing near
The Savior of the world is here.
He brings salvation down to earth
Greet him with shouts of holy mirth
Our highest praise we bring,
Our God, Creator, King.”

Who Are We?

Recently, I was moved to tears as I drove home from work. KLove played one of my favorite songs, sung by MercyMe, “Emmanuel, God with Us.” Although the words to the whole song are magnificent, two lines especially touched my heart:

“Who are we, that You would be mindful of us?
What do You see, that's worth looking our way?”

With Easter fast approaching, these words must hit you in your heart of hearts as it did me. Who are we that Christ would be mindful of us? What does he see, that’s worth looking our way? It is incomprehensible to think his love for us is so great that he would accept Judas’ kiss; that he would walk, without protest, alongside the soldiers out of the Garden of Gethsemane. Who are we that He would suffer this indignity for us?

When accused by the chief priests and the elders, Jesus gave no answer, no reply, not to a single charge. What did he see, looking our way, that was worth no defense of himself, assuring his certain death? When he was stripped, a crown of thorns placed on his head, beaten again and again, what did he see? He was mindful of us; he was looking our way.

As he hung on the cross, suffering so horribly, what did he see? He saw your face; he saw mine. He saw his children’s sinful nature, but he also saw his children’s hearts. Jesus’ Father’s will was for his death, so that you and I, as his children, might forever live. That’s what he saw. Simple, yet unimaginable.

And on Easter Sunday, emerging from a borrowed tomb, Jesus claimed power over death, giving His disciples and all believers the gift of the Holy Spirit. Who are we that he would do that? We are his beloved children whom He died for. What does he see as he looks our way? He sees his beloved children – he sees you and he sees me.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1a

I'm Published - Again!

The Lutheran Digest has just accepted my article, "Take it to the Cross" for publication! I'm so excited! Read it here and share it with someone. I write to touch people. Blessings!

Be Prepared

One spring, when I worked at Western Wisconsin Technical Institute in La Crosse, WI, I decided to start walking to and from work, about 12 blocks, to regain my girlish figure. I am a “prepared” person – I could live for a month in the desert on the contents of my purse alone.

So for this 12-block hike (La Crosse city blocks are not a mile long as they are in Phoenix), I packed up my Nike survival bag: two towels to wipe away sweat or soak up blood if I got hit by a car; an extra pair of shoes (in case I lost one in the car-hitting-me accident); a paperback novel in case of a massive traffic jam with me being trapped on the opposite side of the street from my work; a curling iron should my hair go straight, a mirror by which to see my hair going straight, shorts and tennis shoes to wear on my home-bound way. With this 20-lb. bag was on one shoulder and my 10-lb. purse on the other, 12 short blocks felt like a 26-mile marathon!
Needless to say, the next day, I lightened the load considerably, carrying a lighter purse and a much lighter survival bag.

Don’t we often do that to ourselves? Anticipate trouble? Carry around much more baggage than we need to? A friend told me, “Worrying is like making a down payment on a debt that may never come due.” I like that! God says in Matthew 6:27b, “…..who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” In fact, we may take years OFF of our lives by our incessant worrying. We can never anticipate where life will take us. Only God has that road map before Him.

And, oh, the baggage we carry on our shoulders! “Oh, what needless pains we bear!” We carry the past into the present and project it on into the future at times. There is guilt, shame, regret, heartache, resentment, blame – none of it an honorable armor to wear or to share. We can “dump” the restricting burdens on Jesus and lighten our burdens by clothing ourselves in the Holy Spirit. Let’s get on with today, looking forward to tomorrow with gladness, lighter and more free.

The only survival bag needed in our walk through life is faith in God, communion with Him in prayer, and the openness of our heart to His Spirit. He will “prepare” us for any trial of fire we walk through. He will lift away the baggage we sometimes insist on carrying from the past, taking the load onto His own shoulders. He died on the cross to give us eternal life in heaven with Him. He wipes away all sin and because He loves us, He cares nothing about our pasts. The slate is wiped clean with His blood. Got it? OK now, shoulders back, smile on face - truly “let go and let God.” And only “prepare” with joy for life everlasting with Him.

“What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear,
what a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer.”
Song: What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Image is NOT Everything

I owned a vehicle once named Herbie. He was a little, faded, orange excuse-for-a-car with a ripped black vinyl top. I don’t even know if the manufacturer would admit to creating him. Rust holes here and there gave him character, I thought at the time. I had to kick the door each time I wanted to enter the driver’s side. His trunk would fly open at the most inopportune times, like rush hour. His battered dash was concealed a bit with my 8-yr.old daughter’s stickers – quite festive actually. She used to pat him affectionately when the heater wouldn’t quite cut the bone-numbing cold of a Wisconsin winter. But I loved him.

It wasn’t his exterior that mattered. He was reliable (most of the time) and conscientious (for a car) and did the best his over-100,000-mile engine could do. I look a little like Herbie did. The roads I’ve traveled are etched on my face. There is some pain there but lots of joy, too. Life happens and in later years, life is often times evident on our exteriors.

But God loves us anyway. He sees the creature he created. He sees our inner workings, our heart and our soul. He pats us affectionately when we create our own scars. Maybe there’s even a little kick on our doors sometimes when we neglect to let him in. He sees the child he created in the womb, full of sin, yes. But that’s why he died – to clean us up, to give us that “new car smell” again, washed whiter than snow in his eyes.

So often we judge people by their exteriors. How very wrong that is! I’ve done it myself and I’m ashamed. Who can see into a heart but our Lord and Maker? Who knows the roads another person has traversed but God? Who knows the cause of every little dent and rip but Jesus? He knows every tear that has fallen. He sees and applauds our life progress. He orchestrates our joy.

I have some dents in my fenders and some rips in my jeans, as a contemporary Christian song states. So did Herbie. But he kept goin’ on. And his flaws became invisible because I knew his heart. God loves us inside and out. And he looks beyond our Etch-A-Sketch faces and sees only the beauty of his creation – in each and every one of us.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them . . . God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:27, 31