CHRISTMAS 2013

While I sat in the garage looking at the boxes of decorations and Christmas tree in a box, a flood of emotions swept over my soul.  I look back and painfully remember all the people and things so dear to me that I lost.  I began to sink in my spirit because the loved ones I shared my life and heart with are no longer here to bring me joy on Christmas morning.  Christmas was always my favorite holiday.  It’s a time when memories are made and family and friends gather near.

As I drove through the neighborhoods and saw the beautiful decorations and listened to the holiday tunes on the radio, emptiness came over me.  I didn’t feel the same when I watched Charlie Brown or White Christmas on television.

Many of the traditional things that marked this season, my personal favorite, the Christmas tree, will not be observed this year.   The old traditions are no longer significant and I am forced to create new ones.  There will be no smell of peach cobbler cooking in the kitchen or that secret present to open on Christmas morning.  There won’t be a fire in the fireplace as we sing merry Christmas baby or jingle bell rock.  I asked all my loved ones to let me be alone this Christmas to seek God’s face, who alone could heal and help me this holiday.   The worst emotion to me is to be in a room filled with people but still feeling all alone in the world. 

The song, Silent Night, Holy Night came on the radio and my heart began to burn.  How selfish and blind I had been.  Christ is the reason for the season.  He is the gift that keeps on giving.   

There was no Currier & Ives setting around the manger where Christ laid and He wasn’t welcomed with opened arms.  His mother and father were on the run from an angry King that sought to kill Him and hid in a manger where He was born.  There was no smell of spices and rum cake; there was the smell of sheep and oxen in their nostrils. 

Yes, I had lost loved ones and my life is forever changed, but the real reason for Christmas is Christ who loves me the best and has never left my side.  He has shown me an undying love by giving me the gift of redemption. 

Let’s regain the real meaning for Christmas, by first putting Christ back in our celebration.   We look for gifts to give our loved ones that would enhance their lives and bring them joy.  What better gift than to give them the gift of the knowledge of Christ, their Savior.  Share with them the true story of Christmas.  When times get hard and the storms of life begin, the X-box game machines and diamonds won’t bring them peace or help solve their problems, only a relationship with Christ will accomplish this.  Deck the halls then go tell it on the mountain and over the hills that Jesus Christ was born.

HE SAID MY NAME

A friend and I had been trying to find time to get together for several years.  When she called me one day recently to ask to meet, I was having such a challenging week.  I decided it was more important to rearrange my entire day’s appointments.  I will be eternally grateful that I did, and here’s why.  We caught up on the happenings in our lives and laughed while we ate with such gusto, the waitress came to our table several times to check on us. 

My friend gave an account of how her morning began that warmed my soul.  She shared that she too, had a busy day lined up.  In the middle of preparing to go out to her various appointments, God spoke to her and said to contact “Chris” and arrange to meet today.  She went down the list of things she had to do in her mind, but, being obedient, she sent me the text around 6:30am. I’m glad she was obedient and that I changed my day, to hear those words.

That may not mean much to you, but when I put it into perspective, it means the world to me.

It excites me that God would specifically speak my name to someone and for them to do a kind act towards me.  God knew the challenges I was having and that encounter of laughter and kindness, with a true friend, made a great difference in the rest of my life.  During trying times, you must be very careful who you surround yourself with.   I’m glad to have such a friend in my life, one who recognizes and obeys the voice of God.

You see, I’ve been far from perfect and made my share of mistakes.  Life’s obstacles and hardships, in unfamiliar territory, can make even the strongest stumble sometimes. If anyone should have been angry and not speak my name after giving me chance after chance, it’s God.  

Are you facing hard times, an unclear way, or have you made a few mistakes?  Then join the human race and repent and seek God’s face.  He promises to forgive and to restore us and stand by us forever.  Has God placed someone on your heart and you’ve put off contacting them?  This is your chance to call them and let them know that you and God are thinking of them.  It could make a world of difference in their life.  There are times in life when we all need encouragement and know that God still cares and remember our names. 

SIFTING THROUGH THE TRASH

There was a time when you only saw the homeless or those living on the streets sifting through the trash.  There is a trend now where others are going through searching for valuables or bottles to turn them in for cash.

I’ve looked through the trash many times when I’ve thrown something away.  I remember how I hated to wipe off the nasty particles from the item while enduring the overwhelming smell, especially during the hot summer months.   Once or twice, after reviewing the item, it was so damaged and tainted; I couldn’t salvage or use it.

I found myself doing this recently, emotionally.  I was sifting through emotions and relationships that I had moved away from, some unbeneficial.  I was trying to regain some connection or comfort.  What came to my mind was that if they didn’t work then, they won’t work now. Some things we can’t salvage or piece together. 

How many times I’ve tried to make things fit that I had already discarded from my life until I could do better.  Months later, I look back over the situation that I’ve created and ask myself, what were you thinking?  When I calmed myself, I’d hear the Lord say, be still and trust Him.  I remember how Jesus told us not to cast our pearls before swine. Then goes on to tell us that if we ask, we will receive and if we knock on the door, it shall be opened (Matthew 7:6-8). 

His children do not have to settle or mix and match things in our lives. We are precious in God’s sight.   If there is a need in your life, I can say with confidence, He will provide it.  If you’re looking for something, ask Him, He will open the opportunity.  He understands our feelings.  Don’t rely on yourself,  as I have done so many times in the past to make things work in your life, rely on God.  Don’t sift through the trash or those things you’ve discarded from your life.  He is our Father, waiting to supply our needs.  He has an invested interest in our success and happiness.

 

 

 

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY ENEMIES

I’ve been trying to determine what works in my life to recreate success with my future goals.  When I completed this task, I thought I’d have a list that would include incidents where my supporters surrounded me or friends and family came to my rescue, with help or a life changing word.  To my surprise, if these scenarios happened, it was so rare it’s not worth mentioning.  What I found was a list of events where I was alone with feelings of being abandoned with my enemies raging around me. 

Now I want to make it clear that my enemies are real.  I don’t have the kind of enemies that are passive, nor are they inexperienced in the art of war.    My enemies tried to set me up on my job to humiliate me then get me fired.  If I didn’t quit the job, they would strategically place themselves around contend with my every effort.   My enemy would work discord in my neighborhood.   My enemy will talk about me behind my back with hideous lies to destroy my character.  My enemies take joy in hearing of my misfortunes and wait to hear of my destruction from them.  If my demise doesn’t come soon enough, they will see what they do to help speed the process up.  My enemies would attack my children and my marriage when the attacks against me didn’t work, knowing this would destroy me.  My enemies would turn my friends against me.   Then they would use them on the inside to stay close to me to further hurt me.

Even though I felt alone in these situations, I realized God was with me.  He would somehow stir something deep within me, an anger of sorts or a refusal to go down without a fight that would arise in my spirit and I would come out swinging against the opposition.  I had a take no prisoner approach.  I fought with the strength that I know only the Lord could have given me.  I gained the victory over my enemies and negative situations in my life.  I learned skillful ways from God to defeat my enemy and God would not allow a bitterness to build within me that would cause me to become like my enemies.   I learned a lot about myself from facing my enemies and their attacks.  I learned a lot about God, who was my only source of help.   I realized that these attacks made me stronger and closer to God.  Over time, the attacks let me know that a bigger blessing or level of promotion was on the way from the Lord.  I would have never gained this knowledge and strength if it had not been for the malicious attacks of my enemies.  Most important, I learned that if I’m ever to succeed at anything in life, especially against my enemies, I must depend upon the Lord to guide and help me.

So if you’re under attack, don’t give in and please don’t give up.  Take a deep breath and a step back and seek the help of God.  He promised never to leave us or forsake us.  He is a master at strategy and can lead you around any trap of your enemy.  He can give you the victory over those that come against you, if you would just consult Him how to proceed.  Don’t be discouraged or dismayed we are more than conquers though Him that loved us (Romans 8:37).  Thank your enemy for letting you know that your help from God and blessings are on their way.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Since the 80’s I started the practice of stepping back for the month of August from most of my obligations.  I take time to reflect, redirect, and refresh myself naturally and spiritually while celebrating myself, my birthday is in August.

You might think this a vain exercise until you hear my reasoning.  Many years ago I discovered that I was caught in a rut.  I kept going but discovered that I was going in the wrong direction after it was too late to change the end result.  I learned that stepping back and taking a fresh look at situations and reconnecting with God, keeps me on point and is a better use of my resources and time.  I don’t wait on others to celebrate me.  I don’t look to others for validation.  This practice has kept my heartaches and disappointments in my fellow man to a minimum.

This is no exercise for the weak.  I take a look at my past year’s activities and outcomes and evaluate if I responded correctly and if I could have done better.  I look at my weaknesses and shortcomings and search for ways to strengthen them.  I examine the distractions that came to throw me off course and how I handled them.   I evaluate my resource pool and try to gather more.  I seek God’s input on my life and get direction for the next year.

It has been my experience that when I lay my prior year’s activities before the Lord, He always gives feedback.  There have been many times that I’ve asked for forgiveness or a do-over after learning His perspective on things I’d done.  One great thing about getting God’s input in my life’s matters is He never makes fun of my ignorance.  The second great thing about getting Him involved is that His presence insures my success.  I still make mistakes and must constantly keep my emotions in check.  But the month always ends with encouragement and grace from God that enables me to run with gladness into my next year.  I gain more self esteem and confidence in me that equip me for whatever challenges and decisions I may face in the upcoming year.

Take time to nurture and cultivate the greatest asset you’ll ever have, yourself.  Celebrate yourself and know that God is there willing to help you in spite of your weaknesses and faults.  He paid a great price for your success.  Take the time to know yourself and know your God and learn to trust them both.  Invest in yourself.   Do things to enhance you or that you love to do.  Love yourself and the God who loved you the best.  Find your place in God. Start your own tradition, celebrate your life.

 

 

A WALK IN MY OWN SHOES

I went to my foot doctor to understand why my feet and knees had been giving me the most excruciating pain for the last few months.  I attributed it to my increased yard work, aging, or just from the added weight I had gained.   I learned a painful lesson that should have been obvious to me.  I’ve been using my husband’s old shoes while working in the yard for almost two years.  Since they are not quite my size, old, and run over, they had thrown my entire body out of alignment, starting with my feet, then my knees, going up to my already twisted back, ending in my neck and shoulders.   Adding insult to injury, during this period, I decided to resume walking barefoot, a definite no-no to anyone with reoccurring foot injuries. 

I quickly learned his shoes were too big for me to ever fill.  How often we think just by looking at a person that we can accomplish or walk so easily in their shoes.  Who knows what challenges they face to even stand?  When we walk, our entire bodies are engaged in the process.  Now that I’ve put on my own shoes for yard work, my condition improved in a matter of days.  My orthotic s in my shoe correct the weakened areas in my feet and force me to stand tall and straight, even when walking along the hills and dips in my yard.

Our feet are a very important part of our body.  The nerves from each destination in our body end there.  The major idea behind reflexology is the feet and hands can be massaged to stimulate each organ in our body to promote activity.  A sensitive area on the feet can determine if any organ is under stress and slight manipulations can stimulate that area toward healing.  Each foot is different on each person and both are unique to every individual, even if they are the same size.  They develop and form based on our individual standing and walking style.  Our arches support us in our development of gait and stance, allowing even pressure to be distributed equally across the entire foot.

Doesn’t life teach us that we each have our own individual walk and no one else can walk in our shoes?

Have you ever wished to be in someone else’s shoes? Be careful what you wish for, you never know what lies ahead in their path.

I think of the sandals or shoes of Jesus.  His feet may have been worn, but He kept walking straight down the path that led Him to Calvary.  I imagine He remembered that we would need a straight path to victory, although narrow, that only He could make.

We may be faced with many valleys and hills to climb in life and some long roads ahead, but remember we have a God who will walk besides us, to lead us along the way.

Don’t be afraid to walk in your own shoes, they’ve been modeled for your unique journey in life.  You may need to add spiritual orthotics, but add whatever you need to continue on, but don’t forget to add God.

IN MY WILDERNESS

 
I am in awe and feel inadequate when I encounter someone who has impaired vision impaired.  I begin to think of the things that I take for granted.  I think how they maneuver and function normally in a sight driven world.  They’ve overcome an obstacle that would probably stop me in my tracks.  I recently read there was a blind young woman who won the title Master Chef on a well known cooking show.

As I watched my own dog lose most of his sight, I think how brave and strong he is.  He still bumps into things, but his other senses have developed to where he can run and play in his own yard and chase the rabbits and the birds from the yard.  The other animals seem to know and treat him kind and with respect.

 
He bumps into things after coming in from the sun and the shadows blur his limited vision, but he backs up and he looks as if he’s making a mental note to remember the spot for future reference.  There are times when I can tell he’s unsure of the room and he will lower and turn his head to listen carefully and walk very slow until he reaches his destination. 
 
It’s his determination to make it and the countless of others who have sight challenges and conquered the unthinkable that caused me to see the parallel to the Christian walk.   The scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:7 says we walk by faith and not by sight.  I’ve learned in the natural that sight is just one of 5 senses man was given to navigate through life.  There are times when all five senses must be in operation to function or come to the truth of a matter.
 
Like my pup, we may bump around in life until our spiritual senses heighten and we learn.  When dealing with spiritual matters, my sight alone may be deceiving and there can be important issues hidden beneath the surface.  
 
We can increase our faith by learning, listening and trusting God more in our life’s experiences.  He will patient lead us and prove Himself as we build our relationship with Him.  Once we learn to operate in the faith realm, we can accomplish things we never thought possible.   Join me and take one step at a time, a step of faith, trusting God, not depending upon our natural sight.