It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (?)

Tis a Fearful Thing

by Yehuda HaLevi (1075 – 1141)

‘Tis a fearful thing

to love what death can touch.

A fearful thing

to love, to hope, to dream, to be –

to be,

And oh, to lose.

A thing for fools, this,

And a holy thing,

a holy thing

to love.

For your life has lived in me,

your laugh once lifted me,

your word was gift to me.

To remember this brings painful joy.

‘Tis a human thing, love,

a holy thing, to love

what death has touched.

Grief.  The gift that keeps on giving, even when you weren't expecting it to visit.  For instance, yesterday while at Walmart, it snuck up on me.  While I was doing my shopping and getting some last minute gifts-- minding my own business--it hit me. 

My eyes had fallen on that old-fashioned ribbon candy.  You know the kind I am talking about?  It's been around for years and it reminded me instantly of my grandmother, Mom.  We used to spend every Christmas with her and Pop and by "we" I mean my family and me.  Although there hasn't been a Christmas with Mom--nor the rest of the family--in quite some time, there Grief was, sneaking into my calm, and twisting the knife ever-so-ungently into my heart.  Smiling wistfully, I took just a moment to recall Mom and the love that woman made me feel.  I miss her.  Still.

I shook it off and dared the tear to escape from my eye.  Nope, not gonna do it.  This season of melancholy is nothing new but it is definitely something all too familiar--and unwanted.  Boldly, I made the decision to be happy and leave the past where it belonged.  So, I walked forward a few more steps and there they were:  

  Clyde would get me and Ash and Nuna a box of these each year. This year I won't be receiving them.  Another tear threatened to burst out of my eyes and I almost gave into it this time.  The memories of past Christmases and all of those loved ones who are gone sometimes is just too much!

While I know it is okay to cry sometimes, to miss those who left us, and to be just plain sad I also know that the devil loves nothing more than to steal my--and your--joy. If he can get our eyes off of Christ and all of the excitement over the celebration of His birth then he's pretty excited about that.  Eyes on us and ol' Satan is beyond happy.  Eyes on Christ and the story of His redeeming love and oh no:  Slew Foot is enraged.  So, he brings up loved ones, sweet times, and happy memories and then tries to turn them into bitter remembrances instead, making us recollect the sadness and the loneliness and the heartache--things he himself is full of instead of the joy of Christ.

So, here's what I propose instead, what I purpose, and what I invite you to do with me:  let's take back Christmas!  Let's let those memories have their place but let's not dwell on them.  Let's allow those tasty candies and cookies to be sweet to our mouths and not bitter to our bellies.  Those songs and carols?  Reflect on Whom they are about rather than that being Momma's favorite and making us think of her more than the Christ Child.  And when we gather with those we still have?  Yeah, let's take a moment or two to remember but mostly let's take several moments to praise the Saviour Who through His unprecedented gift allows us the hope of reconciliation.  Sound good?  I think so too!

Let's pray!

Father, as I come before You now, I want to take the time to focus on You.  What a sacrifice You made when You allowed for Jesus to come to earth!  What pain that must have caused You!  The separation must have been extreme, as You watched Your Son come to earth to bridge the gap that was severed so long ago.

Thank You.  I know I say these words often but Lord God?  I especially mean them today.  Yeah, my heart has been hurt and I have faced betrayal and separation too but not anything compared to what You have.  And because You permitted Christ to come, like You I too will one day be reunited with those whom I've loved and lost.  Thank You for this unspeakable gift!  Thank You.

Keep Your Hands to Yourself!

James 4:1Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. 

1 Corinthians 10:13No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Don't touch that!

The toddler thinks about reaching for the button on the tv stand, hears these words, gives a mournful look at the voice speaking, and turns back to the tv.  His hands are twitching as they fight to obey.

Make the right choice, sweetie.

He looks back at the adults again, sees the seriousness in their eyes and also that they are both agreeing that he is to not touch those buttons, those oh-so-tempting buttons.  Reluctantly, he pulls his hand backward and places it behind his back.  The adults applaud, praising him for making the right move, staring at each other in amazement that this gesture just took place.  The child is delighted to have pleased them.  

But then...

That tv stand is still there.  It's such a shiny button.  Surely it couldn't hurt to touch it just...

Don't you even think about it comes the reprimand as his hand started to go forward.  Again, there's that voice of those holding him accountable that shows no mercy in letting up on this desire of his.  Even though he thinks they can't see him because he's facing another way, he realizes the supervision never seems to stop.

So, he cocks his head and smiles winsomely, claps his hands in approval that yes, he is making the right choice, and he turns his back on the tv, crawls away from it, and finds another toy to entertain himself with.

The adults smile and go on about their business, again tickled with the remarkable wisdom of this baby boy, when somehow, somehow he has twisted himself to being in front of the tv again, and there's that temptation, just sitting there, shining at him, and...

And he puts his other hand behind his back--without being told this time--and one can almost see the tiny little wheels turning in his mind as he surely must be thinking that he isn't going to fall for it this time. Talk about not letting your right hand know what your left is doing, huh?  No sir:  he doesn't have to be fussed at.  The decision is made.  He is going to do the right thing without being reminded to do so.  He has overcome the temptation of the shiny buttons!  Woo hoo!

Oh, if only it were so easy for us big people to learn this discipline, to put our hands behind our backs so that we too cannot reach forward to the shininess of temptations.  If only we had someone continually monitoring us, reminding us that this is not only forbidden but also potentially harmful, and we too should flee from this lust.  If only we had constant praise when we did the right thing, and the sense to keep our hands from touching what is not meant for us to touch.  If only we could keep our focus on the good, the right, the true, the acceptable things meant to bring us hope and pleasure.  If only those buttons weren't there, just waiting to be pushed, explored, felt.

Friends, be careful this season.  There are many shiny things out there to tempt us to spend more than we have.  There are many sparkly things that invite us to imbibe, just once, "since it's the holidays."  There are many devices that can be ignited with just the touch of a finger.  There is also the wonder of if you do mess up, does anybody really care?  Surely you aren't being watched by two busybodies who are only looking out for your "best interests."  Right?  And so what if you push a button--or two?  Who besides yourself does it really hurt?  

Ahem.  I'm not going to answer that because I think you already know the response.  Instead, right this moment, I am going to pray for you, for me, and ask God to help us to resist temptation, to flee from it when necessary, and to keep our eyes glued to the "whatsoevers" of the Bible, that are true, noble, pure, right, lovely, admirable, and of good report.  Will you pray with me?

Ahh, Lord, as You so often do, You teach me simple lessons in the baser things of life.  If I just concentrate on what is around me, I see the ways I too can be childlike in my growth and how easily Lord I can be put on the right track when I just keep my hands from reaching for things that they have no business touching.

Father?  This season is tough for so many and thus our guards aren't always up.  We get selfish when the attention is on others and we are left out of the playrooms.  We get stiff when we see others enjoying things that they probably don't deserve as much as we think we do.  We get resentful when people don't include us and so we act out.  We do things that can bring harm and future consequences that we just don't want to think about right now because sometimes, sometimes we just wanna be bad.  We wanna do the wrong thing.  We want some attention and sometimes this seems the only way to get it.

Oh Lord!  How in need of You we are!  How in need of You to fill those holes in our hearts that seem to throb and ache this time of year especially.  So, will You?  Will You pull us closer to You?  Will You whisper in our ears that these things aren't good for us but that resting in Your arms is?  Yeah, there are those of us who will resist that still small voice because it doesn't demand.  And like the stupid little sheep that we can often be, we want to be told what to do.  When no one takes this step, we feel unnoticed and uncared for.  In the light of day and in the truth of Your Word, we know this is just one of Satan's tricks.  Help us to be wise, to be wary, and to be worshipful.  May our attention be on You and the wonders You have created for us is my plea today.  May our arms extend to You and to Your Word instead of to the world?

Thank You for all You have done and all that You will do.  I love You so much, God!  Thanks for loving me too--even when my back is turned and I feel like You are too busy elsewhere to notice me.  I know this is not so!  

In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Go on, girl!

August 3, 2015

Today I'm going to write a bit differently than normal (whatever that is).  Guess you could tell, huh, by the above picture of Michael Jackson?  I was actually going to blog on this Saturday but wasn't sure.  Thanks to a comment by my pastor yesterday, though, I have changed my mind.

Had I written this the other day, my theme would have been along the lines of "I'm loving the sinner and hating the sin."  Lately, the local radio station has been playing the song "The Way You Make Me Feel" and it's just so catchy--even though it's from way back when.  I grew up listening to Michael Jackson and his brothers, even watching their cartoon program on Saturday mornings.  As I became an adult, his music still permeated the air waves so that my daughter even became a casual listener.  I'll never forget when we came across one of his albums (yep, that's how old I am!) and she saw his picture on the cover.  "Michael Jackson is black?" she exclaimed!  Anyway, thanks to this reminder, I downloaded his album and was listening to it and thinking of my love singing it to me and how we declared it to be our new "song"--but not in place of "She and I" by Alabama.  That one can never be replaced!

Ahh, Michael Jackson.  In the early '80s you were one of my brother's favorite artists.  It's hard to hear you--especially when you sing "Rock With You"--and not think of Billy.  But that's a whole other blog.  Go on, girl!

Hmn.  How can someone as famous, rich, and successful as MJ be so unhappy?  He was considered by many to be a gentle soul, a loving friend, and a boy who never wanted to grow up.  Guess he knew that fame and fortune weren't all they were reputed to be.  As his days turned into years, he never quite found the satisfaction he so earnestly sought.  Changing his looks didn't do it. Turning his home into a playground didn't make him happy.  Thirteen number one singles and over seven hundred and fifty million record sales worldwide did not bring him the glory, the fulfillment, the peace he sought. So he looked elsewhere.  As did Solomon.  As did David.  As did countless other souls throughout the annals of time.  Their loneliness could not be abated by things of the world.

Does this number include you, friend? Are you looking for---for something you can't quite define, can't quite put your fingers upon?  The Rolling Stones couldn't find it.  U2 crooned of not being able to find what they were looking for.  Even further back, the group Chicago sang of searching so long to find an answer.  The woman at the well didn't even know what she was missing until Jesus happened upon her.  

Yesterday at my church, five precious souls were baptized into the faith.  They found the answer.  More astonishing is the fact that most were under the age of twenty.  Hmn. Does taking your kids to church at an early age really matter?  Does talking about God in your home make a difference?  Does living your life in a manner that is well-pleasing to Him count?  It did for these dear ones.  It did for me.  

As I close this blog for now, I want to ask you:  are you saved?  Are you happy? Are you sure of your eternity? No amount of wealth, fame, success, or anything other than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will fulfill you, friends.  No, your life won't be a bowl of cherries once you accept Him but at least you don't have to keep living in the pits.  Your outer man may still have trials, hurts, and rejections but...it's only temporary.  Put the things away that bring you momentary satisfaction and instead reach to the Lord for your comfort, your strength, and your hope.  He's waiting for you!  

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, thank You for the gifts of music and how it is used to balm our hearts and to lift our spirits.  Thank You for examples given in Your Word to teach us how worldly satisfaction is fleeting but eternal hope and joy is ours when we trust in You.  

Lord, for those who don't know You that may be reading this blog, I ask that You especially touch them today.  Reveal Yourself more strongly than ever before so that there is no mistaking that it's You, Father, You Who makes hearts glad.  And for those who are reading that know You but maybe have been neglecting time with You?  I ask that You remind them of how good and how pleasant it is to dwell with their brothers and sisters in Christ.  Yeah, Sunday is over for this week but that doesn't mean Your kids can't still shine and reflect You.  Place them in front of the ones who need to see the light is my hope today.  In the name of Jesus I pray:  amen.