You will find...

What are you looking for this Christmas season?

 

Peace?

 

Health?

 

Rest?

 

The blessings of family time?

 

C.S. Lewis left timely advice for all of us during this season.

 

Stay tuned for my fifth favorite and discover how to find what you seek.

 

I’m so happy to be posting and linking up with my Friday’s Fave Five friends as we revisit the blessings of the week.

 

My favorites:

 

1. A great semester. You haven’t heard much from me because I’ve been steeped in books, studying my way through my first full semester toward a Ph.D. This semester has deepened my life in so many ways—intellectually, spiritually, relationally. And the carryover into my classroom has been invaluable. I’m so thankful I have the opportunity to undertake this study!

 

2. Family time. Thanksgiving was great, but a couple of our boys weren't with us. At Christmas we plan to have the whole family (minus one granddaughter from India—see #3) under one roof. Just cannot wait for this!

 

3. Anticipation. We are awaiting the unraveling of some red tape that will bring our granddaughter home to Kentucky from India. This waiting is SO hard. As soon as the proper documents come through, my son and his sweet wife will be traveling, and it can’t come soon enough. It has been a long journey and the days near the end seem so much longer. You can read (and see a sweet picture) on my daughter-in-law’s blog here.

 

4. A new year! This one has been great, but we’re looking ahead. Things under our roof have contracted a bit. This was the first Christmas that our card was signed with only two names, as all the boys are out on their own. Things are changing, and it’s with hope and excitement that we look ahead to a new year. Who knows what the Lord will send our way?

 

5. A quote, as promised. How to find what you seek this season?

 

“Look for Christ and you will find Him. And with Him, everything else.” (C.S. Lewis)

 

When He is what we seek, when we find our rest and fulfillment in Him…then, we can rest.

 

Praying Christmas rest for you this week,

A Not-So-Silent Night

Monday  December 16, 2013

If you’ve ever been in a labor and delivery room, you know it wasn’t a silent night.

But more than the sounds of Mary’s anguish and joy...


Consider how the centuries must have resonated that night.

There’s much more taking place here than the birth of a babe.

Centuries of oppression are falling away, as the birth of grace lightens the age-old law.

No longer a burden, the law becomes an expression of love, a response to the grace gift.

Listen.
Listen carefully to that not-so-silent night.


Cattle lowing, angels singing,
          chains falling.
Mother sighing, shepherds praising,
          God redeeming.

Echoes of a wooden cross
      resound that blessed night.
Resting in a feeding trough…
      Embrace the Bread of Life.



I'm linking up with Laura, Michelle, and Jen today.

Photo credit

Be joy.

Monday December 3, 2012


Do you have joy?

We sing it each Christmas: Joy to the world. But do we have it?

The first Sunday of Advent is the day of joy. Today we sang “Joy to the World,” Isaac Watt’s great hymn based on Psalm 98. He wrote “Joy to the World” as a hymn, not a Christmas carol. Centuries later it was incorporated into a Christmas program and embraced as a Christmas carol.

Do we have joy?

Can we have joy?

And why should we? A look at Psalm 98 answers that question.

First of all, we have joy because we are redeemed. Verses 1 and 2 talk about the “new song” we should sing because God has made His salvation known. Salvation wrapped in swaddling clothes. The hope of the world lay one cold winter's night in a rude manger bed. He would know harsher times--pain and betrayal--in order to redeem us.

We have joy because we’re restored. Verse 3 tells us He has remembered his love and faithfulness to His people. Not that He ever forgot—He has underlined it, emphasized it, committed to it once again. And because He has restored us, we and the creation will be relieved from death and decay (Romans 8:19-21). There’s joy in our restoration, as the babe who lay in the manger one dark night works today and tomorrow from on high to bring all things into the Father’s plan.

We have joy because we are rescued. The rivers can clap their hands (verse 8) because He will be back to gather us in. We’re rescued by His grace hourly, daily, and forevermore. Advent is more than looking back to the manger; it catches a glimpse of not only the cross but the empty tomb and, most of all, the eastern sky.

Do we know joy? And at this most wonderful season brimming with celebration, are we willing to share it? What a natural, wonderful, perfect time to remember the words of the angel in Luke 2, “Do not be afraid.”

Speak of your joy. Let it move you to action as you reach out to open a door, thank someone, stoop to help…and tell of its source.

Let your joy slosh over on those around you.

Be “joy to the world” today.
I'm linking up with Laura, Jen, and Michelle today.

Christmas Punctuation

Monday December 12, 2011
Pastor asked today, “Which punctuation mark would you place after Christmas?”

Many place a comma after the word Christmas. Christmas comma…and follow that with a list of other things that create busyness and take up time. Christmas is just one more thing in a long list of events.

Some people would place a period after Christmas. They come to a stop at Christmastime. Something stops them in their tracks as others celebrate the season – the memory of one they loved and lost, past holidays that leave something to be desired, an unfulfilled wish for more than they have this year.

Still others place a question mark after Christmas. They wonder what it’s all about or how they really feel about it. They doubt the miracle, the divinity, or its place in their lives.

And some of us naturally follow the word Christmas with an exclamation mark! Yes, that would be me. I look forward to the season with anticipation and joy. And when I think of exclamation marks, I remember one of the few verses that contains them. It has always fascinated me:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (I John 3:1)

I love those exclamation marks in Scripture, don’t you?

And what better time to remember the love He has lavished on us than at the season of His Son’s birth?

Oh, I get caught up in the comma syndrome sometimes, and on a day that I look inward instead of upward, I may even use a period. But when I read about the love He has lavished on me, those exclamation marks jump out to remind me.

It’s “Christmas!” for me!


Linking up today with Michelle for Hear It on Sunday, Use It on Monday, Laura at The Wellspring for Playdates with God, and Jen at Finding Heaven Today for Soli deo Gloria. Click on over and come along with us!

Pieces of Christmas

Monday December 5, 2011
Pieces of Christmas, mangers and straw,
Shepherds, stars, and the littlest of all.
Brought by a donkey, seen by men who were wise
His coming a paradox, absurd to our eyes.
A gift from a Father whose love is so great
He gives His own Son to undo the world’s hate.
As we look at the remnants of Christmas, each part
Bears witness to His gift, love straight from His heart.

“And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.’” (Luke 2:7)

When I think of the manger, I see straw in my mind’s eye. Interestingly enough, scripture doesn’t mention whatever cradled the little Master’s sweet head; but we know His mama wrapped him in cloths.

That’s not all that enfolded Him that night. Wrapped in cloths, surrounded by wonder, encircled in the love of Mary and Joseph.

In this season of wonder, how do I welcome Him?

Despite the lowing of cattle, the distraction of angels, and the wind and weather, I doubt Mary’s mind was on anything but that son in her arms. He was precious to her.

In this season of wonder, is He precious to me?

May each little piece of Christmas bear witness, through me, of the gift wrapped in His love.


Linking up today with Michelle for Hear It on Sunday, Use It on Monday, Laura at The Wellspring for Playdates with God, and Jen at Finding Heaven Today for Soli deo Gloria. Click on over and come along with us!