Tis the season!

I love Christmas.  I love most things about it, including the lights, the music, and the joy of giving and receiving, Not the materialistic Christmas that is the spending exorbitant amounts of money on gifts, but I do find joy in giving meaningful gifts.  I love the Christmas that is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  The celebration of the day that my Savior came to earth fully man, yet fully God.  I know that Jesus wasn't born in the middle of winter and that December 25th is probably not the actual date, but it is a mutual time that Christians can join together and celebrate His birth.

There are some things about Christmas that I do not like though.  Materialism is a big one and another is the complaining that happens each year as some people get up on their soap boxes and try to tell the rest of the world how they should celebrate "Christmas".

With less than 2 weeks to go until Thanksgiving, I've already seen numerous absurdities about Christmas.  This past week there was a lot of hoopla over a certain overpriced coffee chain and their solid colored red cup that they chose as their seasonal holiday cup.  All of a sudden, there were claims that the said coffee chain had waged a war on Christmas, although they sell advent calendars and a Christmas blend of coffee.  There was a video that encouraged Christians to lie to the baristas when asked for their name in order to get "Merry Christmas" on the cup...wait...WHAT?!

Then I saw a post on a social media site that claimed that they couldn't say "Merry Christmas" anymore or call it a Christmas tree because it might offend someone.  It proceeded to say that these are customs and if you don't like the customs then get out!  Then it encouraged anyone who would have the guts to agree with this to repost the status.  I refrained.  I do say Merry Christmas and call it a Christmas tree, but I am not going to hold it against someone who doesn't and tell them to get out.

As a believer in Christ, I know that we are to love others so they may see Jesus within.  Before joining in on the next rant of a war on Christmas or mindlessly sharing some post about how unfair it is that you "can't say Christmas", ask if it is something that will show others how Jesus loves.  When people hear petty complaints from Christians, especially at this time of year, it doesn't turn anybody towards Jesus, but quite the opposite!  

I doubt Jesus cares what the design is on the overly priced cup of coffee is, but he does care about if you're sharing the blessings He's provided you with others.  I'm don't think he cares if the cashier at the grocery store wishes you happy holidays or Merry Christmas, but I know that he cares how you've treated them as they have served you.  Aren't we supposed to care about the things that Jesus cares about? 

This Christmas, let's focus on loving Jesus, celebrating Him and sharing His Love with the world around us.  Then, and only then, are we doing something that Jesus not only cares about, but commands us to do.

³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  Mark 12:30-31 (ESV)

Merry Christmas to you all!

Trick or Treat!

Trick or Treat!  ohhh...I'm a little late on this one, aren't I?
Over the last couple of days, this phrase has been said many, many times by young and old alike.  We encouraged our youngsters to don masks and costumes, soliciting treats from the neighborhood.  Children were excited to dress up as their favorite super hero or maybe even a witch or a ghost. At the end of the night, they returned with a bounty of chocolate, gummies and other various sugar filled treats. Many people have gone to costume parties with their friends, anticipating who would be the most creative, scariest or funniest character in attendance.  The end of October comes and goes every year with the same fanfare of masquerade.
It is the rest of the year that has been on my heart recently.  I had originally thought about the masks that adults wear every day, but it occurred to me that there are many children wearing masks also.  They come in about as many varieties as one can find at a Halloween store.  Some examples are: "I've got it all together", "things are great at home", "class (or office) clown", "victim", "air headed", "tough guy",  "bully", "obnoxious", and "helpless".  These are the social masks we may wear daily.  These masks are the ones that hide our insecurities with hopes of being accepted, even if it's not really ourselves who are being received.  They hide our pains, our shame, our fears, our sadness and our vulnerabilities.  They hide things that we naively believe nobody else has ever experienced.  Often times, we lack the confidence to allow people to know us for who we really are or what we've been through.  After all, nobody could ever welcome us...if they really knew...
I want to encourage you today to take off your social mask(s).  Take the first steps to uncover the person who lives deep within.  Dig down to your core and think about what masks you wear and why you wear them.  If you're not really sure, take some time in prayer and ask God to uncover the truth for you.  Remove the layers of your facade, and begin to enjoy your life being you, being who you were created to be!

the Protector Detector

BEEP!!!  BEEP!!!  BEEP!!!
What's that?!?  The sound of our carbon monoxide detector going off at 4 a.m.!  We were awakened from a deep sleep....thankfully!  That happened on an early Saturday morning a while back.  We got out of the house and waited as the firemen came, checked out the house and confirmed that there was, in deed, a problem with the air quality inside of the house.  They turned the gas off to the furnace and told us to have it serviced before turning it back on.  A repairman come to the house a few hours later and after turning the furnace back on, he couldn't find anything wrong with it or get a CO reading.  He proceeded to allow us into the house and told us it would be ok.  BEEP!!!  BEEP!!! BEEP!!! 2:15 p.m. and our detector went off again!  The Repairman got a return call and confirmed this time that he was getting a CO reading.  He determined that he would not be able to return until Monday with parts, so we went to a hotel for a few nights...  Monday came along and the repairman returned, replaced a seal, and gave us the ok to move back into the house.  Finally, we could move back home and get back to normal....or not.  BEEEEP!!! BEEEEP!!! BEEEEP!!! 7 p.m and the CO detector could be heard from the outside! ....wait, this wasn't supposed to happen again!  It was fixed, wasn't it?! *sigh* ...at least it's not 4 a.m.!  ...back to the hotel where they were beginning to think of us as family ;-)
The next day, we had new repairmen...yes, more than one...come to check our furnace.  They were both determined to get to the bottom of the problem.  Unfortunately, after spending the day in our basement and tearing the furnace apart and cleaning it, they came to the conclusion (after getting a CO reading of 15,000!) that the furnace needed replaced.
5 days of being displaced, and as we reflected on it, we were thankful...very thankful!  Our Carbon monoxide detectors saved our lives at least 3 times between Saturday morning and Monday night.  We were inconvenienced with having to be out of our house, but that's nothing compared to what it could have been!
It was easy to be thankful for the CO detectors and for the job that they did...they protected us from the danger that we had no idea was there.
I wonder if we had an alarm go off every time our Heavenly Father protected us or helped us, how much more grateful we would be...or how insane we might be if we actually had that alarm going off.  We rush around to get to an important event on time and end up delayed and frustrated... BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!!!  Turns out if we were on time, we would have been in the accident that is now being cleaned up.  We apply for a job that we think would be perfect for us but we get turned down and get upset for losing the opportunity...BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!!  we don't know that business is going to close down 6 months later.  We may sustain an injury that needs medical attention.  We are hurt and it cramps our style...BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!! We find out that there is another, more serious ailment that may have been fatal if we had waited any longer to have it treated.
We don't have the luxury of always knowing when our Heavenly Father is shielding us of danger, as there isn't an alarm that goes off....there isn't a "Protector Detector".  We can rest assured though:  we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28 ESV
 
Be blessed!

Annie

I haven't written in a while.  At least not anywhere except in my head ;-)

A month ago, our family was involved in a local theater's production of Annie..  I played drums, my daughter did costumes and my husband acted as "Daddy Warbucks"!
If you're not familiar with the story, it's pretty simple.  Annie is an optimistic orphan who never gives up hope that her parents are going to come back for her someday.  The orphanage director, Miss Hannigan, is a mean lady and hates Annie (along with the rest of the orphans) and so, Annie runs away to find her parents but gets caught and sent back to the orphanage...
Annie then gets the opportunity to spend 2 weeks over Christmas with Billionaire Daddy Warbucks.  He falls in love with this adorable little red headed girl and wants to adopt her.  Unfortunately for him, she rejects the offer because she believes, based on a locket and hand written note, that her parents are still alive and love her so she wants to find them. As much as He loves her, Daddy Warbucks decides to try and help Annie find the wayward parents by offering $50,000 and hiring the FBI.  Miss Hannigan's brother finds out about this and inlists her help to deceive them into giving up Annie...but more importantly the money.  In the end, we find out that Annie's true parents are deceased, Miss Hannigan and company get arrested and Daddy Warbucks gets to adopt Annie.


So that is Annie, in a very brief nutshell, but underneath I believe there is a deeper story.  You see, Annie wanted to be loved, as do we all.  When she was first given the opportunity to be adopted, loved, and  to have a Daddy plus everything else she could possibly want, she rejected it.  She continued to look for the love that she thought was elsewhere.  It wasn't until she found out that her parents had passed away that she was willing to accept the love of Daddy Warbucks.
Isn't that how we are with God?  He loves us greater than any human ever could.  He gave more than $50,000 to show his love...He gave His Son, His life!  He wants us to be filled with His Love.  He wants us to look to Him to be our Daddy.  Yet often times, we reject his love.  We go searching elsewhere for the love that only God can give.  Some people try to get fulfillment through drugs or alcohol.  Others search for love through lust and sexual gratification.  We often try to be satisfied through material goods.  But alas, none of these things can compare to the love that God is offering us.  He wants to adopt us as His children.  To care for our every need.  To love us as only a perfect parent can.

Will you reject his offer and continue to search elsewhere or will you accept and receive the love that only He can give?

Romans 8:31-32  
Contemporary English Version
God’s Love

³¹ What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? ³² God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else?

What are you thinking???

Do you ever think about what you are thinking about? Sometimes I have to remind myself to do this. I go on little episodes of "auto-thinking" and that can lead to danger. I have to stop myself from sliding back into my old thoughts and ways. You see, I've had a whole lot of practice with negative thinking. "Victim thinking", if you will. The thoughts that nobody is for you and everybody is against you and out to get you. Thinking that love is just a tool for people to get something from you or a method of trying to get ahead.  There's also the lie that every little thing that hurts my feelings was done intentionally, with the purpose of harming me.
It sounds absurd and it is.
Abuse has a way of ingraining these lies so deep within that they "become true".  Lies planted deep, cultivated and nurtured over many years. These lies are what built the foundation of the wall around my heart, to protect me.  The wall that was constructed became overgrown with weeds of control and anger.  The thing is, I didn't realize that I was believing and living lies.  I knew I had scars resulting from my abuse, but I thought that since I forgave my abuser, that was all I was called to do.  I didn't know that I could get beyond those scars.
I embarked on a journey this past year and it has been very challenging and difficult at times.  God and I have been busy at work, removing lies and filling the void with truth.  He is healing me from the scars I have bared for so long.  I think about things much differently nowadays...most of the time.  When I feel negative thinking setting in, I have to go back to God and ask Him to help me get back on track.
They say practice makes perfect.  I'm practicing thinking differently.  Thinking as a survivor, living in the freedom of God's truth!

Philippians 4:8 
The Message (MSG)

^8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Half full, half empty, or...?

Is your cup half full or half empty?  Or more simply asked, are you optimistic or pessimistic.  Do you live life being able to see positive in all situations or are you living full of discontent, frustration and maybe even anger?  Growing up, I felt that I was optimistic for the most part.  But somewhere along the line, that changed.  I didn't really notice the change.  Maybe there wasn't a change at all.  Maybe I never truly was a "half full" type of person.  I think I was more of a "that can happen for anybody...except me" kind of person.  Maybe an "optimistic for others" kind of thing?
One morning I was having a discussion with my son, a high school student at the time, and the truth of my "outlook on life" became real.  We were chatting and I commented to him that he needed to start seeing things a little differently...that he was quite negative and that was no way to live.  At that moment, he posed one of the most difficult questions to swallow.  He said, "Mom, how can I be positive when EVERYBODY and EVERYTHING around me is so negative?"
WOW!  I've asked God what His will for me is and how nice it would be if he sent a sign, like "Neon" or maybe a brick upside the head, but I should have been more clear that one brick would suffice.  That day, it felt as a ton of bricks!
I began taking steps to become more positive by reading and sharing uplifting quotes and stories.  It became a morning habit for quite some time.  I received many "likes" and "comments" on my Facebook page and even had people tell me they looked forward to my morning posts.  This was all good and helped me climb out of my pessimistic pit, or at least it seemed.  I was looking more towards "half full", but there was still something missing.
God began speaking to my spirit.  He didn't use bricks this time to get my attention, He whispered.  Deep into my soul.  He said that while I was battling for a cup that was either "half full" or "half empty", I was striving for the wrong thing and looking in the wrong places.  He wanted me to seek Him to find a cup that was more than overflowing.  He wanted me to find life in Him that would be full of  His joy and His peace so that I may overflow with His love and hope!
Are you settling for a cup that is less than full and a life that is less than abundant?  It doesn't have to be that way.  Listen for that still small voice of God for He can change your life if you allow Him!  I know. He's changed mine!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.   Romans 15:13 (NIV)

gr8ful4Him

The Truth will set you free!

Life is peculiar. You learn a lot of things along the way. Many are helpful but then there are the destructive things also. Learning to discern lies from truth can be tricky when you've believed it all for so very long. Sometimes you just need to have someone lead you through and help you out of the mire. The future is definitely brighter when you can get rid of the dirt that has built up around you.

A year ago I started a journey that has changed my life. I began to sift through the things I believed, and with help, differentiating between what were truth and what were lies. It was an experience that involved much pain, as emotional scars of embarrassment, shame and guilt were exposed. A beautiful thing happened though. The pain was met with and surrounded by Love.

For many years, I just accepted my abuse and used it as my "excuse" to be angry, manipulative and controlling...and that is right where the enemy wanted to keep me. No longer do I tolerate this of myself. I am a survivor and the abuse I so identified with for much of my life, has lost its sting. You see, my God is much bigger than the abuse that I endured. My God is my comforter and healer! He is all I need... exactly at the time I need Him. I am His child and He designed me to love. It is not always easy but it is always worth it. I am learning to hear His voice above the noise and confusion that is daily life. I love hearing from my Father and look forward to it even when I'm not sure I like what he's telling me. Growing can be painful but I am eager to see where He is taking me. In many ways, life has gotten easier.  I no longer need to "always be right".  I know that my God is, was and will always be right, so as I calm my thoughts and focus on Him, He will speak the Truth to me.  His Love is never ending.  His Love is where I wish to dwell forever!

eternally,
gr8ful4Him