Every year at Christmas I like to read the book God Came Near by Max Lucado. He says it better than I do....
"As moments go, [the moment of the incarnation] appeared no different than any other. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you read these words ... But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb."
A book worth a few hours of your time this season. Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Winter Past
"See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone" Song of Solomon 2:11
I have spent the last few months soaking in other people's words and I finally feel like I may have a few of my own. This new chapter in our lives has been a good one. Like fresh air when you were suffocating. If you know us, you know the last few years for us has been a challenge, a hard gift from God. Looking back I would not change one moment of it. I know that sounds crazy, but not one. God disciplines those He loves - so thankful that He loves us enough to correct us. Why do we rebel against correction? In the good times we can firmly say that God uses hard times to teach us, to stretch us, to grow our knowledge of HIM. And then the hard times come and we throw a two year old FIT that it's happening. Well, I'm thankful. For life abundant.
John and I both have enjoyed the "Mitford" books through the years and if you've read them you know that the house that Ms. Sadie's love built her had a beam in the attic where he carved "Winterpast". John and I were both moved by that phrase - Winter Past. That life would begin anew in that house, that the old would be gone and the new would be there - new life together. It feels like that somewhat here. We've been different here, better together here, able to breathe. If we owned our little Colonial home I would have "Winterpast" engraved above the door. Maybe one day.
Some valuable lessons I've learned here so far:
1. Waking up earlier than the rest of the house to spend time with the Lord is not only a good thing, but absolutely essential for me. For some reason it has clicked with me here and I wake up craving it.
2. Not having cable TV is one of the best decisions we've ever made. We read more, talk more, play together more, have more family time, and procrastinate less. And another plus is that at this time of year my kids are not "I want, I want"ing because they don't see all the commercials!
3. Friendships are essential. I cannot rely on my deep friendships that started long ago (and who I cherish) to fill my friendship need in the present. They do not live near me, and I need friendships who are near. I can honestly say in the past I have held myself back from forming deep friendships because I always knew that we would leave and I would hurt. No more, what is the point of that?
4. That absolutely NO GOOD thing comes from me, it all comes from God. I have had terrible parenting days here, and I can always link it directly to my relationship with the Lord. I NEED GOD. I can do nothing on my own. On my own I am not a good wife, good mother, a good daughter or friend, I am nothing. He is everything and I must stay always as near to Him as possible.
5. That I never truly learned how to pray. For the first time I'm reading about it and thinking it through and wondering why it took me 34 years to get here.
And there are many more lessons to come, I'm sure. Thank you for your prayers for our little family. They have been heard and are being answered. I know that hard times will come again, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, and when they do I'm praying God will remind me continually that it's through those times that we most clearly see Him. That He knows what's coming before we do, nothing takes Him by surprise, and that He can handle it, even if we can't. Please keep the prayers coming! I pray you have a beautiful Christmas, filled with joy in His presence!
I have spent the last few months soaking in other people's words and I finally feel like I may have a few of my own. This new chapter in our lives has been a good one. Like fresh air when you were suffocating. If you know us, you know the last few years for us has been a challenge, a hard gift from God. Looking back I would not change one moment of it. I know that sounds crazy, but not one. God disciplines those He loves - so thankful that He loves us enough to correct us. Why do we rebel against correction? In the good times we can firmly say that God uses hard times to teach us, to stretch us, to grow our knowledge of HIM. And then the hard times come and we throw a two year old FIT that it's happening. Well, I'm thankful. For life abundant.
John and I both have enjoyed the "Mitford" books through the years and if you've read them you know that the house that Ms. Sadie's love built her had a beam in the attic where he carved "Winterpast". John and I were both moved by that phrase - Winter Past. That life would begin anew in that house, that the old would be gone and the new would be there - new life together. It feels like that somewhat here. We've been different here, better together here, able to breathe. If we owned our little Colonial home I would have "Winterpast" engraved above the door. Maybe one day.
Some valuable lessons I've learned here so far:
1. Waking up earlier than the rest of the house to spend time with the Lord is not only a good thing, but absolutely essential for me. For some reason it has clicked with me here and I wake up craving it.
2. Not having cable TV is one of the best decisions we've ever made. We read more, talk more, play together more, have more family time, and procrastinate less. And another plus is that at this time of year my kids are not "I want, I want"ing because they don't see all the commercials!
3. Friendships are essential. I cannot rely on my deep friendships that started long ago (and who I cherish) to fill my friendship need in the present. They do not live near me, and I need friendships who are near. I can honestly say in the past I have held myself back from forming deep friendships because I always knew that we would leave and I would hurt. No more, what is the point of that?
4. That absolutely NO GOOD thing comes from me, it all comes from God. I have had terrible parenting days here, and I can always link it directly to my relationship with the Lord. I NEED GOD. I can do nothing on my own. On my own I am not a good wife, good mother, a good daughter or friend, I am nothing. He is everything and I must stay always as near to Him as possible.
5. That I never truly learned how to pray. For the first time I'm reading about it and thinking it through and wondering why it took me 34 years to get here.
And there are many more lessons to come, I'm sure. Thank you for your prayers for our little family. They have been heard and are being answered. I know that hard times will come again, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, and when they do I'm praying God will remind me continually that it's through those times that we most clearly see Him. That He knows what's coming before we do, nothing takes Him by surprise, and that He can handle it, even if we can't. Please keep the prayers coming! I pray you have a beautiful Christmas, filled with joy in His presence!
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