Solace

"Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him."  Psalm 62:1 (NIV)

As we started clearing our Thanksgiving tables of all that food, the holiday season began.  Before we knew it, stores were opening their doors to "Black Friday" sales and the Internet started humming with online buyers.  Houses began donning Christmas decorations and the Christmas carols were playing.  Yes, the holiday season has begun.

Those closest to me know that I started decorating and singing Christmas carols long before Thanksgiving.  Yes, I do love this time of year.  Yet, as we all know, this time of year can be very stressful.  There are presents to buy and parties to attend.  There are cookies to bake and decorations to put up.  Add on top of that piling bills, and what should seem like a wonderful time of year can turn into stress and turmoil.

I was at that "stress place" for many years.  It didn't matter if I did my shopping in August, come December, everything seemed to take on a life of its own.  No matter how much planning I did, the world was upon my shoulders.  Often times, I found myself crying in a corner, wondering how I was going to get it all done.  The worst part was that I felt that Christ was no longer the center of Christmas, and that brought upon its own level of guilt.  

Can any of you relate?  For many, the stress of Christmas has taken the entire meaning of this special day out of the picture.  One night, as I was reflecting on how life had spun out of control, I realized that I had nobody to blame but myself - and nobody could fix this but me!  It was time to focus on the Babe of Bethlehem!!  I committed to focusing on my one true savior, Jesus.  I found a Christmas devotional and ensured that no matter how busy my days got, I spent a few moments with Him, the One this holiday season was meant for.  As I did this, the Psalm for today started living itself out in my life.  I found rest in those devotions.  I found peace.  I found Christ!  

I have to admit, it wasn't a magic switch.  I don't know about you, but turning my mind off can be difficult.  Yet, I focused on what I was receiving when I gave my full attention to Jesus - and those rewards were far better than any Christmas gift.  It changed my focus of the season.    I would pass by the nativity scene and linger.  I paid attention to the words of those Christmas carols.  As I sat in church, my face was focused on the cross.  Taking advantage of the moments in my day that presented itself with Christ helped to bring back Jesus to my heart.  God is so good!  

As we prepare ourselves for this Advent season, I encourage you to find that special way to spend time with Jesus.  Maybe it is a devotional you can put on your phone. Maybe it is a special book.  Maybe it is time with your Bible open.  However you may find a way, bring Christ back into a busy season.  I promise you the blessings will be all yours.

PS - Our Advent series this year will focus on Christmas Carols and Hymns.

Dearest Jesus, help me to open my hands, my head and my heart to you.  Bring me ways by which I can focus on your everlasting love this Advent season.  As my days become busy, help me to take time to re-energize with the one that makes this season possible - YOU JESUS!  Slow down my hands, be still my head and open my heart to you.  In your heavenly name I pray.  Amen.

Thanksgiving Chain

"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving."  1 Timothy 4:4  (NIV)

When the children were younger, November 1st meant one thing - the beginning of our Thanksgiving Chain.  Each night leading up to Thanksgiving meant that you would take a paper strip, write on it what you were thankful for, share that at dinner, and we would connect them to make our Thanksgiving Chain.  As the chain grew, it showed all of us the many blessings we had as a family.  I absolutely loved that chain.  As the years waned on, I felt the children believed it was more of a "chore" than a "blessing".  Until the year I decided we weren't going to do it - and they asked for the chain.  Yes, that warmed my heart.

The essence of our Thanksgiving Chain was a way for me to help share with my family all we had to be grateful for during the days leading up to the big turkey day.  Yes, I was using it as a teaching moment for them - but, as with most teaching moments, I believe I was the one who learned the most.  As I reflected on those days for this post, I realized that similar to the days leading up to Thanksgiving, that was when I thought of my blessings the most.

I wasn't thinking about God's blessings when I had a tough day at work.  I wasn't thinking about God's blessings when we were moving family members - packing up boxes and going up and down stairs 100 times.  I wasn't thinking about God's blessings when life was tough - I only thought about his blessings when life was good.  It is during the difficult, anxious, and worrisome moments that we should be thanking God the most.

Let's go back for a moment.  God never promised that being a Christian would be a rose garden. In John 16:33, Jesus shared, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."  Right there in verse 33, it states we will have trouble.  It isn't an easy journey being a Christian.  God never promised that.  Yet, as we reflect on our verse for today, it doesn't say that "some things" that God created are good, but EVERYTHING!  We don't tend to sing God's praises during tough times, but we should. 

We should be giving thanks in all circumstances, for each circumstance - no matter how difficult - produces good.  That good tends to show in our desire to cling ever so close to our God for refuge and strength.  That close journey with God helps us to see the one who truly loves us and never leaves us.  That close journey with God gives us the courage to fight even during the darkest of days.  So how do we remember to give thanks during tough times?  

May I suggest a blessings box.  At the end of each day, put in a slip of paper for at least one thing who have been blessed with that day.  Maybe it was someone who held open a door while your hands were full.  Maybe it was a smile from a cashier.  Maybe it was that you had a warm meal that day.  All those are delivered to us from God.  As the days grow and the blessings increase, it is amazing how our heart can move from difficult to delight.  Praise be to God!  With all those blessings, maybe you can build your own Thanksgiving Chain.  

Heavenly Father, we thank you in ALL circumstances, for all good comes from you.  Help us, during tough times, to realize that there is a blessing each and every day.  May those blessings remind us of your constant goodness in our lives - the one who loves us.  Let us sing praises for our chain of blessings that come from you.  In your name we pray, Amen.

Gradual Beauty

"Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity . . ."  Hebrews 6:1  (NIV)

Saturday morning, as I looked out onto the backyard, I noticed something brilliant - the ornamental pear tree.  As the rest of the leaves on the trees moved from vibrant colors to muted browns and yellows, this tree brought forward its beauty.  The beauty of the tree was gradual.  With the larger trees displaying such color at their peak, this little tree seemed to get lost.  It seemed as if it waited, until it could shine its gorgeous colors.  The wind was blowing around it, along with the leaves off of the trees.  Yet, the little tree shined!

I looked at this tree and realized that many times, our faith can be like this little tree.  Throughout my life, I have had the honor of being with other Christians during worship, Bible studies, retreats, Christian concerts, prayer meetings, etc.  One time during an event like this in college, I saw someone's faith turn brilliant colors along with others around them.  They were all inspired by the happenings of the event and the Holy Spirit worked on their hearts - the brilliance of faith abounded.  It was amazing.  Yet, what was happening to them wasn't happening to me.  I felt "left out" from what they were feeling and was almost - not almost - I was, jealous.  I wanted what they were feeling!

Fast forward a few years.  During an online Bible study, with nobody present, I felt the brilliance of God's face on me.  With the study book on one side of me, and the Bible on the other, I looked at the screen and realized that God was talking to me - just to me.  The beauty of God's face was shining on me, long after when "I" thought it should have.  His beauty came to me in a gradual way, building on the foundations that He had provided me.  

Faith in our God is a growth opportunity.  We can't flip our faith on like a switch - like the colors of autumn on the big trees at their peak.  Our faith needs to grow, it needs to mature, it needs to become a gradual beauty.  Through events such as worship and Bible studies, our faith continues to grow and gradually matures.  Much like the pear tree, our faith will become radiant when God feels it is time.  At that time, we will be able to marvel in His wondrous ways!  

Our Christian maturity is fostered by the faith events and life events that surround us.  Situations around us help to develop our faith and reliance on Our Father in a way only He can navigate.  Yet, we have a job to do along our Christian maturity - we need to participate.  We need to participate in those faith builders such as worship, study, outreach, prayer, etc.  Those events help us to gain the gradual beauty that faith in God can only provide.  Join me and others building our gradual beauty in Christ.  Participate and grow in God - He will show you how very good faith in him can be!

Heavenly Father, rest on my heart and help me to participate in events around me that will provide me the opportunity to see the gradual beauty of believing in you.  Guide me to faith events and help me to live out the life events you give me to gain a faith that continues to grow.  In your gracious name I pray.  Amen.  

Bare

"You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways."

Psalm 139:3 (NIV)

Autumn.  The time of year when God pulls out his paintbrush and colors the trees in golden hues.  In New England, we measure autumn by the "peak" of the leaf color.  Usually, around early October, the leaves are at the brightest colors they will be throughout the autumn season.  As the season grows on, the leaves turn from their bright hues to a bit more dull.  

Once the colors have dimmed, the leaves fall.  For many people, you will hear heavy sighs as the clean up routines start - raking, blowing, bagging, etc.  As much as I love the beautiful colors, I also enjoy this time of year - the leaves crunch beneath your feet, you realize how many leaves the tree in front of you actually had, and by looking at those leaves, you realize how each one is different.

Inevitably, a day of strong wind comes and the leaves come tumbling to the ground.  We had that type of day yesterday.  The wind gusts were strong and leaves that weren't strongly attached flew through the air and landed softly on the green grass.  What is left is the bare tree, with bright light shining where once leaves were masking the light.  As I watched the leaves fly and land, my mind was led to thoughts of all of us.

Each day, we cover ourselves in many things.  It could be physical clothing.  Yet, as we look deeper, we might find us covering ourselves with other things.  We may be clothed in excuses for our poor behavior.  We may be clothed in guilt for our sins.  We may be clothed in our pride, boasting of all our great accomplishments.  We may be clothed in judgement of others.  Think about this - what have each of us been clothed in lately?  What has our behavior shown the world around us?

In steps our glorious Savior.  As we may be clothed with behaviors or actions that don't align with Christ, He can see past all of that to our bare selves.  As our verse for today shares, God knows our every move, our every thought - He knows all of OUR ways.  Yet, despite all of our imperfect actions, He continues to walk with us.  He looks past our dulled "leaves" to see our bare beauty. 

Jesus knows that although, at times, we may walk in paths that don't shine His light, He looks past our sinful nature to a bare strong "tree".   That bare tree is what is left when everything else is gone.  It is who we are once all we are clothed in is released - and only our bare souls are left.  That is what Jesus sees - that is where He looks when He sees us.  As we walk on this Earth each day, we need to also look at the bare souls of those that we meet.  Look past what they are clothed in to see the truth of who they are.  Look at others as Jesus looks at us - the bare tree.  Maybe then we will see the light of Jesus in all people.

Dearest Jesus, I ask that you look past my clothing of despair and see the bare soul that reaches out to you.  Help me to do the same with all people that I meet.  May they see your light shining from me and may I see the same in them.  Help us to rid our "dullness" and let the light shine through our bare branches.  In your name I pray.  Amen!