The Afternoon of Life

Today I had another wonderful Christmas worship experience.   I was home alone (which is sort of a miracle these days with wonderful hubby in the house most of the time and adorable grandchildren here quite a bit too).   I had picked up some of the clutter left from three boys playing at full-speed for several hours.   I sat down to rest a minute and kept hearing in my head a tune I’ve heard somewhere but can’t remember where or when… “Happy Birthday, Jesus!”   I love that I can Google and YouTube anything that is puzzling me.   So I YouTubed the title and found an adorable little 4-yr-old singing: Happy Birthday to You … Happy Birthday to You Happy Birthday, dear Jesus …Happy Birthday to You.   Happy birthday Jesus.   I’m so glad its Christmas. All the tinsel and lights and the presents are nice, But the real gift is You. Happy birthday, Jesus.   I’m so glad its Christmas. All the carols and bells make the holiday swell - And it’s all...

 Picture this…daughter and grandson offer to take us out to dinner (after, of course, I hinted that they should).   We’re headed to our favorite Chinese restaurant…one of few “sit down” restaurants in town.   The wind and rain are pummeling our van to the point that Dan drops me at the door of the restaurant and LeeAnne pulls up in her vehicle so that I can unload Holden without us getting soaked hopefully.   So far all is well.   We all walk into the restaurant, damp bodies but not dampened spirits.   Holden’s on his best behavior.   Mom serves him first and I sit at the table with him while Dan and LeeAnne move to the buffet to get their food. Then all goes black! I’m talking pitch black.   I can’t see Holden who’s seated next to me.   I can’t see my hands in front of my face.   And we’re sitting next to a window! There are gasps around the restaurant.   I reach out to hold Holden and reassure him that everything’s okay.   Le...

 This week I’ve had the opportunity to hug and hold and snuggle with all 5 of my grandchildren.   This morning I was driving down the interstate.   It was gray!   It was gloomy!   It was horribly windy!   But all I could think about as I drove was how incredibly delightful each of these children are in my life.   Holden, oldest of the bunch…what can I say.   LeeAnne has shared this blessing with us from the day he entered her life.   There’s something incredibly special that goes on between Holden and me.   I delight in his enthusiasm for life.   I laugh with him.   He snuggles in just about better than any child I’ve ever known.   I cannot describe how my heart lights up when he comes around the corner from the kitchen, sees me, smiles and says loudly and cheerfully, “Gee-Gee!!!”   It takes my breath away.   This is the same child that has to be spanked occasionally because he refuses to obey.   He’s the same ...

 My friend died today…and again I face a grief that is so hard to swallow.   The grief is not for Rick.   Rick gave me a gift in life.   Whenever he was around I had a smile on my face – the kind of smile that makes your face hurt!   We had dinner together in September…Rick and Shawna – Dan and me.   We laughed.   We enjoyed Christian fellowship.   We laughed some more.   I shared with Dan that evening that I didn’t remember Rick being so friendly.   He was gregarious, charming, funny…the kind of person you want to go to dinner with.   And how he and Shawna loved and understood each other.   They never picked on each other or put each other down as many couples do these days.   It was just pure joy to enjoy an evening with them. And therein lies my grief.   There’s no more “them”.   Shawna walks forward from this day without her high school sweetheart.   While Shawna and I spent most of our time together withou...

 A precious young friend and former student made a request on Facebook today asking folks to post verses about "faith".  Her request sent me immediately to Hebrews 11...the "Hall of Fame of Faith".  But as I read it for the umpteenth time, I found I wanted to really look at something.  There's a wonderful list of things that we gain through faith...and I wanted to see that actual list.  No wonder we are empowered as Christians!  Look at the incredible gifts that God pours out on us through His Holy Spirit because we step out in faith and believe in Jesus Christ and his death for payment of our sins...and His new life that gives us hope.  Here is the list of "gains" that come our way through faith...at least this one chapter of the Bible.  Here is the bulleted list I excavated from this chapter: Gives hope Gives assurance Gives understanding about creation Allows us to give better offerings Gives righteousness Lets us live on through testimony ...

"TOP TEN THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR NOSE WHEN YOU’RE BORED” #10  Look down it at somebody (Pride) #9    Poke it in someone else’s business (Strife/Dissension) #8    Snoop around with it (Nosey / Gossip) #7    Get it out of joint (Anger) #6    Cut it off to spite your face (Bitterness) #5    Pay through it (Materialism) #4    Find something right under it (Love / Salvation) #3    See past it (Eternity / Hope) #2    Keep it clean (Humility / Obedience) AND THE NUMBER ONE THING TO DO WITH YOUR NOSE #1    Get it stuck in a book (The Bible!) This morning my friend RaChelle Brookens posted this list on Facebook and it really gave me reason to pause.   It’s such a great black and white list of all that God would have us do and not do.   It’s would almost make a great modern day Ten Commandments list…because if we did these things it would make it easier to actually follow th...

 I’ve watched many posting this month a list of things for which they are thankful.   I wish I was dedicated enough to stick with the one-a-day plan, but since I know I’m not likely to do that, I thought I’d blog my top 30 things for which I’m grateful (knowing, of course, that I cannot possibly list all of the blessings God’s poured my way for which I am most appreciative). #1         I am grateful for a God who is big enough to create a universe, creative enough to fill it with an incredible variety of animals and changing leaf colors and individualized snowflakes…and still personal enough to want to have a relationship with me. #2         I am grateful for a Christian heritage…parents who made sure I had the opportunity to know God personally…who modeled Jesus-like behavior in many ways…and who I will have the opportunity to see again and spend eternity with because we all share in the gift of God’s salvati...

This is God's Message: "If your sins are blood-red, they'll be snow -white. If they're red like crimson, they'll be like wool. If you'll willingly obey, you'll feast like kings. But if you're willful and stubborn, you'll die like dogs." That's right. God says so.”   ( Isaiah 1:18) The Message This morning as I watch the snow dramatically change the world I lived in just yesterday, I found myself thinking that this is the dramatic change that God makes in our hearts when we obey Him and accept His salvation gift.   Yesterday my world was not particularly pretty in any way.   Exposed branches dark against a ground covered in clutter.   Stark.   Unappealing.   Sad.   Dark.   There were a few leaves left clinging to the trees trying to add something nice to the vista…but for the most part it’s not a world that makes me want to go for a ride to enjoy the sights. That’s how are lives are without Christ.   Our ugliness is exposed.   There’s...

 "But blessed is the man who trusts me, God… the woman who sticks with God.   They're like trees replanted in Eden,  putting down roots near the rivers— Never a worry through the hottest of summers,  never dropping a leaf, serene and calm through droughts,  bearing fresh fruit every season.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 Msg) This morning as I searched the Word for God’s message to my heart for this day I found these lovely verses.   Am I a woman who “sticks with God”?   Are my roots so deep in the soil of His love and faithfulness that the changing seasons do not stir up fret and worry?   In each and every season, am I bearing fruit? There are a couple of apple trees in our yard.   The apples don’t appear to be good for anything except to make the trees pretty in the summer and heavy in the fall.   The fruit seems to be wasted.   But then I wake early one fall morning to find deer in the yard making a sweet breakfast of the apples that have fall...

Lord, I’ve been still and listening to your voice and learning to know that You ARE God.   I’ve been quiet and trying to focus on You instead of my circumstances and all that the earth screams to keep me from drawing close to You.   This morning I come into Your Presence wondering about awe…wondering about that moment when I’ll be in Your Presence for eternity and trying to grasp how glorious it will be.   I’ve always pictured heaven as something You prepared for me, when in reality You ARE Heaven.   Living in Your Presence – questions answered, peace surrounding, creativity abounding, no more pain – there really is no way to comprehend such a thing.   I tend to look at Heaven as MY reward, but the truth is that it is Your reward.   It is the fulfillment of Your plan for true fellowship with us.   And sometimes the thoughts of it overwhelm me.   I know that here on earth I’m overwhelmed with the love and friendship of my family and friends…how do...