Last night, as I hung Christmas cards around the window frame next to our sparkling tree, I took another glance at some with special little notes. All mentioning small things we had done that touched that family or that person. Then one card especially touched me. It was from a lady that I’ve know most of my life, who is aging very fast this last year or so. I can always expect a heart felt hug from her. She didn’t write anything but “Love” and her first name, but the card itself said all that needed to be said. One line: “…every person in my life has shaped and changed my life…”
Do I really think about how I touch people’s lives as I rush through my own mad, crazy world? Did I smile this morning as I pushed through the crowd of people at Walmart, or did I look like I was about to growl? Did I take enough time with my Mom this morning? Did I listen close enough to my friend on the phone? Whether we want to or not, we do shape and change people’s lives around us. I know that just this last year, there have been a couple of people that have changed the way I look at things, and helped give me a fresh passion for service and ministry in my church. But it doesn’t stop at church…it has to spill over into our everyday life…that passion should be seen by all that know us. That passion should lead every spoken word, every facial expression, every loving touch.
One of the loneliest thoughts I’ve ever had is that we are the only Christ some people will ever see or know. That thought in its self should inspire something in the hearts of Christians. We know His presence. We know His touch. We know His voice, His call. We know that like a child we can climb into Jesus lap and lay down to cry anytime we need Him…and He will sing our sorrows away. He is merely a thought away. Most people in this world do not know or even comprehend what I just said. So it matters that you say Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays. It matters that you smiled and said hello to that grumpy, made up lady cutting you off in store traffic. It matters that you listen with purpose to the lonely guy that talks forever and ever. And it matters that you cried with a friend, or sang with JOY to your children. It matters that you share your love in Christ through your actions and your words. You may never know how, but every person you meet is shaped and changed by you in some way.
Romans 15:13 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.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
A Friend's Heart
My imagination takes me places that I find hard to describe in the spoken word. But for some reason I find words come easier to me when I write them down. I guess this is why I’ve had this desire to write my thoughts down since high school. Paper and pencil…no, but since I can type about as fast as I can think…the computer works out so much better for me.
A few months ago, a friend visited me at work…well she was looking for a coworker, but she was out, and her only option was me. She needed someone to type a journal letter she had written. I think she was afraid to share it with me at first, but I promised to be discreet, and really, she needed me. In typing that letter, reading her personal thoughts, I realized she was just like me. This woman…beautiful & talented… was thinking and writing down thoughts that were so like my own, but so much more insightful. If this woman’s thoughts were similar to mine, then there must be more out there like us.
Since that day, I’ve searched the hearts of my friends. I asked hard questions, shared heart warming and gut wrenching experiences. I even confided some of my deepest, darkest secrets, which was very hard to do because of a painful experience with a woman I thought I could trust. All of this only to find that they all shared the same fears, the same sorts of desires, the same doubts, the same daily trials. In the past few months, experiencing my friends in this new light, God has stretched my heart and opened my mind to a new philosophy: listening is much better than speaking; hugs & smiles open doors; encouragement writes a memory on the heart; and prayer brings peace & healing.
My challenge is to make a deeper connection with your friends…make a point of tending to them…not you. Start with one – don’t overwhelm yourself – and as that friendship grows, watch God work in your life and theirs.
Phillipian 2:1-4 (NIV) 1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
A few months ago, a friend visited me at work…well she was looking for a coworker, but she was out, and her only option was me. She needed someone to type a journal letter she had written. I think she was afraid to share it with me at first, but I promised to be discreet, and really, she needed me. In typing that letter, reading her personal thoughts, I realized she was just like me. This woman…beautiful & talented… was thinking and writing down thoughts that were so like my own, but so much more insightful. If this woman’s thoughts were similar to mine, then there must be more out there like us.
Since that day, I’ve searched the hearts of my friends. I asked hard questions, shared heart warming and gut wrenching experiences. I even confided some of my deepest, darkest secrets, which was very hard to do because of a painful experience with a woman I thought I could trust. All of this only to find that they all shared the same fears, the same sorts of desires, the same doubts, the same daily trials. In the past few months, experiencing my friends in this new light, God has stretched my heart and opened my mind to a new philosophy: listening is much better than speaking; hugs & smiles open doors; encouragement writes a memory on the heart; and prayer brings peace & healing.
My challenge is to make a deeper connection with your friends…make a point of tending to them…not you. Start with one – don’t overwhelm yourself – and as that friendship grows, watch God work in your life and theirs.
Phillipian 2:1-4 (NIV) 1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Missing Christmas
For the last few weeks I’ve thought the Christmas Spirit had passed me over. I forced myself to get out the tree and decorations right after Thanksgiving, but I didn’t finish decorating until last night. I admit my décor is very scaled down from previous years. We don’t even have lights on the house this year. My husband says he needs a sky lift to get to the dormers.
I’ve spent a few hours shopping for what I thought might be the perfect gifts, picking out the right paper and ribbons to match the ornaments on the tree, planning dinners, breakfast, and who’s favorite Christmas treats we would prepare. We’ve practiced our songs for the annual Christmas musicals, prepared the cards, attended parties and I’ve even checked my lists twice, but the excitement is just not there. Why can’t I get into the Christmas Spirit?
Then yesterday someone mentioned that my kids probably didn’t believe in Santa anymore…huh? It hit me like a ton of bricks…I knew my 17 and 13 year olds didn’t, but my 11 year old daughter seemed to be holding on to that fantasy. Deep down I had noticed the doubting looks, the careful questions…she didn’t want to come right out and say it, probably for fear that her doubts were real.
I was feeling this too…I wasn’t sweating the small stuff as much as years past; finding and hiding the perfect Santa paper, emailing Santa the kids lists, or creating the perfect Christmas ambience in the house. We all “believed” as long as someone in the house wanted to believe. We did not dare crush the myth of Santa Clause.
Why? Because the thought of a complete stranger, caring enough to make the sacrifice of such a long journey, just to deliver wonderful gifts, brings great joy to the heart…both for the recipient and for the giver. Hmmm…sounds a bit familiar…the Magi journeyed for what turned out to be years, following a star, to worship and bring “treasures” to a child they did not know. Yes, there is much more to that story in Matthew…the wise men, as we know them, ended up returning home on a different route to throw Herod off the trail, and that child ended up being the greatest gift of all…our Savoir. So why do we do it…because Christmas brings so much Joy into an otherwise dark and evil world. It’s a season of Hope that life doesn’t have to be so serious, that smiles and laughter should be woven into every moment of life. And Christmas brings the reminder that Love pushes the heart to be more and bigger to the people we care about. Just like God’s heart for us.
So where is my Christmas Spirit…right here, in my heart. Jesus loved me enough to make the ultimate sacrifice in giving His life for mine, and I’d do the same for my children in a heart beat if asked. This Christmas we will go on pretending. We will give to each other, and to others who need it more than we do. We will read the Christmas story in Matthew & Luke and the story of St. Nicholas…we will celebrate with most of our usual traditions, and maybe start a few new ones for this new chapter being written in our lives…after I cry for a while.
Matthew 2:11…they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
I’ve spent a few hours shopping for what I thought might be the perfect gifts, picking out the right paper and ribbons to match the ornaments on the tree, planning dinners, breakfast, and who’s favorite Christmas treats we would prepare. We’ve practiced our songs for the annual Christmas musicals, prepared the cards, attended parties and I’ve even checked my lists twice, but the excitement is just not there. Why can’t I get into the Christmas Spirit?
Then yesterday someone mentioned that my kids probably didn’t believe in Santa anymore…huh? It hit me like a ton of bricks…I knew my 17 and 13 year olds didn’t, but my 11 year old daughter seemed to be holding on to that fantasy. Deep down I had noticed the doubting looks, the careful questions…she didn’t want to come right out and say it, probably for fear that her doubts were real.
I was feeling this too…I wasn’t sweating the small stuff as much as years past; finding and hiding the perfect Santa paper, emailing Santa the kids lists, or creating the perfect Christmas ambience in the house. We all “believed” as long as someone in the house wanted to believe. We did not dare crush the myth of Santa Clause.
Why? Because the thought of a complete stranger, caring enough to make the sacrifice of such a long journey, just to deliver wonderful gifts, brings great joy to the heart…both for the recipient and for the giver. Hmmm…sounds a bit familiar…the Magi journeyed for what turned out to be years, following a star, to worship and bring “treasures” to a child they did not know. Yes, there is much more to that story in Matthew…the wise men, as we know them, ended up returning home on a different route to throw Herod off the trail, and that child ended up being the greatest gift of all…our Savoir. So why do we do it…because Christmas brings so much Joy into an otherwise dark and evil world. It’s a season of Hope that life doesn’t have to be so serious, that smiles and laughter should be woven into every moment of life. And Christmas brings the reminder that Love pushes the heart to be more and bigger to the people we care about. Just like God’s heart for us.
So where is my Christmas Spirit…right here, in my heart. Jesus loved me enough to make the ultimate sacrifice in giving His life for mine, and I’d do the same for my children in a heart beat if asked. This Christmas we will go on pretending. We will give to each other, and to others who need it more than we do. We will read the Christmas story in Matthew & Luke and the story of St. Nicholas…we will celebrate with most of our usual traditions, and maybe start a few new ones for this new chapter being written in our lives…after I cry for a while.
Matthew 2:11…they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Beginner's Run
Wow! Technology is so cool! I'm so glad I haven't fallen too far behind in the technology race. Yes, I said race. Just when you think you've got the latest and most advanced gadgets, here comes the next contender for the affections of your kids, or you, if you're a real techno-junkie. I'm not, but my kids are, and my job kind of requires that I stay on top of things.
So here I am...typing my thoughts into a public access forum for anyone to read if they so choose. Why? Because I love to write, my thoughts are as important as the next person, and sometimes I just need a place to write down what I want heard without shouting it on the mountain tops. In truth, I've discovered that listening to or reading about others' thoughts and experiences, and how they deal with life is a great way to learn how to, or how not to minister to my own family and friends.
Psalm 118: 23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
So here I am...typing my thoughts into a public access forum for anyone to read if they so choose. Why? Because I love to write, my thoughts are as important as the next person, and sometimes I just need a place to write down what I want heard without shouting it on the mountain tops. In truth, I've discovered that listening to or reading about others' thoughts and experiences, and how they deal with life is a great way to learn how to, or how not to minister to my own family and friends.
Psalm 118: 23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
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