Winter Wonderland

I have decided this week's post will be a photo shoot. I took time last week when we still had snow to take a walk and capture some of the closeups of Nature at it's finest. An hour went by quickly as I walked through the freshly fallen snow. I also took pictures right after we had an ice storm. I trust you had a great Christmas and now a new year is about to begin. Time goes by so quickly. I hope this week finds you enjoying the season of life you are in and that you are able to spend time with the ones you love. 

I love the close up detail of the morning frost that I was able to capture on this one. When you look out across a field, it just looks white, but to capture a closeup of it, makes you catch your breath. It could be just a frozen mass. It looks almost like white fern leaves.

Not sure what type plant this was, but the way the ice hung on every detail caught my eye.

 This bluebird just sat while the snow continued to fall. He was so pretty to watch.

 More frost closeups.

Pasture looked so peaceful, you can see a bit of the steam coming off the stream.

 Mrs. Bluebird looking as if to say "what are you lookin at?"

 Mr. Bluebird saying "enough pictures already!"

After an ice storm I loved how everything had icicles hanging from them.

 As if the snow and ice weren't beautiful enough, the sun started to break through the clouds and magnified the detail even more.

Enjoy your last week of 2013!!

Merry Christmas

Let's imagine together a few things. Imagine you are 14 or 15. You are just entering high school and your whole life is before you. You have plans. You even are in a relationship with someone you adore and want to spend the rest of your life with. Your parents like him. You go to church with your family each week. Your father reminds you of the promises from God, even though God has been silent for 400 years. (that is longer than the United States has been a country) You are going about your day, when all of a sudden, an angel of God appears and tells you that you are soon going to be a parent. I can't emphasize enough 400 years of silence!! Not asking if you are interested in doing this, if you are ready, or what your thoughts and plans are, but tells you this will be happening and you have been chosen. Your parents trust you and are helping you plan your future. You now need to tell them you are expecting. You could be stoned to death for such an action. The thing is, you didn't do anything wrong. You were chosen for this role. Others never seem to understand the details, you try to explain. The world has been waiting to hear from God and the news of the Messiah, yet, they laugh at you and your entire family. Your parents look at your growing stomach and some days still question, how this happened and if they are making the right choice. They didn't get a visit from an angel. The one you are to marry thankfully was given a visit by the angel of God. Only his message, was a bit different. He was to marry you and raise the child. He was to be responsible and treat him as his own. He was to be the earthly father, this means, every eye is on him as the "father". The wedding is moved up closer and it is a very small affair. Every time you leave your home, the whispers and finger pointing makes you want to cover your head and never step outside.You need to soon leave, government orders. So, off you go, unsure if you will ever see your parents and siblings again. You have never had a child and you pray this trip will go fine. Your mom will not be there with you, nor any sisters or aunts who have experienced child birth to help you. You reflect back to the day the angel came and gave you this good news, however, it has now been 9 months and no word. It helped to see your much older cousin expecting and hearing her story, yet, no word as to what is happening next. Your spouse tells you again what the angel said, that he will be Emmanuel, God with Us. You wonder as you travel hour by hour day by day, how will we ever make it? What have I done to be chosen to carry this child. Then the labor pains begin. No way you can turn back and be with family and the town is beyond full with strangers on the same journey. Your spouse finally comes back and says he found a spot, it is a barn.....Thankfully your delivery goes well and you are holding that little bundle in your arms. You will never forget those eyes, those eyes that looked right through you, those eyes that would later bring you comfort. When you wrapped your finger around his, and He grasped back, don't you know your heart just melted. Never mind, you were holding the hand of God!!!!!Then it happens, the shepherds start to come one by one, the town starts buzzing with activity. And that star!! Was it there last night? How could you have missed it! You have never seen such a thing. The nine months of silence seems to all be in the past, for everything you and your spouse were told is unfolding before your very eyes, just as you were told it would be!

This all is to help you understand that Mary and Joseph were real people just like you and I. They had emotions and feelings. They had plans and families. We can so easily read the Christmas Story in the bible and just flow right past that. When you think between the lines, and realize what they did and how they handled themselves, it makes you realize what all was involved. I always wondered how Mary could just sit there and "ponder these things in her heart". Maybe because I am so vocal, that was harder for me to imagine, but you know what? I know the beginning and the ending of the story. She had the events unfolding before her day by day. She didn't know how long she would have him, she didn't know what his ministry would look like, and dare I say, how he would die? She was on the move from day one. King Herod wanted her son dead, and he had the power to do so. But there was a part in the first paragraph I hope you didn't miss. His name would be "Emmanuel" - GOD WITH US!!! That is how, you leave your family, that is how you are obedient, that is how you deliver in a barn, that is how you hide a baby and keep him from crying so others don't hear and tell the king, that is how you wake up each morning and wonder, what will happen today. That is how you look at the entire experience as an honor and embrace each moment rather than thinking about what you had planned. This is so much better than anything you could have dreamed of! He would save his people from their sins. She knew the prophecy. But each time she heard the words of Gabriel, Emmanuel, she could have peace.

You and I live in hard times too. Some reading this may have lost a spouse this year, either by death or divorce. Someone has heard the "C" word, cancer. Someone has lost a job, someone needs surgery, and someone may have lost a child. Some reading this may not have much in their savings account and are uncertain of the future. Some are dealing with depression. Each day is a struggle. Some have children serving overseas, maybe in our military or as missionaries, you don't see them as much as you would like. Maybe you have family members you don't get along with very well and the idea of spending the next few days together, overwhelms you. But you know what, you can, when you remember Emmanuel. God with us. That my friend is how you face each day. You can't do it on your own and He knows that. That is why he is with us. He has plans for you and I. Plans that don't make sense to us, yet, they are way better than anything we could have ever imagined. Sometimes life goes a certain way because of our choices, but He can make something beautiful happen out of our mess. Sometimes things happen here, that won't be explained until Heaven. I don't have the answers for those grieving a great loss, I only know that He helps us grieve and good can come out of bad.

So this week, as we celebrate His birth and we celebrate the many names given in scripture, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); remember Emmanuel - God with Us.

He loves you so much, that he couldn't just stand by and watch you continue on the path that leads to death, so he came down to earth as a baby and was placed in a manger. He grew and became a man who preached the message of salvation and reconciliation with God. A perfect lamb had to be given and He knew who that was before He ever left Heaven. Himself.

Emmanuel- God with Us!

Merry Christmas and may you have that same warm feeling I have in my heart as I close this post. This isn't my home, this isn't all that life has to offer, this is only the beginning and some day, I will spend eternity with Him. But until that day, He came and is with me, until I can be with Him in His home. My everlasting home.

What gift would you bring?

As a young child I remember the Christmas song, "Little Drummer Boy". I used to love how we sang pa rum pum pum pum, over and over. It caught my attention. But as I got older and learned to listen to the words/lyrics of the song, I became to enjoy this song so much more. Do you ever really think about the words or are you so ready to sing the pa rum pum pum pum parts you quickly pass over them?

For those not familiar or it has been awhile since you really listened, the song tells of a little boy who plays a drum. Everyone is going to see the new king and they need to take a gift.

What gift do you take to a king? Do you sell what you own to buy the perfect gift? Do find out what others are taking and try to take something better? You want your gift to stand out and be remembered, right? You want it to be different than what everyone else brought. Oh, did I mention, the little boy is labeled poor. Did you catch the three lettered word at the end of that line? The word is "too". You see the king was poor too. How can that be? All kings are born with wealth. They will never have a need that can't be bought or filled. But you see, the king they are going to see was not born into a family of wealth. They were young and poor. The Roman government taxed them beyond anything we could ever imagine. Life was difficult for them.

The little boy in this story has two choices: To go and take what he has, which is only a drum. Or to stay home and never go at all.

He chooses to go. He asks if he can play a song on his drum. The baby's mother says yes and you can feel as if time stops at that moment. Can't you feel all eyes on him! A room full of judgement. A room filled with people proud of what they brought and everyone can see their gift is the best. The whispers, oh the whispers. And then in enters a small child who quietly asks if he can play a song. Can you even imagine. A song, of all things. Where is the extravagance in that? I am sure his appearance tells the story that this is all he has to offer. Even the animals are turning their heads and stop what they are doing to listen to this new, yet beautiful sound. He could play forever, they wouldn't care. The conversations have long since stopped, and every one looks to see him play. Then it happens. The baby, the King, which all this is for, smiles. Doesn't your heart just melt. For you see that is who the song was for. And it pleased the king. The only one that it mattered to.  I can feel the little boy's heart swell with a good sense of pride. The kind of pride, that says I did my best and that is all I could ever do. It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. It doesn't matter what everyone else brought. It doesn't matter whether I was rich or poor, I did my best and that was more than enough.

At this point, I am assuming you are wondering why I made such a deal about a song that only lasts for about 3 or 4 minutes and then we move to another one. It is a song, and not a story recorded in scripture. It is a story that is fiction. We have never heard that a boy played a drum for Jesus. Sometimes when I hear the song, I feel he is there by himself because he was embarrassed by his small gift and waited till everyone else left or maybe there were others since the first verse tells us "they" tell him to come, so they are going to see the king too. Either way, you would need to ask the writer of the song to know for sure. But you see, the message in that song for me, goes deeper and way past a single night in a barn.

We are all the little drummer boy. We all come from different backgrounds and different "statuses". We all have different abilities. Yet, if we heard the King was coming, what would we bring? Would we do our best or would we try to impress? Would we go and stand out, because our gift was different? Or would we stay home?

We have been given things to help others. Do you think when that little boy learned how to play the drum, he ever fathomed he would play for a king? When we go through experiences that seem to have no meaning, keep in mind, the King may need you to share this experience or the advice you can now give with someone going through the same thing. We are given gifts that only we can use. They are custom made for us. Maybe you are good with your hands and make wooden things or can fix anything that breaks. Maybe you are able to look at a shelf of ingredients and put together a meal that a family that is struggling could use and enjoy. Maybe you have the gift to listen. Someone out there is needing to share what is going on in their life and they don't want you to fix it, they just want you to listen without judging. Maybe you have the gift of words. Maybe someone right now could use a note of encouragement to get through this season in their life. Maybe you have a gift for children. You know of a busy couple who would love to have just one evening with each other to have a nice dinner, and be able to eat it before it gets cold. Or maybe they need to get some shopping done. You could love on their little ones and help them by babysitting for one evening. Maybe you have been gifted in finances. You are able to invest wisely and there is someone you know, that is struggling with the idea of a budget in the coming year, you could give them some helpful ideas or mentor them. Or maybe you need to write a check to help pay someone's heating bill for the next three cold winter months. If it is a gift from God, He will give you the nudge to use it and use it wisely. Sadly some people take advantage of others this time of year. If God is leading, it will not be wrong. I could keep listing ideas. You get my point. My point is our gifts are not wrapped in pretty paper and tins of gold. They are placed inside us and are called to be used at the appointed time. Also, the gifts being taken in our story were to honor the new born king. Do we use our gifts in ways that still honor him?

Or you can choose the second choice. You can do nothing. That is an option. But some day and that day is getting closer with each passing day, that same baby who grew into a man, will look you in the face and ask what did you do with the gifts I gave you? After you speak, don't you too, want to see a smile on his face? I know I do!

If this story were true, we know that God would have given the little boy the ability to play a drum. He chose wisely. He chose to use the gift. The only gift he had. He didn't stay home till the perfect idea came or money was saved. If he had, he would have missed the visit with the king. We are asked to do the same. Sadly, some wait to use their gifts until they feel others will enjoy it. Or until it makes sense and they win the praise of man. But you see, just as in the song, it was never about others. It was about a little boy giving all he had no matter the size and giving it the best he could that mattered.  That is really all that God cares about. He cares what you think, what you do and what you say. He knows your story, he is the author of it! You can't surprise Him. He will never say, "didn't see that one coming". We too can miss the visit, if we wait for the right time. Today is the right time. Don't wait, we are not promised tomorrow! So, I will end my post as I started it: If asked to bring a gift for a king to honor him, what would you bring?

Enjoy this week. Time is quickly passing. We will soon be celebrating His birth. Be looking for ways to share your gift. No matter how unimportant you may feel it is. It is important to Him, or He would have never given it to you. And it is perfectly fine, if you spend the rest of the day humming pa rum pum pum pum. I know I will.  See you  next week!

****I must share this side note. Many of you who read each week, do not know how this blog works for me, so I will share it briefly. I start to pray specifically for an idea to write about in the beginning of the week. Sometimes I hear silence. Sometimes it is many thoughts. Others, I am torn between two. So, I will  keep praying for discernment as the weeks moves along. Come Thursday, I start to stick with one thought. A very brief thought or phrase. I will sit down at the keyboard and ask the Lord to write His words with my fingers. I will usually start typing for about an hour. I rarely make changes. Then come late Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, I read over it and ask the Lord to delete or add according to his purpose and will for the week's post. I have already last minute gone with plan b. So, I am open to change for I firmly believe this post is for you all. God knows what you are experiencing and what you need to read each week. I have my private moments with God, this is a much more public moment, that I am humbled and honored to do it. Anyway, the reason I share all this today and it has made my post way too long, but it is extremely important. Our God is a God of personal detail. When you are in His will and trusting him, He shows himself in ways that make our knees give out and our breath to be held. Today, while doing my final read through before hitting publish, I asked one final time, "Is this the right message for today? Do I need to change it? Will it make sense? Did I miss anything?" His response.....the radio that has been quietly playing in our kitchen since early this morning, was silent, it was between songs, when all of a sudden, my favorite version on the song, "Little Drummer Boy" started to play. Tears filled my eyes and I again was humbled by the fact I get to have breath each day and serve a God who cares so much that among all the activity happening around me today in the world, He had my song(our song), play exactly when I needed to hear it! I haven't heard it in days. God is good all the time and I know this post is for someone(s) today that need to hear from him. He loves you and I will tell people that till the day He calls me home. He really loves you, just as you are. He will help you become the person he wants you to be. You can't do it on your own. That is why He seeks us first. Give him praise today! I know I am. Pa rum, pum, pum, pum.

Tis the Season

We have all heard this phrase mentioned at one time or another during the Christmas season.You could use this phrase to express many thoughts: Tis the Season to play Christmas music; Tis the Season to be Merry, Tis the Season to shop, shop, shop. You get the idea. The thought of Christmas brings many emotions and memories with it. For some, it is filled with childhood presents. Singing Christmas carols, baking our family favorite recipes, sending Christmas cards and letters. For some, is it very painful. You may have lost a loved one near this time of year and you are filled with sadness. Many have their credit cards maxed out and still feel the pressure to buy just the right gift, instead of the gift they can afford.

One of my favorite things to decorate with this time of year is not the tree, not the stockings, not greens. It is for me the Nativity scene. The one I have is very simple in appearance. You will note that none of the characters have faces on them. As I place each piece just right, I am reminded that Christ didn't come for just a certain race or group of people. He came for all, and our faces could be on the pieces. My heart is more heavy this year for some reason. I am sad by all the materialism that seems to be around me. Don't get me wrong, this isn't to make you feel guilty in any way. I have started my shopping and I will wrap presents. I will be glad to see family and friends opening gifts. But so many people are struggling and they try to find happiness in things. The don't have peace the angels spoke about. I look at the manger scene and I ask myself this question: "How did we take something so quiet and simple and turn it into this?" You came quietly. You came to the poorest of families and you came to a young girl who was obedient. I am reminded in the popular Christmas song, "Mary did you know", that when she kissed her baby, she was kissing the face of God! Can you even imagine?

This year I am challenged to find a balance. I love my Christmas tree and I love the smell of cookies baking in the oven. I will enjoy wrapping presents in a few weeks. However, I want to make sure I am spending enough time and focus on the true meaning of Christmas. I want to remember that Jesus came on a quiet night, into a barn, and shepherds were the first to see Him after his earthly parents. I want to be reminded, that the shepherds didn't go buy gifts they couldn't afford, they told others what they saw! I want to tell others what I see that same child who grew into a man, did for me! I want others to hear the good news. I want to be more alert that if God sent someone my way, would I be too busy like the innkeeper and while seeing a woman in labor, still had no room in the inn or would I change my plans and make time for what He sends my way. We can be so hard on the innkeeper. He didn't seem to want to be involved. Had he known who was to be born, I am sure he would have given his own home! It had been 400 years since God had spoke. It has been over 2,000 years since Christ was here. However, when He left, He gave us the the gift of the Holy Spirit. Are we becoming so busy that we have forgotten the promises? With the passing of time are we feeling like the promises were just words and not really promises? I often wondered how the innkeeper felt the next morning when he realized later what happened. Or even years later, did he put two and two together? Did Mary and Joseph quietly slip away and keep on the move? Shepherds coming into town wouldn't turn too many heads, however, the star that shown, the star that the wise men followed couldn't be missed. Or could it? Thirty three years later, people shouted for his death! God still sends signs and wonders today. Are we seeing them or passing them by? I don't want to be so busy that I miss the blessing or experience that God has for me. The town would have been packed with people to register. It would have been stressful. People's patience would have been thin. This was not a vacation for anyone, this was a mandate. This cost them money to travel, money they didn't have to spare. Yet, they had to go. God knew His son would be born in a stable. He would not arrive as a King should arrive, yet, Jesus isn't like any typical King. I could go on, but maybe that will be a future blog. I just want to say, I can relate more with the innkeeper than I first realized. I can be busy and even have a good reason to say no. I just need to make sure the right answer is no. Sometimes it is, but other times, I need to say yes.

I want to share a story about my Nativity set. I will post a picture at the end. It is a popular set, but it took me years to get. I would ask for pieces for my birthday and for Christmas till it was a complete set. The first year that I had the entire set, I put it on a small table in our family room. I was filled with joy that it was finally complete, even with the wise men, that shouldn't be with the family since they didn't come till a couple years later, but somehow they do make it look more official. Anyway, I was baking cookies and my children were smaller, they knew not to touch it. All of a sudden, I heard a crash and I closed my eyes for fear of what I would see. My kids were in the kitchen, so they were not to blame. Who then? My dog. She had decided after 10 years of having a Christmas tree in the corner, it was time to go around it. When she didn't fit, she tried to turn around in a space that she already was stuck in and down went the tree with treasured ornaments and lights. The top of the tree caught the Nativity set, and cleared the table. She was now stuck in the lights and the branches. She simply stood and wagged just the tip of her tail. I was so angry. I quickly assessed the damage, cleaned up the tree, put dog outside. Forgot cookies in oven and burnt both trays. I then took a deep breath and looked at my pieces. All were fine, except one small lamb. Its ear was broken off. My heart sank. Back then, you couldn't buy one separate piece, you had to buy the set. So, I got out the glue and started my work before me. In that moment, time stopped and I heard the whisper in my ear reminding me, Jesus is my shepherd and I am his sheep. I am broken and only He can fix me. I decided, that having a perfect set, wasn't what I wanted. I wanted a broken one. It reminded me, I am a work in progress. I can now get a replacement piece, but I never will. I like the set I have. I still like when the house is quiet and only the window candle is lit and I see the precious Nativity set. It makes my eyes fill with tears at the preciousness of it all. You see, He came as promised after 400 years of silence. He came just as it was prophesied. I am filled with the promise, He will come again. And as I mentioned earlier about Mary kissing the face of God, I too, will be able to kiss the face of God!

I will end as I began. Finish this phrase for this year: Tis the Season to_______________.