Holiday Tidings

I love the holiday season! It's my favorite time of year. Like the song says, 'It's the most wonderful time of the year'!

For me the season always starts a few days before Thanksgiving. That's when the baking begins- pies for starters, pumpkin's my favorite, chocolate cream is my second, sour cream lemon is my Dad's favorite. Of course on Thanksgiving there's all sorts of cooking going on, from the turkey to the mashed potatoes to the yams and don't forget the fruit salad!

Grandpa always has us go around the table and tell what we're thankful for. It's fun to hear what people come up with each year. Then we sing the chorus of the old hymn, "Doxology".

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him all ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen."

After dinner we hang out, play games, laugh and just enjoy spending time together. The next day is one of my favorite because, finally, I'm allowed to start playing Christmas carols and begin decorating!

Christmas is the best part of the holiday season as far as I'm concerned. When I was a kid of course there were presents to enjoy and I've always loved giving gifts but now there's more to it. Now I appreciate so much more the story of Christmas. I still can't imagine how hard it must've been for Mary to learn she was pregnant or Joseph to accept he would be raising a child that was God's, not his.

However as an adult I can appreciate those hardships and difficulties in a way I couldn't when I was a kid. My favorite part of the story though is the shepherds. God sent the heavenly host to announce the birth of His son to a group of lowly shepherds. If that doesn't show how much God loves all of His people, no matter what station they have in life, then what does?

Anyways after Christmas comes New Years, a great time for reflection on all God's done, resolutions on what you'd like to do and one last party to enjoy for the end of the wonderful holiday season.

So what's your favorite part of the most wonderful time of the year?

Slow, Quick, Speak, Listen

A couple of weeks ago I spent five days without a voice. After getting over a cold I got laryngitis and couldn't speak above a whisper. It was a frustrating experience. On day one I was still very tired so I spent most of the day in bed.

Day two I had to work for a little bit and then had to run errands. I got so frustrated having to explain to people at the bank and gas station that I wasn't being rude or quiet but just couldn't speak any louder. Thankfully most people were understanding but it was surprising to realize just how much I take the ability to communicate for granted.

By day three I was wondering when this was going to end and I started thinking about what God might teach me through this experience. That's when He reminded me of James 1:19
"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry..."

I like to talk. Anyone who knows me will tell you that. But having no voice I had to be more aware of what I wanted to say. I couldn't call a friend on the phone, I had to text so I had to choose my words a lot more carefully then if I was just talking. I couldn't talk to someone from across the room so if I thought of something I wanted to say I had go stand next to them to say it. This experience, although frustrating, encouraged me to listen more then I spoke. I learned some interesting things about people just because I listened when normally I would've shared my own experiences. It was a rather humbling lesson.

Day four He taught me my next lesson/reminder. Even though other people can't hear me God always can. I don't have to pray out loud for the Creator of the universe to hear my thoughts. He knows all, including my every thought! So I can have a silent conversation with him no matter where I am, what I'm doing, or how loudly I can speak. Pretty incredible when you think about it. So why don't I think about it more often?

I pray silently every morning when I go over my prayer list but what I forget is to have conversations with Him. Say you're sitting with your best friend over a cup of coffee. You're going to tell them about the serious stuff in your life, "Hey I'm looking for a new job" or "I'm thinking about moving" etc. but you're also going to talk about the little things. "Hey, I read this cool article the other day" and "I'm frustrated today because..." whatever it is, big or little you'll likely share your thoughts with someone you trust and have an ongoing relationship with. Who is more trustworthy then the Lord? Who better to share your thoughts with and have a conversation with? Especially since it can be an ongoing conversation throughout your whole day!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

On day five my voice was starting to return but was still no louder then a hoarse whisper. That day I got a combination of my first two lessons. A conversation isn't one sided. God can hear me no matter what but I need to slow down and remember to listen to Him also.

All in all it wasn't fun to go five days with no voice but God uses all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. This time he used my sickness to teach me some very important lessons.

Veteran's Day

What does Veteran's Day mean to you?

To me it makes me think of the countless veterans I've known throughout my life. My granddad was in the Army. My dad served in the Navy, retiring shortly after I was born. My uncles served in the Air Force, and National Guard. I have cousins who have served or are serving in the Navy, National Guard, Army and Air Force. And that's just my family members that I've known. We can trace our genealogy back to at least one person from our family serving in every war including the Revolutionary War.

But why? Why do we have a day to honor these people? Because they made or were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Those who have served in the military knew that they could be called upon to fight and even to die to defend the freedoms that our country was founded on. Their families paid the price of not knowing if or when they were coming home.

Today we have so many people who take those freedoms for granted. They protest because they have the freedom of free speech. A right that was defended and paid for by the blood of our men and women in arms.

They worship how they choose because they have the freedom to pick their religion or have none at all. A right our soldiers have defended.

They can protect themselves because they have the freedom to keep and bear arms. Another right that most people in the world can't even dream of.

And they have the right to elect their own government. They can vote people in and out of office, have a say in what laws pass or don't. Is it a perfect system? Of course not. But it's a right that we have that most of the world's population can't imagine.

There are so many rights that we have that our soldiers have defended since the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Many take them for granted or have not learned what they really mean.

So why do we celebrate Veteran's Day? So one day out of the year we stop and think about that sacrifice that was and is being made.

So thank you to Veteran's everywhere and a special thank you to your families. And happy Veteran's Day.

Insecurity

Is there anyone reading this that has ever struggled with insecurity?
For the record I doubt anyone said no to that question. At least not if they were answering honestly. At some point in their lives everyone struggles with insecurity, everyone. Whether it's the black hole of comparing yourself to others or getting bogged down in the mud of a mean or careless comment that someone says to you. Maybe it's the nightmare of hating the image you see when you look in the mirror instead of seeing yourself as God's creation. Whatever causes it the result is the same. Insecurity.

In the Bible translation called The Voice 1 Peter 2:1 is translated this way. "So get rid of hatefulness and deception, of insecurity and jealously and slander." I love the way that this translation puts it because insecurity is listed right along things like slander and deception, hatefulness and jealously. Think about that for a moment. Would you list hatefulness with insecurity? Most people wouldn't. I never would have but this translation does.

The definition of insecurity is listed as "uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of confidence." My translation- not trusting that God knew what He was doing when He created us. We doubt Him and give into our sin nature when we give into everything listed in that verse. Slander, hatefulness, deception, and jealously. All of these things come from our sin nature. Including insecurity.

The beginning of that verse says to get rid of these things. In the New International Version it says "Therefore, rid yourselves of all..." So not only is insecurity listed alongside all these others horrible things but it also says to rid ourselves of all these things.

How do we do that? How do we rid ourselves of insecurity, hatred, slander, jealousy and deception? Well I don't have all the answers but I do have another verse that goes along with it. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things."

Maybe it's not an exact science but it seems that if we're trying to getting rid of the things listed in 1 Peter 2:1 then a very good place to start is to think about the things listed in Philippians 4:8.

So let's go through the lists again. Get rid of hatefulness. Think about what is admirable. Get rid of deception. Think about what is true. Get rid of insecurity. Think about what is pure. Get rid of jealously. Think about what is noble. Get rid of slander. Think about what is right. Instead of dwelling on the bad and getting caught up in things like insecurity focus on whatever is excellent and praiseworthy.

I Deserve It!

Have you ever gone through a hard time and asked yourself "Why is God doing this to me?" I have. Lots of times. Or here's a thought that I never like to admit I've had, "God, I'm doing so much for You! So why are You doing this to me?" After all when we serve God then He's supposed to reward us, right? Wrong.

God doesn't work that way. He's not a vending machine. We don't use our service to Him as quarters that we put in to a machine then select buttons to get the perfect spouse, or that great new home, or even the right job, good health or money to pay the bills out of the machine. 

But what about all those verses that say God will provide, and God will bless us. Are you saying those aren't true? Of course not! However, do you remember the other verses? The ones that talk about God's will? And His timing? Or here's one, that little verse in the middle of the Lord's prayer, Matthew 6:10- ".... your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

That's a really hard concept to follow through with. When life gets tough, when things don't go the way I want. When a friend unexpectedly contracts cancer and they're far too young to deal with such a tragedy. When a loved one makes decisions that will ruin their life and no one's words or even prayers seem to be turning them back to the right path. When you're trying to do what God wants and things just keep going wrong. The car breaks down, the bill comes due, the kids get sick, the credit card is maxed out. How do you respond then?

Have you ever seen a little kid throw a tantrum? They stomp their foot and cry, or maybe throw themselves on the ground and flail around while screaming at the top of their lungs. But fast forward to their teenage years. Sometimes they yell but teens are experts at the silent treatment. They get angry and they just glare at you but they won't say a word. Too often this is my reaction. Instead of giving God my honest emotions I just get angry and stop talking to Him altogether.

I get so sick of saying "Let Your will be done." So I stop saying anything. Not an idea I would recommend. After all, how am I going to hear Him answer and speak comfort in my darkest days if I'm not listening?

So what do you do? When the bills are piling up? When the car won't start? When you get laid off and you can't provide for your family? Where do you turn then?

Let me suggest two places. The first is the book of Job. The ultimate book of trials, tribulations and standing pure before God despite being stripped of absolutely everything imaginable. 

The second is the book of Psalms. Here you'll read about men like King David who gave every emotion he had to God, the good, the bad, the ugly and the even worse. He laid it all out there on the table! And God called him a man after His own heart.

Life is hard, it's not going to get easier but there's two things you need to know. One- God is good all the time. Two- We don't deserve the things that we think we do. God will provide, He will take care of us but not always in the way we think He should. 

If you want to read a fantastic, real life example of this then pick up the book called "When God Doesn't Fix It" by the renowned singer, songwriter and worship leader Laura Story. Her story and the trials that God took her and her family through will give you a fresh perspective about trials, service to the Lord and His will not ours being done.

Running Away from God

Have you ever had to run after an animal? When I was a teenager I had this horse. His name was Starbucks but I called him Buck. (Yes, I am addicted to coffee.) He was a Mustang and had a mind of his own. One day I got him all saddled up and took him out riding on the paved bike trail across from my house. As we were riding along things were going all right until for some reason I dismounted. I can’t remember now exactly why I got down, maybe he was acting funny and I wanted to check his saddle or he picked up a rock in his shoe? Whatever the reason when I went to mount again Buck decided he was done for the day. Before I knew it he had turned around and was running down the trail away from me!

So there I am running down the pavement in cowboy boots (which are not easy to run in by the way) chasing after this huge horse and yelling his name. “Buck! Buck! Stop Buck!” I’m not sure why I expected him to obey but regardless of my, apparently faulty, logic he just kept running.

I’m sure it was quite the picture, my saddled horse running down the trail and me running behind him screaming my head off. The closer I got the faster he ran, the more I called, the more he ignored me and headed for home.

I thought of this story the other day when I read Hosea 11:2 “But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.”

Aren’t we like that with God, constantly running away? The Israelites were. The more God called to them, the more He instructed them to do something the more they ran away from Him. He called them out of Egypt, they complained about the desert and not having water. He provided manna, they wanted meat. He was their ruler, they demanded a king and so on and so forth.

It’s easy to look at the Israelites and see where they went wrong, it’s harder to do that with our own lives. But take a moment to think about it. How often has God told you to do something and you’ve ran away.

Talk to that friend about me.

That friend God, really? Surely you don’t mean that. I must have heard you wrong.

Offer that homeless person that extra food you have in the car.

Oh I can’t do that God, I might get hungry later and I don’t want to stop.

Give up your daily latte one day a week so you can give extra money to your church.

Sorry God, I need the caffeine.

Whatever the situation is we have an amazing skill to run away from God. So next time you hear that still, small, voice try to take a moment and instead of running away like a bratty horse trying to get home, stop and listen and do what He says.

By the way in case you’re curious the horse was fine. A log truck and a couple of cars had to stop in the middle of the road but my mom walked out and the dumb animal ran straight to her, happy to stop and let her lead him safely across the road. Needless to say I wasn’t impressed with his antics and I swear that horse spent the rest of the day laughing at me. However we did make it on our ride. It was just a little delayed and a lot harder than first anticipated.

Fidget Spinners

Oh the wonders of fidget spinners. When I first saw the toy phenomenon sweeping the nation I thought they were silly. I considered it the latest fad that would pass quickly enough. Then I went to spend a week with my family and my cousin brought a fidget spinner. Being the good cousin he is he let me play with it and I quickly found myself addicted.

On the one hand it was a very mindless activity, just watching it spin around and around but on the other hand I was able to come up with different things to do with it- I practiced balancing it on my thumb, then my finger. (Now I know kids do this all the time but I on the other hand had a very hard time accomplishing such feats) I spun it on the table, switched hands, even held it with one finger while my cousin, Ace, held the other side with her finger- it was a strange version of teamwork but a fun one and my awesome big brother took notice of my amusement.

On our way home Benj stopped at the store so he could pick up a few things and then we looked at the display of fidget spinners. He asked which one I liked best but I didn't really answer because it was his toy, not mine although he did let me play with them in the car. Pretty soon I was regretting the fact that I'd have to give them back when we got home but I didn't say anything to him. The next day as he got ready to leave I noticed that he'd left the fidget spinners on the counter. Confused, I asked him about it which is when he told me that he already had some at home, these ones he'd bought for me.

Excited and feeling blessed I immediately put one in my pocket so I could always have it handy to play with. What I wasn't expecting was how much it would help me. From something as simple as giving me something to do with my hands so I don’t pick at my fingernails, (a lifelong bad habit I’ve struggled to break) to actually helping me control my anxiety. When I start feeling anxious I just pull out my fidget spinner and it gives me something to do with my hands, allowing my brain to rest and giving me time to calm down.

It's interesting that a silly toy can have such awesome effects and that got me thinking about the wonders of human ingenuity. People are always creating new toys, devices and tools that are designed to entertain, distract or help us from/in our everyday lives. It’s rather amazing when you think about it. But where does that ingenuity come from?

Well its part of who we are. We are made in the image of God and His creativity is evident all around us. From His creation of mountains to deserts to oceans and forests to all the different kinds of animals He spoke into existence to the beauty of the sunrise and the majestic canvas of the night sky. He created it all, including us. Our creativity is only a dim reflection of His. The ingenuity humans has is really just one more way we show His handiwork in our lives.

Next time you see a new technology come out, or hear about a new cure for whatever disease, or even just find a cool new toy, take a second to thank God for the ingenuity and creativity He gave to those who invented it.