No Boundaries... Enjoy!

God the Father, Jesus the Son. 

I read Colossians 1:9-18 again this morning and was enlightened with a flood of fun imagery. 

It’s like one day God said to His Son, “What would you like as a gift?” This question is much like what we have asked our children recently – “What would you like to have for Christmas?”  However, this Son and Father team were very creative.

My husband and I brought the kids to Grandma & Grandpa’s house last night so we could go on a date…AND Christmas shop.  We had decided this year that we wouldn’t go buying like crazy so we adopted something my mother & sister-in-law are doing at their house.  Buy three gifts for each kid – one they need, one they want and one to help strengthen their spiritual growth.  This did help us have healthier boundaries.

As I read this section of Scripture this morning, I thought of God & Jesus having a conversation.  God says, “What would you like as a gift?  I want to bless you.  You are worthy of anything.  There are no boundaries.”  Jesus thought for a minute and then they both began to input creative ways to bless each other making the Universe and us too.  Oh, what fun they had!  Then they wrote a script and much like we do these days with Barbies or Legos, the plan starts to be acted out.  They made us in their Image.  They made things in heaven and earth that would be for Jesus’ enjoyment!  (see Colossians 1:16)

For our kids, whether their behavior has been “good or bad”, we still want to bless them… like God did for Jesus!  But Jesus was/is perfectly worthy!  Our kids (and us) are flawed yet we want to bless them, still, for their enjoyment. 

Think about how you and your family can bless and worship the only One truly worthy.  Take a minute to read His Word and worship Him.  After all, He chose to enter into “our” world even though He is above it.  But He did it so we would KNOW Him – our Creator and Savior.  (see Colossians 1:17)

Consider this: Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

What Are You Waiting For?

I had the opportunity to guest blog for a dear friend of mine, Shannon DeGarmo Carpino, author of "The Bounce Back Woman".  So I thought I would share my heart here as well...

http://bouncebackwoman.com

Have you ever had to wait for something that you were particularly excited for? You know the kind of thing that is so exciting your mind wonders to it when you should be thinking about something else? Perhaps it was the anticipation of an approaching birth, or butterflies the night before your wedding day, or maybe it was an exceptional Christmas present you knew you would be receiving?

For me, my most anticipated gift was the gift of finding my husband. I remember always wondering when it was going to happen with an eagerness of “would it be sometime soon?”. The years went on and I watched as some of my friends got married and I often wondered why I hadn’t yet found “the one”? Little did I know that although my search was for the right man, the Lord had a gift for me that I wasn’t expecting. You see, I didn’t have a relationship with the Lord growing up. I knew very little about the bible and who Jesus Christ was. So before God introduced me to my beloved, He introduce me to HIS beloved… The Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.

As I reflect on the most special present of all, I am reminded of two people who waited their whole lives for one special gift, and at Christmas time God gave them just that.

Simeon, meaning obedient, was a righteous and devout man, who had eagerly waited his whole life for the Messiah. Being moved by obedience and the Spirit, he entered the temple to find the child and his parents there.

Luke 2:27-32 That day the Spirit led him to the temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the Law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Another prophet, Anna, whose name means full of grace, lost her husband after being married only 7 years. Anna spent the duration of her life in the temple praying and worshipping God and waiting for the Messiah to come.

Luke 2:37-38 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. [She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

This Christmas, as we participate in all the fun this time of year brings, let us remember the true reason for this season. As Simeon and Anna spent their entire lives waiting for the Savior who was to come, let us remember and reflect on the One who has come. The One who came so that we may have life to the fullest and life everlasting. Will you join me as we focus on the Giver of the greatest gift, Life-in-Him-rather than on the presents that lay under our tree? Let’s be partakers with Simeon and Anna as we anticipate celebrating Jesus’s birth, praising and worshiping our God and sharing Him with everyone.

Lord Jesus, I pray as the busyness of this season tries to consume us, please help us slow our hurried pace. May we be deliberate with our days, carving out quiet time to spend with You so that we may reflect on all that your birth means to us. Lord I also pray, that you help us reflect the good and perfect gifts you have imparted to us, so that others may see and hear the good news of You and Your Beloved.

Much love and blessings to you!

Merry Christmas,

Fran Maynard

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are a few things we traditionally do on Thanksgiving and some things we are just starting this year.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful...." Colossians 3:15–17 (check out the rest, too) 

•  We have a Thanksgiving book that explains the origins of our beloved holiday.  In this book I keep a log of where we spent our Thanksgiving each year and who was there around the table.  Everyone takes turns writing what they are thankful for next to their name.  
•  This year our kids have made the place cards for each person who will attend. 
  
  The cards are “decked-out” with a picture of a turkey, turkey facts and a scripture verse.  Matthew and Jordan have written the names of each person who will be around the table.  Some we left blank as there may be surprise people who show up!  This brings me to my next point:
• We also invite anyone who might not have a family to be with for the holidays.
•  Also, this year my mom made cookies for all the kids to decorate.  This is kind of like a Christmas thing but my sister and family will be moving houses by the end of this year so I guess that’s why we are doing it at Thanksgiving. 
•  I printed off a bunch of festive coloring pages for the kids to do if there’s ever a lull in the entertainment :-)

What are some of your traditions?  Maybe make new ones and make sure to look into your kids’ eyes and let them know how thankful you are to be their mommy!  Make it an every-day tradition.

Two Masters

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24

As we celebrate the season of Advent, Christmas Eve & Day and then New Year’s, etc. this one truth keeps coming in front of me, head on— You can’t serve two masters. We ought not get caught up in the stuff of the world while we call ourselves followers of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  If we read His love letter to us we will certainly see that He did not get caught up in it but participated in the things that would please His Father.  Hmm, what about me?

Every time we drive through our neighborhood leaving home or coming back our kids call out the decorations they notice on people’s houses and lawns.   Matthew noticed a strange thing to him on some of the lawns and just had to proclaim, “What?! How can they have a manger scene and a Santa on the same lawn?? … You can’t serve two masters.” 

So true, I thought.  Am I serving two masters, getting caught up in this whole hustle and bustle of Christmas fever?

The radio announcer told us about their feature story on their web page about giving the gift of Presence in our Presents.  Making sure you are choosing the right gifts for your kids that will not take all their attention away from spending time with family.  Right on, preach it! 

Lord, above all may we reflect Your love during this season.  May we invite others to know You not just as the gleaming baby between Mary and Joseph but the One who resides in us and with us.  Please help us to read to our kids about the one and only wonderful You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

The Fruit of Our Words

As parents we find ourselves at times rolling on the floor laughing at the funny things our kids say!  However, there are other times when we hear the awful things kids say that leave us with a different taste in our mouths.

"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”  Matthew 12:36-37

I was working in our kitchen listening to the playful conversation between brother and sister in the playroom when all of a sudden Jordan said something that sounded so condescending to her big brother.  And then I realize it sounded a lot like how I talk to her at times. God tugged on your heart and said, “It doesn’t sound good coming out of your mouth either, My daughter.” It left me humbled, feeling so ugly with my words to my sweet daughter!  When this happened I found myself like the mom on the movie “A Christmas Story”, putting the bar of soap in her own mouth.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

"Happy Birthday Jesus!" by Stacey Wooddell Imbimbo

I clearly remember turning the calendar to Dec 1st.  I was so excited about the possibilities with my family this month.

I had so many ideas, thoughts and great anticipation on how magical I could make this Christmas season.

I mean, how fun to be the mom who gets to plan out all these fun filled activities, and come up with my own traditions.

I searched online for all the fun Christmassy things to do in our town.

Found cute crafts to make, got all the Christmas movies out, piled the Christmas books, and searched for advent calendars.

So…here I am days away from CHRISTMAS Day….and I look back on December, I didn’t get to half of it.

And you know what…..its ok!

I started thinking about what I remembered from my family traditions growing up.

It was really the simple things.

Extended family enjoying brunch on Christmas morning, complete with coffee cake and grape juice; which I drank in a blue Fenton glass.

My dad reading the Christmas story from Luke 2; some years my siblings and I memorizing it and had to recite it before present time.

Waiting patiently at the top of the stairs, while every grown up went downstairs to get ready for the presents.

Going to grandma and grandpa’s house for Christmas dinner.

Wonderful Memories!

So, as we enjoy this wonderful holiday this week, may we focus on celebrating Jesus, and sharing His love with others.

Merry Christmas!

What are you waiting for this Christmas?

What is the gift you are most excited for this Christmas?  Is it clothes, a purse, the newest iPhone, jewelry, maybe a good book, or spending time with your family?  Recently I was reminded of two people who waited their whole lives for one special gift, and at Christmas time God gave them just that.

Simeon, a righteous and devout man, eagerly waited his whole life for the Messiah to come.  

Luke 2:29-32  “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Another prophet, Anna, lost her husband after being married only 7 years.  Anna spent the duration of her life in the temple praying and worshipping God and waiting for the Messiah to come.   

Luke 2:37-38 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.[She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.  She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

Mammas our kiddos are watching us.  So I must remember to focus on the Giver of life, rather then on the giver of gifts or on the gifts themselves.  Will you join me?  Lets be like Simeon and Anna and anticipate the birth of Jesus, praising and worshiping our God and sharing Him with everyone. 

Lord Jesus please help us to adore You, really adore You.  Let us anticipate YOU this Christmas season and share that excitement with everyone.  Amen

Much love and blessings to you all!  

Merry Christmas,   

Fran Maynard

Humbled, Grateful, Challenged!

Christmas is a special time of year!  This season brings out an introspective spirit in me.  I think of the unfathomable fact that the Creator of the universe, holy, righteous and true, saw fit to come out of perfection and dwell on earth. He chose the humble form of a little baby, born into poor conditions on a cold winter night.

He would live within the confines of His human body and work, sweat, love and cry so that I would know that He truly understands my trials.  Then He would suffer horrific torture and death on the cross, and supernaturally raise from the grave so that my sins were erased and that I could live forever free of the power of sin in this life and the next.   I am humbled!!!

In considering Jesus,  I start thinking about my family and the many amazing people He has brought into my life so that I might be a better person from knowing them.  Some have offered truth, wisdom and a listening ear, others a word spoken into my life at just the right moment, and others prayer and encouragement to stay in the race.  Wherever I have lived, the Lord has been faithful to put these kindred spirits in my path.  I am grateful!!!

Finally, I ask myself what kind of impact have I had on others?  Have I been faithful in prayer and eager to listen as others have been for me? Am I bold enough to speak a word of truth when prompted by the Lord?  And do I let others know how precious they are to me?  Now I am challenged!!!

Will you accept the challenge?  Join me in encouraging those around us this season! Let's express how they have blessed us!  When the Lord puts someone on your mind, shoot up a prayer for them and then send them a text or give them a call . . . or even write them a note:)   Let's remind folks that they are important and appreciated and can overcome.  Let's assure them they are not alone.  We are in this together ... let's do it well!

Jesus, Thank You

Thank You for making life a thing to live, really live!

Thank You for making death a time for rejoicing.

Thank You for coming the way You did.  I celebrate You right now!!

Thank You for Christmas morning wherever I am, whomever I am with and wherever it happens.

Thank You for being the ultimate gift.

Thank You that as a mom, I have the amazing opportunity to show my kids Your wonderful gift.

Thank You for entrusting these little lives to me and giving me plenty of opportunities to bring Your name up when learning the stuff of life.

Thank You for choosing Mary – a great example of a mom who listened, obeyed, trusted and had peace in our Father concerning You.

Thank You for allowing us to have new mercies each morning (cause a lot of times I really need it!)

Thank You Jesus.

Psalm 107:1 “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”  (At some point read all of 107 –awesome Psalm!)

Merry Christmas momma.  I hope you enjoy this special day.  (And I hope you filled your stocking with lots of yummy chocolate candies!!)

Gut Honesty...Part 1

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Proverbs 27:5-6

My husband and I had just finished making a batch of homemade chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting. The kids helped and dashed sprinkles on them as we prepared to decorate our Christmas tree. After dinner, we all sat down by the tree to eat a cupcake with a cold glass of milk. Except I noticed one little thing…my hubby only ate half of his cupcake. Thinking little of it at the time, I said nothing.

Later, however, I asked him what he thought of the cupcakes. His response was, “They were OK. I am all about the icing, and I didn’t really like the icing.” Hmmm, I thought. He said it so nonchalantly. This may sound crazy, but….I was a little sad that he didn’t like the cupcakes, but I was totally excited that he was HONEST with me about his feelings over something so small…at a time when he could have easily cooked up a “little white lie.”

I’m so glad he didn’t. You see, honesty is something that I value greatly. It is also an area in our marriage that has not always come easy. I was so excited to see God redeem the big and little areas of honesty in our marriage from deep confessions to simple matters of icing and cupcakes.

Mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, I want to encourage you to be a woman of “gut honesty”. Be diligent to speak the truth in love, even in the small things, and watch how God will transform your relationships. Perhaps the best gift you can offer this Christmas season is a heart that is honest before God and your fellow man…or woman.

Merry Christmas!

P.S. This blog is written in honor of my friend Shannon. She has always been honest with me…even when it hurt. I am a better woman because of her friendship. She challenges me to be honest at all times. She leads by example. She is more than a friend; she is a sister. J

Sound Mind

   For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  - 2 Timothy 1:7

I’ve been living in fear a lot lately – ok let’s be real, for a long time.  And now our son is going to be four years old at the end of the month and it’s like a whole new world is opening.  We need to finalize our decisions on if/where to send him for VPK, which sport(s) we can finally enter him in, and where to enter him in those sports, etc.  2 Timothy 1:7 keeps coming to my mind when I get tangled in my thoughts about it all.  

It’s also Christmas time and it’s the last week…and I’m SO far behind.  How did this happen?  I started SO long ago to prepare, looking online for what gifts to get people…and like I said, it’s a week out and…I’m…I’m… “…sound mind” momma.  This verse means God has given us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind and we have been called to live this verse no matter how hard it is to do in our daily lives.  Read the verse again. 

  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  - 2 Timothy 1:7

Maybe you’d like to write it on an index card or sticky note and keep it in front of you this week.  By the way, you will be a shining light for Jesus if you practice this verse especially this week.

Who is Jesus…Really?

When you think of Jesus, what image comes to mind? A quiet-spirited man sitting around a bunch of sheep with a staff in his hand? Maybe Jesus preaching with compassion to the multitudes? Jesus on the cross?

One thing that constantly amazes me is that we, as Christians, often have a warped or incomplete picture of who Jesus was when he walked this earth some 2000 years ago. Personally, I used to think of Jesus as a gentle, calm man who healed people, taught people, and died on the cross for my sins.

Yeah, that is part of the story, but the Bible details so much more. Jesus was passionate! He loved God and he loved people. He hated evil, and the effects of sin. He loved the sinner. He despised the hypocrite. He taught with power and authority. People either loved him and desired to follow him, or they were so mad at him that they wanted to stone him or push him off a cliff.

Jesus was pure strength and power under control. He was meek, but not weak. He spoke the truth with love, but also with a strong rebuke. He did not back down from a verbal “fight”. He healed many of their diseases…spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

I am writing this blog today to encourage you (just as someone encouraged me) to read through the New Testament book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, line by line. I started with the book of Luke this year because it addresses the essentially question of who Jesus is, what he said, what he did, why he died, and how he rose.

All too often we skip around the Bible (Old & New Testament) picking out the most memorable passages, and then we teach them to our kids and they end up with the classic list of “children’s stories” from the Bible”: Noah and the ark, the Tower of Babel, Jonah and the Whale, Daniel and the Lion’s Den, the birth of Jesus, Jesus’ miracles, etc. All too often we neglect to give our kids the complete picture of Jesus. As parents, this is the BEST gift we can give them…a thorough knowledge of their God, Savior, and Creator.

Will you take the challenge with me? As you prepare for this Christmas season, will you start the book of Luke with your kids and take the marvelous journey of discovering who Jesus really is?

Prayer,

God we love you, and we are so thankful for the truth and power of your Word. May we seek you and find you. May our faith be based on the truth of who you are, and not based on our feelings and emotions. May we desire to read your Word, and may it produce a harvest of goodness, righteousness, passion, and love for you and your people. May we give you…the BEST GIFT EVER…to our kids so that our joy (and theirs) may be complete. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

"I'm so Happy" or not?

Have you seen the YouTube of the little guy who is opening his gifts on Christmas?

He opens a gift and it is a video game, he asks his parents about another (obviously more desired game.) Then he opens the gift he wanted and he starts balling and saying, “I’m so happy!”

How did your children respond this Christmas?  It is a joyous thing when our children are “so happy.”  However, it wasn’t the case with one of ours this Christmas.  Both my husband and I remember a Christmas and birthdays were we were disappointed. Yes, it is certainly the “American Way.”

You ask for certain things, expect certain things, and then it’s the big let down.  Our youngest was looking for an IPhone.  I had told her throughout the season she would not be getting one. On Christmas morning, her friends photographed on Instagram (yeah, social media) their gifts.  It’s true, they photographed in “loot piles” all they had gotten, and many of them put the shinning crown of an IPhone, right in the center.

Image found at Pinterest

It’s hard to imagine her waffle iron and jazz shoes didn’t take the center spot of her “loot picture.” But to my daughter’s chagrin they didn’t!  

Such hard lessons we have to learn (and teach.)  Both Greg and I reminisced privately of disappointing holidays, when our expectations weren’t met.  It’s a shamefully embarrassing truth.

As my husband opened the last gift, her absence in the room was keenly felt.  She had quietly left the room and I found her on her bed.  As she cried her emotions out, she was disappointed.  The disappointment had different facets.  First, she was saddened she didn’t get what she really wanted. It was salt to her wound that all her other friends had gotten IPhones.  She was saddened at her self.  Saddened she was disappointed and saddened that she even felt disappointed.

          It’s one thing to be disappointed, its quite another to realize you should be grateful for what you have received.  Although, I understood her disappointment with what she didn’t receive, I was so proud of her for recognizing on her own, that she should be grateful for what she had gotten.  

I am sorry she didn’t get what she wanted, but I am ever so grateful to watch her grow in His Spirit, and recognize her need to submit to Him. I’m praying she will remember it is natural to feel disappointment, but God’s Spirit will give her satisfaction and contentment.

Philippians 4: 12 – 13, “…I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Delivered Me, Lord

As I read the Scriptures to our kids about the birth of Jesus coming up to Christmas day I noticed one verse that stuck out to me.  I don’t think I’d ever really paid much attention to this verse before but now, as a mom it sort of…delivered me. 

“So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her

to be delivered.” Luke 2:6

We all read over this part of the “Christmas story” and may not realize Mary’s incredible story of deliverance lay right before our eyes.  Now I understand that in context this sentence means that she was ready to give birth but does it mean anything more?  Have you been delivered?  Since this is the day after Christmas it’s time for us to be delivered.  Let’s ask the Lord to deliver us from anything that keeps us from Him. 

I confess, I have procrastinated on a lot of things, such as not purchasing gifts for family that live far away (still haven’t gotten them the gifts!).  I need to be delivered from this and I ask the Lord now to “DELIVER ME from this spirit of procrastination that hovers over me”.  Guilt is attached to it too, “LORD please DELIVER ME from this guilt.”

Now walk in it. (Isaiah 30:21, Jeremiah 7:23)  Walk in freedom and righteousness.  Walk in Christ.

Write a comment about how you have been delivered or what you are asking God to deliverer you from today.  You did a great job, momma!  Thanks for serving the Lord and walking in deliverance.

Something Different

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NIV)

The other day my husband was talking with a group of his co-workers. The subject: the real meaning of Christmas. My husband asked why we celebrate Christmas, and most were on board that we celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas time. But they were baffled by his next question: Why did Jesus have to be born? The room was silent. No one had an answer, and he shared with me later that it broke his heart. So, in his own way, he began to explain the “why” of Christ’s birth.

I remember taking an Everyday Evangelism class at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale years ago. This class was such a blessing to me because it gave practical ideas and suggestions on how to share the Good News of Jesus in a way that people can understand and relate to. One of the best tools I learned was to draw a picture. Write the words “Us” on the left side and “GOD” on the opposite side of the paper. There is a big gap between “Us” and “God”. Then you draw arrows in the direction of “GOD”, but all these arrows make a descent just before they reach “GOD”. These arrows represent our very best efforts to jump across or bridge the gap between us and God. We help others. We give to the poor. We try to treat everyone kindly. You get the drift. However, we are sinners trying to access a holy, perfect God by our own efforts…so we fall short.

Next, draw a horizontal line from “Us” to “God” (like a bridge) and a vertical line down the middle so that your bridge is the shape of a cross. This cross represents the perfect life of Jesus that bridges that gap between us and God. He is our great mediator, the way for us to access the Father (John 14:6). Jesus does what we can’t do for ourselves: he pays the price for our sin, clothes us with his righteousness, and restores the relationship between us and the Father. Jesus closes the gap.

Someone told me recently that thanks to Facebook, Google, and the power of the internet, she could never run for political office. I chuckled because I know my pre-Christ life, and I was so grateful the internet was not up and running then to take snapshots of it. It is so amazing to me that as a culture we are often quick to acknowledge that our lives are not squeaky clean enough to run for political office because of some stupid thing we did years ago. Yet, many believe they are good enough for heaven, and to live there for eternity with an all-mighty, all-knowing, and all-powerful God. That logic really isn’t rational, but it is popular. I wonder if people feel this way because they don’t know who they are (a sinner) and why Jesus had to be born (our savior).

I loved Joannie’s blog earlier this week and the suggestions she gave to make this Christmas more memorable. I particularly loved her advice about the Jesus party and the limit of 3 gifts (just like Jesus received three gifts from the magi). I believe it is so important for our children to love Christmas—have fun, celebrate, go all out to make memories commemorating Jesus’ birth. Personally, I think Santa is an irrelevant distraction from the true meaning of Christmas. A little boy once told me that Christmas was about Jesus and Santa. Really? The truth is one day he will grow up to know (hopefully) that one, Jesus, means everything and the other guy with the reindeer who comes down the chimney…well, he doesn’t even exist. A fictional Santa gives gifts to children if they are “good”, but the other, Jesus, is the ultimate gift from God because he knew we could never be “good enough” on our own.

So let’s show those in our sphere of influence something different: peace, joy, and hope—all the things only Christ can offer. I would also encourage you to set aside a special time to explain to your little ones (in an age appropriate way) WHY Jesus was born, put less emphasis on a fictional Santa “who is going to give them lots of presents”, and have a very MERRY CHRISTmas!

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel—which means, ‘God with us’. Matthew 1:23

Dear Father,

We love you! Thank you for the birth of Jesus, your Son. Thank you that he did what we could not do on our own—live a perfect life and bridge the gap between us and you. Thank you for loving us that much. Help us focus on you this Christmas, to have your joy and peace in our hearts, and to share the miracle of Jesus’ birth with our children, family, and friends. May we put on the attitude of Christ and seek to serve others this Christmas. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Please check out this link to the song "Here With Us" by Joy Williams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om5-95_Byjo

Consumed by Good Things

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” Revelation 2:2-4

I had done it again! I was utterly exhausted. I had enjoyed a wonderful weekend with family and friends, but I was also playing the role of “super mom”, “super host”, and “super wife” all at the same time. Now I was super spent. I had nothing left! As I reflected on the events of the weekend, I knew that I was busy doing good things: hosting friends from Fort Lauderdale (who were great house guests by the way), cooking, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, cleaning up after the kids, cooking again, cleaning again, meeting friends at the park, going to a birthday party, doing laundry, paying bills, etc. Feel tired yet? I am.

Every day life as a mom can be exhausting and so can the Christmas season. Think not? Well how about: buying gifts, going to holiday parties, making gifts, making cookies, going to Christmas tree lightings, practicing for the play at church, going to see Santa at the mall, taking Christmas photos, preparing Christmas cards, mailing Christmas cards, putting up a tree, hanging lights outside the house, driving around the neighborhood to look at lights, planning the holiday meal, decorating the house, etc. Ooooh boy (deep breath), I love Christmas time, but I am getting exhausted just thinking about it. But why?

Christmas is all about the love of the Father for us—a perfect Creator coming into a fallen world to redeem a sinful people. A Creator who loves us so much that he let his own creation put him up on the cross so that we may have eternal life. Whooo! That is some serious love! So how is it that we forget to prepare our hearts more than we prepare our (you fill in the blank): homes, Christmas parties, cards, gifts, etc.?

I hope I am not sounding harsh. I am really preaching to myself! I had become so consumed with “good things” that my quiet time with the Lord was starting to suffer, and I was feeling agitated. I felt on the verge of tears over little things (I am going to partly blame hormones for this flux of emotion), and I needed to have a date with Jesus. I did not need to check more things off of my to-do list; I needed Him and the peace and perspective that only He can give.

You see, I did have some reasons for missing my quiet time: the guests needed clean sheets, my sweet (yet teething) baby was waking up numerous times during the middle of the night, etc. BUT, I was forgetting to make time. The truth is that I needed to say “NO” to a few things. I needed to put things in proper perspective. I needed to prioritize.

On paper I know my priorities. My relationship with God is first, then my husband, and then my kids, etc. You get the drift. Yet somehow, I was managing to put keeping a tidy house and other non-essentials at the top of the list. I was forgetting my quiet time, falling asleep on my husband, and constantly telling Mikey that I would read to him, play with him, and cuddle with him “in just a moment”. The truth is that “in just a moment”, I found myself doing some other non-essential task…something that could wait until later.

In fact, just before I settled down to right this blog, my sweet husband prayed for me. He said two things that really resonated with me:

1. Lord, please help my wife to prioritize.
2. Please help her to be concise and not long-winded. LOL 

I needed that loving encouragement! Let’s learn to prioritize what is most important and learn to be concise with everything else. Someone once told me a story that really blessed me. She said that a teacher gave her students an empty aquarium, a bag of large rocks, and a sack of sand. The teacher instructed the students to fill the aquarium with all the rocks and all the sand. The young class quickly became frustrated because they could not get all of the contents to fit. They thought their teacher had given them an impossible task. After a while, she stood before the class and quickly demonstrated how to successfully complete the assignment: fill the aquarium with the big rocks first (the most important things) and then pour the sand (all the less important stuff) in to fill in the holes and spaces between the rocks. How simple, yet profound!

So as we prepare for this Christmas, let us prepare our hearts more than our homes. And let us be more excited about the celebrating the birth of Jesus than about our plays, decorations, and holiday parties.

Dear Father,

You are so patient and loving towards us. You give us gentle reminders to put you first above all else. Thank you for this wonderful and joyous Christmas season where we get to celebrate the most spectacular event in all of history—the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to prioritize you and keep things in proper perspective. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Verses to ponder:

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119: 15-16

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” Lamentations 3:40

Have a wonderful, God-centered day, ladies!
In His love,
Teresa

The Heart of the Matter

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

It was two weeks before Thanksgiving, but I found myself at a Christmas celebration for kids at the local mall. There was face painting, a bounce house, fake snow, a Christmas band, goodie bags full of gifts for the kids, and Santa even flew in on a helicopter. As I was walking around with my two boys—Jeremiah snuggled in my arms, and Mikey sporting a Christmas crown and a light up snow man toy—a news anchor approached me. “May I ask you a few questions?” He asked. “Sure”, I said, ”But what are you going to ask me?” “I don’t know yet,” He said. I replied, “Yeah right, but go ahead.”

Before I knew it the camera was on, and he knew his question alright, “So, Thanksgiving is not even here yet, but we are already celebrating Christmas! Why do you think that is?” Not having much time to think I said, “Because stores want to make money.” He looked at me somewhat confused. I explained…”Stores need a holiday to celebrate each month to attract more customers with sales.” He was amused by my response, which was later on the 10 o’ clock news. BUT, if I had more time to ponder my answer, I would have added that Thanksgiving doesn’t sell (except for Black Friday), because it is a holiday that focuses on what you already have instead of what you want to get. Christmas sells because people have replaced the birth of Jesus with presents and Santa. It’s sad, and perhaps a bit cynical, but true. As soon as the moms and dads and their kids watched Santa land in his helicopter (the highlight of the evening), they all headed inside to warm up…and almost every store was having a fantastic “early Christmas sale”. Christmas sells!

But what about Thanksgiving? Perhaps we can learn a few lessons about true Thanksgiving by taking a brief look at the life of Job.

“There was a man named Job who lived in the city of Uz. He was blameless, a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and he employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.” Job 1: 1-3

Job had everything it seemed. Then (for reasons far greater that our own comprehension), God took it all away…ALL OF IT! Yet Job did not blame God…not even a little bit. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” Job 1:21 Boy, could I learn from Job!

By God’s grace, it occurred to me that Job knew where his real treasure was. However, many people are tempted to skip over Thanksgiving and on to Christmas because they feel burned. Maybe they lost a job or foreclosed on a house. Maybe they don’t feel like they have much to thank God for. But, is that really true?

One thing I love about Job is that he was transparent. While he did not blame God, he let all his emotions ooze right out of him. He did not try to hold it all on and act like everything was ok. He let everyone know he was frustrated, he was hurt, he did not understand. He questioned God! And eventually God literally showed up! You see, I can’t claim to understand everything that you are going through right now, but I do know that you are never alone. God is with you now, and He will show up when you need Him most.

Many of you know how the story of Job ends. God restores Job physically and financially. But even before that, God restored Job spiritually and emotionally because through his trials, Job experienced God for himself. He said, “I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” Job 42:5 What a wonderful inheritance! As Christians, we have the privilege of experiencing God even in the midst of our hardships. If we allow God to transform us through our trials, he can change us from the inside out…starting with our heart.

I pray that as we walk through trials as wives and moms, God will continue to transform our hearts to make us more like Him. In fact, I was having one of “those days” this past Friday and was letting another mom know that God was teaching me some more valuable lessons, but I was tired of learning that day. She quickly and wittingly responded, “Well, when God quits teaching you and you have no more lessons to learn, he will call you home.” I laughed and said, “Well, I guess I’ll keep learning then.” The truth is I do want God to make my heart more like His…even though the transformation is painful. Because when I am right with God on the inside, I can see God more clearly on the outside. So, here are a few nuggets that I have picked up from my Mom to Mom group that have helped me along the way:

1. My relationship with God on the inside will affect my relationships with my husband and kids.
2. Our children know us well enough to know our hearts.
3. Spiritual heart health—or heart disease—can be contagious.
4. God is in the business of heart transformation—and we should be too.
5. A joyful mom-heart makes a joyful home.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, you love us so much. Thank you for the good times and the times that stretch our faith. Please help us allow you to transform our heart so that we can see you working in us and around us. Please bless us with a joyful mom-heart so that we can be contagious for you this Thanksgiving season. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Verses to consider:
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me.” Psalm 51:10
“For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and all your strength.” Mark 12:30
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24