Christmas Preparations

This year preparing for Christmas has been haunting me.  Thanksgiving came quickly this year and although I was thinking of Christmas I wasn't quite ready to begin the Advent celebration.  The burning of our fifth child's birth came quickly also, answering my cries to Christ that he, my boy child, come while our daddy was home rather than away.  


Ann Voskamp put out a great Jesse Tree collection this year that I was ready to print and start and had no paper or toner in either printer.  If you know me you know I don't like to get behind on things and I was irritated that I was unable to start on the Advent weekend.  I can't get behind because I fail to catch up. The days pass quickly with the warming of the sun on the grass then it fading into the West casting shadows on the backyard while their feet leave imprints in the grass, small yet growing prints.


How could I capture the Christmas spirit without all the "tools" in my arsenal to teach my little ones about Jesus and His glorious birth.  They are so small that often I wonder if their hearts even truly receive my spoken words but I know God's word does not return void and their gentle, quiet spirits breath Him in as they were designed to do and they somehow grow to know Him.  


Do I need tools?  Is the Jesse Tree the only way to show them Jesus this Christmas?  Can we discover Christ's love for us without the tree, the lights, the advent calendar, the cold as our weather has been exceptionally warm here?  I heard God faintly whisper, YES, I AM.


Through words; spoken, read, prayed, breathed, repeated, posted, and whispered to each other we can see Jesus amidst the Christmas doing.  

Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated, “The Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth. He needs his brother as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation.”

It is in the shadows oft his truth that we find, feel, see, touch, and experience Jesus this Christmas.  We remind each other of what Christmas is all about when we speak of the God child sent by God to be our hope and salvation.  My prayer becomes that my children experience these conversations concerning God's Word with us. That they explore God's unending grace, love, and divine plan through the teaching of words about Him.  

We've since put up the tree, the lights sparkling around our cross outside posted to the front of the house as a beacon of hope, our Christmas cards done and sent expressing God's Love for His people this year.  We've begun reading books about Jesus, talking and praying about Christmas, and seeking to find Him this holiday in places we have not yet searched.  

One Thousand Gifts

Thankfulness.  Still after all these months of praising the Lord for the blessings in my life, I find that I often struggle with keeping a positive perspective.  Why is that? Why am I so stubborn?  It reveals to me the depth of the innate darkness that can fill my heart if I am not daily seeking, praying, meditating and breathing in His power and might.

I must think I know something or experience something no one else does in order to preserve my pessimistic attitude. How else can I justify my flawed view of life under God's Grace?

I find it creeps up during the day as the kids get difficult, or when I become aware that my husband might be late, or When I am wiping up the floor for the 15th time that day after someone spills milk, or water, or juice.  I suddenly lose the ability to see my life through a positive perspective, forget I live in a free country, never mind that I can praise my Lord without question, and that happiness is something we enjoy just by living when it comes to a comparison between the US and other countries, or heck my life compared to someone down the street.  Yet, my attitude stinks over the small stuff.  I become complacent regarding the true joys in my life and the abundant blessings God has bestowed, even in my sinfulness.

My hearts longing is that I would find the path to be joyful even amidst the hardest parts of each day, to rise with peace, to move through time with my children with joy and let the difficult or challenging parts of my day roll off without mention, to take them in stride and view them in light of God's amazing Grace.

When I take even just a moment to reflect upon life and its journey through this Grace filled lens I see how absolutely, wonderfully blessed we are and that my challenges and struggles are light in comparison to much greater needs and worries in the world.  Then I consider that in order for my children to attain such a Grace filled perspective I must reflect it to them or they also will grow with the understanding that life, when challenging is not positive, which is so far from the case.  I must model for them the ability to PRAISE God at all times, to see His GLORY in light of all circumstances and to ALWAYS have a heart of praise.

Lord, create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Lead me beside still waters and show me, daily the path to your righteousness so that I might find peace and joy in you.  Keep my eyes looking upward for my happiness rather than around me so that I can overlook the hardships of each day.  Give me your eyes to see and your ears to hear.  Thank you Father for your unending, unconditional Love!
Amen

Blessings
161.  Fall weather which inspires the holiday spirit
162.  Cool mornings, the smell of dew in the air
163.  My precious daughters instant "hi mommy" when she wakes from sleep
164.  Good friends who share God's truth
165.  God's perfect, flawless and inspired word
166.  Scripture's amazing ability to explain itself without error
167.  God's unending promises
168.  The smell of pancakes on Saturday morning
169.  A husband and daddy coming home after several nights away
170.  The joy our children share with one another when excited
171.  3 big brothers saying goodnight to little sister with kisses and hugs
172.  The movement of little brother as he's almost finished forming and preparing for birth
173.  God's perfecting Timing
174.  Sunsets in Arizona
175.  Fresh fallen rain

One Thousand Gifts

Of all the days to express Thanks to the Father for his Blessings and bask in the unmistakable Grace and Mercy He shows me daily.  It started rough, with much ado about getting dressed, wearing shoes, putting on socks, and taking a trip to the grocery store, which is so necessary from time to time! My patience already short before even approaching the sliding doors at the store. Stern warnings extended to small boys encouraging them to obey, listen, stay close, and speak softly (whispers not often accomplished from the excited mouth of babes).  I quickly prayed and asked God to help me find peace and patience while trying to glide quickly through the store with 4 small angels at my side.

It wasn't long before I could tell it wasn't going to go well.  Maybe those around me might think these babes do well in the store but from my point of view as their mother I knew they were testing every limit set before them.  A warning to keep hands to selves, a request to speak softly, a remark to stay still while I bagged some red, delicious apples for them. Isn't it All for THEM?!  And yet, I find that my 36 week pregnant body, my inability to truly bend over and discuss softly into their ear, and their attempt to find my weakness exhausts me to the core.

And yet, I am reminded, I ought not to expect anything else from them.  As I have recently read, yet again, from Ted Tripp "Shepherding a Child's Heart" they are sinners in need of the same savior I seek daily and request assistance from to keep my sinful heart at bay.  They will always need re-direction, they will always seek to test the limit, they will always hear the sterness from my voice and initially reject the limits set before them.  It is in their very nature to defy authority.  And, yet what a huge responsibility I have before me to teach them obedience to myself and their dad while reflecting the obedience I am commanded to God, out of love, that they too might learn to obey God. For it is not their obedience to me that is the end, rather the means to the end which is a LOVE and PASSION for Christ and to serve and obey God. I am only the model in which God uses to teach.

But, even with knowing this truth and seeking to teach them this obedience, passion and love to Christ, I am daily exhausted at times, moments of weakness, a paling of the Joy I ought to find in my task to raise Christ-fearing children.

In this broken moment I find how perfect God's love is.  How He never loses patience, fails to encourage, rises in Unholy anger and I often could although my desire is the opposite.  He beckons me to the cross, makes well my weakness and upholds me when I cannot go another step.  He humbles himself to wash my feet as I sit with tired legs unwilling to move.  He refreshes my very day.

Counting Blessings
140.  The sweetness in my boys even when they are naughty
141.  Their innocence to the need for Christ
142. The laughter they exude even in high volumnes
143. Christ's passion for a mother's ministry
144. Brotherhood among them
145. Learning opportunities (mostly for me)
146. Daily embedding of Christ into their hearts
147. The memorization of God's word
148. The purity of their passion
149. God's unfailing faithfulness
150. Rest (which can only be found in Jesus)
151. Holding her petite frame and pressing my face to her face
152. Blue eyes of a blonde haired boy smiling on moments after discipline
153. Reading books about our Savior and seeing them know Him even now
154. Hearing them sings praises in the car as we go about life together
155. Their squeals as the worker man comes through the door
156. The LIFE daddy brings to our home (as God designed it to be)
157. Moments with Jesus in the glimpses of quiet
158. My heart broken so that it might Grow
159. A warm dinner and candles lit with little faces peering at them
160. The land of the Free

One Thousand Gifts

This morning I started my new book, "31 Days of Praise" by Ruth Myers.  I didn't know what to expect. I had seen it recommended on Voddie's blog several weeks ago.  I decided to go ahead and order it because it sounded so much like what I was already on the path of doing inspired by Ann.

I stole a few quiet moments this morning in the time between breakfast and play with my children.  We were expecting guests so I had to plan accordingly.  Here are my thoughts and my prayers, as led by Ruth, through Christ's endless love and faithfulness.


... give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

~ 1 Thess. 5:18

My Lord thank you for reminding me each day of your unfailing Love, faithfulness, and complete and perfect nature.  I often forget and limit you to those limitations we have as created beings and forget to worship you as the Creator.  For you are the Alpha and Omega, always God from the beginning to the end.  How could I ever imagine putting my hope in anything other than You?  Why do I allow myself to be deceived by the enemy into thinking that I or he, or someone else has anything over You, the Lord God, who loves and comes to us, to be near to us, hold us, and comfort us at all times.  May I not be confused by my insufficient mind concerning your Glory, Deity, Love, Longsuffering, and Faithfulness to us as we find our way back to your heart.

God's Glorious Gifts as our Creator and King:  
Psalm 27:5; 91:1-2; Matthew 6:25-26; Psalm 23:1-2 Isaiah 62:5b; Zephaniah 3:17-18; Psalm 16:5-6; 107:9

132. Strong Shelter
133. Hiding Place
134. Loving Provider
135. Shepherd who guides and protects
136. My Champion who upholds my cause as His child and defends my highest interests
137. Bridegroom who delights in me
138. My God who is Mighty to Save; who rests in His love for me and rejoices over me with singing and shouts of joy.
139. My inheritance, my share in life, the One who satisfies my longing soul and fills my hungry soul with goodness.


Reasons for Praise:  Psalm 57:2; 138:8; 86:5; 103:8; Matthew 22:37; Jeremiah 32:41; Psalm 37:4; 36:7; 63:7

His love
His Wisdom
Acting on my behalf and accomplishing what concerns me and fulfilling your purpose for me as I call on you.
Your deep love
Your Compassion and Grace
Lovingkindness
Forgiveness, patiently considerate and generous
His desire for my love
His Delight in my heart as I delight myself in you


For my friends who may not know Jesus or have been led astray to follow another Jesus clothed in a liars cloth to appear like the King Most High, I beg of you to know Him and our Lord God as the Word teaches Him to be (the Bible).  Seek for Him and you will find Him.  Call out to Him and He will reveal Himself to you.  With a sincere Heart strive to find Him among the lies of the world and religion.  For you cannot be saved of your own power or will but only by the blood of Christ.  He came to fulfill the law that we might be satisfied in Him.  He goes to prepare a place for us and I hope to see you there when He calls us home. 

Makeover of the Heart

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4

Something to remember: "God said He wanted to remove those walls. He wanted to take out that heart and breathe new life into it. He wanted to pour out His love on her, which He so freely gives. He wanted to heal her heart. He asked if she was willing. Would she allow Him to transform her heart?"

The story of Jabez shows us how abundantly God wants to Bless us. He wants to "give us Kisses from the King" and lavish His love upon us. As a requirement for seeking blessings comes the necessity to allow God's will to unfold in our lives as He holds us perfectly balanced in His hands. Blessings do not and will not come in OUR ways but rather His ways. We ought not ever think His blessings come from something we've done or earned but rather just resting in His salvation, through the Cross, and seeking a relationship with Him. It is a two-fold relationship. I disagree slightly with the study in that we can "let go and let God". I do not think this a true reflection of our relationship with Him. We must take hold of spiritual disciplines and inact our part of the relationship with Him in order to be blessed by God. I understand the meaning of the line but think it distracts from the "relationship" part of what we experience as Christians. We trust God, faithfully seek Him and His will, expect hardship as a Christian it is not always an easy road and we do not live in a "safer" place than the world. We just have the ONE who came to save, who holds us upon high, and blesses us abundantly from His will and how He sees fit!

Questions for Thought:

3. What is God revealing to you as you complete this Study?  How much I often don't take hold of my part of the relationship, such as spiritual disciplines through prayer, reading, quiet time, etc.  I let myself be taken by the distractions of the day rather than intentionally pursuing Him.  Yet, I expect somehow to be Blessed by Him. I know that even my salvation is a blessing and that He is blessing me beyond measure even when I fail to have "relationship" with Him.  But, without the relationship with Him I'm missing so much of the daily, simple, yet amazing blessings He gives.

5.  Write down your thoughts about David and Bathsheba and David being a "man after God's own Heart".  We just went over this in church on Sunday some as we talked about our flesh as seen in Joshua 8 and the pitfalls of our sinful nature and God's response to them out of Love and faithfulness.  David allowed his flesh to distract Him from his God and instead of instantly turning and pursuing God he fell to the flesh with Bethsheba.  The lust of his heart distracted him from his relationship with God.  This did not turn God away from Him. God was faithful to David and loved him enough to reveal his sin to him so that he could not continue in it.  David's relationship with God remained as he repaired what he had done and the distance he created.  I know that I do the same thing and day to day hope and pray that I might be rebuild the relationship between my Father and I as I allow myself to be distracted by "things" of this world and the flesh.

You can find the rest of the questions here.