It has come back once again to my favorite time of year - the holiday season and in particular Thanksiving. I went to church yesterday prepared to hear a "traditional" Thanksgiving sermon and nod my head in agreement that we should all count our blessings and then go on about my day. However, sometimes when you least expect it a simple phrase can get all "up in your business" and start to tear away at your heart walls and reveal changes that need to be made. What my pastor said I have never heard a pastor say before and certainly not from the pulpit! He said that he was reading his Bible and read a scripture verse that he did not like. (As a regular person and not a pastor, I knew from my own experience that in my most honest moments there was actually more than one verse that I did not like and wish was not in the Bible.) So...I was anxious to hear from one of God's Shepherds which one had caused him difficulty. He said it was the one that said, "give thanks in all circumstances". I took the time to find it right then and there (and yes I was still listening!) I believe that this particular phrase is in more than one place but I found it in I Thes. 5:18. He shared with us that he did not like that verse because it was hard to "give thanks in everything". I heartily "amened" that in my head. And yet...when I read the rest of the verse it said, "for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Then his struggle with the verse became more clear because this was not a suggestion but something way more serious - something like a directive for life!
I immediately came up with all kinds of situations in which this would just be an impossible "directive" for my life because there are some really AWFUL things that happen in our lives. This morning I looked a little closer and did a little research. The verse did NOT say "give thanks for everything". Rather, it said "in" everything which changes things immeasurably. God does not tell me that I have to be thankful for bad or hard stuff. Rather, there are all kinds of things I can be thankful to God for - even in the midst of the hard circumstances. Even in the tough season or struggle I can be grateful to God for His presence, His mercy, His compassion, His comfort, His strength, and the list goes on and on.
That epiphany made the next part of my pastor's sermon make so much more sense. He said that people who are grateful or thankful have lives that are worshipful and demonstrate joy, humility, good stewardship, and generosity. In fact, when I looked up this verse in my commentary it said, "Thanklessness is a trait of unbelievers". Suddenly I "get" the directive for our lives - it was given for "believers". (Now the light bulbs are turning on!!) Can you imagine what a difference it would make in our world if even 10% of "believers" started to "Live Thanksgiving"? The impact would be unbelievable and our world would scarcely resemble the one in which we now abide.
I want to live a life like that but often my own circumstances are the only things on which I focus my attention. Yet...I have seen with my own eyes that kind of person and the fruit that is produced from that kind of living. Her name was Viola and she was my husband's grandmother. I honestly have to say that I have never met another person who "lived Thanksgiving" like she did. She was a small lady in stature with needs that were simple and wants that were few. Yet, her gratitude was HUGE. The simplest of things she treasured and kept in pristine condition. She once gave me her blender (in it's original box) that was many years old. (I knew it to be an early model due to it having a glass pitcher and harvest gold color). That is but one example of how she lived and treated nothing as disposable and took naught for granted. However, I knew that her life had not been an easy one and was filled with much pain and sorrow at various times. She had experienced the loss of a child, her husband had died at a young age, her finances were limited, and she had to raise her teenage son without a dad. Yet, those things were never the topic of conversation or the focus of her life. Joy, humility, good stewardship, and generosity were all traits of her life - all a result of her "living Thanksgiving". The obvious few things that were missing that I fear might be indicative of many of our lives were bitterness, anger, and stinginess. What a great example of someone who lived God's will in this command!
As I bring this writing to a close, I am reminded that Thanksgiving is not to be just one day that we celebrate. Rather, it is to be a lifestyle that we pursue. Saying "thank you" is always a wonderful courtesy and one that we should teach our children by example. However, "living Thanksgiving" is a daily decision that we make moment by moment. Life becomes so much more when we choose to be grateful. I know that firsthand from seeing that kind of life from my precious Grandma Russell. Happy Thanksgiving but even more so, "Happy Thankful Life!"
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Waiting and Whining...
I woke this morning feeling a bit sluggish, foggy, and pretty unmotivated. I found myself wishing that I was farther along in my spiritual maturity and wondering why so many areas of my life showed little signs of victory. I really thought that by this time in my life I would have conquered more and been way more effective in "storming the gates of hell". So...after doing a few tasks and still not feeling any better I picked up my Bible and read a verse in Joshua that literally jumped off the page at me. The background to the verse is that seven tribes of Isrealites came to Joshua and were whining and complaining because they had not received their "land inheritance" yet. All the other tribes were settling in to their new homes but not them. I fully expected Joshua to be a little understanding and see how hard their journey had been and how "unfair" it had been for all of the other tribes to get their inheritance first, and just basically have a little "pity party" with them. However, this is just the exact OPPOSITE of what Joshua said. I quote, "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers has given you?" If I read this correctly I do not see a hug or kleenex anywhere in the story. Rather I see a challenge. If I could paraphrase Joshua here I think he said, "Quit your whining and get busy claiming that which God has already given you!! If you want your inheritance - go get it!!" (So much for my "poor me" mentality today.)
Joshua refused to give in to their "poor me" mentality. He acknowledged that what they said was true - they did not have their land yet. However, he placed the responsibility for that fact squarely on their shoulders. He brought to their attention that they were the ones waiting to begin - not God. Granted the job would not be easy but they had been promised that God would go before them and had already given them the victory.
God has designed our lives so that we can be victors and overcomers. He challenges us to live lives of great conquests. Phillip Keller in his book, Joshua, Mighty Warrior and Man of Faith said, "He (God) calls all of us away from despair and defeat. Like Joshua, Christ challenges us to enter new territory, to overcome the enemy, to clear the ground of our lives from the undergrowth of this world. He stirs us to seek higher ground, to enter the rich abundant life He offers, to find repose and contentment in Him."
Too often in my life I have lived just the opposite of this. I have been easily defeated and discouraged. But that is not to be my destiny - my "lot in life". So...I hear the call to victory this morning. Part of the reason I am not where I want to be lies within my own reach. Over and over again in Scripture I see examples of men and women who stepped up to the challenge. With God they "overcame" all kinds of impossible situations and did amazing things for the kingdom. These were not "special" but rather ordinary people (just like you and me) who believed God and trusted Him completely when He said to do something. Paul said something about that kind of life in Phillipians. He encourages us with these words, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is not a verse for the whiners and complainers. Sounds to me like a bugle call to begin an amazing life!!
Joshua refused to give in to their "poor me" mentality. He acknowledged that what they said was true - they did not have their land yet. However, he placed the responsibility for that fact squarely on their shoulders. He brought to their attention that they were the ones waiting to begin - not God. Granted the job would not be easy but they had been promised that God would go before them and had already given them the victory.
God has designed our lives so that we can be victors and overcomers. He challenges us to live lives of great conquests. Phillip Keller in his book, Joshua, Mighty Warrior and Man of Faith said, "He (God) calls all of us away from despair and defeat. Like Joshua, Christ challenges us to enter new territory, to overcome the enemy, to clear the ground of our lives from the undergrowth of this world. He stirs us to seek higher ground, to enter the rich abundant life He offers, to find repose and contentment in Him."
Too often in my life I have lived just the opposite of this. I have been easily defeated and discouraged. But that is not to be my destiny - my "lot in life". So...I hear the call to victory this morning. Part of the reason I am not where I want to be lies within my own reach. Over and over again in Scripture I see examples of men and women who stepped up to the challenge. With God they "overcame" all kinds of impossible situations and did amazing things for the kingdom. These were not "special" but rather ordinary people (just like you and me) who believed God and trusted Him completely when He said to do something. Paul said something about that kind of life in Phillipians. He encourages us with these words, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is not a verse for the whiners and complainers. Sounds to me like a bugle call to begin an amazing life!!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Wilderness Living
I am not by any means a "city girl" having been raised in the marshlands of the Gulf Coast of Texas. Therefore, I am no stranger to hard work,livestock, gardens, canning, yardwork, etc... However, I am not one of those people who enjoy what I would consider "harsh or extreme" conditions. I don't do creepy, crawly critters and when something slithers across my path my "snake dance" is a sight to behold! I recently saw a TV show where some guy gets dropped off in the middle of nowhere and then has to survive on various bugs, drink weird stuff, and sleep in cramped and cold places. All I have to say to that is "No thank you!" I love the outdoors but give me the closest Lodge or Holiday Inn at the end of the day and I am just fine with that.
I don't seek out hardships and in fact, want to avoid them if at all possible. However, it interesting that I sometimes find myself in the wilderness in spite of my best efforts to avoid that very place. Not physically, but sometimes emotionally and/or spiritually. I was reading in Luke Ch. 4 how Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit where for 40 days He was tempted by the devil. This came right after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. After having visited the Holy Land I got a whole new appreciation for what the desert or the wilderness really looks like. Desolate is the best word I can think to describe the utter barrenness or "lack of life" that I saw. Miles and mile of rocks, dirt, and sand made it appear that no life could be sustained there. Yet this was the place Jesus was instructed to go. This was the place satan sought to derail Jesus from his work and mission. The devil wanted to "tempt Jesus to forsake His love for the Father and take shortcuts to accomplish what God sent Him to do."
As a wife and mother I am often tempted to take "shortcuts" too. In fact, I think I am the "shortcut queen". I hate tasks or anything (like puzzles and math problems) that takes a really long time. My husband is so very meticulous and patient and I am the complete opposite. We have this joke when we have a long and arduous task before us where he says, "A task worth doing is worth doing right." I answer, "I can do it wrong 10 times and finally get it right in the amount of time it took you to do it once." (All said in love of course!) I have the patience of a 3 yr. old most days so "finding the loophole" or "way out" is a big temptation for me. The reason is either the task feels to big for me to handle or because my purpose seems vague and unimportant. Some days just the "sameness and repetition" of preparing meals "again", washing the same clothes "again", and cleaning house "again" can feel boring and less than meaningful. I wonder if all of the things I am trying to accomplish will have any lasting value. It feels very wilderness - dry and dusty and hot and no relief in sight!
I read the following verse and it shed great light on possible "why wilderness living occurs". Deut. 8:2 says, "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these 40 years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands." This struck me like a bolt of lightning. God sometimes puts me in a hard situation to find out what is in my heart and just how much "fruit of the Spirit" is going to come out when I get "squeezed". I wish I could say that I had reached a stage of maturity where God finds nothing but good in my heart and the only thing seen is peace, love, joy, patience, etc... But alas that is not reality. My goal is not perfection but progress. Some days it looks like progress of a snail but that is still progress! Perfection will not come until the day we are with Jesus but each day I can walk closer with Him and become more like Him.
One final note of encouragement that comes in the next verses in Deut. 8. To paraphrase...the Israelites were in the wilderness and they did get hungry and have regular normal needs. However, God provided them food and their clothes and shoes did not wear out. That tells me that even in the midst of boring, dry, and dusty times - God loves me and cares for me and is very attentive to even my "everyday" needs. So...just like Jesus we need to handle our "shortcut temptations" with God's Word and use it like a weapon. We don't give up or jump ship - just press on to the prize that is before us!
I don't seek out hardships and in fact, want to avoid them if at all possible. However, it interesting that I sometimes find myself in the wilderness in spite of my best efforts to avoid that very place. Not physically, but sometimes emotionally and/or spiritually. I was reading in Luke Ch. 4 how Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit where for 40 days He was tempted by the devil. This came right after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. After having visited the Holy Land I got a whole new appreciation for what the desert or the wilderness really looks like. Desolate is the best word I can think to describe the utter barrenness or "lack of life" that I saw. Miles and mile of rocks, dirt, and sand made it appear that no life could be sustained there. Yet this was the place Jesus was instructed to go. This was the place satan sought to derail Jesus from his work and mission. The devil wanted to "tempt Jesus to forsake His love for the Father and take shortcuts to accomplish what God sent Him to do."
As a wife and mother I am often tempted to take "shortcuts" too. In fact, I think I am the "shortcut queen". I hate tasks or anything (like puzzles and math problems) that takes a really long time. My husband is so very meticulous and patient and I am the complete opposite. We have this joke when we have a long and arduous task before us where he says, "A task worth doing is worth doing right." I answer, "I can do it wrong 10 times and finally get it right in the amount of time it took you to do it once." (All said in love of course!) I have the patience of a 3 yr. old most days so "finding the loophole" or "way out" is a big temptation for me. The reason is either the task feels to big for me to handle or because my purpose seems vague and unimportant. Some days just the "sameness and repetition" of preparing meals "again", washing the same clothes "again", and cleaning house "again" can feel boring and less than meaningful. I wonder if all of the things I am trying to accomplish will have any lasting value. It feels very wilderness - dry and dusty and hot and no relief in sight!
I read the following verse and it shed great light on possible "why wilderness living occurs". Deut. 8:2 says, "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these 40 years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands." This struck me like a bolt of lightning. God sometimes puts me in a hard situation to find out what is in my heart and just how much "fruit of the Spirit" is going to come out when I get "squeezed". I wish I could say that I had reached a stage of maturity where God finds nothing but good in my heart and the only thing seen is peace, love, joy, patience, etc... But alas that is not reality. My goal is not perfection but progress. Some days it looks like progress of a snail but that is still progress! Perfection will not come until the day we are with Jesus but each day I can walk closer with Him and become more like Him.
One final note of encouragement that comes in the next verses in Deut. 8. To paraphrase...the Israelites were in the wilderness and they did get hungry and have regular normal needs. However, God provided them food and their clothes and shoes did not wear out. That tells me that even in the midst of boring, dry, and dusty times - God loves me and cares for me and is very attentive to even my "everyday" needs. So...just like Jesus we need to handle our "shortcut temptations" with God's Word and use it like a weapon. We don't give up or jump ship - just press on to the prize that is before us!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
2010 - The Year of the Do-Over
One of my grown children received a board game this past Christmas. I shook my head in delight as I listened to four of them gathered around the game laughing, plotting, and occasionally accusing someone of "playing by a different set of rules." It reminded me of those family games long ago of "Chutes and Ladders", "Pretty, Pretty Princess", "Monopoly" or outside games like "Horse" and "21". The one "constant" in almost every game was at some point something would go wrong. The dice would roll off the table or the basketball would hit a rock in the driveway, the youngest child would trip into whatever game board, or some other mishap would occur. The words "I get a do-over" would be yelled immediately. At that point some discussion as to whether the offense merited a "do-over" would take place. If the mishap was legitimate - the "do-over" was granted. However, if the request was made simply because the player did not like the number on the dice, the answer would be no. At that point, life lessons about working through things that don't work out the way you hoped were learned!
As I pondered this new year and the beginning of a new decade I could not resist the temptation to look back over the last 10 years. First, I was overwhelmed at how much LIFE had happened in ten years. It felt like long days at the moment but now it seems that time flew like light years. In the past decade I definitely saw God's hand loving me, blessing me, and teaching me. There was such a mixture of mountain tops and valleys, the thrilling and the very mundane, and also great joys and incredible sorrows. There were those instances where I could honestly say "I got this right" and was so proud of my decision, action, reaction, etc... However, there were also those times of opportunities missed, less than brilliant decisions, and behavior that did not exactly portray the "love of Christ". There were many victories but not nearly as many as I had hoped. Like the children when things did not go exactly right - the words "Can I have a do-over?" kept coming to mind.
The reality is that we can never go back and change history. That decade is gone and there is no time machine to go backwards and do it over again. However, I also know that my past does not have to dictate my future. 2010 is the perfect time to start again. In Joel 2:25 it says, "I will restore to you the years the locusts have eaten" or another version says, "I will give you back what was lost". The word that came to mind immediately was "redeemed". Webster defines redeem as "to offset the bad effect of or to buy back". So...all those decisions that were not so great or not being as far along in my spiritual walk as I think I should be - can all be redeemed. God can take my "not so great track record" and somehow use it for good. 2010 is brand new and just chock full of opportunities to allow God to offset the bad effect of. Therefore, as I look back my prayer for my future is that God would redeem my past and allow me to start again. Now that is the best "do over" anyone could ever receive!
As I pondered this new year and the beginning of a new decade I could not resist the temptation to look back over the last 10 years. First, I was overwhelmed at how much LIFE had happened in ten years. It felt like long days at the moment but now it seems that time flew like light years. In the past decade I definitely saw God's hand loving me, blessing me, and teaching me. There was such a mixture of mountain tops and valleys, the thrilling and the very mundane, and also great joys and incredible sorrows. There were those instances where I could honestly say "I got this right" and was so proud of my decision, action, reaction, etc... However, there were also those times of opportunities missed, less than brilliant decisions, and behavior that did not exactly portray the "love of Christ". There were many victories but not nearly as many as I had hoped. Like the children when things did not go exactly right - the words "Can I have a do-over?" kept coming to mind.
The reality is that we can never go back and change history. That decade is gone and there is no time machine to go backwards and do it over again. However, I also know that my past does not have to dictate my future. 2010 is the perfect time to start again. In Joel 2:25 it says, "I will restore to you the years the locusts have eaten" or another version says, "I will give you back what was lost". The word that came to mind immediately was "redeemed". Webster defines redeem as "to offset the bad effect of or to buy back". So...all those decisions that were not so great or not being as far along in my spiritual walk as I think I should be - can all be redeemed. God can take my "not so great track record" and somehow use it for good. 2010 is brand new and just chock full of opportunities to allow God to offset the bad effect of. Therefore, as I look back my prayer for my future is that God would redeem my past and allow me to start again. Now that is the best "do over" anyone could ever receive!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The Best Christmas Present I Ever Received
I love Christmas for many reasons but one in particular is that I love to give gifts. It is a thrill to watch someone’s face light up when you surprise him or her with something wonderful. While giving is great fun I have to admit that receiving them is not too bad either! Because of my love for this part of the holiday I have learned that Christmas presents come in three categories. Some are awesome and are just what you wanted Other gifts are in the “ok” category and are nice but just do not evoke that “WOW” emotion. Then there are those gifts that you receive (and hopefully never give) that…well you wonder what in the world that person was thinking when they purchased that item. However, those kinds of gifts make for great stories and also are the perfect thing for “white elephant” parties. The key here though is to make sure that the person who gave you that present is not at that party!!
The gift I write about today is not one that we would exchange and in fact has to be the BEST Christmas present in the whole world. It was our daughter, Rosemary who is celebrating her 20th birthday on Christmas. Her story is beautiful, amazing, funny, and filled with awe – just as she is. So…here is her story.
You would think that the story would begin on December 25, 1989 on the day she was born but so many things happened before her birth that the whole story requires telling. One of the most amazing sagas of her story happened in late May or early June. I was just about 8 or 9 weeks pregnant and with two small boys in tow, tired and sick most of the time. On one early summer hot afternoon, after a full morning of entertaining two boys age 4 and 2, I was exhausted. After putting the boys down for their nap I decided to take one also. I fell asleep on our bed on my back with my arms stretched over my head (which is something I never do) – right under our ceiling fan in our bedroom. Sleep quickly overcame me. Suddenly I heard one of the boys cry out in a loud voice, “Mom” and I reached forward with my right arm to get up. At that instant, our ceiling fan fell from the ceiling directly on to my stomach. The only thing shielding our baby was my arm and hand that had come across my body as I started to get up. When I disentangled myself from the fan and cleared my head from the shock of having a fan fall from the ceiling, I went to check on the boys. They were both sound asleep in their beds! I stood there dumbfounded because I knew someone had cried out and awakened me just before the fan fell. If that had not happened I would have taken the full blow and weight of that fan on my abdomen. I knew then that God had protected not only me but also our unborn baby from that crazy accident. The only injury I sustained was a bruised arm and hand from the heavy fan. We knew then this child was going to be something special.
Compared to the story of the fan, the rest of the pregnancy was pretty uneventful except the waiting and wondering about whether this was a boy or a girl. We had two boys and secretly I hoped for a girl but I was scared because I only knew how to raise boys. Girl’s hair and ribbons and frilly things scared me. I knew how to play football, basketball, and baseball but knew nothing of dolls and dress-up. I guess the anxiety began to translate into bad dreams. One night when my family had arrived for thanksgiving I got the turkey ready for the oven before I went to bed. I dreamed that night that I gave birth to not a baby but a turkey neck. I guess pulling all of the giblets and neck out of the turkey somehow traumatized me!!
The holidays were upon us and we had no baby yet. None of our children have been born on time or even near my due date. So…two weeks past the due date my mom and dad arrived. I felt like I was under a microscope all of the time. I was allowed to do very little so that made the waiting even longer. Christmas morning arrived and the boys got to open all of the gifts and we had a grand time with them. My mother and dad decided to stay home and get lunch completed while we went to the 10:00 church service. Before we left I began to feel a little weird but nothing I could say was labor. Sitting through church with two toddlers on Christmas morning is a challenge but being nine plus months pregnant adds a whole new element to the service. Just as the opening music started, I began to feel some serious pain. As the service continued, the pains got stronger and closer together. I let my husband know what was going on but I also knew that we have never left a church service early – we wait until the final chord has been played. Waiting would not usually be a big deal because children take a long time to be born. However, our 2nd son has been born in less than three hours from the first pain until the first cry and we had to drive to Little Rock. Finally, I leaned over and told him that unless we wanted to be on TV for delivering a baby in the middle of church perhaps we should leave NOW!! We left early that day! Everyone around us was a little nervous too. Seeing a very pregnant women, a harried husband, and two toddlers leaving in the middle of church must mean that something serious is about to happen.
We arrived home just as my mother was taking the turkey out of the oven. We told them we had to go to the hospital. My father asked if we could at least wait until we had lunch and I told him that even though mom was a nurse I did not think the pecan pie would be worth the wait. So…with my father looking longingly at his Christmas lunch on the table we left for Little Rock. We arrived and got settled into a room and the labor promptly STOPPED! I could not believe it (and neither could my dad). They walked me up and down the halls but nothing seemed to help. Finally, things started up again. After much time and effort the doctor announced that we had a baby GIRL! I could not believe my ears. What a wonderful gift we had received. After the pictures were taken and everyone got to hold her we all realized we were starving. The cafeteria was closed and no restaurants were open. So my poor husband drives all around until he finds a gas station that is open and he brought back cheese balls for our dinner. To this day, my dad tells everyone that his granddaughter caused him to eat stale cheese balls for his Christmas dinner when there was a feast waiting for him that we had plenty of time to savor and enjoy.
Late that evening in our room, holding our precious Christmas gift, I looked down on the hospital grounds at the manger scene bathed in a beautiful glow. I could not help but think of Mary and Joseph and the precious gift they (and all humanity) had been given on that Christmas night. The uniqueness of a Christmas baby was an awe-inspiring treasure. Words can’t really do justice to the wonder that we felt. Our boys overheard someone say something about how terrible it was that our baby was born on Christmas. They promptly turned around and told them that their sister had the best birthday of anyone – she had Jesus’ birthday. Out of the mouths of babes….
Since that day, Rosemary has grown to be a beautiful and amazing young woman. We have celebrated many birthdays – always at 8:00 at night on Christmas day. We are so proud of her – not just for all of her accomplishments but because of who she is. She is a delight and we are so grateful for the gift that she was and is to us. Happy 20th birthday, Rosemary. May God bless you with many more – you are the best Christmas present anyone could have ever received.
The gift I write about today is not one that we would exchange and in fact has to be the BEST Christmas present in the whole world. It was our daughter, Rosemary who is celebrating her 20th birthday on Christmas. Her story is beautiful, amazing, funny, and filled with awe – just as she is. So…here is her story.
You would think that the story would begin on December 25, 1989 on the day she was born but so many things happened before her birth that the whole story requires telling. One of the most amazing sagas of her story happened in late May or early June. I was just about 8 or 9 weeks pregnant and with two small boys in tow, tired and sick most of the time. On one early summer hot afternoon, after a full morning of entertaining two boys age 4 and 2, I was exhausted. After putting the boys down for their nap I decided to take one also. I fell asleep on our bed on my back with my arms stretched over my head (which is something I never do) – right under our ceiling fan in our bedroom. Sleep quickly overcame me. Suddenly I heard one of the boys cry out in a loud voice, “Mom” and I reached forward with my right arm to get up. At that instant, our ceiling fan fell from the ceiling directly on to my stomach. The only thing shielding our baby was my arm and hand that had come across my body as I started to get up. When I disentangled myself from the fan and cleared my head from the shock of having a fan fall from the ceiling, I went to check on the boys. They were both sound asleep in their beds! I stood there dumbfounded because I knew someone had cried out and awakened me just before the fan fell. If that had not happened I would have taken the full blow and weight of that fan on my abdomen. I knew then that God had protected not only me but also our unborn baby from that crazy accident. The only injury I sustained was a bruised arm and hand from the heavy fan. We knew then this child was going to be something special.
Compared to the story of the fan, the rest of the pregnancy was pretty uneventful except the waiting and wondering about whether this was a boy or a girl. We had two boys and secretly I hoped for a girl but I was scared because I only knew how to raise boys. Girl’s hair and ribbons and frilly things scared me. I knew how to play football, basketball, and baseball but knew nothing of dolls and dress-up. I guess the anxiety began to translate into bad dreams. One night when my family had arrived for thanksgiving I got the turkey ready for the oven before I went to bed. I dreamed that night that I gave birth to not a baby but a turkey neck. I guess pulling all of the giblets and neck out of the turkey somehow traumatized me!!
The holidays were upon us and we had no baby yet. None of our children have been born on time or even near my due date. So…two weeks past the due date my mom and dad arrived. I felt like I was under a microscope all of the time. I was allowed to do very little so that made the waiting even longer. Christmas morning arrived and the boys got to open all of the gifts and we had a grand time with them. My mother and dad decided to stay home and get lunch completed while we went to the 10:00 church service. Before we left I began to feel a little weird but nothing I could say was labor. Sitting through church with two toddlers on Christmas morning is a challenge but being nine plus months pregnant adds a whole new element to the service. Just as the opening music started, I began to feel some serious pain. As the service continued, the pains got stronger and closer together. I let my husband know what was going on but I also knew that we have never left a church service early – we wait until the final chord has been played. Waiting would not usually be a big deal because children take a long time to be born. However, our 2nd son has been born in less than three hours from the first pain until the first cry and we had to drive to Little Rock. Finally, I leaned over and told him that unless we wanted to be on TV for delivering a baby in the middle of church perhaps we should leave NOW!! We left early that day! Everyone around us was a little nervous too. Seeing a very pregnant women, a harried husband, and two toddlers leaving in the middle of church must mean that something serious is about to happen.
We arrived home just as my mother was taking the turkey out of the oven. We told them we had to go to the hospital. My father asked if we could at least wait until we had lunch and I told him that even though mom was a nurse I did not think the pecan pie would be worth the wait. So…with my father looking longingly at his Christmas lunch on the table we left for Little Rock. We arrived and got settled into a room and the labor promptly STOPPED! I could not believe it (and neither could my dad). They walked me up and down the halls but nothing seemed to help. Finally, things started up again. After much time and effort the doctor announced that we had a baby GIRL! I could not believe my ears. What a wonderful gift we had received. After the pictures were taken and everyone got to hold her we all realized we were starving. The cafeteria was closed and no restaurants were open. So my poor husband drives all around until he finds a gas station that is open and he brought back cheese balls for our dinner. To this day, my dad tells everyone that his granddaughter caused him to eat stale cheese balls for his Christmas dinner when there was a feast waiting for him that we had plenty of time to savor and enjoy.
Late that evening in our room, holding our precious Christmas gift, I looked down on the hospital grounds at the manger scene bathed in a beautiful glow. I could not help but think of Mary and Joseph and the precious gift they (and all humanity) had been given on that Christmas night. The uniqueness of a Christmas baby was an awe-inspiring treasure. Words can’t really do justice to the wonder that we felt. Our boys overheard someone say something about how terrible it was that our baby was born on Christmas. They promptly turned around and told them that their sister had the best birthday of anyone – she had Jesus’ birthday. Out of the mouths of babes….
Since that day, Rosemary has grown to be a beautiful and amazing young woman. We have celebrated many birthdays – always at 8:00 at night on Christmas day. We are so proud of her – not just for all of her accomplishments but because of who she is. She is a delight and we are so grateful for the gift that she was and is to us. Happy 20th birthday, Rosemary. May God bless you with many more – you are the best Christmas present anyone could have ever received.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Homecoming
I just love “homecomings”! I am not referring to those football or basketball games where folks return to their Alma Maters and see old classmates. Those are good and fun but not nearly as good as what I am about to describe. I have had 3 of my children serving in missions on the other side of the world for the past four months. One was in Freetown, Sierra Leone and the other two were in Santiago, Chile. They left a day apart and returned a day apart. Thus, in the past 36 hours I have had the privilege of celebrating two homecomings! The month of December at the Wright household has NOT been counted in “how many days ‘till Christmas” but rather “how many days until Zach, Ashley, and Erik come home”. So…I have tried to do the things I needed to do in the past week or so but always keeping an eye on the day and time. I continually prayed for their safe travel and for everything to be on time with no weather delays, etc… I started buying the groceries, washing anything that needed freshening up, and doing anything I thought might “get ready” for the big day. Zach and Ashley arrived first at 8:00 a.m. this past Tuesday. That meant driving through rush hour traffic to get to the gate on time. Fortunately for the other drivers on the road that morning, my husband drove. I fear that if I had driven and someone had gotten in my way that “seeing the love of Christ” might not have been the first thing the other driver would have noticed! That sounds terrible to say but I know there are lots of moms out there who certainly understand! We made it on time and all was well except the plane was there but we waited and waited and waited and they still did not come. They have security guards now that keep you from going to the gate, but I confess that if five more minutes had passed I think I could have taken them and made it to the gate before they caught up with me to stop me! Fortunately for everyone involved, we finally saw them coming around the corner. Then the real celebration started! Hugs, tears, laughter, everyone talking at once – chaos at its finest was the accurate description of the scene.
Next day, thirty-six hours later Erik is due to arrive. We had a production rehearsal (final rehearsal before performance - so this is a really big deal) that was scheduled to be over at 8:45 p.m. His plan was due at 8:50 p.m. and the airport was 40 minutes away. We stayed until the last possible moment. Then the Wright gang ended up coming to the airport in three different vehicles leaving at various moments apart as soon as they could be dismissed. We all made it on time – bailing out of vehicles and leaving the driver to fend for himself as to parking and even money to park! And again…we waited and waited and waited. Some crazy “arrival / departure monitor screen” had the nerve to say the plane was not due in until 10:00 p.m. but another one said it had landed. That was a little confusing and once again thoughts of taking on security began to form in my head. However, Erik texted me to say the plane had landed and he would be there soon. Once again, jail time was averted! The scene from the previous day was repeated – joy, excitement, tears, love, laughter, and all around craziness! True celebration if there ever was a celebration!
I want to bed last night with my heart so full of gratitude and love. There was total and complete joy at seeing my children HOME! This morning I was reminded that what I experienced was just a small taste of what our Heavenly Father feels when one of his children comes home. In fact, there is a great story in Luke 15 about this very thing. This particular son did not leave home to go on the mission field but rather wanted to go out and experience all of the things he thought he was missing out on. So he takes his inheritance and goes to a distant country. The scripture tells us that he squandered his wealth on “wild living”. Then there was a famine. (This is a “by the way” but isn’t it interesting that a famine of the soul usually occurs after we decide life on the wild side is worth trying.) The son got so hungry that he did things he never would have thought he would do. But the story does not end there. Luke 15:17-19, “when he came to his senses…he said, I will set out and go back to my father…I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men”. Simply put, he wanted to go home but did not think he could be anything more than a servant. My favorite part of the story comes next. V.20 “But while he (the son) was still a long way off his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Then they celebrated and threw a big party! While my children were gone for different reasons than the one in the parable, the homecoming was still very similar. Just like me, the father was watching and waiting and counting the moments and started running when only a speck of them became visible. Then the joy and the party and the gratitude and the chaos began and continued for a long time.
Christmas is the best time for homecomings! John tells us “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The big “why did He do this” is so that we could go home. Without Jesus, we had no way to make that possible. He gave us the gift in Himself for us to be able to go home. Often the struggle for mankind to accept this simple idea usually takes on one of two issues. The first says, I can get my act together enough and be good enough and do enough good stuff to be able to go home on my own merit.” The other says, “I have done too much bad stuff and therefore I will never be worthy of getting to go home.” Neither of those two ideas is right or true. We can never be good enough to earn it by ourselves nor can we ever be bad enough to be beyond help or hope. So…this Christmas come home! Don’t worry about where you have been and what you have done or if you deserve anything. Just come home. The Father is standing on the front porch looking and watching and waiting and ready to welcome you HOME! He is ready for a BIG party and…He has His running shoes on!
Next day, thirty-six hours later Erik is due to arrive. We had a production rehearsal (final rehearsal before performance - so this is a really big deal) that was scheduled to be over at 8:45 p.m. His plan was due at 8:50 p.m. and the airport was 40 minutes away. We stayed until the last possible moment. Then the Wright gang ended up coming to the airport in three different vehicles leaving at various moments apart as soon as they could be dismissed. We all made it on time – bailing out of vehicles and leaving the driver to fend for himself as to parking and even money to park! And again…we waited and waited and waited. Some crazy “arrival / departure monitor screen” had the nerve to say the plane was not due in until 10:00 p.m. but another one said it had landed. That was a little confusing and once again thoughts of taking on security began to form in my head. However, Erik texted me to say the plane had landed and he would be there soon. Once again, jail time was averted! The scene from the previous day was repeated – joy, excitement, tears, love, laughter, and all around craziness! True celebration if there ever was a celebration!
I want to bed last night with my heart so full of gratitude and love. There was total and complete joy at seeing my children HOME! This morning I was reminded that what I experienced was just a small taste of what our Heavenly Father feels when one of his children comes home. In fact, there is a great story in Luke 15 about this very thing. This particular son did not leave home to go on the mission field but rather wanted to go out and experience all of the things he thought he was missing out on. So he takes his inheritance and goes to a distant country. The scripture tells us that he squandered his wealth on “wild living”. Then there was a famine. (This is a “by the way” but isn’t it interesting that a famine of the soul usually occurs after we decide life on the wild side is worth trying.) The son got so hungry that he did things he never would have thought he would do. But the story does not end there. Luke 15:17-19, “when he came to his senses…he said, I will set out and go back to my father…I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men”. Simply put, he wanted to go home but did not think he could be anything more than a servant. My favorite part of the story comes next. V.20 “But while he (the son) was still a long way off his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Then they celebrated and threw a big party! While my children were gone for different reasons than the one in the parable, the homecoming was still very similar. Just like me, the father was watching and waiting and counting the moments and started running when only a speck of them became visible. Then the joy and the party and the gratitude and the chaos began and continued for a long time.
Christmas is the best time for homecomings! John tells us “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The big “why did He do this” is so that we could go home. Without Jesus, we had no way to make that possible. He gave us the gift in Himself for us to be able to go home. Often the struggle for mankind to accept this simple idea usually takes on one of two issues. The first says, I can get my act together enough and be good enough and do enough good stuff to be able to go home on my own merit.” The other says, “I have done too much bad stuff and therefore I will never be worthy of getting to go home.” Neither of those two ideas is right or true. We can never be good enough to earn it by ourselves nor can we ever be bad enough to be beyond help or hope. So…this Christmas come home! Don’t worry about where you have been and what you have done or if you deserve anything. Just come home. The Father is standing on the front porch looking and watching and waiting and ready to welcome you HOME! He is ready for a BIG party and…He has His running shoes on!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Perfect Gift
This time of year I sometimes hear folks lamenting the "gift buying chores" and how they hate shopping. The day after Thanksgiving is even called Black Friday. Sounds kind of terrible if you ask me. I don't see it that way at all because this is my most super favorite and exciting time of the year. I LOVE Christmas!! I love the sights, the sounds, the excitement, and definitely the tastes. But...I really love the gifts. That is definitely my "love language" and boy do I "speak" this time of year. I love listening to my family and friends for that little thing they said in passing and then surprising them with it. You know those things they thought was either no big deal or way too bothersome for someone to notice their want or need. Now, don't get me wrong - I love to get gifts but I soooo love giving them. I am just about to explode this time of year because it kills me to keep all of the secrets and I can't wait for the recipient to open them! I have to admit that not every gift is awesome and amazing. Those are rare but boy when they come they are so fun!
The interesting thing about gifts is that they don't have to be expensive to be amazing. One of my most favorite gifts that I have received was a cassette tape. My precious husband had put together a collection of all of "our songs" and recorded it onto this tape. I literally wore that thing out. I still have it - even though it no longer works. The only expense involved was some time and the cassette tape itself. However, that gift was priceless because of what it represented - a way to show love to me.
God knows all about that kind of gift. He gave the greatest love gift - His Son. Only this gift was very costly - not in the way the world measures cost but in the way that really matters. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life." Just saying that is more than my mind can wrap around. I love giving gifts but I have to be honest, I don't know that I love anyone that much. Fortunately for all of us, God does love that much. He knew exactly what we needed and was willing to spare no expense.
So this Christmas as you are out shopping - ask for God's perspective. Rather than being irritated or stressed by all of it - ask for God's guidance and aid as you shop. Ask Him to give you insight into the "real needs" of each recipient so that they are "blessed" incredibly. You may even be surprised to find that you can stay easily within your Christmas budget this year. And...like God, you meet needs in a special and unique way that will never be forgotten.
Merry Christmas and Happy Gift Giving.
The interesting thing about gifts is that they don't have to be expensive to be amazing. One of my most favorite gifts that I have received was a cassette tape. My precious husband had put together a collection of all of "our songs" and recorded it onto this tape. I literally wore that thing out. I still have it - even though it no longer works. The only expense involved was some time and the cassette tape itself. However, that gift was priceless because of what it represented - a way to show love to me.
God knows all about that kind of gift. He gave the greatest love gift - His Son. Only this gift was very costly - not in the way the world measures cost but in the way that really matters. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life." Just saying that is more than my mind can wrap around. I love giving gifts but I have to be honest, I don't know that I love anyone that much. Fortunately for all of us, God does love that much. He knew exactly what we needed and was willing to spare no expense.
So this Christmas as you are out shopping - ask for God's perspective. Rather than being irritated or stressed by all of it - ask for God's guidance and aid as you shop. Ask Him to give you insight into the "real needs" of each recipient so that they are "blessed" incredibly. You may even be surprised to find that you can stay easily within your Christmas budget this year. And...like God, you meet needs in a special and unique way that will never be forgotten.
Merry Christmas and Happy Gift Giving.
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