Jesus is Alive!

 Well...here we are again, PTL!! Another December 31st.  WOW...what a year 2020 has been, hasn't it?  We could all write a book, a "novella" about our experiences during this very strange year.  And to think that the struggles have been shared worldwide make it even more bizarre.  Right now, Panama, my country of birth, where most of my family lives, is in lock-down, again...positivity rates are through the roof and the health systems are overwhelmed.  The authorities are at a loss not knowing how to manage the crisis, government corruption is not helping either, and in the meantime, the people are truly suffering.  

My heart aches for Panama.  I don't know what to do ... I feel so helpless ... so homesick ...

And then, I look around, and realize that things are not much better here either. The whole world is in a state of hardship.  People are anxiously waiting for 2020 to end as if just because the year ends, the problems will end with it...as if the New Year would magically bring the resolution, absolution and peace we are all searching for...I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, though.  The new year is not going to be our savior.  2021 is not the one who will bring us the answers we are looking for...sigh...

Just as I sat down to write these rather tormenting thoughts, I opened up the last page of a devotional book I really love, and a little thing Dylan made years ago either at Sunday School or Junior Church slipped out of the back cover...I think it was meant to be a construction paper flower, which once might have been yellow and green, but now is faded and stained.  What still is really clearly visible is the writing that's on it.  In bold letters, it says:  Jesus is Alive.

...pause...truly, truly, pause a moment and let that statement, that declaration resonate in your mind, heart and soul:  Jesus IS Alive!  Say it to yourself many times.  Repeat it silently and allow this truth to permeate you very being...and experience the peace that these proclamation brings...Jesus is Alive...

This is all that matters:  Jesus is Alive.  He was born as a baby in Bethlehem all those centuries ago...but He is still here. He is Alive! And He commands our destiny.  No viruses, no pandemics, no governments, no political instability, no corrupted officials, no fraud, no vaccines, no treatments, none of that is going to bring us salvation, only Jesus can do that.  The peace we are looking for can only be found in Him who IS Peace.  No hope can be found anywhere else but in His Presence...the Presence of the One who IS Hope.

We are the jars of clay...He is the Living Water that fills us up.  He is the River of Peace that sweeps us away into His Presence so we can finally surrender the struggle and rest.

It is my prayer that today, as we say goodbye to a year that has been...challenging...to say the least, we resolve to seek the Face of the One and Only.  And that as we ponder the reality of Him being Alive, that we may discover the peace that only His Presence can bring, and rest in the Hope that only He can provide.  May we all find a reminder today, that Jesus IS, indeed, Alive! In the Precious Name of Our Only Savior, Jesus Our Lord...Our God.  Amen!

Happy New Year!

Captain and Passengers, Vine and Branches

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15: 5

In the Gospel of John, chapter 14, we see Jesus comforting his disciples after He had told them that He was going to be leaving...that entire chapter is one that records profound truths that Jesus revealed to us through His talks to His disciples...then, chapter 15 is another one charged with much revelation, this time, about the nature of our relationship with Him.  He gives us the illustration of the vine:  He is the Vine and we are the branches.  What a marvelous picture! Jesus sure was a great teacher!

As I am trying to get ready for two live zoom sessions for my Winter Term classes, I can´t stop thinking how I wish I could speak to my students in a way that they would understand.  I wish I could have the right examples and illustrations to make the lessons easier and unforgettable.  But, then, I think of my own walk with Jesus, and...how...I am ashamed to admit...I so often either not pay attention to His teachings or just plain forget right after I´ve read it or heard it...

I don´t know how many times I have read John 15:5...and for as many times as I have read it...I have forgotten it.

I keep thinking that I can do all things on my own.  Especially, when things are going well in my life, I tend to forget about my total dependence on Christ and start believing the lie that I actually have it all together.  The truth is, however, I don´t know the first thing about having it all together.  I forget to acknowledge that, in the smooth sailing as well as in the rough seas, I owe it all to Him who commands the winds and the waves!  It´s not me.  It has never been me.  It has always been Him: Jesus, my True and Only North.  He is the One who has always guided the vessel that is my life.  Me?  I´m just a passenger.

O, but, how I like pretending I´m such a great captain.  It´s silly, really. like in the illustration of the Vine and the branches.  It would be as if I, a branch, cut off from the Plant, would pretend to bear fruit just because, when I got severed from it, there happened to be a couple of grapes still hanging in me.  The worst part...that I would believe I could continue to produce fruit afterwards...sigh...

The truth is, I am nothing detached from the Vine...I´m nothing but brush.

If I want a fruitful life, I must live a life of total dependence to the Source...I must remain a branch in the Vine.  Otherwise, well...nothing...

I pray that in this new year that is approaching so very fast, we can realize that only in total dependence we can ever be free and lack nothing.  It sounds like a contradiction, but He is Worthy of our total commitment, worship and praise.  He is the Only One we can trust in this kind of relationship.  We just have to relinquish the wheel.  May we all be able to take that step in 2021.  In the Precious Name of Our Lord and Sustainer, Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Unveiled

 Every morning as soon as I open my eyes, I thank God for allowing me to be able to see a new day.  I don't want to take any day for granted.  I want to be able to see God's goodness all around me.  I want to be able to celebrate His Presence in everything I see.  But, unfortunately, often, I am blinded to what God is doing.  The worries and sorrows of this world become a veil that covers my eyes, keeping me from seeing the truth.

Like in the days of the Old Testament, when a curtain separated humanity from the presence of God, the thick curtains of bad news, illness, pandemic, isolation, financial instability, brokenness, heart ache...and everything else that clutters our minds, are heavily drawn in our souls, covering our eyes, not permitting us to see...making it worst in our hearts as we are veiled from the reality of the Presence of God among us ... believing that only evil and darkness and horror live in the world.

However, we don't have to live like that!  That's precisely why Jesus came to us...to set us free, to liberate us and save us and to rip that curtain apart so there would be nothing separating us from Him and His Love.  But...how quickly we forget...

This is why, as the new year is approaching fast, I want to make sure I make a resolution to open up my eyes and remember that Jesus came to remove the veil and to give me new sight!  I want to resolve to allow my heart to be soft so the Holy Spirit may accomplish His work in me, and let me see His Presence as He holds me by the hand every step of the way.  I want to see the truth of His reality in my life, regardless of the circumstances.  I want to see beyond the problems and worries.  I want to see Him walking with me and holding me, regardless of how rough the path is.

I want to remember that "whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." (2 Corinthians 3: 16) and that... The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3: 17-18)

I pray we can hang on to these words, for they are words of truth and hope!  I pray we can trust in Him, and that we may have unveiled eyes so we can see the Glory of the Lord right here on this earth.  In the Precious Name of Jesus...the One Who Makes Us Free, indeed!  Amen!

Seeking Hope as We Wait

 "My plan was to wake up as late as possible on Christmas eve so the day would be short and I wouldn't have to wait so long for Christmas..." That's what Dylan announced as he walked in the living room today at 11:30ish in the morning.  Looking at him, I noticed the spark in his eyes...it was a precious moment to me...a moment that made my heart smile...a moment that made me realize my 15-year-old son still has the wonder of Christmas living inside of him...and for that, I am most grateful.

Time is a funny thing.  It does not stop or wait for anyone or anything.  It just continues to tick away reminding us of our finite existence on this Earth. We hate waiting...at least I do, and we don't realize that wishing the wait to go away, only makes time more scarce because we've just wasted the wait.  Instead of hating it, why don't we just forget that we are waiting and live in the moment? Why don't we realize that the waiting period is the moment?

It's complicated thinking about time.  It ties one's mind in a tight knot and soon we are just caught up in a sticky web that only makes us even more confused.  That's why this Christmas eve...in a year when life was so weird for the entire world, I just want to simplify things.  I don't want to worry about anything...and I want to remember that life happens while we wait.  I don't want to waist time.  So, I want to seek a way to make the wait count.  As I wait for test results to come back, as I wait for vaccines to become available, as I wait for quarantine to be over, as I wait for things to change, as I wait for Christmas to come, I want to keep my eyes on the moment, and make the wait count.

How do I do that?  By resting in the arms of hope while I wait...for Hope is a Person who never disappoints. 

I want to tell Dylan not to be in such a hurry.  I want to tell him how all will be over in the blink of an eye...but I will not...I will just let him enjoy the excitement of the moment, even if he thinks he doesn't like to wait...and I'll try to make the time memorable, even if it means just giving him an extra long hug.

I pray that this Christmas eve we may all seek and find Hope as we wait...in the Precious Name of Jesus, in Whom our Hope resides.  Amen!

Seeking to Rejoice in Jesus

 When I was a little girl in Panama, December 23rd used to be a day of great rejoicing.  It was a day that marked the reality of Christmas.  It was when I knew Christmas was really here.  And for a child, well, you know, Christmas is, like the movie says, the event which the "entire kid-year revolves around!" 

The reason December 23rd was special is because that used to be the day when our entire neighborhood, the one where I grew up in, would get together at the park that was at the center of it, to celebrate Christmas together.  Completed with a live Nativity Scene, families would bring food to share, everyone would sing Christmas carols, and the kids would play the roles of the characters in the story of Jesus´ birth.  

I have a couple of pictures tattooed in my mind from one of those December 23rds from long ago.  Both pictures are from the same night:  the night my siblings and I were all playing roles in the live Nativity.  My big brother was a wise guy...I mean, one of the Maggi...lol... my big sister was a shepherd and I was the main angel...the one who was inside the stable, standing next to baby Jesus.  That was quite the night.  I might have been barely 5 years old, but I still remember it, mostly thanks to those 2 pictures I´m talking about.  One is of me, bright-eyed, in the middle of the action, inside the stable, between Joseph and Mary...behind the manger...guarding the precious baby Jesus played by a neighborhood infant.  Wow!  What a moment!  The other one, is of me swinging away on one of the park swings, my feet raised up to heaven and my mesh wings flapping in the wind.  I guess, after all that hard work guarding baby Jesus, I needed a respite...

My Mom kept that angel outfit for many, many years.  And she put the pictures in a photo-album, yes, there was such a thing as those books where people used to store actual pictures.  I remember her, once in a while, pulling that photo-album out, looking through the yellowing picture of me swinging away, and merrily saying: "look at this, who has ever seen an angel having so much fun!?" I used to take a look at the angel custom and pictures too, every once in a while...as I wanted to recapture the joy of that night, when I had a front row seat at our neighborhood´s humble re-enactment of the most important event in all history.  I remember how thinking of that wonderful moment used to bring smiles to my face then... just as it still does today.

The angel outfit is gone, but I know the pictures are somewhere here. I looked for them, but I'm afraid I've misplaced them.  I wanted to take a nice look at them again...sigh...this December 23rd, as I see my thoughts cluttered with worry, and feel my shoulders crumble under the burden of stress.  Today, I wanted to reclaim the carefree joy of that night of long ago...but, how?  How does an adult in 2020, dealing with a son who has Covid-19, and with the possibility that everyone in the household is infected, deal with the lost joy of Christmas?

Sigh...

Well...I realize that perhaps, like my pictures, the joy had been misplaced as well.  I must seek for it, but in the right place.  I must come back to the basics: seeking the joy of Jesus.

I have to shift the focus from what I imagined Christmas was supposed to be, and fix my eyes on what Christmas really is: the joy of Jesus, the Emmanuel, God with us.  I praise and thank God for sending His Precious Son to die for me ... and for inviting me to be a part of His Royal Family.  I praise Him and thank Him for giving me opportunities to trust Him, and for being with me as we sail together through whatever waters He decides to take me, knowing fully well that He is with me, and that wherever we go, we go together...for, the Lord tells us through the prophet,

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b

Like that 5 year-old girl of a lifetime ago, I want to swing away my sorrows and worries, and allow the joy of Christmas to fill up my heart again.  I want to seek to rekindle my child-like faith in my Emmanuel.  I wand to be filled with awe and wonder.  I want to be strengthened by the joy of My Lord, for God is really here! I pray all these things for me, and for everyone else, in the Precious Name of Our Redeemer, Savior and Friend, Jesus Our Christ.  Amen! 

Seeking the Path of Peace

 Peace can be very elusive for me.  The idea of "peace like a river" (Isaiah 66: 12) is more like, peace like a dripping faucet to me...Any inconvenience can and will disrupt my peace...and I am tired of living like that.  I don't want to have shaky faith and faulty peace.  I want to let the floodgate of peace to open up and overflow my soul as it continues in a steady stream through whatever life I have left on this Earth...but, how?  How do I find the path to Peace?

As I read a couple of verses tucked in at the end of Luke 1, I notice a tiny word.  The verses are part of Zechariah's song after the birth of his son John.  Zechariah, in his joy, wraps it up saying,

because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1: 78-79)

What a marvelous picture: the "tender mercy of Our God gives us The Rising Sun, Jesus, to guide us into the path OF peace..."

And that's when I noticed the word of.  I looked at that word, and pondered.  It is a preposition.  I hate English prepositions.  They are a nightmare for people who try to learn this language as adults.  We never truly grasp the essence of prepositions, which are small words that express the relationship between words or phrases or ideas in a sentence.  I have a whole pitch about the complexities of English prepositions that I give my students when we study Spanish prepositions...to put things into perspectives.  Don't worry, I won't go into that here.  

My point is, and I think I have one...that, I think I have been looking at the idea of peace from the wrong perspective.  I've been seeing it as if I need to be on the road to peace...when, in reality, I need to be on the road of Peace.  Do you see the difference?  If you are a native speaker of English, you see it, right?  The word to usually expresses the idea of moving towards something...a destination.  Whereas the word of generally indicates connectedness or the idea of belonging (notice how we can't talk without prepositions LOL).

What do I mean by all these?  Well, I've been focusing on peace as a road to a destination to which I never fully arrive, when, Peace is the Road...the Way.

It is the Path of Peace because Jesus is the all compassing idea behind the entire thing:  He is the Way and He is the Peace and He is in me, so I already have Peace...I just don't recognize Him because I keep looking at it as a thing to be obtained or a place to get to, when, He Is!

He IS the Rising Sun of Heaven who has already come to shine His Light into this world of darkness for those living into the shadows of death, so we finally see that He Is the Path of Peace.  Peace is a Person, the Prince of Peace is here, May the Holy Spirit open up our eyes so we can see Him, give thanks and be assured that He is God and that He is Good, for His Love endures forever!  In the Precious Name of Jesus, who said:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Let's seek the Path of Peace this Christmas and every day.  May the troubles we have in this world not disrupt the flow, as we hang on to the truth that Jesus is the Way of Peace.  Amen!

Seeking His Comfort

 Listening to the Pastor preach today about how many, many people do not consider Christmas a fun-joy-filled holiday, and how the song "Blue Christmas" speaks to some aspects of that reality...made me think that Christmas is really a very melancholic time of the year...period...specially for adults.  It doesn't have to be marked by tragedy...but, Christmas has a way of bringing in the blues in us, no matter how hard we try not to.

For me, as an adult, living in a country different than the one where I grew up in, Christmas is always colored on a blue hue due to the fond memories of long ago, which will never, ever come to pass again.  But, so it is the case for someone like Dan, who lives, but a few miles away from the place where he grew up in, still able to call his childhood home, home...Christmas is not the same as it was when he was a kid...so the longing for those who have gone before us and for the traditions that have been left behind is something that also makes him view Christmas through a blue-tinted looking glass.

It's like Christmas magnifies our longing for the comforts of our mythical home.  Even if it wasn't as great as the images that reside in our memories, many of us tend to idealize our home of Christmas past and our sense of loss is heightened in the melancholy of the season...turning the blue lights of our souls on in our hearts.

The thing is, our loss, our loneliness, our heartache, our sorrow, our pain tend to become intensified during the end of the year holidays, perhaps, because we are all looking for home.  But, it is not really the home that we used to know.  It is not really the home of our youth.  It is not the comforts of the home we make surrounded by those we love either.  The home we are looking for is not one we can build ourselves.  What we are seeking is the home where we can finally rest in the joy of experiencing perfect peace.  And, the only place where we can find that kind of home is in the Arms of the Prince of Peace.  What we are really seeking is the comfort of the home that can only be provided by the presence of Our Lord.

We really will not be able to avoid having a blue Christmas if we are without Him.

This is why I want to seek the comfort of My Savior, Jesus, the Christ, who came to us as a baby born in a manger, to reside in our hearts forever in the person of the Holy Spirit, the Emmanuel, God with Us, the Only One capable to fill the gaps in my soul, mend my tearing heart, give me everlasting joy and show me the way to enduring peace as I trust His will and express gratitude for His provision and for the blessing of His Presence.  May we all experience a Christmas with You, Lord, even as we are still on our way. In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our True Home.  Amen!

Seeking to Be More Generous

 "The car in front of me paid for my bill at the drive through!" Grant announced, filled with awe and confusion the other day as he came in the house after running a few errands...which included a drive-through run, of course!  "I guess she thought I looked poor..."  He added...immediately followed by Dylan saying:  "Yes, that's because you look like a homeless person with that beard," major eye-roll by me...sigh..."It's none of that, you guys..." I commented, "it's Christmas, and people want to try to be a little bit more generous this season...remember?  The season of G I V I N G!?  Haven't all those Hallmark movies taught you anything?"

I guess I was talking to myself.  I'm the queen of Hallmark-Christmas-movie watching in this household...sigh...and yes, many of those flicks, through complications and relationship hardship, try to teach a lesson of giving and generosity around the Christmas season.  But, like our Pastor said last Sunday, many of those movies, if not all, miss the mark.  Generosity is not something that should be inspired by "the magic of Christmas."  Generosity is one of the marks of the Christian.  

Jesus Himself encourages us to give generously,

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

And to give sacrificially,

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21: 1-4

And, not just during the Christmas season, but always.  We are to be there for one another and be generous as we give of ourselves to those in need whenever they need us, and in whatever measure we are able to give, for the invitation is to

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6: 2

Christmas is just a time to refocus and re-examine ourselves as we remember the greatest gift of all, Jesus Himself, who gave up the comforts of Heaven to come down here to not only carry our burdens, but to die for us so we could have eternal life!

This is why this Christmas season I want to seek ways to abide by the rule of generosity.  I seek to be aware of those who need something I might be able to provide.  And I seek that the Holy Spirit will help me take the steps towards true generosity as I give of myself to those around me.

Both boys walked away silently.  Who knows what they were thinking?  Who knows if the idea of generosity stuck in their minds?  Who knows if the thought of giving as the mark of a Christian, and as an act of obedience and love is something they are absorbing in the midst of the selfishness-driven society in which we live? But I pray that this Christmas season we begin to pay more attention, to seek opportunities and to act upon ways to become more generous with everything we've got: time, health, intellect, voice, material resources, love... so we can do our part in bearing one another's burdens and be more Christ-like.  In the Precious Name of Our Greatest Gift, Jesus the Savior and Lover of Our Souls.  Amen!

Seeking to be in Awe

 Last Saturday was a "moody" day for me.  A bunch of what a friend of mine calls, "first-world-problems" were looming over my head, and time slipped away, leaving me feeling empty and spent.  But, when the evening came, Grant, who typically does not insist or ask for much, did not let go of the thought of going to see a drive-through, Christmas light show in nearby Butler.  He saw it last year with the Youth Group and said it was worth it.  Dan, who knew the line would be extremely long was not thrilled with the idea.  Dylan, the eternal home-body, said he didn't want to go.  Me, the Mama-Hulk, I just wanted a reason to be mad at someone...but...since Grant gently insisted...we went.

In the darkest of nights, the tail lights of a two-mile long line of cars waiting to enter the show made the, otherwise infuriating scene, rather festive...so much so, that Dylan thought it was part of the show...anyhoo...slowly we made progress...then, Dan was faced with the decision of paying an extra $20 to get into the "fast lane" or continue onto the "general entrance" lane (an additional 2-hour wait).  While the attendant waited by the car window, we quickly scrambled enough cash so we could get into the "less-slow" line.  It wasn't too long until we realized the wisdom in our investment...we made a left turn into the show, while the general admission line circled around very far in the distance...I guess even that 2-hour wait is better than being stuck in the house during this times of isolation and social distance...

But anyway, as soon as we made that left turn, we began to see the lights.  And much to our surprise (Dan's, Dylan's and mine...since Grant didn't reveal this piece of info ahead of time) we realized that this was more interesting than a simple drive-through light display.  The lights actually blinked at the beat of the music playing on the radio station the attendant had told us to tune into!  At first, we thought it was coincidental (I was still thinking the suggestion to tune into to that frequency on the radio was so we could have some background Christmas music while seeing the lights)...but it was obvious, soon after the first coordinated blinkings, that the whole thing was a thing of wonder!

I have to tell you, I soon forgot about the silly woes of my day and was able to immerse myself in the beauty and magic of the moment.  I loved every twinkling and sparkling blinking at the sound of cheerful tunes, even Christian songs! Slowly we rode along marveling at everything we saw.  I have to admit, I was in awe!

Even Dylan confessed that he was wrong in saying that he didn't want to come, and that he was very happy we forced him into the car.  We drove away feeling warm and fuzzy inside.  I thanked Grant for not giving up on his grumpy family, Dan for putting up with the wait, Dylan for going along with it and God for the opportunity to clear my head as He allowed me to enjoy a moment of awe this Christmas season...

And that's what I want to seek these last few days...I want to seek opportunities to experience a sense of awe in the awareness of the reality of Jesus in my life, here and now.  I want to seek the sense of awe in the knowledge that He is the Emmanuel, God with us...today!  I want to be in awe as I remember that the Christmas lights that surround me point to the fact that the Light of the World entered our realm to stay...and that no matter how dark the night might seem...His Light overcomes it.

May the Holy Spirit reveal in our hearts this Christmas season the awe and wonder of our Lord Jesus, as He is here with us in our now.  In the Precious Name of Our Ever-Present Lord.  Amen! 

Seeking to See Others the Way God Sees Them

 For the most part of this year I have been facing issues with some people at work. And let me tell you, it has been a great challenge to have any love for them throughout the ordeal.  The whole thing that Jesus said about loving one's enemies...that has not be much possible...not that they are my "enemies."  But, still...loving them in the midst of this conflict has not happened.

I am ashamed and I repent for my lack of love towards those whom I find difficult to love.  But most of all...I want to seek the ability to see others the same way God sees them. The question is:  how do I do that?

I regularly struggle with insecurity.  Often, I find myself sinking into a deep ocean of self-pity, feeling unlovable, wretched, wicked, inadequate, and all around just bad about myself and who I think I am.  When those feelings assault me, I find comfort in the promises of Scripture that remind me who I really am in the eyes of My Heavenly Father.  One of my favorite places to find myself reassured is Psalm 139.  That is where I hear God speaking directly to me, telling me that He knows everything about me...and even so...He loves me...because He made me, and nothing about me is hidden to Him...and even so...He still loves me.

I think, one way to learn how to love others, even when I find it challenging, is to read portions of Scripture like Psalm 139 and remember that every single word from that Psalm is a message spoken from Our Lord not just to me, but to all His children, including those I don't particularly care for.

He searches them too.

He knows them too.

He hems them in behind and before too.

He lays His hands upon them too.

He is with them everywhere, guiding them always too.

He finds them in the depth of the pit and in the darkest of nights too.

He created their inmost beings too.

He made them fearfully and wonderfully too.

He made them in the secret place too.

He sees them too.

And...He loves them too, for not only did God send His Beloved Son to die for me, but for them as well.

I think keeping these truths in mind will help me seek the ability to see others the way God sees them.  I pray I can have the resolve to commit to this task.  In the Precious Name of Christ.  Amen!

 

Seeking to Stay in the Moment

 “Put the phone down, Mom!”  “Are you paying attention?” “Mom, you missed it!” It’s embarrassing to think of how many times I hear these expressions from my kids, especially from Dylan.  He is really bothered when I am not “in the moment.”  Like that song by Jeremy Camp…as a matter of fact, it was listening to that song on the radio a couple of days ago, what prompted me to think about this.

 

In the era of multi-tasking, when we take pride of doing many things at the same time, staying in the moment becomes a rather difficult proposition.  The thing with multi-tasking is, however, that, in reality, we are doing many things at the same time, but…how are we doing them? If you ask me, multi-tasking is the ability to be mediocre in multiple ways…

 

I want, that for whatever is left of this Christmas season, the Holy Spirit teaches me to stay in the moment…beginning with my time with the Lord.  I do not want to be in my “quiet time” with a mind cluttered with a to-do list or with worries about things I can’t control.  I want to seek His Presence by seeking a mono-tasking attitude:  the ability to stay focused on what is in front of me…and only on that.  Jesus is the primary focus of Christmas, so I want to keep this moment about Him.  I seek the ability to stay in Him and in all the blessings He has given me.  I want to seek the strength to say “no” to the other things that distract me from what’s really important.  I want to seek the resolve to put the phone down, the computer off and the demands of work on the background so I can allow the Holy Spirit to work in me and keep me in the moment…whatever that moment might be.  Like the inspired words of Jeremy Camp say, I want Him to

… keep me in the moment

Help me live with my eyes wide open

'Cause I don't wanna miss what you have for me…

 

In the Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.  Amen!

Seeking the Protection of Your Sovereign Presence

 One of my favorite things of this year's Christmas Season is the fact that Grant is home for a long break.  He actually went away to college for his very first semester as a freshman back in August.  Covid-19 didn't stop Geneva College from holding face-to-face classes the entire semester, so he was away.  They started earlier and wrapped it up right before Thanksgiving, but my son was able to experienced life as a college student for the first time.  And even though I missed him like crazy, I praise God for giving him the opportunity.

I didn't get to see him much during the semester.  He only came to visit 2 weekends and election day so he could vote in person.  Other than that, my boy was pretty much gone for months.  So, the day he came home for the nice, long Christmas break, my heart was overflowing with joy.

Listening to him talking to me about the things he got to do during the semester (well...the stuff he chooses to tell me, anyway) makes me giddy.  He talks about how he has met like-minded people and made friends, how he hung out with them until wee-hours of the night, enjoying games, movies and conversation, and all that made me think of my own experience as a college kid a million years ago.  Boy, was that fun?! I often tell Grant, who tends to be rather up-tight about things, that my time at college was my one chance to live a carefree life and enjoy freedom...within limits, of course...because after having a not-so-fun and stressful high school experience, I want him to have an opportunity to relax and enjoy life a bit...before it gets really difficult...because, life does change after college, doesn't it?

For me, challenges of all types have come my way for the last thirty years since I graduated.  It has been a journey.  But, you know what?  These last thirty years have also been the time when I have been able to grow closer to Christ.  When I look back, at my carefree existence those years at Clarion University, I have to admit that I did not seek the Lord with intensity. I was too busy having fun!

But, as we know, there is nothing like challenges, trouble, trials and pain to bring you down to your knees and make you open your eyes to find His Presence and hang on to it as the very lifeline that would be the only thing that could keep you alive.

I want a problem-free life for me and my loved ones.  I want safety and security.  I want to be fully protected from all kinds of trouble...I want to live a predictable life without any surprises that may disrupt my plans.  But, that's fantasy.  That is completely unrealistic.  And, most importantly, where would a life like that take me?  It could only take me away from Jesus, because, it is in the struggle where we realize our need for Him, we grow closer and we make it our purpose to seek His Face when we are in the fire.

Like my devotional reading stated it so clearly and beautifully today:

"Make Me the focal point of your search for security.  In your private thoughts, you are still trying to order your world so that it is predictable and feels safe.  Not only is this an impossible goal, but it is also counterproductive to spiritual growth." (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

Our goal should be to live in conscious and intentional awareness of His Presence, in total dependence, seeking Him first...and, as experience has showed me, that doesn't tend to happen when I'm carefreely cruising on the smooth roads of life...

This is why, this Advent Season I want to seek the protection and safety and carefreeness of His Sovereign Presence...where I can rest, regardless of the problems I have to face.  I want to seek the feeling of peace that knowing He is "for me" gives me.  I want to trust Him.

As I observe Grant enjoying this season of his life, I pray the Holy Spirit will reveal to him and to all of us that we must...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1: 2-4

In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.  Amen!

Seeking the Light

 Today we got the message from Dylan's Middle School that it will not reopen for in person attendance until January 11th ... big "if" implied.  Dylan did not like to hear that news.  Believe it or not, he enjoys going to school.  He detests online learning.  He was counting the days to get back to face-to-face on December 14th as they had anticipated.  So hearing about the postponement brought up darkness to his heart.

So, in order to cheer him up, we decided it was a good day to have them set up the kids' tree.  We have been collecting Christmas ornaments since they were born...so now we have enough to fill up a nice, big tree.  Once a year, the two brothers work together, side-by-side, if only one time without much fight, hanging ornaments, reminiscing and recalling why they got that particular piece on that year.  They laugh and make fun of each other when they find the curiously odd ones, like the Elvis Dylan got in 2018 or the rhinoceros she got last year.  All in all, kids' tree day is usually a good day...a day of merry and bright...a day to forget darkness and seek the light.

In this world of catastrophe, trial, sadness, loneliness, pandemic, isolation, political debacle, corruption, idolatry and instability, we must be people who seek the Light at all cost.  As Christians, we must remember that the Light shines in the darkness and that darkness has not and will not ever overcome it.  (John 1: 5)  As followers of Jesus, we need to be aware that the Light has dawned in the land of the shadow of death, a Great Light, indeed, that breaks through and defeats all the dark spots around us. (Matthew 4: 16)  And we must hang on to the truth that such Light is as real now as He was when He first touched the ground as a man, a couple of thousands of years ago,

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12

This Advent Season let's be seekers of the Light so the world can shine again, and fear may disappear.  Let's seek His Light in the faces of those who walk with us.  Let's seek it in the random acts of kindness and pass it forward.  Let's seek it in the ordinary days and in the special moments.  Let's be intentional as we seek the Light so we can find it in the awareness of the instant.

May the Holy Spirit allow us to have the strength to turn our back to the comfort we often find in the darkness, and shake off its cover so we can wholeheartedly seek the Light of His Presence, the Light of Life.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Dylan and Grant hanging their ornaments in the Kids' Tree

Seeking His Love

 I've never been one of those persons who goes wild about animals.  I was perfectly content living most of my life without any furry companions. It wasn't until about 6 years ago that we got our very first family pet.  And to me, Link, our cute little Cockapoo, is my very, very first.  I grew up afraid of dogs, actually...so it took me 20 years of marriage and 2 boys begging for one to finally say yes to a dog.

Today, Link is my faithful companion, especially now that I've been working from home...he is my buddy, always sitting by my feet.  I think he does love me.  He follows me everywhere around the house.  He looks sad when I leave and he seems to rejoice when I come back.  I think he genuinely loves me.  That is so hard to believe...how could he love me?  I am not really lovable.  I'm not a warm-touchy-feely-fuzzy-wuzzy-lovey-dovey type of person.  I'm more of a distant-detached-boring-no fus type of pet owner/person. But for some reason, Link seems to feel a strong attachment toward me.  

It is fascinating.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I am seriously attached to Link too.  Much to my surprise, that dog has stolen a piece of my heart.  But, I often wonder how dogs sense love.  They don't seem to need many manifestations of it to grow attached to a person.  How does that work?  I think about me as a human being, and I realize that I am very needy.  I am very sensitive to those around me and I need to know they love me.  I need visible manifestations of their love toward me in order for me to feel at peace.  I believe I'm not the only human who is like that either.  Even in a house with 3 boys, they let me know when they are feeling neglected by me.  They seek constant reassurance of my affection.  If I were to yell at Grant the way I sometimes yell at Link, his soul would shatter in a million pieces...but Link seems unaffected...how's that possible?  I think dogs have developed some sort of sixth sense that allows them to perceive affection even if it is not fully/outwardly demonstrated...I'm totally making this up, but I'll run with it...LOL! 

For humans, feeling loved is a most profound need.  Without love, we get messed up.  And for importantly, for us to feel loved, it requires a clear perception.  How often do we have misconceptions of whether others love us or not?  How often de we NOT feel loved? Sigh...

God knows this.  He created us to love and to be loved.  Therefore, we are commanded to do just that.  When asked what the greatest commanded was, Jesus replied:

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22: 37-40

God knows that without love, we are empty vessels.  He also knows that often, life doesn't unfold the way we had hoped...so...as Christians, we are to help fill the void of loneliness in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Our first love is God; but right afterwards is our fellow humans.  We are supposed to be the material manifestations of God's love for each other while on this Earth.  By becoming the hands and feet of The Heavenly Father here in the world, we bring His love with us so people around us do not feel abandoned...we cannot manage life without the warmth of love...so, as the Holy Spirit overflows our cup, we must remember to spill out on those around us.

The problem is that sometimes we don't feel that love ourselves...how can we give what we don't have, right? That's why this Advent Season I want to seek the evidence of God's love as I love Him with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind...so I can receive His love as I love Him...so I can pour it out in His Name. And, since He loved us first, I enter this seeking already knowing I am dearly loved by Him.

As I seek His Love, I want to remember, that not much unlike Link, I don't need to have the fuzzy-wuzzy-lovey-dovey manifestations of God's love in order to rest assured that He does love me, so much, as to send His Only Son to die for me, so I could believe and have the promise of an eternity with Him.  I really do not need any more proof, do I? But, I know, that in seeking Him, I won't be able to help finding more evidence of the constancy and abundance of His love.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, the Lover of Our Souls.  Amen!

Seeking Discernment

 I've been reading through the book of 2 Kings, and let me tell you... after King David... the entire procession of Kings of Israel, which at some point became divided into the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah, was full of kings who "did evil in the eyes of the Lord." Only a handful, Josiah mainly, was one of the very few who wholeheartedly decided to come back to the Almighty and follow His commands.  The rest...sigh...

I cannot believe how, the Israelites, who walked with God, got the law handed down to them through Moses, had manna from heaven, had the Arc of the Covenant and all the prophets...could forget the Lord and just do evil and fall under persistent idolatry...how is that possible? Easily: they were human beings...weak in spirit, forgetful, frivolous, selfish, self-servient, seekers of pleasure, fallen human beings...just like us.

It's funny how we tend to pass harsh judgement on the Israelites; but think so highly of ourselves.  "Yeah, but they had the Pillar of Light, and the Burning Bush, and the word of the prophets! How could they walk away from God?" We'd say these things...not realizing that we, who have inherited the entire revelation of God in Scripture, have the Holy Spirit, God with Us as our Counselor and Divine Helper, the very Presence of God in our soul, still...do the same.

We are just like the Israelites of long ago.  We trample on the very blessings that should speak loudly of God's Unending Love...and kick Him out of our lives, seeking to worship other gods...mainly those made at our own image.

How could we do that?

I don't know.  Maybe we get too comfortable in our wealth.  Perhaps, we get too cocky on our accomplishments.  Pride takes over and our vision gets clouded and our hearing becomes impaired.  Mostly, I think, it is because we lose our ability to discern and we forget to seek Him first.

Today, I pray the Holy Spirit would give me a special awareness of His Presence and direct guidance so I can choose to search Jesus this Advent Season...I pray for discernment of His Word and His Commands.  I pray that He would allow us to find Him even in the midst of this crazy world and society.  And that we may not forget that He is the center of our lives.  I pray these things trusting Jesus will give us another chance and cover us with His Grace and Forgiveness.  In His Precious Name.  Amen!

Seeking Awareness of His Presence

 Today's devotional reading took me to Genesis 28 when Isaac had blessed Jacob and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman, but to go to his Mother's ancestors and find one there.  Jacob went on his way, but when nighttime fell, he decided to stop and sleep, with his head resting on a stone as a pillow.-I don't know about you, but using a rock as a pillow does not equate to restful sleep in my book...maybe that had something to do with the dream Jacob had that night...mmh...I wonder if God wanted Jacob in a state of semi-consciousness so the vision would not be confused just with a large, Chipotle-burrito-supreme-induced nightmare...however, I digress.-

This scene has a proclamation made by Jacob that I want to claim as my own.  When he woke up after having that wonderful Stairway to Heaven vision of a dream, Jacob pondered on what he saw and on the Word that he heard from God stating that He will be with him and watch over him wherever he'd go.  At that, he proclaimed:  

“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” Genesis 28: 16

How many times have I forgotten this reality?  Why do I lose awareness of it? How often do I go through life without remembering that the presence of the Lord is in this place...and in every place I go to because He goes with me wherever I go...because He is in me.  Therefore, every place is, indeed, "awesome" because I am...we are...every believer is "none other than the house of God...the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28: 17)

Today, I want to seek inside of my heart and of my mind and of my soul to find the truth of this proclamation and to seek awareness of Emanuel, God with me.

I want to seek the presence of God this Christmas season with all I've got.  I want to see God's presence in every circumstance and in every place.  I want to feel God's hand guiding me every step of the way.  I want to keep my eyes focused on His face as I seek evidence of how the Lord is in every place I go.

May the Advent season be a time to search for awareness of God's presence in our lives and to make Jacob's proclamation our own...for, surely, the Lord is in this place and we are standing at the gate of heaven.  In Jesus' precious Name.  Amen!

 

Seeking for the Inner Child

 The sky is blue with puffy clouds and the sun is shining!  What a beautiful day!  There's still snow on the ground, true, but...as long as the sky is blue, I'm OK.  Besides, the snow gives the environment a "christmassy feel" that I love, so, I'm good to go!  In days like today I feel the childhood enthusiasm of the little girl that grew up in a tropical paradise, many years ago...anticipating the holidays and the magic of December.  The end of the calendar year also brought in extra excitement for me as a young person in Panama because it was also the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation...sigh...what a delight!

Needless to say, days for a child waiting for Christmas and summer vacation combined were filled with carefree bliss and a sense of whimsy that permeated every minute.  

I long for that child...where did she go?

Life has a way to making the inner child disappear from our hearts, leaving only memories that are not part of our reality anymore.  Today, however, I want to reclaim that child, even if just for a moment.  I want to seek the little girl I know is still hiding in me and bring her to the forefront of my life if only for a day.  After all, Jesus Himself spoke to this matter, right?  In Matthew 18, when His disciples came to Him and asked Him who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus responded by calling a little child to His side to give an object lesson:

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18: 2-3

It is clear, through Jesus' words, that in order to be a part of His Kingdom, we must reclaim the inner child in us.  The question is, how?

What is a little child like?  Whiny? Irrational? Selfish? Demanding? Helpless? If you'd ask me, I'd answer yes to all these questions.  That's what the world sees a child to be like.  But I don't believe those are the child-like characteristics that Jesus is referring to as those we need to reflect in us.  I think Jesus is talking about the essence of being a little child:  a constant sense of wonder...a heart that trusts...a soul that is innocent and that makes faith possible because it has room to believe!

The little girl standing on the backyard on a sunny day of December closing her eyes as she enjoyed the soft caress of the early summer breeze could tell you that she believed!  She had unshakable faith in the goodness of a God who gave her more blessings that she could have ever imagined.  She could tell you how she marveled at God's gifts even if they did not materialized in the ways she'd dreamed.  She could tell you how the warmth of the sunshine and the grass under her feet made her feel beloved...and how that was all she'd ever need.

I'm seeking for that little girl today...and I'm hoping to find her as I unwind after a hard year...I'm hoping to find her as I turn my eyes upon Jesus and I'm hoping to find her as I seek Him first.

May the Holy Spirit guide us as we search for the inner child that will enter the Kingdom of God.  In Jesus' Precious Name.  Amen!

Seeking Wisdom in Times of Public Trial

 As I am about to enter what probably would end up being the scariest meeting of my professional life, I am reminded of a verse from Scripture that was brought up to my attention by one of my prayer warriors last night when I asked for prayers.  The verse is Matthew 10: 20,

for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

I went to Matthew 10 and realized that these words were spoken by Jesus Himself as part of the instructions He gave the twelve when He sent them to become His messengers, His Apostles, to preach His gospel to the lost sheep of Israel.  

I read through the chapter and I see how Jesus warns them that they would encounter trouble as they fulfill this mission.  He told them, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. (Matthew 10: 16-17) and, o boy...that is exactly how I am feeling today...like a sheep among wolves...and thank goodness, the meeting is on Zoom...otherwise, I would be fearing a flogging too (I wonder if they have invented an App for virtual flogging...o no!!!)

This is why what I seek today is the Lord's wisdom.

I am praying for wisdom this morning, seeking His Word and trusting that He will stand with me in this meeting, and that, indeed, I will not have to "worry about what to say or how to say it" for He is assuring me that "at that time, I will be told what to say," for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

I know that the meeting I have this morning is not the same situation of the Apostles who were sent out by Jesus to spread the Good News of His Kingdom.  I am aware my circumstances are very different.  However, as I seek His wisdom today, I am claiming these words of Jesus as a promise to me, and to all who seek Him in their hour of public trial.  I am trusting that all He said to His Apostles back then, He is saying to me this morning...and I am praising Him for those He has placed in my life to walk along with me on the hard roads of this valley of shadow...I'm praising Him for the gift of their friendship and guidance.

And above all, I'm praising God for His Word and thanking Him for His wisdom.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, My Lord, My Savior, My Deliverer.  Amen!

The Seeker

You know how when people in a household unsuccessfully look for something they've momentarily lost, there's always someone they instinctively go to because they know/sense/feel that person would be able to find it for them?  And, by the same token...there's also usually someone who always keeps losing things and can't ever find them without enlisting the help of the others?  Well...in my household, I am traditionally the one people call when they are having trouble finding things...although...depending on what the "thing" is...Grant is becoming a really good finder upper too.  And...without naming any names, there are a couple of members of this household who play the roles of loser-uppers very well.  However... to be fair... I do my share of losing, and when that happens...chaos ensues.

As the Advent season enters the scene, I would like to dedicate it to purposefully and fully embracing my role of a "seeker".  I want to seek the things I'm afraid I've lost.  I want to seek and find what I've lost sight of.  I want to find the presents God has given me and I've forgotten to unwrap.  And most of all, I want to remember how my first role needs to be that of the seeker of His Face.

I know I will be extremely busy this Christmas season, and I want to resolve not to let the distractions keep me away from seeking Him first!

I know I will be distressed due to many work-related issues that are coming my way, but I don't want to allow those trials and tribulations to stop me from staying still and seeking His Presence.

I want to remember that He is My Hope and My Deliverer.

And I want to make sure I seek His Peace, and remember His Word:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3: 22-26

Dear Lord, please carry us through this Advent Season with a heart full of hope, seeking Your Presence to find Your Peace embraced by Your Love.  May we always remember that "Great is Thy Faithfulness," indeed.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Thanksgiving Week - Day 8

 Well, Thanksgiving Week is over.  The turkey and the trimmings are all gone. The pies?...nothing is left...not even the crumbs...  Christmas decorations have started to popped, and...wait for it...wait for it...drum roll, please:  Christmas movies are back on in my house!!!! YAY!!!  At least the ones that nobody else wants to watch.  I'm still not allowed to even suggest the classics that we watch as a family.  I tried to sneak in a couple of flicks the Wednesday before Thanksgiving day...but I was halted at the sound of the first jingle.  "It's not time yet!" My boys yelled at me...so I abided...but the time has finally come! I can finally let my favorite streaming profiles be filled with suggestions of Christmas movies to fill my free moments and unwind...ahhhhh...

Which brings me to the last day of my thanksgiving week.  The day I want to praise the Lord and express my gratitude for time to rest.  For the first time in a long time...I was able to actually rest over the break.  I purposely did as little work, work as I could get away with.  I even ignored most emails...shhhhh...and it was wonderful!

I have to remember that resting is as important as eating or breathing!  Without proper rest, the body starts to fail.  I can only push myself so much.  I can only do so much.  And the key is: I am NOT indispensable.  No matter how many exclamation marks, flags and other "urgent/alert" symbols people may put in their messages, I do not need to let work run my life.  It is NOT THAT IMPORTANT! and neither am I.

I must put my priorities in order and remember what really matters.  The peace that is promised, the one that surpasses all expectations (Philippians 4: 7) will only come to us when we allow ourselves to sit quietly with the Lord, trusting His power and strength, not our own...as we thank Him for who He is and what He has already done.

Taking time to unwind, relax, meditate on His Word, hang out with our loved ones, play with the dog...and enjoying the moments that bring us rest and renewal is a blessing we must not reject, no matter how busy we think we are.  I am thankful for this truth...and I pray the Holy Spirit allows me to organize my life to make sure I carve out prime time to rest in His care during this season of my life...and maybe fit in as many Christmas movies as I possibly can before the New Years, when the ban starts again.  Amen!

Thanksgiving Week - Day 7

It is a glorious morning!  I can finally see the blue skies and the sun shining outside!  Sunny days always remind me of friendship.  I especially think of one of my dearest, best, most special friends in the whole-wide world.  She is truly my soul sister, and even though God did not put us in the same place, we have been able to keep our friendship alive and well over more than three decades. 

The reason sunny days remind me of her is because, when we were in school, - I met her when we all went to the Panama Canal College to have a year of intensive English training in preparation for our coming to the United States to go to College, I came to Western PA and she ended up in Nebraska...where we both still are all these many years ago. - At any rate, when we were at PCC, I didn't really have many classes with her because her English was way more advanced than mine, but we were roommates.  Her name is Indy, and she was and continues to be a ray of sunshine in the lives of everyone she meets.  Back then, I knew Indy had been in the classroom, because I would see a big, bright corner drawing of a smiling sun with the caption: The sun is shining outside, written by it on the board. That was Indy's trademark.  Little did I know that the memories of her chalk sunshine would stay with me, bringing me thoughts of thanksgiving for the friends that God has placed in my life.

And that is exactly what I want to offer my gratitude for today: friends.

We are not meant to walk alone through this valley of shadow and sorrow.  That's why the current physical distancing we are facing is so hard…we are not supposed to be isolated! We are the children of a God who is social: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We are created in His image; therefore, we crave the presence of others in our lives.  Loneliness is far too devastating for the soul, the heart, the mind and the body of human beings.  Friends are like angels from heaven who are appointed to us directly from God…and when they are not around, we grieve.

I don’t know what I would do without my friends, my prayer partners, my soul sisters, my steady hands, my counselors, my cheerleaders, my pendulums, my sounding boards, my reality checks, my hiding places, my road companions.  Life would be even harder than it is without friends.  Therefore, today, I want to lift up a big prayer of thanksgiving for the friends God has blessed me with: from the acquaintances who are meant to be with me for a moment, to those who are meant to be with me for a lifetime…I am grateful for each and everyone of them.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our Lord, Savior and Dearest of Friends. 

Thanksgiving Week - Day 6

 Well...yesterday was Black Friday 2020.  And, as the consummate shopper that I am...I did my part to help the economy.  All I'm going to say is that it was a very different experience...but, this thought brings me to my thanksgiving moment for the day (I know...I am posting this a day late...I hope you understand ;) 

I am grateful for our jobs.  Dan and I have been blessed with jobs that have endured the pandemic.  Even though I have not been in a classroom since March 6th...I have been gainfully employed and working harder than ever throughout the months of isolation. It was during this time also that I became the Chairperson of our Department.  Therefore, my responsibilities have quadrupled...and so has my stress-level.  However, I am grateful because, through it all, God has been Faithful, and He has provided everything we need and way beyond to keep my family and I safe, secure and lacking nothing.  

Not many people can say the same...it only takes a quick drive to see so many businesses that were thriving, now closed or barely hanging on.  The travel, entertainment and food industries have been the hardest hit.  Many of our favorite restaurants are gone...and, unless they change their formats, the rest will follow.  I just can't believe that some of the most iconic places to eat, like the Pizza Shop at the Outlet Mall is out of business!  The kids and I have been eating pizza there ever since Grant could chew it!  We stood in front of it yesterday dumbfounded...silently mortified.  All we could do was let out a deep sigh...

I see commercials on TV inviting people to go on a cruise and take a trip...in a desperate attempt to pretend all is back to normal.  But we know it is far from it.  We know it will take a long time before people feel safe again and decide to go on a leisure trip, carefree and ready to enjoy a hotel stay, an airplane ride, let alone a cruise (the memories of that ship full of sick passengers which no country wanted to give safe harbor to still linger way too fresh in everyone's minds).

I feel for those in the hardest hit industries.  I pray for their employees.  I pray that there is a way they can recover.  I pray we can do our part to help when the time is right.  I pray God has mercy on the world and releases effective treatments and vaccines soon.  And as I pray for all these things, I also pray for a spirit of thanksgiving to rise up in our souls so we can continue to be grateful for the blessings hidden in adversity...as we continue to trust His plan, even if we don't fully understand it.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Thanksgiving Week - Day 5

 This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118: 24

Waking up this Thanksgiving morning, looking out the window at yet another gloomy, dark, grey, wet day, when all I want to do is stay in bed and complain, I read my devotional and it leads me to the Lord's proclamation on Psalm 118: 24.  And, as always, the Word brings to me exactly what I need:  the hope of Thanksgiving.

I'm not talking about the hope that comes once a year on Thanksgiving day.  The hope wrapped in verse 24 of Psalm 118 is the hope that comes with another day of life, for each new day yields "precious gifts and beneficial training" as we walk along the high road of thanksgiving with Our Lord Jesus the Christ. (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

And that's the hope I want: the hope that endures, the hope that is renewed every morning.  However, this is a hope that might be fragile and easily dissolved if we forget that we live in a fallen world.

Waking up to bad news may threaten our hope.  Waking up in darkness may deceive us into believing that there is no hope left in this world.  Waking up in sorrow may push us into thinking that hope is not possible in the evil days we live in.  The trick is to continue to walk on the highway of Thanksgiving.  Even in the midst of bad news...even in the darkness and sorrow of our evil days...Thanksgiving must light up the way as I remember that...

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. Psalm 23

Today, on this Thanksgiving Day of the year 2020, a very challenging year for the entire world, I lift up my eyes to the Lord and thank Him for the Cross, our everlasting source of hope.  I thank Him for being Our Good Shepherd.  I thank Him for the Holy Spirit, God in us.  And I thank Him for the promise of His return. As we wait in thanksgiving, we rejoice for the day that He has made, so let us rejoice and be glad in it!  In Christ Name.  Amen!

Thanksgiving Week - Day 4

My Mom did not know how to cook.  The only things I ever remember her making were fried eggs, instant soup, toast and coffee.  She never cooked a full meal or even one dish of anything in her life. 

I grew up not knowing how to cook either.  It wasn't until I married an American man and moved to the US for good (the land where Mom is the maid), that I realized the importance of learning the way around the kitchen.  

I give credit to Dan...he had to put up with my experimenting for many years.  Poor thing...my learning curve was not too bad, but I know he endured many hardly-edible meals during the first seasons of our marriage.

Today, as I knocked on Dylan's door at 8am to get the Thanksgiving feast under way, I thought about the long road I've traveled.  

For a long time now, I have been cooking a full Thanksgiving meal for us 4 the Wednesday before, so we could have leftovers (it's been a while since we have had leftovers at the Dieter Family's Thanksgiving Dinner).  From Turkey to sweet potato pie and everything in between, I spend the day immersed in the kitchen, amidst savory spices and the aroma of deliciousness. And, since Dylan has an inclination for cooking, he often helps.  Today, he was amazing.  He stuck with me the entire time...except for the last dish...I noticed he was losing it, so I released him.  But, side by side, Dylan and I prepared a bountiful buffet that I hope will last for the next few days.

As I looked at my apron clad, teenage boy, I realized that was the blessing I wanted to highlight today.

At lunch time, we sat and enjoyed the feast...and then, Dylan and I took a well-deserved nap.  As I was falling asleep, I thought about my Mom, and wondered if she ever realized how much she missed out by never having had the chance of working in the kitchen with her children.  My guess is that she didn't, since that was just not something that was done back then in the environment where she lived.  But, I sure am glad I've had the opportunity to experience it. These are the memories that go into my treasure box, which I hope to hold dear and near my heart forever.

That's why today, I want to lift up thanks to the Lord Almighty for precious moments like cooking Thanksgiving Dinner with my son.  May God give us many more years when we get to do this again and again.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Dylan mixing the Turkey rub, wearing an apron Rosa made for me many years ago.

Thanksgiving Week - Day 3

 Today, my devotional reading said: "Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity." (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young) And one of the readings it pointed to was from Ephesians 5, a portion of which I'm reproducing below:

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5: 15-20

I think these words are mightily appropriate for our current reality at all levels: world-wide, as a nation, as a state, as a family unit, as an individual.  We are living in times of adversity, and in my opinion, the greatest adversity is "because the days are evil." The warfare we face is within the spiritual realm, where good and evil are embattled for our souls.  However, even though the war and our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6: 12) We still have a role to play.  And we are to play it in a smart, not foolish way.  We ought to be sober minded.  We must be in Scripture, with the Psalms and songs of praise always on our lips; and always giving thanks to the Lord for everything carrying the Name of Jesus in our hearts constantly.  

That's how we take the "sting out of adversity."  We put on the Armour of God and live everyday with thanksgiving regardless of how evil seems to be taking over the world.  

Today, I am thankful for the things we can do in the midst of all the adversity caused by the pandemic and the political environment that surrounds us and isolates us and divides us.  Specifically, I'm looking at my own efforts to stay sober and in the Word, with songs of Thanksgiving in my lips.  Today, I'm giving thanks for the fact that despite the social and physical distance we are imposed I can be a part of a Bible Study with a small group of brothers and sisters in Christ through the use of technology.  I am thankful for those who had the initiative to get the Bible Study started.  I am thankful for the invitation.  I am thankful that I have a job that allows me to host the connection online.  I am thankful that I am carving out the time to participate.  I am thankful for the time to be digging in the Word and above all, I am thankful for the Hand of the Lord drawing us near Him...offering us the peace of His presence.

Today, I offer thanksgiving for the efforts of all of God's children who are making a conscious and intentional decision to stay sober, open His Word and give thanks for everything.  May the Holy Spirit continue to bless us with strength to remain in Him regardless of our circumstances so He can turn adversity into joy and peace.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.  Amen!

Thanksgiving Week - Day 2

 I woke up this morning with a smile, because one of the first thoughts that popped into my mind was that Grant will be coming home tomorrow.  After his first semester away at College, having been home only really 2 weekends and 1 other time so he could vote in the general elections...he is coming home for a long break...and I am over the moon about that!

Dan asked me jokingly if I was already stockpiling on his favorite snacks and treats, to which I proceeded to detail everything I had already purchased and what I still had in my list.  He laughed at me and then we started reminiscing the day we dropped him off at his dorm, back in mid August, and how hard it was to come back home and see his empty room...

So, today, as I think about thanksgiving week, I would like to lift up prayers of praise and thanksgiving for the family God has given me to share my food, home and shelter with.  My heart is full of gratitude as I think back when I was young and didn't even think I would get married, let alone have kids.  I think back to the years of our early marriage when we definitely thought it was not in God's plan for us to have children.  I think back on the years of struggle.  I think back on the joy of receiving two boys.  I think back on seeing them grow up.  I think back on having them beg for a dog.  I think back on me saying, "ok" to the dog.  I think back and I realized even in the struggle there are meaningful and miraculous blessings: me not just being a Mother, but also, loving a dog...who knew?

Whatever your family looks like...wherever they might be at this year...whichever means you use to connect with them this Thanksgiving...let's praise the Lord for giving them to us. Whether they are blood related or not...whether they are humans or furry...whether they are near or far...whether they are physically present or virtually on a screen, let us praise the Lord for their existence.  And even if we feel alone, I pray that we realize we are not.  We are never alone if we belong to the family of God.

 

Thanksgiving Week

 It's another cold and gloomy morning.  The whole world seems to be in turmoil.  Uncertainty is the only certainty.  Instability and fear of what's to come plague our hearts and minds.  And in the middle of this, I heard Adam Marshall, his wife Chelsey and their precious baby boy Titus, a missionary family from our church, give a most wonderful testimony of Thanksgiving in the midst of trial and challenges.  "This was a good year," Adam concluded...and I was inspired.  If a young family who solely depends on the financial support from others, facing enormous problems of all kinds that ranged from having a premature baby in the NICU for months, and not knowing where they were going to live afterwards, seeing donations drop in an economically difficult year, dealing with the Ministry Director's health issues to having to completely redesign the ministry due to the pandemic,  can declare "this was a good year" so can I.

And, as a first step to declaring 2020 a good year, I want to start a week-long Thanksgiving Celebration, when I would like to dig deep into my heart and express my trust in the Lord by lifting up my gratitude for all that He has blessed me with...to make the darkness, the gloominess and the chills of fright disappear, because, a "thankful attitude opens windows of Heaven." (Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young)

Therefore, today, I begin by thanking the Lord for faithfully meeting my most basic needs: food, shelter and clothing.  As I look in my kitchen, the bounties of His harvest overflow.  All the groceries are purchased, and I'm about to go get a home-grown, organic turkey in a couple of hours so we can have a Thanksgiving Dinner at home this week.  There won't be a Dieter Family Reunion for thanksgiving for the first time in the almost 30 years I've been in this family...but we will have Thanksgiving at home...and it is a home the Lord has blessed us with, and which we love.  We are not going to be dressing up in brand new clothes for the day, but we have closets packed full of great selections that we are thankful for.  So even though life is different this year, we have all we need and more.

As I see the joy transpiring through the wide smiles of Adam's family, I praise the Lord for planting the gift of mission in the hearts of His Children.  We watched him at home through simulcast, another blessing we are so thankful for, and shared memories of when Adam was a teenager in Dan's Sunday School class.  We have no words to express how proud and thankful we are of him and all he has accomplished.  We are surrounded by blessings.  We just need to open our eyes and see that, indeed, this has been a good year...no matter what.

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46: 1

Praise the Lord, O My Soul...Praise the Lord, Amen!

Psalm 27-Kind of Day

 I love the Psalms.  It might sound trite, but, if there is a book where I can find refuge, that book is the Book of Psalms.  I believe that God inspired David to write these precious words so people like me...so many years later, would know where to go when they felt lost...as a reminder of what's important: not spend our life chasing after the things of this world, but to seek the Face of the Lord.

Today, as my devotional reading pointed me toward a particular verse on Psalm 27, I ended up reading the entire Psalm, and realized, today, is a Psalm 27-kind of day, so I would like to share it here, hoping it brings comfort to those who read it:

The Lord is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked advance against me

to devour me,

it is my enemies and my foes

who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,

my heart will not fear;

though war break out against me,

even then I will be confident.

4 One thing I ask from the Lord,

this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent

and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted

above the enemies who surround me;

at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the Lord.

7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;

be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”

Your face, Lord, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger;

you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, Lord;

lead me in a straight path

because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the Lord.

This entire Psalm speaks to me today, but particularly the last two verses.  Verse 13 brings me hope in God's promise of revealing His "goodness" to us while still here on this earth.  A beautiful sunrise, a graceful deer that barely escaped our car's advance, the sound of the voices of our loved ones, the warmth of an embrace when we thought we were alone, the whispering in our hearts reminding us that He is near...the goodness of the Lord is all around us, in the here and in the now.  Sometimes, the weight of the world and our current circumstances threaten to sink us, blurring our vision; but the goodness of the Lord is with us.  We might just have to wait a bit longer.  But we wait in Him and pray for His strength, and wait some more.  

It is said that when something is repeated in Scripture, it means, it is extremely important.  The repetition is meant for emphasis and attention.  Well, as I see the phrase "wait for the Lord" repeated in verse 14...I tend to actually lose heart...because I don't like waiting...but, today, it is causing me to really understand that sometimes there is nothing else to do but to wait...and it is in that waiting period when God finally makes it clear to us that the strength not to lose heart comes from Him.  He wants us to really see.  When things go by too fast, we can't truly appreciate it...it is in the wait when it is cemented in our souls that He is Lord.

May we remain confident that we will see the "goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  May we be able to "wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart...and wait for the Lord." In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Opening Our Eyes to Victory!

 Isn't it wonderful, how in the middle of a gloomy morning, when things are not looking particularly up, the Word of God brings us much needed cheer and encouragement?

That's what could happen everyday if we get in the habit of spending some time in Scripture...even if just a couple of minutes...even if just a few verses...the Word of God "will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it," says the Lord in Isaiah 55: 11

So, this morning, as I was contemplating another hard, complicated, exhausting day at work full of battles, disagreements and discord...when I was already feeling small and weak even before seven o'clock...the passage about Elisha being persecuted by the men from the enraged King of Aram brought to me wonderful words of hope that reminded me I am not alone.  When Elisha's servant saw nothing but an army of enemy horses and chariots ready to strike them, full of fear, he asked his master, "what shall we do?"  Elisha replied:

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 

2 Kings 6: 16-17

Can you imagine being the servant?  One second your heart is filled with fear and despair, because your eyes can only see threat and defeat...and the next, the veil comes down, and you are able to see the truth!  What a wonderful sight! The soul rejoices and confidence returns because we know, for sure, that we are victorious!

Can you imagine being Elisha? Always being able to walk around with your eyes open to see the truth, knowing that we are victorious no matter how bleak things look from the perspective of those whose eyes only see the things of this world...

You know what?  We don't have to be the servant...always needing someone to open our eyes so we can see...we can be Elisha.  How?  By trusting God's Word.  He has told us that we have already won!  We just need to believe it, so our eyes can be open to this truth...so every time we are confronted with the threat of defeat, we focus on Christ's Victory rather than on the enemy.  Every time we fear battle, we can come to the Word and remember we too can see the fields full of horses and chariots of fire all around us.  Nothing can touch us...for the One who has already won the war is with us.  Even if by the eyes of the world we lose...we are triumphant!

I want to remember this today.  I want to walk with my eyes open and in confidence that what the Lord has promised is true...remembering that who the Lord has set free, is free indeed! (John 8: 36)