Loving Genuinly

 I cannot believe this is the last day of 2022...I don't know about you, but the year just disappeared in front of my eyes.  If it weren't for the photos in my phone, I would not be able to recall all the memories of this year's experiences.  Scary... 

But anyway, today, I do remember the word I chose a year ago to be my focus for 2022: Help.  This word came to me as a two-fold action: to help and to ask for help.  Looking back, I can see the few instances on which I might have succeeded, all by the grace of God...and the many times I failed, all by my own negligence and corrupted will.  

But enough of regrets.  God is Good and Faithful regardless of how unworthy we are.  Everything good in us is from Him, and for that I am genuinely grateful. (James 1: 17) It's time to close the 2022 chapter and see what 2023 brings.  As I think of the idea on which I would like to focus on this new year, the word "genuine" keeps ringing in my ears and mind.  

Genuine is an adjective that expresses how something is truly what is said to be. Some similar words are authentic, real, true...it's a pretty good word, isn't it? But, then...why do I find it so challenging?  Why is it so hard to be genuine?

I don't know.  Maybe it is because when we are genuine, we put ourselves out there, nakedly.  And when we do that, we become very vulnerable.  People can really hurt us.  It's best not to show our true selves.  It's best to keep people guessing.  There's so much evil running loose in our society, that we often prefer to keep ourselves inside our shells purely to survive.  There is one antidote to our fear of being "real."  The antidote is love.  

When we act empowered by Love, we can conquer all.  And Love is God, because God is the only true, real, "genuine" Love.  

I know I will most likely fail more than I succeed in 2023 while trying to be genuine in my actions of love towards others, but I'm encouraged by the Hope that abounds in me by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me (Romans 15: 13)...the Emmanuel, God with us. So, I'm going with "genuine" as my concept to focus on 2023.  I want to "be" genuine in all I do.  Most of all, I want to be genuine in the way I love others.  I want to love genuinely as I'm perfectly and genuinely loved by My Lord.

May Our Almighty Lord, the God of All Love, and of all Hope strengthen us this new year and always, so we can walk by the hand of Jesus, in genuine communion with Him and His beloved.  In Christ's precious name.  Amen!

Happy New Years!

The Hope Of His Presence

As we come to the end of another year and stand on the eve of a new one, it’s hard to avoid feeling a bit melancholic. Even for those caught in the rush of the season, rare moments of quietness, bring contemplation of the past year and how it met, exceeded, or fell short of our dreams. The regrets, pain, hurt, sorrow, and stress of the year mix with the joy and the blessings are the ingredients for the all-too-common, holiday blues. This is then an excellent time to intentionally infuse ourselves with the perfect aroma of hope. As life unfolds in expected and unexpected ways, hope is what keeps us from completely losing it. As Dylan’s surprisingly mature expression of the day goes: “without hope, we might as well be dead already.”

We would like to share with you, in the midst of whatever circumstances you find yourself, the hope of the season. Our Hope, the hope we hang on to, is the promise of God’s presence among us…the promise of the Emmanuel, God with Us, whose power, and glory are made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12: 9).

May love, joy, and the spirit of Christmas fill your heart and your home with true Hope today and always.

A Moment to Rest

 It is certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  One has only to walk around Walmart to see the Christmas-stress stamped all over the faces of the not-so-jolly shoppers.  Mothers of young children run around exhausted, thinking there's no way they can accomplish all that is expected of them in this season.  Working fellows resign to the assumption of disappointed hopes since they can't figure out the time or find the money to meet the heavy expectations that are placed on their shoulders. Sad thoughts about loneliness and emptiness plague the minds of older folks. The grieving walk around numb...not knowing what to make of the overwhelming emotional flow they are experiencing. Worries about the future make us all tremble in fear...how is it ever possible to call this "the most wonderful time of the year?"

..."the kids jingle belling" is fun and endearing, but also could be heartbreaking because it might remind us of what we once had and don't have anymore or of what we longed for and never got to enjoyed...making it impossible to "be of good cheer."

For those who don't have any "holiday meetings and greetings or friends calling" this is certainly not the "hap-happiest season of all..."

Hosting jolly parties, the caroling and the sharing of stories of long, long ago...the mistletoeing and preparing for all the loved ones to be near not only takes a huge amount of work, but it might be futile since no-one might be gathering and rather than glowing, the hearts end up broken...

I am not Scrooge or the Grinch...I LOVE Christmas and the whole season...it's just that with every string of tinsel my thoughts go out to those for whom this time of the year is not so wonderful and I'd like to bring the hope that can light everyone's candle regardless of the circumstances: Jesus...the reason for the season...

The antidote to the gloom of the Holidays is to rest in His Presence.  My devotional reading today really moved me, so praying that it does the same for you, I'd like to copy it here:

"Rest in Me, My child, forgetting about the worries of the world.  Focus on Me - Immanuel - and let My living Presence envelop you in Peace.  Tune in to My eternal security, for I am the same yesterday, today and forever. If you live on the surface of life by focusing on every-changing phenomena, you will find yourself echoing the words of Solomon:  "Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!"

Living in collaboration with Me is the way to instill meaning into your days.  Begin each day alone with Me so that you can experience the reality of My Presence.  As you spend time with Me, the way before you opens up step by step.  Arise from the stillness of our communion, and gradually begin your journey through the day.  Hold My hand in deliberate dependence on Me, and I will smooth out the path before you." (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

The remedy is always Jesus...

He is the Only one who can truly make this the hap-happiest season especially as we spend time alone with Him and meditate on the mysteries surrounding His first coming and the promises of His second advent...when every tear will be wiped away by His loving hand and all will be made new by His Might.

May this be, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year because of our renewed awareness of His Presence and our resolve to intentionally focusing on His Face.  In the Precious Name of Jesus, the Glory of Today! Amen!

Recall Your Blessings

 Like Pastor Dan said last Sunday as part of his sermon series on being a fearless Christian, specifically on how to recognize God's hand in our lives, he reminded us that the spiritual discipline of "recalling the blessings God has given us" is key.

Though a most appropriate message on Thanksgiving Day, recalling our blessings should be an exercise that we add to our daily spiritual workout.  It is not something we should do only once a year on a dedicated day.  It is something that we are called to do always:

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

We are called to give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16: 34) and as His love endures forever, so should our thanksgiving!

Therefore, let's adopt the practice of recalling our blessings daily...even if it is something seemingly simple and insignificance...all good gifts come from the Lord (James 1: 17).  Besides, there's another great benefit of having a grateful heart, like my devotional said:

"Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity. That is why I have instructed you to give thanks for everything.  There is an element of mystery in this transaction:  you give Me thanks (regardless of your feelings), and I give you joy (regardless of your circumstances). 

Thankfulness opens your heart to My Presence and your mind to My thoughts.  You may still be in the same place, with the same set of circumstances, but it is as if a light has been switched on, enabling you to see from My perspective.  It is the Light of My Presence that removes the sting from adversity." (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

May this Thanksgiving Day be a strong reminder of our need to continually give thanks for all our blessings as we count them one by one. 

 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15: 13)

God's Hand in Our Lives

 Thirty plus years ago I had my first Thanksgiving dinner.  I was an international student at Clarion University of PA and a church in town hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for students that for one reason or another did not have a place to go for the holiday.  The memory is rather fuzzy...almost like a dream. It is not a solid memory with lots of details.  I don't have any pictures of it.  I was pretty confused about the whole thing...but I do remember the basement-type location arranged with long tables, decorated with orange-toned plaid, plastic tablecloths and a bunch of strangers gathering around to eat food I've never tasted before.  Fun stuff!

Back then, I had no idea of anything.  I was just a 22-year old completely out of her element...tossed into a new world without a clue of what was going on, college student in a foreign country.  I think about that girl when I look at Grant.  He sounds so sure of himself.  He thinks he has it all so figured out...but in reality...he is just a kid learning the ways of the world in a society that is hostile and very scary.  The thought of him going to live abroad for any period of time, by himself terrifies me.  I think of my parents and I totally understand now their reluctance to let me go.  Who in their right mind would allow their precious child to go into such an unknown world so ill-prepared? 

As I think of these things and reminisce about my journey so far, I remember what Pastor Dan said in his sermon last Sunday: one of the things we can do to recognize God's hands in our lives is to "reflect on all the work God has done in us."

Sigh...

Today, in this beautiful, bright, sunny, blue-skyed November morning, the day before Thanksgiving, I realize I could spend a lifetime just reflecting on all the work God has done in me...from my youth in Panama to those first years in an American college tucked away in the mountains of Western PA to now and for whatever remains of my days on this earth, one thing that is undeniable is the work of God's Hand in me.  

There is no way I could be here this day if it weren't for His Hand.  

His Hand has guided me through the happy and carefree innocence of childhood, the confusion of young adulthood, the anxiety of seeing my youth left behind, the terrors of parenthood, the panic of entering maturity, and will continue to guide me and sustain me as I hopefully enter the serenity of the age of trust.  It has been a lifetime of learning to have faith in the One Who Is Faithful.  And that's how I am learning to let go.  That's what I think allowed my parents, my over-protective, ultra paranoid parents to let me go back then 32 years ago...and that is what is going to allow me to loosen the grip on my own sons today, as they make decisions over their own pathway:  trust in God's Hand on them.

May this Thanksgiving season offer you opportunities for reflection that bring forth the memories of God's guidance, protection and love in your life.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!

Reflecting on Hope

 Last Sunday, Pastor Dan preached on aspects we need to consider and reflect upon in order to recognize God's Hand in our lives.  It was a perfect message for the Sunday before Thanksgiving...it was powerfully timed to help us be intentional about hitting the pause button this season...and boy do I need that.

This semester has gone by so incredibly fast, I don't think I've had time to catch my breath.  In the midst of new-class-prep, administrative duties, student issues, meetings, problems plus all the stuff of real life...the last few months have all but disappeared right in front of my eyes...no time to pause and reflect about anything.  So, after listening to Pastor Dan, I am praying the Holy Spirit allows me the ability to intentionally take a moment to think about the blessing of His Hand in my daily walk.

The first item Pastor Dan encouraged us to think about was: to react to the Hope God has give us.

This one is pretty tricky these days...isn't it? 

Sigh...

We have only to listen or read the news and we see hope dissipate.  We look at the state of society and of the world and we wonder where has hope gone?  We turn our eyes to our own families and friends and worry about what the future may bring.  We look at our hearts and souls and see so much loss around us...so much grieving...so much pain...so much loneliness...so much sadness...so much heartache...so much fear...so much despair...that we think, hope? Sorry, we ran out...

Perhaps, may I suggest, however, that we might be looking in the wrong places?

Our heart, our mind, our eyes, our emotions could be deceiving at times.  They cannot always be trusted.  I know I can't trust my thoughts.  They typically lead me to places I have no business visiting.  My mind often takes me to dark corners filled with fear and horrific shadows.  I can't trust my eyes either, for they tend to chase the things of this world rather than the things of the spirit.  My heart and my emotions get easily out of whack because they follow after my mind and eyes' unruly patterns...so my entire being is derailed, leaving hope nowhere to be found.

Instead, I ought to listen to the Apostle Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:28:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you...

That is the key, praying, constantly praying that the Holy Spirit, the Hope in Us, opens/enlightens the eyes of our heart so that we may see Him...Hope Himself!

We don't find hope in the world or in our sinful and corrupted flesh.  We find Hope in Our Lord, Jesus, who is Hope.  We hope in Him.  And we pray He reveals Himself to us in our journey through this life so we never lose His Hand...so we can hold on and keep moving until He calls us home.

 ...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40: 31

We Already Know How It Ends

 In relationships...any type, I believe...there's often a more logical thinker, a realist...and then, there's the free-spirit, carefree one.  Of course these personality types are not rigid.  The logical thinker might have moments of spontaneity that cause great surprise to those around them...and the free spirit might have instances of pause and consideration before embarking on the next grand adventure.  

In our marriage, for sure, Dan is the logical thinker.  My cute little, term of endearment for him is "the dream-crusher, naysayer."  He really loves that nickname...lol...and he has certainly earned it:  "No, we cannot sell everything and go live in an RV." "No, we cannot empty our retirement fund and buy a beach condo in Florida." "No, we cannot quit our jobs and just go travel the world." "No, we cannot become modern nomads." I mean, c'mon!!! We don't need such negativity in life, am I right or what? LOL.

When it comes to my own little quirks, though I'm definitely the more free-spirited one of our duet...I can be weird and uptight too sometimes.  Like, my thing is that I have to know.  You know what I mean?  In some circumstances, I just need to know.  When I'm streaming a movie and I cannot predict the ending, I have to know...so I fast forward to the end to find out.  A couple of days ago I was watching a 16-episode series and by episode 12 I was just so frustrated because I could not figure out the outcome, that yes, I jumped to episode 16 and got it over with.  I could not sit through 4 more episodes of not knowing.  The problem is when Dan and I are watching something together.  I drive him crazy begging him to fast forward because I just can't take the tension of not knowing.  I have to confess, not too long ago, we were watching a series together and he had to go pick up Dylan from practice, and I skipped to the end and the rewound it and pretended I didn't know what was going to happen...I know...I know...I hope he doesn't read this because he is going to be...not happy...

At any rate...sigh...

Even though I could be carefree with some things, I have to know the outcome on many others.  I don't care if we run out of retirement money, but I have to know that my test results are normal.  I don't care if we spend all our reserves on a trip, but I get anxious waiting to see the outcomes of my students' evaluations of my classes.  I'm not sure where I'm going with this story, but the thing is, I read a devotional this morning that said:  

"Leave the outcomes up to Me.  Follow Me wherever I lead, without worrying about how it will all turn out.  Think of your life as an adventure, with Me as your Guide and Companion." (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

I loved that! The idea of leaving the outcome up to Jesus really spoke to me.  I want to be free of the anxiety that worrying about how things will turn out causes me.  I want to let go of my fears, go full-free-spirit and just trust Him! He is the One Who Holds my future in His Hands...so there's nothing to be afraid of.  Like the devotional reading ended:  

"You already know the ultimate destination of your journey:  your entrance into heaven.  So keep your focus on the path just before you, leaving outcomes up to Me."

What a blessed way to go through life: trusting Jesus fully and with our eyes on eternity.

I pray that these Thanksgiving season we can pause and truly reflect on what it means to trust Christ in the adventure that is our lives.  I pray people like me can resist their desire to fast forward and enjoy the blessing of the process without being so focused on the outcomes...because we already know it! We know how it ends: Heaven!  I pray that we deeply assimilate the truth of His presence in the valleys, on the plains, and on the mountain tops.  I pray that we make the decision of keeping our eyes on Him and not on the waves and the wind... that we seek Him first and leave the rest in His Hands...the Hands that formed us and hold us and keep us near.  In the precious Name Above All Names! Amen!