Inspirations

I've been thinking about that first Christmas that occurred so very long ago.   I can't help but smile when I think about how, from a human perspective, The first Christmas seemed to capture life entirely, messy.  Mary had "plans", thoughts, or expectations for what her life would be like.   She would get married, then after a year, or two they would have children.  Joseph, no doubt, also had dreams and expectations for his life.  He would marry a "nice" Jewish girl and perhaps, once they had saved some money they would have a house and children.   They were a good Jewish couple.  Then ... God stepped in and suddenly life was very complicated.  Sometimes when we are following God, life gets harder.  Just like it did for Mary and Joseph.   Mary found herself pregnant in a society in which the penalty for this type of "sin" was death, and the only explanation she could give was one that no one would believe. I imagine that Mary mu...

My plan was to write an Advent reflection on Wednesday.  It is now Friday, and I'm finally getting around to writing the advent thoughts.   I failed to plan.  I wanted to get it written, but life got in the way and, I'm afraid, I didn't budget my time very well.   I did, however, get some Christmas gifts done.  I have been doing some personalized gifts, and they took way longer than I had anticipated.  So, while the gifts delayed my blog, I did get the gifts done, and that was one of my plans.   I started planning last January for some of the gifts.  As I said before, I am not a planner, but I am learning that not all planning is bad.  In fact, planning can reduce stress as long as we use the plans like a flexible ruler.   At Christmas, it is easy to want to stress about giving gifts because we have little money. One thing, I did this year, was starting a Christmas savings.   When I started buying gifts, I had money so I ...

Let's begin this Advent season by looking back, not just to the baby in a manger.  Let's go back to where the story of the nativity begins; before the creation of the world.   For most of us, I included, it's easy to wrap our mind around a baby in a manger. We naturally want to start the Christmas story at the manger, or somewhere close to that time.  However, to be honest, to understand and appreciate the nativity we need to see where the story truly starts.  God had planned the birth of Jesus as he was creating the world.  There was nothing haphazard about the birth of Jesus.  God had mapped out everything to the minutest detail.  When we look at the baby in the manger, we should think about the fact that Jesus had been planning and working out the birth of Jesus for 2000 years. You planners can appreciate this kind of planning.    Imagine all the thought and detail what went in delivering that first Christmas pre...

Today was a day of learning and stretching.   I attended a craft fair, not as a customer but as a crafter.   I should also add that I have never attended craft fairs as a customer.  I have been knitting scarves for a few years.   On a whim, I entered a craft fair at out church.   I was sure I would fail.  I would come home having spent six hours at a craft fair with nothing more than I had when I started.  I would be a failure.  I got there only to find that others had set up last night.   I got there ten minutes before it started.   Not a great start to a day.   As I looked around, I saw other tables with brightly covered tables, and there is mine with nothing more than the scarves adorning on the table.  I had no idea, before today, how much money I should take with me to make change for the customers.  I have to confess, I felt very discouraged.  But God reminded me that I can make it...

As we enter into the Thanksgiving season, let’s take the time to contemplate what we have to be thankful for and to whom we give thanks.  Often we, as people, tend to focus on problems and what is wrong, rather than what is right.   We know that we have been blessed and given much but we, not unlike the Children of Israel tend to see the problems:  We have no food; there is no water; there are giants rather than the one who is taking care of us.  Anyone reading this has at least a few things that they can be thankful for if we choose to see them.  For the next thirty days, I will be posting things for which I believe each one of us can be thankful.  I hope that you will join me in coming with a thankful heart to God. I am thankful for God , My shield, My creator, My defender The one who is greater And loves each of us With undying love. He wakes us each morning Causes us to sleep in peace. He holds our h...

 For My Sweet Mother Your body was tired You had faced many struggles. But lately, just waking up was hard. Yet, you felt the need to go on, Even though all those you once considered friends Had already given up the fight. So when Jesus reached down And gently beckoned you to come and dine with him, You gladly put your hand in his And went with  him to the house He had been preparing for you. Leaving us with a bittersweet ache and joy. We were sad and missed you But we understood your need to leave. So we said, “Go with God” And carried you in our hearts. There were so many people They were waiting for you Cheering for you, Excited to find you there. You spent some time visiting With all those who had gone on before. You settled in to your new eternal home. Happy to be where your heart has longed to be. Everything was better than you had heard Or even imagined. It was the most perfect place you had ever see...

There is a word that means a great deal to me.  It is the word friend.  We use it frequently on social media.  But in real life, I wonder how often we use the word to describe someone.    I have to admit that I don’t use the word very often.  When I was young, I used it all the time.  Now I tend to save it for special people.  I love everyone, and yet, I don’t always feel like I have to right to consider everyone my friend and not everyone wants to be my friend.  There have been a few times in my life when I have used the word “friend to describe someone.   Occasionally, I have had people use the word to describe me.   I have to confess, it made me feel special, wanted, loved.    One lady that I wait on regularly at work will often say, "How is my friend today?"  It makes my heart 10 times lighter when she says that.  It seems that the word “friend” creates a special connection between two people.  It...