Freedom

I recently started to work two jobs. In my first job, I am working as a caregiver for a woman who lives nearby. She is 91 years old, and within the last six months, she lost her husband and fell and broke her hip. My second job is working as a prep cook at the Stephenson County Jail. Though I work in the kitchen, I work daily with the  inmates as there are at least four in the kitchen with us each day. I do the cooking along with instructing the inmates on their tasks, and I help to make the kitchen run smoothly.
These are about as opposite as can be as far as jobs go, but they have me thinking about the same thing. That thing is freedom. And it does not quite go the way you might think it would.
Lots of times, the inmates will ask me how I am doing; how my day is going, how my Christmas was, etc, etc. And then they laugh at me when I ask how their day is going. Of course they are not having a good day, they are in jail. And they seem to think that I should feel sorry for them. And to a point, I do. But in general, I don't. While I feel bad that they are in jail, especially over the holidays, there is a reason that they are in jail. They weren't just kidnapped off of the streets and thrown in prison. They made very poor choices, and they are now living with the consequences of their choices.
On the other hand though, this lady I take care of, she didn't make poor choices that got her into the predicament she is in. Oh, I am sure that she made some choices that weren't the best; everyone does. But mostly, from what I've gathered from talking to her, she made mostly good choices. What has happened to her is simply life. And she has lost her freedom through growing old. She really can't do anything on her own. I have to stay the night at her house so that she has someone to help her get dressed, get her breakfast, and even help her get into bed. She is legally blind, and often can't even figure out how to turn the tv on because she can't tell what buttons are what.
Freedom is one of the most important things in our lives. One of the most degrading things you can do to a person is take away their freedom. But what to do when life takes away that freedom...I can try to help this lady have as much freedom as possible. I can do everything that I can to not take away any more freedom than she has already lost.
And I can take a lesson from her life. I can live in the freedom I have been given as long as I am able to live in it. I will do everything I can to not throw it away. The inmates at the jail have taken their freedom and thrown it away through their dumb choices. They could be free. They are fairly young, able bodied people who could be out living their lives instead of wasting their time in jail.
So are we using our freedom, or are we giving it away?

Celebrate with Joy

Advent 2011 day 25

Luke 2:10-11
And  the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David and Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

We were at the Christmas Eve service last night (yeah, it's a few days before Christmas, but Crossroads has a few extra services). This was a little different than some that I've been to. Usually, they are fairly solemn occasions. Not that they are like a funeral or anything, but they are a little more serious.
Last night though, as the pastor was talking, I suddenly started to see flashes of light from a few people down my row. Turns out, my sister and her friend had lighters out, and were randomly flicking them on. And from that point, the service was a little lighter (in more ways than one...) than most that I have been to.
During the part of the service where we had a chance to go and make amends with people if we needed to, the people in our little section of the church mostly just goofed around. We didn't need to make amends, so we just had fun being together.
And then we came to the candle lighting and Christmas Carols. At that point, the lighters came in sort of handy. Especially when candles were blown out. And we were deliberately trying to blow out each other's candles. There was more giggling during this service than there has been during others that I remember.
And is there a problem with that? Where does it say that Christmas Eve services are supposed to be serious? I actually think it was good. The angel brought good tidings of great joy. Why shouldn't we celebrate with joy?

Done with Christmas

Advent 2011 Day 24

Ok, so as of today, I am pretty well ready to forget about Christmas and be done with it. I'll pretend it's January, and Christmas is already over. Or I'll pretend that Christmas doesn't exist at all, or it's been outlawed or something. I don't care how it works. There will just be no Christmas.
Now, this is very different from my usual stance on Christmas. And even the way that I felt just a few hours ago. I love Christmas. I have grown to like it more every year. I'm not sure why, I just like it. I think a lot of the reason for that is the fact that I love giving presents. It's just fun to me.
But I just found out today that one of my presents I was really excited about giving is ruined. I have no idea what I will do instead of that present. There's really no way to just get another to replace it. And that really upsets me. It's not the cost of the gift that bothers me; it wasn't really that expensive. It's the fact that I was really looking forward to giving it, and now I don't know what to do. And there isn't a whole lot of time to come up with something new.
But maybe there's a reason for it. I have no idea what that reason could be. I would think that a ruined Christmas present is pretty pointless, and nothing could come of that. But maybe I'm wrong.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I realize that overall, Christmas presents aren't probably going to make much of a difference in anyone's life path. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't trust God to make things turn out right.
My own understanding says, 'It would have worked out better if things simply went as I planned and that was that.'
But maybe God's understanding doesn't work that way. Maybe someday I will see that the things I worry about, and the things that upset me really aren't as important as I think they are. Maybe one day, I'll see things the way God sees them, and I'll see a lesson that I learned from this that I didn't even know I learned.
But until that happens, I need to just trust God. Trust him that he knows what's going on even when I think things are only going wrong. And I need to remember what I've been writing in this blog. That this is a season of peace and I need to pursue that peace instead of letting everything get me down.

Sharing hard times.

Advent 2011 Day 23

Luke 1:39-55
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.


How important do you think Elisabeth is to the story of Christmas? She's pretty much never mentioned when people are talking about Christmas. I mean, she's John's Mom, not Jesus'.
But she must have really made a huge difference to Mary. Mary would have been terrified, knowing that she was pregnant, and not married, and she would have been wondering what would happen to her. Maybe she even wondered how her cousin Elisabeth would react. But she didn't need to worry.
From the first moment that Elisabeth heard Mary's voice, she knew that there was something special about the baby that Mary carried, and she told her that. She didn't berate her at all; she didn't judge her. She began to prophecy about the baby, and tell Mary that she was blessed.
My guess is that it would have made a huge difference to Mary to have someone to share her pregnancy with. And not just someone who was pregnant at the same time, but someone who was also pregnant with a baby whose coming had been foretold by an angel. Elisabeth was not carrying the son of God, but she was carrying a very special baby.
Having someone to share in our hard times makes those hard times less difficult. I'm not talking about the "misery loves company" thing, where you want people around you to be miserable if you are. But instead, when you are going through a difficult time, it is nice to know that there is someone who understands, and someone you can talk to. Someone you can share your thoughts and feelings with. And that is what Elisabeth was to Mary.
Who is that for you? Who can you talk to? And are you trustworthy enough to be that person for someone else?

Sharing Jesus

Advent 2011 Day 22

This is the last week of Advent. I'm going to change things around a little with the blog format for this week.
This week is the week of the Angel candle, and it is about the love that God shared with us when he sent his son into the world. The "co-theme" of the week is sharing. Not sharing, like sharing your toys, but instead, sharing the good news we have been given.
If you look at the people who saw Jesus, they didn't just see him, and hide him in their hearts, and keep him as a private thing. They shared him with those that they came in contact with.
I mentioned the shepherds in an earlier blog, but then there was Anna and Simeon, who saw Jesus when he was first taken to the temple.

Luke 2:25-38
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For my eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Obviously, if Anna heard the things that Simeon said to Mary and Joseph, he had not drug them over to a corner and whispered the things that he said about Jesus.
It's interesting to try to imagine how this all happened. I mean, was the temple crazy busy that day? Were there tons of people there, hearing what Simeon said? Did most people just ignore what was said? Or was it fairly empty that day, and only Anna and Simeon were there? Most likely, considering that there were so many people in town because of the census, there would have been a decent number of people there. But did they hear? Or did they just ignore? Why are Simeon and Anna the only ones mentioned? Is it because they were the ones who shared what they knew about the baby?
Simeon prophesied about Jesus; then Anna, after hearing what Simeon said, told anyone that was looking for redemption in Jerusalem. She was not about to keep this to herself. She had devoted most of her life to serving God in the temple. She knew the joy that came from belonging to God, and she wanted to share with everyone that was willing to hear.
If you know how it is to belong to God, you should share with everyone that is looking. If you hear someone sharing about God, share that with someone else (so long as you're sure it's accurate). It's like paying it forward. Fill the world with Christians who share instead of becoming cross that someone else originally got the prophecy. Work together to share Jesus.

The Gift that keeps on giving

Advent 2011 Day 21

1 John 4:7-19
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his spirit.
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Today is the last day of the joy week. And what better verses to symbolize joy than verses about the coming of Christ, and God's love for us.
We sing Joy to the World, and talk about Christmas being the season of Joy. But it's usually more of a season of stress than anything. But why is it when Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and God is love? Perhaps if we truly shared those things, it would be a better season.
1 John 4:7 says that everyone that loves, knows God. How much do you really know God if you aren't loving people?
God sent Jesus to earth so that through him, we would be able to know God. We get excited about Christmas because of all the cool presents we're gonna get, but forget about the amazing present we already got.
This time of year, you always hear the words 'the gift that keeps on giving'. Usually, that means something like a coffee of the month club, or something along those lines. But those are nothing compared to our gift that keeps on giving. Through Jesus, we have joy and peace. We have salvation, and we have everything that we need. That is the most amazing gift that keeps on giving.

And all the people said, Amen

Advent 2011 Day 20

1 Chronicles 16:8-36
Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.
Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oat unto Isaac;
And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;
When ye were but a few, even a few, and strangers in it.
And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;
He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
Saying, touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.
Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvelous works among all nations.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to  be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.
Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, the Lord reigneth.
Let the sea roar and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord.

I don't know that there is much I can say to add to this. Just read the verses and focus on them. Be aware of the great things that God has done, and all of the reasons you have to praise him. And then never stop praising him.
"And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord."

Oh Daughter of Zion

Advent 2011 Day 19

Zephaniah 3:14-17
Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

I need that verse very often. I don't always remember it when I should though. I know that God is mighty and can save me, but I forget the rest of verse 17. He rejoices over me.
During the times that I need saving, I don't think that there is any way that God could rejoice over me. I feel like he must be disappointed in me, even though everything in the Bible tells me otherwise. Somehow, this verse makes me believe it more.
It's kind of sad when our view of Christmas ends with the birth of Jesus. Many of the prophecies that talk about Jesus coming talk about him bringing salvation. They don't just say that he'll come and that will be it. And the reason this is what they refer to is because it is why he came.
We have salvation because Jesus came and was born and died for us. We are able to know that God is rejoicing over us because Jesus came, and we are able to approach the throne of God with confidence.
So take some time to revel in the fact that God is rejoicing over you. Really rest in him, and do your best to understand that this is true. Don't just rush through life, but believe that God sings over you.

The Oil of Joy for Mourning

Advent 2011 Day 18

Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garment of salvation. he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

What a decree! My favourite part is verse 10: "I will greatly rejoice in my Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God". Lots of times, when I am trying to help the brokenhearted, and the captives, my heart is heavy. I feel for them, and I can scarcely help being drug down emotionally by their circumstances. But there is no need for that.
The one who has put his Spirit upon me to help me set the prisoners free, is the one that I can take rejoice in. He does not put me in situations where there is sorrow to fill my heart with sorrow. Rather, he gives me joy so that I can bring joy into those situations.
We are not to bring mere happiness. Happiness hinges on circumstances. Joy is given by God, and it does not matter what life is looking like, you can still have joy no matter what.

Let the Floods Clap Their Hands

Advent 2011 Day 17

My computer wouldn't let me go online yesterday, so I got behind on my blog. But that's ok.

Psalm 98
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the king.
Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
Before the Lord: for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

This Psalm comes from the section of Psalms that is the "Enthronement" section. And it tells why God is enthroned. We so often forget to marvel at God. He has done such wonderful things, and we take it for granted. We either give him a grocery list when we pray, or we pray in "church words", or we forget to pray altogether.
When is the last time that you thanked God for your body? After all, the Bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are one of the marvelous things that God has done. He has created your body exactly the way that he wanted to create it.
How often do you thank God for the food that you eat? I mean really thank him. Not just 'Oh God, bless this food, amen.' Think about it. He has given us amazing food to eat, and made it so that the food gives us fuel to continue through our day. And he made it so that it is fun to eat, and something that we can enjoy, not just something that we have to do to sustain life.
God has given us salvation! Even if you have barely enough food to get by, and your body feels like it is falling apart, that should be enough to make you rejoice every moment of your life. We don't have to fear death; we don't have to fear anything that can come at us. He is our salvation, and we can rejoice in that.
So make a joyful noise. Who cares if you can't carry a tune in a bucket. Sing anyway. Or play an instrument, or do whatever you want to do, but praise him! Because he is worthy of all of the praise we can give, and so much more!

Rejoice and Praise God

Advent 2011 Day 16

Luke 2:8-20
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

I love the way that the shepherds' fear turns into rejoicing. It must have been insane to be sitting out in the fields, and suddenly have angels there talking to them. And not just one angel, but a multitude of them.
But right after the angels told them what had happened, they didn't waste any time going in to Bethlehem to find the baby they had been told about.
And they didn't let their rejoicing stop with them. They went on their way and told everyone what they had been told about Jesus. I'd bet that they got laughed at, but they didn't care. Their joy was so huge that nothing could stop them from sharing.
And Mary pondered all of this in her heart. You might think that she would do that when the Wise men came. That would be the typical thing to do. You would definitely take notice if rich men came with expensive gifts to give your son. But she pondered in her heart the visit of simple shepherds. Perhaps because of their joy.
After seeing Jesus and going around telling people about him, they returned to the fields, but they did not just go back to their old lives. They continued to rejoice and praise God for everything they had seen.
Don't let yourself go back to how you used to be. Even if you're doing something as mundane as herding sheep, keep praising God, and keep that joy.

We saw his star in the East

Advent 2011 Day 15

Matthew 2:9-12
When they had heard the King, the departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his Mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Today starts the week of the joy candle. And how appropriate to start with the Wise Men.
The Wise Men spent a lot of time on their journey to find Jesus. You might think that after all of that time, they would be disappointed to find a common baby (or toddler). They told Herod that they were looking for a king, and the son of a carpenter wouldn't cut it for most people.
But these verses say that they came into the house and worshipped him. I'm sure they were a little surprised, but it does not say anything about them being upset to find that Jesus wasn't a King in the typical sense that most would think.
Do you rejoice when things don't turn out the way you expected them too? Even if you've gone through a lot of trouble? They had followed the star from the East. Not exactly sure what that means, but it would have been a crazy long journey. They might have come on camels, like they're normally portrayed, or some other way, but it still would have been quite the trip.
Then they had to go to Herod, who wanted to know what they knew about Jesus. When they saw the star again, they rejoiced greatly. They knew they were close, because they knew what town he would be in. They must have been pumped. And then to get there and see that it was not a King as most would look for.
But that didn't stop them from worshipping him. They didn't turn around in disgust and walk out. They didn't keeps searching, figuring they had to be wrong. As soon as they walked into the house, they fell down and worshipped Jesus, presenting their gifts to him.
How do you handle it when you have disappointment, or things just don't quite look like you expected they would? Do you still worship?

Where is Christmas.

Advent 2011 Day 14

Mark 1:1-11
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Christmas? Isn't Advent supposed to be a lead up to Christmas? Where is Christmas in these verses? I'll tell you where. Anything about Jesus is about Christmas in a way. We use Christmas to remember Jesus' birth, but nowhere in the Bible were we told to remember his birth. We are told to remember his death, but Christmas definitely ends up more celebrated than Easter. So Christmas should be a time to remember more than just the birth of Christ.
It would have been so easy for John to say, "Ok, listen, I want some attention. I want to be noticed. I want to be the one who is talked about for more than just being the guy in camel skins who eats bugs." But he turned people's attention away from himself.
We need to know when we celebrate Jesus' birth, that we are not only celebrating his birth. We are celebrating who he would grow up to be.
He's the boy who stayed in the Temple, talking to the priests for a few days while his parents accidentally left him. He's the man who was baptized by John, then was tempted by the devil while he fasted. He's the man who worked miracles. And ultimately, he is the man who died for us, and rose again, and became the saviour of the world. And that should make Christmas even more spectacular for us.

Into the World

Advent 2011 Day 13

John 1:10-18
He was in the World, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.


This continues talking about John being the forerunner for Jesus, but then says that Jesus is the one who declares God to us. John was the one to bring us to Jesus, and Jesus was the one to bring us to God.
This can look like Catholicism, saying that we need to go through someone to get to God, but that is not what it is. We don't need to go through anyone to get to God. That is a wonderful thing about God. He wants us to come to him, as children, without anything standing between us.
The reason for the forerunners; for those who were to bring us to God, was that people were not coming to God on their own. We needed someone to lead us to God.
It's like taking a little kid to see Santa at the store. You're not going to ask the kid what they want, and then go sit on Santa's lap to ask for that (at least your average, normal person wouldn't do that...). But you have to take the child to see Santa. They won't be able to get to the store on their own, and usually, they're a little nervous about going up to Santa, and need some encouragement. And that's where you come in. You put the kid in the car, and you take them to the store, and you encourage them to go up to Santa and sit on his lap (tell them he won't bite, tell them that he'll bring them presents, etc...). But that is really all that you can do. After that, it is their choice whether they go up and sit on Santa's lap, or if they scream and cry and cling to you and refuse to let go until you take them home. Or buy them candy.
And that's how it is with us. John prepared the way for Jesus, but he couldn't make them accept him. And Jesus gave us a way to get to God. But he won't make us go to him. It is our choice. Choose wisely.

Did you see the Light?

Advent 2011 Day 12

John 1:1-9
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

It's really sad when the world is so dark that they cannot even recognize the light without someone coming to tell them that the light is coming. But that is what John was doing.
If I got a group of people together in a dark room, and told them to just wait, they would notice if I came walking into the room five minutes later with a spotlight. But if I put them in a dark room and blindfolded them, they wouldn't see the light. Perhaps they would think they had seen something, but they wouldn't know if it was really a light, or if their eyes were just playing tricks on them. Someone would have to come up to them, and tell them a light was going to be coming, and they should take off their blindfolds if they wanted to see the light.
And that's what John was doing. He was preparing the people to see Jesus. God knew that people would not see Jesus when he came. Their eyes were covered with thick blindfolds, and they didn't even know that. He wasn't actually the light, but he was the one saying, "Guys, there's a light coming! If you want to see it, you have to uncover your eyes and look."
If I was in that dark room with all of those people in blindfolds, they'd probably think that I was crazy to come tell them to take off their blindfolds. Some people wouldn't see a point. If it's dark, what's the difference if you're wearing a blindfold or not? And some people might even be frightened. It is scarier to be in the dark when your eyes are uncovered and you still can't see a thing. But the only people who would see the light are the ones who had the faith to take off their blindfolds and look.
Do you have faith? Have you even taken off your own blindfold? Are you helping others to take off theirs? Do people see the light because of you?

Gonna have a baby...

Advent 2011 day 11

Luke 1:26-38
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

How terrifying would this have been? Having a baby out of wedlock in Mary's time was not the casual thing it is now. Now, people hardly bat an eye when a single Mom has a baby. But back then, it could be a death sentence.
Having a baby said that you had sex before marriage (kind of obvious), and you could be killed for doing that. At least you would be disgraced; no one would marry you, and you would carry that stigma for the rest of your life.
But Mary didn't even argue. Yeah, she asked questions, but she asked how it would happen. That's a pretty sensible question. She knew that it was physically impossible for her to be pregnant, so she wanted to know how that could happen. But she did not say no. She didn't even ask to think about it or anything. As soon as Gabriel explained to her what would happen, and that it was possible, she accepted it.
Would you accept something that fast? Would you be more like Mary, who accepted what the angel told her, or like Zacharias, who sort of questioned what was said?
And the interesting thing, when you're looking at the two of them is that the things that Gabriel told Mary were much more frightening than what he told Zacharias. Zacharias was told he would have a son. That was cool. He was married, but his wife was barren. It was something they hoped for, but didn't think they would ever have. No one would look down on them for having a son, in fact, people probably already looked down on Elisabeth for being barren. After she bore a son, they would rejoice with her, and she would be in good standing once more. But with Mary, her reputation would be crushed. She would not have a chance at marriage again. Having a son could have ruined her life. But still, she's the one that accepted what she was told would happen.

God's gonna do what?!?

Advent 2011 Day 10

Luke 1:11-25
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wide Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his Mother's womb.
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple.
And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
And it came to pass that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself for five months, saying,
Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

It just made me laugh when I was reading this tonight. Zacharias was a priest. He was not just some random guy who didn't know the things that God could do. And he did not believe it when an angel told him that his wife would have a son.
An angel! Seriously! This wasn't another priest, or some crazy guy who thought he could tell the future. This was an angel. Zacharias apparently knew Gabriel was an angel, or at least knew there was something special about him, but he still didn't believe. Too bad he didn't remember the story of Abraham and Sarah.
Is it harder to believe when a prophecy or a word is about you? We can believe that things are for other people. I frequently tell students that God has great plans for them, and I tell them that they will do amazing things, but I find it way easier to believe that for them than for me. I must confess that I have a hard time seeing that the wondrous promises of God are for me. Maybe that was Zacharias' problem. I am sure that he knew that God could work miracles like that.
The awesome thing is, he doubted, but God still used him. Sure, there was a consequence to his doubting (the man couldn't speak til his son was born), but God didn't decide to choose someone else just because Zacharias wanted proof. Gives a pretty good picture of the God that we serve. He can handle any doubts you might have, and he knows you're going to have them.
But learn from the past. God can do amazing things, and he wants to do them for YOU, not just the person next to you, or that person from the Bible, or that missionary that is overseas. He wants to do great things through and to you.
And yes, I am working on remembering that this counts for me too :~)

Lift up your voice!

Advent 2011 Day 9

Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11
Comfort ye, comfort yet my people, saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold his reward is with him, and his work before him.
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are young.

We need courage. We need to raise our voices and tell people to "Behold their God." We know this amazing news, that the shepherd is here to care for his flock, but we don't tell anyone.
John the Baptist is not the only messenger to tell people about Jesus. That is our job too. He was an amazing man. Everyone thought he was crazy, but people still listened to him. He was talked about in Isaiah, way before he was even born. He was called to what God had for him long before he existed.
And so are we. Just because you are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, that doesn't mean that you were not called. You are called to be a messenger to prepare people for Jesus, to tell them about him, and show them how to prepare their hearts.
Lift up your voice with strength, and do not be afraid!

Little Things

Advent 2011 Day 8

Micah 5:2-5
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

Today is the start of week 2 of Advent. This is the Bethlehem week. Although we are not in the prophecy week anymore, the verses we start with are still prophetic.
Bethlehem...not a town that impressed people. Even now, yeah, we look at it as the birthplace of Jesus, but otherwise, we don't see it as being very amazing. Even knowing what occurred there, we still see it as a small, simple town.
But it was the town that was chosen for the birth of the Redeemer. God is not too keen on using the things that are big and showy. He chooses the things that are small, and unnoticed. Which is fortunate for us.
We were just talking in small group about 1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
Whether you're young, or small, or just feel like you don't have anything to give, God can still use you. He used Bethlehem. He used Mary, who was a young girl, and Joseph, who was just a carpenter. All through the Bible, God used the things and people that no one thought mattered. He even used a donkey. Who is to say that he will not still do that now?
Be open to having God work through you, whether you think that he should or not. You never know what will end up happening if you're just willing.

Listen

Advent 2011 Day 7

Malachi 3:1
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

Luke 1: 67-79
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be save from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
And though, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

These verses mark the end of Prophecy week, the 1st week of Advent, and it is fitting, because they are about the last prophet to tell of Jesus' coming.
John the Baptist was a messenger, sent to proclaim that Jesus was coming, and he was to prepare the way for Jesus. God had already given a ton of prophecies, and now it was like one more time, he was saying, "Hey world, this is really happening, and it's happening now!"
The Israelites should not have needed to be told again that their Deliverer was coming. But they did. They were waiting for him, but they were going to miss him. So John was sent.
And yet, most people still missed Jesus when he came.
How much are we like the Israelites? We wait, and wait and wait for a sign from God, and then when it comes, we miss it. And maybe God even tells us once more that it is coming, but still, we don't see it, because we are too busy waiting.
Take some time this Christmas season, even with the chaos, and the running to get gifts and whatnot, to listen to God. Make sure that you're not missing what he is telling you, and really try to hear what he is saying.

Star Light, Star Bright

Advent 2011 Day 6

Numbers 24:17, 19
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab.
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

Revelation 22:16
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

2 Peter 1:19
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Have you ever been outside in the early morning when it's crazy dark except for the stars? And then they seem even brighter than normal because of the darkness of the sky. It's amazing.
These verses talk about Jesus as the morning star. The first light you see in the dark morning.
One time in India, I was trying to find a Gaur (a big buffalo type animal), and I was wandering around in a place that I was not familiar with. I lost track of time, and lost track of where I was, and by the time that I realized it was getting dark, I had no idea where I was. I tried to get back to the road so I could head to town, but I could not find my way.
I walked around in the dark with nothing to guide me. My phone had died that morning and I left it in town to charge, so I couldn't even use the light on it. I was starting to worry that I would be stuck on the mountain until the next morning.
But then I heard a dog barking. It was a bark that I recognized, and I knew that the dog was at a house near the road. So I followed it, and I was so relieved. Then I started seeing lights. Lights from the house, and lights from vehicles passing on the road. Those lights looked amazingly bright after wandering in the dark for over an hour. I'm not really big on traffic, but I was so happy to see headlights after being in the dark.
And seeing Jesus is like that. We are wandering in the dark, and then suddenly, there is a light there. A brilliant morning star that comes out when things seem the darkest. The light that rids you of your fear, and shows you where you are going.

Timing, perfection, knitting.

Advent 2011 Day 5

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Ephesians 1:9-12
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

God made known to us the mystery of his will! I love that! It's so amazing that he would do that. I mean, humans keep secrets just because we can. Why would God tell us his secret. He didn't have to, and frankly, I wouldn't have bothered if I were him. Seriously? People aren't exactly worthy of knowing the mysteries of God. But he showed them to us anyway.
And everything that happened, was brought about in the right time. Trying to pull timing for a single event is difficult. I don't think God had problems with the timing, but I picture it as him weaving a beautiful tapestry, where everything flows together perfectly. I love to knit, and that is something, especially if you are following an intricate pattern, you have to do all of the stitches right for it to turn into what you're making. And if someone has messed up the pattern, your piece will not turn out right. God made the pattern, and the earth followed it. There were places that people messed up, and maybe a stitch was dropped, but God fixed the mistakes that were made and the pattern was able to continue. And God knew what he was doing with the pattern.
When the world reached the end of that pattern, it was perfection. Jesus came at exactly the time that he should come. It is like binding off (the way you end a knitting pattern). If you just keep going when you're told to bind off, your piece is going to be messed up. But Jesus came at just the right time.
God determines his timing and purpose according to his will, and it is perfect. I need to remember that at all times. If God's timing has been perfect in everything, I should be able to trust that all of his plans and timing for me and for those I love would be perfect as well.

Prophecy

Advent 2011 Day 4

Daniel 9:24-27
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Know therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be will a flodd, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
And he shall determine the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

This doesn't really look at first glance to have anything to do with Christmas, but it is a prophecy from Daniel about the coming of Christ. I looked up several websites that explain the prophecy, and my head is kind of spinning now. Look up Daniel's prophecy of seventy weeks if you want to read more about it. I don't have enough room here.
I think it is amazing though that God gave so many prophecies about Jesus' coming. He didn't have to do that. He could have just sent Jesus, and been like, "Here you go guys. This is my son. You don't need any heads up about him." But he didn't. He told the Israelites so many times that Jesus was coming, and he told them in such a way that they should have known who he was.
We're told so much about Jesus. We have the Bible that gives us so much information about Jesus, but sometimes we miss out. Sometimes we're so busy that we don't pay attention to what we know about Jesus. We just run right on by the things we are supposed to do without even seeing them.
It's like the people in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. I'm sure they all thought that when the Messiah came, they would welcome him and set him up as a King. But they didn't. He ended up being born in a stable, and eventually even nailed to a cross.
With us, we say that if we saw Jesus and he needed help, of course we would help him. We would invite him into our home, and give him anything he needed. But Jesus said that whatever we did to the least of these, we did for him. So when you see a homeless person, or someone who just really needs help, what do you do? Do you help them? Do you walk by? Because Jesus said that whatever you didn't do for those people, you didn't do for him.
This Christmas season, you know that Jesus has come. You know what he did for you, and you don't need prophecies to tell you when he'll arrive. But don't get so caught up that you still miss out on him. It's pretty cliché to say that Jesus is the reason for the season, but it's true. If you go through the season rushing around and focusing on the commercial side of it, you're going to miss Jesus just like everyone in Bethlehem did. So take some time and help someone who is struggling with unloading their groceries. Sit with someone who is grieving. Serve somebody. And remember the real reason for Christmas. Peace, not chaos.

Arise, Shine

Advent 2011 Day 3

Isaiah 42:1, 5-6
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles
Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 60:1-3, 19-22
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Thy people also shall be all righteousness: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.

There are a lot of verses here, and the thing that stands out the most for me is that the light that would come is not only for Jews, but also for Gentiles. That's one of the most amazing occurrences (in my mind at least). God is not only the God of the Jews...I am able to be his child also. And no longer are we under the law of Moses. We are under the new covenant.
Christmas is not really about Jesus just coming as a baby. That's what we focus on, but if he'd just come as a baby, then done nothing else, the world would still be dark. There would be no salvation, there would be sacrifices.
But Jesus came, and he was born to do more than just hang out on earth. He was born to change the world, and to be our light. Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice for everyone on earth.
Every year, we have lights up in our windows, as well as on the tree. It always makes such a difference when I come into the house after dark when those lights are on. They are just little Christmas lights, but they dispel so much darkness. When Jesus came, it was a very dark time for Israel. When he was born though, a light began to shine through the darkness. Some people saw it right then.
For Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and wise men, Anna and Simeon, the light was bright and obvious. Most people though, had grown so used to the darkness that they did not see the light at all. They went along as though everything was the same. And then there were people like Herod, and later the Pharisees, who wanted the light destroyed at all costs. But they could not destroy it.
Have you ever noticed that about darkness? When you have a light on, the darkness cannot just come and take over and destroy the light. The light banishes the darkness from the places where it shines, and the darkness has no power to do anything about it.
God is our everlasting light, and he is our glory. What darkness do we need to fear?

Oh Christmas Tree

Advent 2011 Day 2

Isaiah 11:1-2
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:5-6
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice on earth.
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Christmas trees are among the most common decorations of the Christmas season. One great tradition in many families is going out to chop down a Christmas tree, and then decorating it together.  Some people use fake trees, but that's never done it for me. I need a real tree for it to really feel like a Christmas tree.
Christmas trees are raised to be cut down and enjoyed for a short time, then they die. Even fake trees are only up for a limited amount of time before they are taken down and put in a box in storage. Christmas trees bring so much joy to people in the time that they are up. That is what they are made for. That is the reason that people get them, and why having a Christmas tree has continued for so long as a tradition.
The tree of Jesse, which was the house of David, had been cut down. The word stem in Isaiah 11 signifies a stump. It is like the reverse of a Christmas tree. It looked like the tree of Jesse was dead. It would not be bringing good to anyone. But then things changed. Instead of dying, a shoot grew from that tree. Jesus was that shoot, and when he arrived, he brought the life and the beauty to the tree. This tree will not wilt. The lights will not be removed, and it will not be thrown out to be burned or taken to the dump.
So remember that when you look at your tree (hopefully I'll have a tree soon so that I can think about it when I look at my tree). Remember the tree that never dies, but instead, grows more beautiful each day.

Building Expectation

Advent 2011 day 1
Psalm 62:5-6
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. (KJV)

Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (KJV)

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint. (KJV)

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (KJV)

We have just entered one of the biggest times of waiting of the whole year. Thanksgiving is over, and it is almost time for Christmas. Christmas lists are being made, presents are being bought, decorations are being put up. And all of it is leading us toward Christmas morning, when we tear into the presents and see all of the awesome things that we have been given.
But the first Christmas was full of a different kind of waiting. They weren't just waiting to get a bunch of cool presents, they were waiting for their saviour to come and rescue them.
And if we're honest, that is what we should be thinking about more than presents. Look around you. When three babies are killed by abortion every minute in the U.S. alone. When forty-eight women are raped every hour in the Congo. When little kids who have done nothing wrong become AIDs orphans and are themselves infected. That's when we should be waiting for our Saviour to return.
And while we wait, we are not waiting alone. God is faithful. He is our rock and our salvation. He is our defense. All of those things say that he is near to us. Even when it feels like we are alone, we have our saviour.
We should be waiting for the Kingdom of God, but we are better off than the Israelites were before the first Christmas. We have the Holy Spirit. But that anticipation should still be there. Can you truly say that you are as excited about the return of Jesus as you are in the time that leads up to Christmas?

Returning Home

I thought I would be totally excited to leave VT. The last few weeks I was there, I was so ready to leave. Don't get me wrong, I think that New England is beautiful, and it's great because there's so much art stuff, and it's just a neat place. But there was nothing holding me there. And after my last few days there, there was something holding me there. I had been so stoked to leave, but when I actually left, I was sad to leave. I did not want to leave the Griffin family, and my church family that I had come to love out there. True, I didn't make it to church all that much, but I felt at home. I was invited one day to exercise a horse that belonged to a lady from church, and ended up spending half the day with her and her family. I waited impatiently for church every week. It was the best part of my week.
But I still left. My plan had been to take a small road trip on my way home, and do some sightseeing. But those plans changed. I decided to get home quickly because of Gram. I knew there was still a chance that she would die before I managed to get home, but I needed to try.
Driving home was an interesting experience. I have never driven that long in my life. I made a couple of stops on my way out of VT, but then I just went. I left around 4:30 in the afternoon with the plan to drive as long as possible. There were detours because of the storm damage, and I wasn't quite sure if I would make it through. At times, I halfway hoped I wouldn't make it. I knew that if I didn't, I could always go back to the Griffins' and spend a few more days with them.
But I made it. And then it was just long and boring driving. I drove til about 3:30 or 4 am before I stopped at a gas station for a few hrs of sleep. Then I drove the rest of the way, getting home around 7 pm. The worst part was going through Chicago on the Dan Ryan express. There are so many people, and no one can stay in their own lane for longer than 4 seconds. By this time, I was exhausted, and tired of driving as well. I was having issues with my brakes, and if I wasn't so tired, I think I would have been terrified.
Once I was pretty much through Chicago, I decided to stop at Mcdonalds to get sweet tea. It was crazy hot, and I wanted something cold. I set my gps to get me to the nearest Mcd's, but when I took the exit, my gps suddenly died. I continued to where it had said the Mcd's should be, and it wasn't there. I didn't know where to go. I finally found a 7-11 and got a slurpee, but the gps still wasn't working, and even my phone was about to die. I was at the point that I just wanted to sit down and cry and not do anything. But I figured out how to get back onto the interstate, and after a time, I reached a place where I recognized my surroundings.
Getting home was great. It is always so weird to come home. I expect things to change after I am gone, but not much was changed. New carpet, but otherwise, I was just home. It was great.
And to make everything better, Gram started eating well again. I came home for her recovery, not her death. It was amazing.

Heartbreak and Sunshine

Today I woke, and the sun was shining. But my eyes were sore from crying. Early this morning, or late last night, I got the news that my sweet pony Gram was doing very badly. Mom didn't really expect her to last another day. And that was the reason for the blog about her. It was not a good phone call at all, and involved a lot of tears and asking why. Of course, there's no answer to that. I don't know why she is dying when I am about ready to go home, and when I am actually trapped here. She is one of my biggest reasons that I want to return to IL.
Today was peaceful. I realize I am saying that word a lot, but it is true. And peace is what I have been needing lately. So this has all been perfect. The time I spent talking with Kathy helped me to refocus my chaotic thoughts. And as we discussed the weather and all that has happened, we were able to pull a lot of life lessons/illustrations from it. It was not as though we were trying to, it just happened naturally. I haven't been around someone like that in quite a while, and it was refreshing to my heart. I had told Mom that part of the reason I wanted to leave the farm was because it made my soul hurt. But even with how sad I am about Gram, these couple of days have been very healing.

Gram

Gram
I don't understand the way that I feel. I feel like I want to die, and at the same time, I feel like I want to do something with my life. I feel like God hates me, and I feel like he's waiting with his arms open for me to run into them. My head is whirling, my heart is breaking, so now, at 1:17 am, I take pen in hand and write.
I write to ease my pain. I write to remember joy and I write to try to make sense of a world gone awry. 14 years, and a couple of months ago, I had finally saved up $100. It wasn't easy. I remember wanting to buy various things, and telling myself no, because I knew that the more I spent my money, the longer it would take to reach $100. And $100 was what I needed to buy Gram.
Who is Gram? Gram was my Aunt's pony. A sweet little pony (though at the time, she didn't seem so little to me) that I had been taking riding lessons on for a while. I was the only one who rode her anymore, so Neita said she would sell her to me for $200. My parents said that they would pay half, and finally, she was mine. That was the best $100 I've ever spent.
Gram and I were never the daredevil pair that you typically hear little girls and their ponies are. We only ever jumped accidentally, and I was too worried about holes that she could step in (our dogs like digging holes) to gallop madly across the field. But that doesn't mean she wasn't special to me.
We did a couple of 4-H shows together, but practicing for them was boring. The best practice was one where I put a cat in the saddle with me, dropped the reins, put my hands behind my head and let her go where she wanted. Didn't help with my showing, but it was fun.
The best thing though was when I learned to ride bareback (because I couldn't lift the saddle). We would be out for hours. As she has gotten older, the rides have gotten shorter, but also more important, because I never know how many more I have.
For as spooky and goofy as she is, Gram puts up with pretty much anything I do. She has tolerated goofy costumes, let me lay on her backwards (and ride her backwards), and so many other things. I always have to remind myself that other horses are not as tolerant of goofy antics as my sweet pony Gram.
And now she's dying. I'm in VT, trapped by floodwaters, and there's nothing I can do but pray. And I don't know what to do. I know you might think it's crazy for me to be so devastated about a pony, but she is my best friend. She comforts me when I'm sad, she's happy to spend time with me, and it always makes me laugh when I fall off because she stands just out of reach, watching with a concerned look until I stand up. But once she makes sure I'm ok, she takes off. Talk about loyalty.
I hate that this is happening right now. Especially right now. I'm coming home so soon, couldn't it wait? I don't understand it, but I guess there's a reason. I want to be with her, and I have no way to do that. I know there's nothing I could do. My Mom and Dr. Caroline are doing everything that can be done. But I still want to be with her. I love her.

Finally...Dryness!!!

How amazing it feels to be dry after being soaked to the bone. The rain was still pouring from the sky, and the deluge was still washing through the garden, but it made no difference to us. The mums were out of harm's way, and we could watch the storm at our leisure from the comfort of the house. It was a wonderfully peaceful afternoon. The hurricane was still raging, but it seems that a storm outside only strengthens the calm inside. Lunch was made, conversation was had. I read and watched the kids play. Every few minutes, we had weather updates, but there was not really any concern. The flowers were safe, and the house and barn were above water. The roads were closed, but even that did not worry us.
As the rain calmed a bit, we ventured outside to survey the damage. The water was still high, but not nearly what it was earlier. Bits of the road had simply collapsed into the ditch where the stones under the road had been eaten away by the flood.
We spent the afternoon and evening playing games, reading, and talking. I could get texts through on occasion, so I kept family and Facebook updated with what was happening.
In the early evening, I went out for a drive. Waterfalls that were not there before cascaded down the rock faces at the side of the road. Townshend Lake was around twice its usual size, and there was no beach to be seen. I walked down the road leading to the beach, and in the ditch beside it, water was still running, draining off into the lake.
I continued past the dam, but did not get far before I came upon a yellow gate that blocked the road. Continuing on foot, I found the reason for the gate. There was a narrow gorge that the road was supposed to pass over, but instead, the road simply ended and resumed again on the opposite side of the gorge. The guardrails remained, suspended over the water, and looking for all the world like two swinging bridges. For some reason, they lent an eerie air to the scene.
As I crossed back over the dam, the sun was peering out around the clouds. It had come out just in time to set behind the mountains. But it put on a spectacular show as it did so. I was glad that I waited to go for a drive when I did, because it was so gorgeous.
We had pizza for dinner and waited for the power to go out. We knew it would only be a matter of time. But surprisingly, it held on until 8 o'clock. Long enough to have supper and to get coffee made for the morning.
When the power went out, we used candles and oil lamps for reading. It was lovely. It was quiet and peaceful, with good conversation and good time to read and write. We listened while Kathy read a story to Ben, and then while Pr Mark read the story of the wise and foolish builders. Very fitting for this day.
Reading by lamplight is a far better way to end the day than being on the computer. Being connected through facebook and such things is nice, but it keeps your mind stirring far longer than necessary, while reading by lamplight eases you slowly down into rest.

Operation Save a Mum

The church service was the shortest I have ever experienced. We had one song, and a couple of verses, but shortly after the verses began to be expounded upon, we were informed that Kathy's mums were floating away. Kathy is the wife of Pr Mark, and she sells flowers. Flowers that were sitting in the field in pots. The field that the flood waters were gushing through.
Several of us ran outside, loaded into a couple of cars, and drove the short distance to the Griffin Gardens. And thus began the Great Mum Rescue of Hurricane (Tropical Storm) Irene.
I was the most casually dressed of the group, having opted not to wear a saree as I had been planning. I was in my next nicest clothes, which were jeans and a hoody. And sandals. Everyone else was in nicer church clothes; button down shirts, polos, khakis, etc. But that stopped no one. Everyone dove right in (almost literally) as we worked to rescue the plants.
The water was rushing through the field, cutting paths through the rows of pots, sending plants tumbling. At times, we would see a plant beginning to tumble downstream, and we would lunge for it, catching it just in time. The plants that were not reached quickly enough ended up in a heap at the bottom of the field. They were left to the water. For now at least.
After a few trips across the field to get plants and then back to dry ground, I didn't think I could get any wetter. I was wrong. Eventually my hoody was so soaked that I probably could have wrung a gallon of water from it. And still we continued; getting as many plants as possible to safety.
Toward the end, when we were getting tired, and doing the last batch, which was one where we had to walk upstream with hands full of pots, the reinforcements arrived in the shape of a neighbour with a 4-wheeler and a trailer. This trailer could hold about 15 plants, plus I (sitting on the back of the wheeler with my feet on the trailer) could hold 6 more. We couldn't go too fast, and the wheeler had a hard time getting up to the road where it was washed out, but it was still quicker than slogging through the water.
And finally, we were done. The plants we could save were on higher ground or behind barriers that deflected the water. There were many that were lost, but it was not nearly as bad as it could have been.
It was still pouring madly when we made our way out of the field and went to get dry clothes. At this point, we were all starting to feel the chill in the air. We were ok when we were moving, but a moment's pause made a chance for the cold to creep in. It is days like this where you thank the Lord for warm houses, dry clothes, and a dryer to dry those clothes that are soaked.

The Adventure Begins

The next few blogs are some that I wrote while I was in VT during Hurricane Irene.

The adventure has begun. Not only have I left the farm, but I have left in the middle of a hurricane. Or tropical storm. Whichever you prefer. It was absolutely pouring when I packed up my car and left.
I determined that the best start to an adventure was going to church. So I headed toward Windham. The rain came down like mad as I drove. My windows fogged, and I began to question my sanity. But I went just the same. I had said my goodbyes, and I was ready to leave.
On my way, I stopped to see what things looked like from the top of the Townshend Dam. Fog was still thick over the mountains, but I could see how high the water was. Grass poked through the water a good distance from the shore. You could almost feel sorry for it there, where it thought it would be safe from the water.
Looking down the other side of the dam, I saw something intriguing. Just below the dam, the water was dark and calm. A short way downstream, however, a side creek joined the main river. This creek roiled and raged as it entered the river, churning up the soil as it came, and colouring itself with the sediment. As the muddy brown water flowed out of the stream, it drew a sharp line across the river. The waters did not mingle. Rather, they existed side by side, looking for all the world like the meeting of the waters in Brazil. Perhaps Vermont was jealous of the Amazonas.
Continuing to church, I saw signs of the weather other than simply the rain. Branches and twigs littered the road heavily, and I hoped that I would not come across anything too large to pass by. There was nothing though that hindered my progress.
I made it to church, and called Mom to talk for a few minutes. The church parking lot was one of the few places that I could get cell service. I was actually stalling on going through the rain. When I finally went inside, I ended up soaked almost immediately. As it turned out, that did not really matter too much.