Audrey has bequeathed upon me the Christmas Spirit Award. I am suppose to tell 5 things I love about Christmas and bestow the award upon 5 other people for them to do the same.
Five Things I Love About Christmas:
1. The Christ of Christmas. I am a Jesus follower, lover and worshiper. Everything, and I mean everything is because of Him, about Him, to honor Him. The reason I live is to worship You, Lord…
2. Dave’s joy. Dave IS Mr. Christmas. Dave loves everything about it. He comes alive in the shortest days and longest nights of the year and makes my life merry and bright.
3. The five kids God gave me so I would understand the sheer JOY of giving them what they need to live (and get why He loves it so, too) and watching them, as they marry and have children, experience the same!
4. The five grandkids, of course. I did not know I could or would become one of those grandmas, but I guess I am. And I LOVE doing Christmasy things with these amazing, wonderful, sweet, funny, charming, talented, and loving children. They are beyond words for me, really. They renew my Christmas spirit regularly!
5. The symbols, the lights, the music and sounds, the smells, the meanings, the good wishes, the cookies, the friends, the laughter, the gifts I get to give, the Gift God gave to me, I love it all! All this and more…
Five People Who Also Get the Christmas Spirit Award
Because it is Christmas, I am keeping this a secret and not giving my 5-selected-blogger-friends the award – so that they may get their shopping and baking and all else Christmas done. :) Really, I am not just trying to keep the award for myself!…
May YOUR days be merry and bright…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: All this focus on Chrismas…am I forgetting other stuff??? Oh well, who cares? :)
Woke up to 14-degrees below zero today, but it may make it all the way up to the 11-degrees promised because of the sunshine.
Meanwhile, some one stole my husband’s beloved and treasured snow shovel (it is like 12 years old, but it was a goodie!) and he is in mourning. Left on our porch, the thief knew a good thing when he saw it!
“Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart… filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.” – Bess Streeter Aldrich
Thanks to Amy Grant for my favorite new Christmas song this year. I DO need one! How about you?
I’ve made the same mistake before
Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove
Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?
I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?
Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace
I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
What was it like back there in Bethlehem
With peace on earth, good will toward men?
Every shepherd’s out in the field
Keeping watch over their clock by night
And the glory of the Lord shone around them
And they were so afraid
And the angels said fear not for behold
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace
I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
To end this crazy day with a silent night
Times are hard right now for a lot of people. A newer friend of mine just lost her job and is now homeless, living in her car. Another friend’s brother-in-law is having to work across the state, away from his wife and young children to keep food in their mouths. An amazing pastor’s wife has breast cancer and is facing major surgery in a few days. One beautiful family struggles through prolonged accusation and custody hearings, sapping life-strength one agonizing day at a time. A brother is fighting his way back to his family from addictions that have ripped his soul, and crushed his family’s hearts. Everywhere I look, the result of the fall is wreaking havoc.
Yet, in these same circumstances and many more I am watching, grace is flowing like water. The faithful are rejecting the fear and looking to Jesus, and oh, what a beautiful sight as their faces reflect the glory of the One who is holding them steady – walking right beside them through these things.
Think about this, my friends, and don’tloseheart. This is what Jesus did so He could complete HIS work in YOU:
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12.2-3
He is your Author, your story-writer and He endured it all so He could make sure it ends with a glorious flourish. He is in all the way to the finish with you!
Dave and Tara blew me away singing the last part of a Michael W. Smith song at church on Sunday. I did a quick search for it this morning and the video actually captures, right toward the end, what I have been “seeing” in the Spirit in the lives of the people I mentioned here – a looking to Jesus, a receiving of His healing and blessing. Check out the video and stay with it, and then sing it, declare it:
Healing rain, I’m not afraid to be washed in heaven’s rain.
Healing rain is falling down. I’m not afraid! I’m not afraid!
Healing rain is falling down.
I’m not afraid! I’m not afraid!
Don’t lose heart. Don’t be afraid. He is not finished yet…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: He. Is. My. Author. My story is His.
November is topaz: golden yellow, a whisper of burnt sienna peering through the amber mist, sometimes slightly pinked. November is a Pumpkin Pie Blizzard from Dairy Queen or a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks – extra shots and extra hot, pile on the whip. November is strength and snuggling closer while looking forward. November is the time to count all the blessings and recall, with gratefulness, the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord in our lives.
Enjoying the glow of the days, the settling of the light…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: “How can I say ‘thanks’ for the things You have done for me?…To God be the glory!” Sing it!
For 28 Christmases now, he has worked hard, planned, created, wrapped, shopped, baked, played, decorated and done whatever else is necessary to create a magical, love-filled, memory-made Christmas for our family. Christmas mornings at our house are legendary feasts of extravagant indulgence and convivial love banquets of gifts and good smells and laughter and mountains of giftwrap and the music of Christmas and the love of the most incredible husband-father-grandfather. It isn’t about the money spent, for often there has been precious-little of that, but it’s the thoughtful generosity of spirit, gifts that remind the recipient: you are loved, cherished and appreciated-this is my token of that. But – wrap all of that in a huge Christmas bow and you have the gift of the season that my husband puts much great effort in to.
You are the original Clark Griswold, honey. You are George Bailey and Father O’Malley ringing the bells of Christmas. You are my handsome Jefferson Jones, my lover by tree-light. You are Kris Kringle and Santa Claus. You are the man described in “Holiday Inn” in the exchange between Jim Hardy and Miss Linda Mason (Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds).
Linda: You’re a lot like my father – just a man with a family. Never amounted to much, never really cared. But as long as he was alive, we had food to eat and clothes to keep us warm.
Jim: Were you happy?
Linda: Very.
Jim: Well, then your father was a successful man. I hope I can do as well.
Yes, baby, you are Mr. Christmas. I love that you are. I love that you are ever-committed to making merry for all. I am smiling at how excited you are to be organizing the decorations – getting ready to haul them out in mere days. You know where everything is and you’re planning, with a twinkle in your eye, to give us yet another wonderful Christmas.
As the Carpenters once sang: Merry Christmas, Darling…Jeanie
From Dickens’ A Christmas Carol~
“…and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that truly be said of us, all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, ‘God bless us, Every One!'”
NOTE TO SELF: Love the Christmas keeper.
characters above from some of our favorite Christmas movies, including: Christmas Vacation, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bells of Saint Mary’s, Christmas in Connecticut, Miracle on 34th Street, Holiday Inn
pictured: sweet daughter, Stormie did the graphic for me, from a photo of Dave and a Bing Crosby album.
Yikeronis! In April, four friends: Heather, Candi, Amy Jo and me, set out to read and write our responses to the now-classic The Sacred Romance-Drawing Closer to the Heart of God by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. We were going great guns for a time, but life and stuff jumped right in front of our momentum and we have never quite finished…yet. I published my thoughts to Chapter 12 about 2 months ago (see here). There is really just Chapter 12 and the epilogue left (wow! I LOVED the epilogue!), but, by golly, we are GOING to finish! Hopefully before the holidays…
Chapter Twelve: Coming Home
From the infamous, crazy artistic, wildly creative and sensitive Amy Jo:
“Our hearts cannot live without hope… Our courage for the journey so often falters because we’ve lost our hope of heaven-the consummation of our Love Story.” (p. 178)
“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” (C.S. Lewis, p. 180)
Ah… temporal ennui… my old “friend,” my frequent companion, my gift, my curse.
I, as Jeanie did, grew up with a heaven-focused crowd. I even had a lapel pin on the corkboard in my childhood bedroom that read “Perhaps Today.” Fittingly, it helped hold up a little poster that read (and yes, I’m typing this from memory):
“This world is not my home, although it seems to be. My home is with my God, in the place He’s made for me. He’s coming back real soon-the signs are very clear. So when the trumpet sounds, I’ll be out of here!”
Cute, huh? I liked it. But there is always the danger of being “so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good.” This is a balance I struggle with because (contrary to popular belief) I do NOT always love life. I wrestle OFTEN with my “calling,” whatever that may be. I wonder ALWAYS what I’m supposed to be doing with my time here on earth. I do know however, that I am to love God and love people, using the gifts and personality God was pleased to give me. Here, let me quote for you the personal “Mission Statement” I wrote for myself in 2007:
“I want my life to be characterized-most of all-by love for God and love for people. Therefore I will seek to do so in as many ways as I can imagine and am able. Never will I allow myself to become embittered by what sorrows and perceived injustices I may experience in my journey through life. I vow to strive always to see, imitate, manufacture, and praise God for beauty. I always want to confidently protect and promote truth and light. I want to be proud of how I conduct myself in any given situation. When others spend time with me, I want them to leave feeling refreshed, invigorated, inspired, loved, and valued. I want to bring out the best in those around me. When God looks at me, I want Him to say, “She is mine. She knows me and loves me. I am pleased by her.”
The authors of The Sacred Romance call us to dream of heaven, imagining wildly about what heaven will offer our heart of hearts-beyond the clouds, fat white cherubs, harps, and boringness that has become so cliché in our culture. “If faith and love hang on hope, if a life without hope is as Paul says ‘to be pitied’ (1 Cor. 15:19), then shouldn’t we devote ourselves to recovering a vision for the end of our story in as vivid colors as our imagination can conceive?” (p.180) The authors urge us to consider these in our imaginings: intimacy, beauty, adventure, and arrival. I will highlight my favorite parts of each section.
On Intimacy: “There we shall receive our new name, known only to our Lover, which He shall give to us on a white stone (Rev. 2.17)… To tell the name is to seal the success-to say, ‘In thee also I am well pleased.” (p.183) How my heart longs to hear these words from my God! (See above Mission Statement.)
On Beauty:“So it goes with all things on earth: The beauty that so captures our heart and is so fleeting draws us toward the eternal reality.” (p.186) (See above Mission Statement.)
On Adventure: “We will worship God in heaven, meaning all of life will finally be worship, not round after round of ‘Amazing Grace’.” (p. 188) YAY! “Part of the adventure will be to explore the wonders of the new heaven and new earth, the most breathtaking of which will be God Himself. We will have all eternity to explore the mysteries of God, and not just explore, but celebrate and share with one another.” (p. 189)
On Arrival: “One day soon we will round a bend in the road and our dreams will come true. We really will live happily ever after. The long years in exile will be swept away in the joyful tears of our arrival home. Every day when we rise, we can tell ourselves, My journey today will bring me closer to home; it may be just around the bend. All we long for we shall have; all we long to be, we will be. All that has hurt us so deeply-the dragons and nits, the Arrows and our false lovers, and Satan himself-they will all be swept away. And then real life begins.” (p.193)
In closing my review of this chapter on heaven, I’d like to just put out a challenge to those of you who love music-try making a “Heaven Playlist” on your ipod or computer… or even just using pen and paper. There are SO many songs out there referencing heaven; so many songs out there produced out of-I am convinced-the calling of the Sacred Romance. Perhaps in creating / listening to your “Heaven Playlist” you will hear the call of our Romancer-and just MAYBE you will begin to break free from our “modern” boring ideas of heaven. Here are a few I’d recommend to get you started:
“What Do I Know?” by Sara Groves, from Conversations
“My Deliverer” and “That Where I Am, There You…” by Rich Mullins, from The Jesus Record
“I Can Hear the Angels Singing” by David Crowder Band, from B Collision
“The Third Heaven” by Carmen, from Addicted to Jesus
“Un Lugar Celestial” (A Heavenly Place) by Jaci Velasquez, from Heavenly Place
Thanks, Amy Jo. LOVE you!…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Learn to be more imaginative about heaven. I CAN only imagine…
pictured: Amy Jo created the prayer and worship interactives for Heaven Fest this past summer.
I ripped this off from a currently-circulating e-mail forward (20%) and added my own (80%). I am grateful to have my legal citizenship in this great country. I thank God that I live in a place where I enjoy the right and the privilege of voting, but this world is not my home. I am part of the Kingdom of God and am really just an alien passing through. :) Each presidential election seems to increase fear in our hearts, on both sides of the political fence, but I am hanging on for that “peace that passes understanding.”
Top Ten Truths No Matter WHO Wins this Election:
10. God is FOR us. (If God is for me, who can be against me?)
9. Jesus LOVES me, this I know. (This may be the simplest and most amazing truth ever)
8. The Holy Spirit will continue to LEAD, GUIDE, and DIRECT our lives.
7. God is thinking about us and has good plans for our lives (Jer. 29.11).
6. When I call on the Lord, He will hear me and answer me – telling me the things I need to know (Jer. 33.3).
5. The heart of the king (and the president) is in God’s hands and God can turn it whichever way He desires (Prov. 21.1).
4. This generation will declare the mighty works of the Lord to the next and there will be no end to the increase of HIS Kingdom and HIS government (Psalm 71.18, Isaiah 9.7)!
3. I will praise Him. The reason I live is to worship Him. (These are words from my two “life songs.” This is my commitment, my declaration – He IS the theme of my song, wherever I may lodge, whoever is president. Psalm 119)
2. The Word of God will STILL be true.
And the #1 thing that will still be true regardless of how this election turns out?
God will remain faithful. BecauseHe is.
Stay in peace, my friends, for He is with us always…Jeanie
It has just been one of those [fill in the blank] kind of days, you know??? First [fill in the blank] happened. And that was on top of [fill in the blank] which just exacerbated [fill in the blank], if you know what I mean.
Then [fill in the blank] didn’t cooperate with me.
Then [fill in the blank] let me down.
Then, I started feeling [fill in the blank] for myself.
Oh, but, there was more [fill in the blank] than you can believe. Oh yes. My computer [fill in the blank]. AND I had a [fill in the blank] blog problem. Like who needs all this [fill in the blank]?!?
Plus, I, alone, was responsible for [fill in the blank] and [fill in the blank] AND [fill in the blank]! I mean, what the [fill in the blank]?
Do I look like I have [fill in the blank] written on my forehead?
It would be better for everyone if they didn’t mention [fill in the blank]ing hormonal [fill in the blank]. Really. Much safer!
So, anyway, I am stuck [fill in the blank]ing and I will continue to [fill in the blank], but I won’t be [fill in the blank].
So, just excuse me for [fill(ing) in the blank]!
Some things are better left unsaid…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: I feel better already-just leaving some things blank.
NOTE TO FRIENDS: All prayer greatly appreciated.
P.S. A few weeks ago we were all laughing at the 30+-year-old “Jesus is My Friend” contemporary Christian video, thinking we are so much cooler these days. David Crowder has a bit of fun with it and thus:
