Hitherto...

     It was a regular old weekday.  A regular old late afternoon.  A regular old chilly December day.  A regular old walk for Bingley on the regular old greenway.  Same old, same old.
     Only God breaks through in glory.
     What a sunset.  All to remind us that because He is on the throne, all of our "regular olds" in life are anything but. Not with the Almighty Creator and Redeemer sustaining, upholding, orchestrating, superintending all--all, from the far flung galaxies to this spinning blue planet to the minutest details of each of our lives.
     And now this rainy morning,  I'm reminded that His ways are not our ways.  "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa.55:8-9)
     We don't understand why dear friends must struggle with serious illnesses.  We can't comprehend why God allows other dear friends to stagger under the loss of a child.  We can't imagine how God could salvage good out of what seems to be nothing but sorrow and suffering.
     But in those moments, we trust the heart of our Savior even when we cannot see His hand.  We trust what we do know--that He sent His only beloved Son to invade and redeem and restore a lost and broken planet all out of His astounding, staggering love for us.  That He who came so infinitely far for us, to save us and to bring us all the way home, well, He will not fail us nor desert us now.
     That His ways are so far beyond our ways and that somehow, someway, He is working all things--ALL things--together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Rom.8:28)  Even illness and suffering and death and pain.
     I was just now reminded of one of my favorite Spurgeon quotes based on the little verse, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." (I Sam.7:12)  While Janie was in the hospital, a dear friend gave us a small rock with that verse written on it, and that rock still sits on our kitchen counter today.  Our Ebenezer of God's forever faithfulness...even in and through the fires of life.  Because His ways are not our ways...but His ways were, are, and will be, forever right, good and perfect.  We trust...even when we cannot understand, because we look back and see His hand of love, grace, and faithfulness.
     For any who might right now be going through those fires, I hope this might be an encouragement.  It's a little long...but well worth it (as Spurgeon always is!)--

          "The word "hitherto" seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past. Twenty years or seventy, and yet, "hitherto the Lord hath helped!" Through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health, at home, abroad, on the land, on the sea, in honour, in dishonour, in perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation, "hitherto hath the Lord helped us!" We delight to look down a long avenue of trees. It is delightful to gaze from end to end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its branching pillars and its arches of leaves; even so look down the long aisles of your years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars of lovingkindness and faithfulness which bear up your joys. Are there no birds in yonder branches singing? Surely there must be many, and they all sing of mercy received "hitherto."

But the word also points forward. For when a man gets up to a certain mark and writes "hitherto," he is not yet at the end, there is still a distance to be traversed. More trials, more joys; more temptations, more triumphs; more prayers, more answers; more toils, more strength; more fights, more victories; and then come sickness, old age, disease, death. Is it over now? No! there is more yet-awakening in Jesus' likeness, thrones, harps, songs, psalms, white raiment, the face of Jesus, the society of saints, the glory of God, the fulness of eternity, the infinity of bliss. O be of good courage, believer, and with grateful confidence raise thy "Ebenezer," for--

He who hath helped thee hitherto

Will help thee all thy journey through.

When read in heaven's light how glorious and marvellous a prospect will thy "hitherto" unfold to thy grateful eye!"

     Amen!  Might we all know and trust today that "He who hath helped thee hitherto, will help thee all thy journey through."  And He has.  And He will.  

     To God be the glory.

Bingley's big sticks

     "Speak softly and carry a big stick."  (Teddy Roosevelt)  
     Well, we've got a ways to go on speaking softly, but we've totally got the big stick part down pat--

      Bingley picks up sticks constantly--and I mean constantly--on the greenway.  Who knew there were so many sticks?  In all my years of walking on the greenway, I had certainly never noticed such an astounding, staggering abundance and variety of sticks...but trust me, there are. Or at least were.  Bingley's making a big dent in the greenway big-stick population. But if you're looking for a few, come visit our yard where he's got quite an impressive collection. They look lovely piled up on top of all our weeds.  Sigh.
     We've noticed that Mr. Bingley strongly favors big sticks...or better yet huge, ginormous ones!  The one pictured above is actually an example of one of his smaller finds...but he carried it for at least 20 minutes.
     He also likes branches an awful lot.  (Come to think of it, are branches "sticks?"  Hmm.) Here's a branch he managed to nab--

     He hauled this one for a good 10 minutes.  It worked well until we came to a bridge where the stick kept whacking the metal side supports.  The staccato bang, bang, bang, bang finally alarmed Bingley so much that he eventually dropped the stick to try to discover the source of all that annoying racket.  He looked rather puzzled when the noise suddenly ceased.  I explained to him that some mysteries in life remain unanswered this side of heaven.  Might as well pick up another stick and keep moving.
       Actually, a pretty good rule for life, don't you think?  Reminds me of a quote I once heard from author Samuel Beckett: "I can't go on; I'll go on."  Sometimes we just have to trust that even if we don't understand, God does.  And since He's both perfectly good and also completely powerful and in control, our job is to pick ourselves up and keep on going.  Even when we're confused...or exhausted...or discouraged.
     Because, I've learned, there's always another stick.  We may think we've found the very last one, and who knows how we'll manage without another one...but then, low and behold, if we'll just keep on going, there's always another stick on up ahead.  Sometimes just around the bend.  Sometimes we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep our eyes pealed.
     And, by the way, there are all kinds of sticks--on the greenway and in life.  Boy, here was a nice fat one that lasted virtually our whole walk--

    I think Bingley held onto this stick until we got home...then low and behold, what's that?  Another stick in the Worth's yard? O my, that one looks even fatter!  So this one gets dropped in favor of that one...and another one...and on and on.  The dangers of comparison--it's never ever enough, is it?!
     So that's about it for now on Bingley and sticks.  Clearly I'm desperately looking for a diversion--anything to focus upon other than the Christmas mess all over our house that needs to be cleaned up.  But maybe it's time to hitch up my britches and get to work...just go pick up another stick and get going!
     "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." (I Cor.15:58)
     Thanks for reminding me, Lord.  To God be the glory.

Family, friends, and rejoicing in His coming!

     A few Christ memories--the girls' (and moms) cookie exchange.  It really had nothing to do with the cookies...and much to do with the priceless gift of friendship.  Thank You, Father.  C.S. Lewis asks: "Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?" Probably not...unless you throw in a few chocolate chip cookies and a brownie or two!
     And more Christmas friendship at our annual December 23rd dinner with several dear friends and families--

All the kids in one room talking and eating and having fun...and the adults in another room doing the same.  Thank You, Father.
      And then there was Christmas day, my wonderful sister having us in Chapel Hill...more friends and family all together to celebrate the gift of one another to love and the ultimate Gift of the Savior who loved us.  "We love because He first loved us." (I John 4:19)--

     Thank You, Lord Jesus, for loving us so much that You were willing to come...and to stay. Jesus, our Emmanuel--"God with us."  What a wonder--God always with us in our daily routines and in our desperate crises.  God with us, always and forever, in our every moment on this earth.       And thank You for the joy of celebrating Your birthday once again this year.  O might we never take that wondrous privilege for granted. Thank You for the people we love with whom we can rejoice in the birthday of our King.
   And thank You that You are coming again.  Help us to live this day-after-Christmas in the light of that glorious truth--that You came, You are with us, and You are coming again to make all things right and new and perfect...and so we live with joy and hope in You.  The One who came...and who is coming.
   The party isn't over...we've only seen the opening act!  So as we all clean up over the coming days, might we keep the focus on our King and rejoice in His coming--past, present, and future. The best is yet to come!
    "O come O come, Emmanuel."   To God be the glory.

One moment

     Just pausing for a moment and thinking...about the incarnation.  And about that one moment--that one wondrous and miraculous moment of the Creator becoming the created.  One moment in time--but a moment upon which all of history turned.  A seemingly ordinary moment.  An evening...just like this one, as I sit by the fire for a few precious moments of peace.  Who could have known in that one moment how everything, absolutely everything, would change forever?
     Can we ever wrap our minds around that profoundest, greatest, yet most mysterious and miraculous of moments?: Almighty infinite God becoming finite flesh.  I love what A.W. Tozer wrote:
     "I confess I would have liked to have seen the baby Jesus.  But the glorified Jesus yonder at the right hand of the Majesty on high was the baby Jesus once cradled in the manger straw.  Taking a body of humiliation, He was still the Creator who made the wood of that manger, made the straw, and was Creator of all the beasts that were there.  In truth, He made the little town of Bethlehem and all that it was.  He also made the star that lingered over the scene that night.  He had come into His own world, His Father's world.  Everything we touch and handle belongs to Him.  So we have come to love Him and adore Him and honor Him!"
      Yes, Lord, let us come love, adore, and honor You in this moment right now for You are--
    the Baby cradled in the manger
    the Son calming the storm and curing the leper and the lame
    the Savior climbing willingly upon the cross
    the Lord claiming victory over sin and death in resurrection
    and the Mighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords one day coming again in glory to make all things new and right and perfect...forever.
     So many moments...so many wondrous, miraculous, glorious moments.  Thank You for coming in that moment of Christmas, Lord Jesus.  Might we hand You our every moment--for however many moments You choose to give us on this planet--and come and adore You.  To God be the glory.
   

Me time...or Messiah time

               A little food for weekend thought:
     The bold letters on the email proclaimed: "Secrets to a Stress-free Season!!"  Underneath, the secret, thank goodness, is revealed: "Me Time"--in the form of metallics nail lacquer (whatever on earth that is), organic body lotion (who knew we needed organic lotion in addition to vegetables), foot scrub, and a mud mask.  Really?  Is that all it takes?  No wonder I've been feeling a bit stressed lately.  Good grief.
     Nope.  Time to hit the delete button on that one.  It's not "me time," we're needing, but "Messiah time."  The more I focus on me, the worse it all gets.  The more I look to the Messiah, to the One who came on that Bethlehem night over 2000 years ago, well, the more the peace and joy begins to flow.
     As Dietrich Bonhoeffer has written: "Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly?  Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high: whoever looks at the Child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in His lowliness."
     O Lord, gives us this day the heart of the shepherds who "went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the a manger."  And after being with the Messiah, "the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had head and seen, as it had been told them." (Lk 2:18,20).
     O Father, help us rush to You...and not our to-do lists.  Help us glorify You...and not ourselves.  Help us praise and honor You...and no other lesser thing that seeks to steal our love and devotion.
     Even in our busyness, give us Your love, Jesus.  Might our love for, and service to, the people You've place in our lives this Christmas spring out of our time spent first at the manger, worshipping and adoring the Messiah.
     O come let us adore Him....for He alone is worthy.  To God be the glory. 

So much, not too much!

     You know you're in trouble when even your puppy is busy multi-tasking:

     Bingley may not respond to "come" every time we call.  He may have the occasional "accident" in the house.  He may even have the tiniest tendency to chew on all sorts of items that are off limits But he does seem to be interested in learning how to text so he can keep up with his brothers and sisters.  He'll probably figure out technology before I do.  Sigh.  

     And somehow, whether we're ready or not, Christmas is coming...in four days.  Oh mercy.  If one more person cheerfully asks me "Are you all ready for Christmas?" I'll just break down and cry.  Seriously.  Because, for the record, I am so NOT ready for Christmas...although we did just mail Christmas cards, thanks to the relentless effort and toil of my husband.  Take that Martha Stewart.      
     But here's the thing: I started veering towards, shall we say, a slight touch of discouragement, maybe even panic...even though I know better.  Even though I know we are celebrating the wondrous gift of God becoming man.  Even though I know that Advent is all about preparing our hearts for the coming of the Messiah, and a worried heart is not a worshipping heart.  Even though I know that our primary task at Christmas is not to buy the perfect presents but to be people who love God and cherish the folks He's placed in our paths. 

      These things we know, right?  But in the midst of the frenzy, we forget...or at least I do.  My sinful focus tends to dwell upon all I have to do, all I've forgotten to do, rather than upon all He has done.  Forgive me, Father. 

     A dear friend, however, sent me some incredibly wise words from a pastor's wife--and her words completely changed my perspective.  Hope they will for you too (assuming, you, like me, are not quite ready for Christmas--even though I promise not to ask!). 

     "It's so much.  Not too much."  

     How many times have we said, "This is just too much."  Too much to do.  Too much to handle.  For some of us, it might too much sorrow and pain.  Too much confusion.  Just too much.  

     But flip that around, this very wise woman says.  It's not too much...but it is so much.  "So much to be grateful to God for.  More than I can name.  Unpack your so much, and you'll discover blessing.  And opportunity.  Opportunity to lean on Him.  To learn more deeply how He wants to be our power, strength, wisdom, Grace...our all in all."  

     O my.  How could I have forgotten?  All this too much is really a result of so much--many blessings in the form of children, friends, home, puppy, wedding...and on and on.  So much evidence of God's goodness requires some time and effort on our part, but would we trade the blessings of family? of home?  of celebrating Christmas?  of friendship?  of weddings and birthdays?  Even in the mountain of laundry, we have the gift of loved ones who need their clothes washed. And the gift of washing machines...and electricity...and clean water.  Consider the vast treasure of blessings behind all those dirty clothes!

     And so much opportunity.  The opportunity to turn to God and say, "I can't...but You can.  Will You do it through me so that You get all the glory?"  So much opportunity to lean upon the Savior.  To trust Him to fill in the gaps and the empty places and to strengthen the feeble arms and weak knees. (Heb.12:12)  Opportunity to grow in grace and learn to lighten up and laugh.  After all, civilization as we know it will not come to a fiery finish if we fail to get through our lengthy to-do lists.  

     Yes, we all have so much...not too much.  Because here's what I know: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)  And He who gave us His only begotten Son, will He not give us all else that we need to live to HIs glory?  Since Almighty God became man and dwells not just among us but in us, then He will enable us faithfully to deal with any and all of our "so much."
     O goodness, Bingley is now sitting at the door looking pitiful...time to go out...again.  But I'm remembering: thank You, Lord,  for our so much.  To God be the glory.

Press on!

     Well, feels a bit like staggering in the general direction of the finish line...only I'm still hovering mighty near the starting line.  sigh.  Sick child, wedding, puppy, and so much to do that it's impossible to know where to start...so I sit down with the Word and hand the Lord my crummy attitude.
     Coming once again for forgiveness, grace, and renewed strength and hope in the only place where it can be found.  Lord, make me like the shepherds who heard the good news and "went with haste" to find Your Son.  Help me to come to You when to-do lists lengthen, exhaustion weakens, attitudes crumble, and perspective goes badly awry.
     For You came. This is why You came--for sinners just like me!  How could I have forgotten for the moment?  You are here--Emmanuel, "God with us."  With us here in the messes and the mess-ups and the missed opportunities.  With us...with me...with those reading these words. Right now.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for coming...and staying...and even now calming and renewing our weary hearts.
     A.W.Tozier writes, "The great saints of the past have all had yearning hearts.  Their longing after God all but consumed them; it propelled them onward and upward to heights toward which less ardent Christians look with languid eye and entertain no hope of reaching.  May we offer this word of exhortation: pray on, fight on, sing on!  Press on into the deep things of God.  Keep your feet on the ground, but let your heart soar as high as  it will!"
     Yes, Lord, help us to pray on, fight on, sing on and press on in the busy, sometimes chaotic and exhausting season.  We renounce that spirit of frustration or exhaustion or discouragement that tempts us to just throw up our hands in the midst of the fray.  Thank You for reminding me that You are with us in the battles of life and are calling us to come to You for our marching orders for the day...and then to pray on, fight on, sing on, and press on!
     And we can...because You are leading the way before us, behind us, beside us, and within us.      Time to put on some Christmas carols and start singing and pressing onward!
     To God--who came, who stayed, who leads, who enables us to press on--be all the glory.

     Another cold, rainy day in Raleigh.  Mercy.  The grass is mushy with rainwater, and the skies are leaden and forbidding.  I got up feeling a bit--what else at this time of year?--tired and overwhelmed, and thinking, "Oh brother, another fun day to take a puppy outside 45 times in the cold and wet and mud and muck."  Imagine here a deep and discouraged sigh.
     Eventually it was time to take Bingley to the greenway for his walk...in the cold rain again. But when we got down there, Mr. Bingley promptly sat down and refused to move.  He looked at me with a quizzical expression as if to say, "Have you lost your bloomin' mind?  Do you see how yucky and cold and wet it is out here?  Why on earth did we leave a perfectly warm, dry kitchen with lots of dog toys to come out here in this mess?"  In case you're doubting me, behold--

     Clearly, dogs have more sense than humans.
     But we soldiered on, and Bingley ended up having a big old time out there in the muck and mire.  Me? Not so much.
     Well, maybe not at first...until it hit me.  This is exactly the kind of world into which the King of Glory entered.  He left the infinite joys of heaven to come outside into our rainy, broken, messy world.  And He entered not by way of a perfect palace or even a comfortable, well-equipped home.  No, He came into the muck and mire of a dirty manger in a smelly stable.  No comforts of home there. But there was worse to come...
      Far, far worse: He came and entered into the stench of our sin.  The dirt of our pride.  The mess of our ingratitude.  The ugliness of our hatred and jealousy and gossip and greed.
     He left the comforts of His perfect home to come to our most imperfect planet...and then He chose to stay...and take all that mess and mud and muck upon Himself.  All so that one day, we could return with Him to our glorious, eternal, wondrous home in heaven.
     How can I complain about the rain and mess outside--that's how He came!  That's why He came!  That's what He bore for us on the cross!  And all for where He can now one glorious day take His beloved children for all of eternity.  And there'll be no more rain or death or tears or loss or failure or separation.  Ever.
     So Bingley and I say, let it rain...for let it be a reminder of the One who entered our broken, muddy, messed up world to bring redemption and restoration and joyful, eternal LIFE forever.
    To God--who left His Home to come out into the rain and mess of ours--be all the glory.

Empty hands, full hearts

            A little food for Advent weekend thought:
     It's quiet and dark, very early on this second Sunday of Advent.  I sit here gazing at our dark green Christmas tree sitting in the corner of our living room. We finally picked one out yesterday from the Farmer's Market--but still no lights, no decorations.  Just the pure, simple beauty of God's evergreen pointing to heaven.  And it's enough.
    Everything is going to be simpler this Christmas.  We're too far behind--what with Thanksgiving a week later, wedding in January, and puppy in December.  Many of the boxes with nativities and lights and knick knacks still sit packed away in the attic.  And for a while this was driving me crazy.
     But not anymore--for it's become so clear to me that the time has come to relinquish crazy expectations and embrace celebrating Emmanuel.  The focus should not, cannot be, all this stuff that comes with Christmas.  That's not where the joy comes from.  The focus must be on the astounding wonder of Christ, of God made human flesh, and coming down--so so infinitely far down--for us.  All for the divine, unconditional love of us.
     Such love should stagger us, humble us, and reorient us to what really matters this Christmas.  O gracious, how quickly I forget.  How easily I slip into the self-centered striving mode and forfeit the one thing I should be doing--the worshipping and loving mode.  Worshipping the Savior and loving His children.  Forgive me, Lord.
     So a little food for weekend thought for any of you who, like me, needed to be reminded to cease striving and instead refocus on worshipping and loving.  These are words written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer before his death to his fiance while he was imprisoned in Nazi Germany during World War II:
         "I think we’re going to have an exceptionally good Christmas. The very fact that outward circumstance precludes our making provision for it will show whether we can be content with what is truly essential. I used to be very fond of thinking up and buying presents, but now that we have nothing to give, the gift God gave us in the birth of Christ will seem all the more glorious: the emptier our hands, the better we understand … The poorer our quarters, the more clearly we perceive that our hearts should be Christ’s home on earth."
     Forgive us, Father, for expecting, for demanding so much--especially at this season of Christmas.  And forgive us for placing the unbearable burden of those expectations and demands upon others as well.  We want to have hearts overflowing with adoration and love because of what You've done and who You are.  Help us to relinquish the burdens of striving and instead return to the foot of the cradle...and the cross.  Might we worship You and love others well so that we, too, will have "an exceptionally good Christmas."  
     Empty our hands so that You might fill our hearts.  To God be the glory.
     

A Simpler, "Binglier" Christmas!

   

       

     Bingley--sound asleep.  Doesn't look all that comfortable...but when you're exhausted, anywhere and anything will work.  I was about ready to crawl into that crate myself.
     Puppy joy has been slightly diluted by the fact that I'm unable to get much of anything accomplished these days--between running outside, shouting "Hang on, Mr. Bingley," to cleaning up another pee pee accident on the kitchen floor, to trying desperately to teach him the meaning of the word, "Come!"  (and how about now rather than, say, day after tomorrow?).  I've noticed the "Come" command works magnificently while in the kitchen and holding a handful of food...not so much, however, while outside and trying to lure Bingley from under the bushes where he's eating whatever unmentionable, gross item he currently has in his mouth.
     By the way, what's the deal with that?  Geez.  I mean, really, how hungry can you be that such disgusting items apparently hold such an appeal? 

     This is what Bingley does when he wants you to sit down on the floor, so he can crawl into your lap.  He'll come sit or lie down right at your feet (and sometimes on top of your feet) till you plop down on the kitchen floor with him--at which point he happily climbs into any lap available.  This works pretty well right now (unless you actually have something to do--like maybe get ready for Christmas or go to the grocery store or get something, anything, accomplished).  I'm wondering how this will work when he's about 60 or 70 pounds.  Hmm.  We'll just go with the Scarlet O'Hara approach and not worry it since tomorrow is a whole 24 hours away.  

     Yep, he's a sweet little cuddle bug and loves, loves, loves to sit in your lap.  But here's another thing Bingley seems to love: going pee pee.  Seriously, we (let me rephrase that--I) take him out about 100 times a day.  And he does a magnificent job--I'm always crowing "Good bathroom, Bingley, good bathroom!!"  Then we walk inside...and he promptly goes pee pee on the floor.  O my stars!!    
      I'm thinking we need to call the vet and report that our beloved puppy has a dangerous kidney disease...or at the very least a leaky bladder that may require surgery or doggy diapers (do they make those?) or military school.  Clearly, some drastic form of intervention is required here.  "Bad bathroom, Bingley, bad bad bad, very very bad bathroom!" doesn't seem to be making much of an impact on his little psyche.
     Sooo, in the meantime, we do not yet have a Christmas tree, and yours truly, the queen of a million nativities (I love them and adore putting them all over the house), has put out one lonely small nativity set in the den.  The only problem is, I never get to go in the den, because I'm LIVING in the kitchen with Bingley, shouting "Bad bathroom, Bingley" and sprinting with him out to the backyard.
     My point in all this?  I have no idea. I forgot, since while I was writing this, Bingley somehow managed to extricate himself from the crate where I thought he was sound asleep and came around the corner into the living room.  O NO--think of all the rug space between there and here! O mercy.  It's just better not to know about some things, isn't it?
     No, no really, I did have a point--and it is that I've concluded this will be the Christmas we finally, truly simplify.  Seriously, I know we all talk about it--how crazy and commercial Christmas is; what an exhausting rat race it can be; and how we need to focus on the Lord Jesus and His glorious coming.
     But then 99.99% of the time, we just keep racing on that endless treadmill of decorating, cooking, shopping, buying, hurrying, striving, worrying, and trying desperately to somehow or other cram it all in.  That's just no way to celebrate the greatest event in human history--when Almighty God invaded His creation to become one of us.
     So this year, if you come to our house (and we'd love to have you stop by anytime, by the way!) we may or may not have much of a tree.  The nativity sets will likely still be packed away in the attic.  The elf on the shelf may still be residing in the same spot in the living room for five days in a row.  And no telling when the Christmas cards will be going out or if we'll be baking those yummy candy cane cookies (though there will always be time for chocolate).
    But, Lord willing, we will know that the true joy of Christmas resides not in all the bells and whistles but in the Divine Baby in the manger.  I've already jettisoned the idea of a Martha Stewart fabulous Christmas in favor of a much simpler and joyously focused Christmas.  I was never much for hand-painted wrapping paper anyway.
     Here's all we need to know: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)  Or as John put it: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:14)
     God was born...as a baby...to be our Savior.
     Just wrap your mind around that--God was born (the glorious infinite Almighty born)... as a baby (the Sovereign Creator of the far flung galaxies as an infant)...to be our Savior (thank You, Lord, for coming to the cradle for the sole purpose of going to the cross).
     If we can just live in the wonder of that joyous truth of God-Baby-Savior this Christmas season, even if nothing else gets done around here, well, we'll all be more than fine.  And Mr. Bingley--he's pretty wonderful, even if he's a lot of trouble.  Sometimes God's greatest gifts come wrapped in unexpected packages.
     To God be the glory.

Wonder and worship the Divine Child

     "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
     "How shall we deal with such a child?  Have our hands, soiled with daily toil, become too hard and too proud to fold in prayer at the sight of this child?  Has our head become too full of serious thoughts...that we cannot bow our head in humility at the wonder of this child?  Can we not forget all our stresses and struggles, our sense of importance, and for once worship the child, as did the shepherds and the wise men from the East, bowing before the divine child in the manger like children?"  Dietrich Bonhoeffer
     The words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as the noose of the Nazis tightened and the unspeakable horrors of Hitler and war and death loomed large. Even in the midst of "stresses and struggles," the wise will worship and bow "before the divine child in the manger like children."
     My prayer today is a simple one: Lord restore to us the wonder of Your coming.  Might we pause in our labors to see, truly see, the astounding, earth-shattering wonder of Almighty God pouring Himself into the tiny, helpless seven pound form of an infant.  Who can fathom it?  A squalling baby...and yet encased within that very real, very little bundle of flesh is the eternal, omnipotent, omniscient Creator of the heavens and the earth.
      Come from heaven to earth for us.  For you.  For me.  How can we not cease our labors to pause and gawk in astonishment at the audacity, the wonderful wonder of such a God who would stoop so low in order to come so near for love so great?
     "The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God," says Ann Voskamp.
     "O come let us adore Him.  O come let us adore Him.  O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord."
     Yes, Lord, we worship the Divine Child in the manger even as we wonder with astonished and humble gratitude that You would love us so infinitely much to stoop so low, to come so near, and to choose, as Eugene Peterson put in it in John 1:14, "to move into the neighborhood."  It's one thing to come for a visit...but You came...and stayed...for good, for forever.  Thank You, Lord Jesus.  No matter our "stresses and struggles," might we worship You this day with joyous wonderment.
     To God be the glory.

Already Advent

     Whew.  Already December 2nd.  I awoke this morning feeling like I've missed the start of the race and have already fallen far behind.  The gun went off...the runners took off...and I'm just plain off.  Still standing here slack jawed and staring at the starting line while struggling to simply tie my shoelaces.  O mercy.
     Already--there's that word I found myself thinking and writing.  It's "already" Advent.  We've "already" received some Christmas cards in the mail.  It's "already" past time to have figured out our own Christmas card picture and started shopping--neither of which we have even begun to contemplate.  Between a brand new puppy, a wedding coming up, and a full household for Thanksgiving, I'm "already" lagging far, far behind.  And feeling quite overwhelmed.  Can you tell?
     Sigh.  I'm complaining--forgive me, Lord.
     So I went back to the Word--in fact, I just returned to the Bible verses we read with the children yesterday for Advent:

 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
    that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
    double for all her sins. 

A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be lifted up,

    and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
    and the rough places a plain. 

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
    and all flesh shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”   (Isaiah 40:1-5)

      God reminded me once again what Christmas is all about--our Messiah coming on a quiet night in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.  He came to bring comfort and peace and forgiveness and wisdom and joy and hope.  He came to bring the greatest Gift this world has ever known--Himself.  And He came to give that which we could never, ever obtain for our weak, worn, and wandering souls--salvation.  

     But how can we rejoice in Him and His gift of redemption if we're preoccupied with the fluff and flotsam of the season?  

     No, to rediscover His peace we must, in the words of Brother Andrew, "practice His presence."   We must rediscover stillness before Him and listen for His still small voice as He speaks to us through His Word. 

     Thank You for doing that for me just now, Lord.  Thank You that You will lift up every valley of struggle in our lives.  You will make straight highways of hope in our deserts.  You will even out the ground of our grumpiness and ingratitude with Your grace.  You will reveal Your glory to us in the midst even of our sometimes messy and mundane lives...all as we look to You.  As we look for You in Your Word, in Your people, and in Your plans for our lives, whatever they might look like.  

     I read these few words from Ann Voskamp early this morning: "Making space in the pace for more peace for more Jesus...Slow for more joy in Jesus."   

     Yes, Lord, calm our racing hearts and slow our frazzled pace so that we might experience a fresh filling of Your hope and peace this Advent.  We want to see You above all and through all and in all.  For in You is fullness of joy. If we fail to mail even one card or we mess up the cookies or we miss the mark--which we will--on our idealized fantasy version of Christmas, O Lord, help us to laugh it off in the joyous wonder of seeing You.  

     You, Lord Jesus, and You only...for that will be enough to fill our Christmas this year with joy and peace. It's already Advent--but to be all ready for You is all that matters.  So we're focusing on and following You in this race of life...and that means we'll be right on pace.  On pace for peace and joy.  

     To God--who not only came, but stayed and is here with us that we might run the race with Him and for Him --be all the glory. 

Bingley, Black Friday...and gratitude

     It's 4:45 a.m., and I feel like Elmer Fudd: "Be berry berry qwuiet.  We're hunting wabbits."  Or in my case, "We're twying not to wake the puppy."  Tiptoeing into the kitchen, hunting around in the darkness for the switch to the hot water kettle--there must be still be hot tea even in such desperate times.
     There's a wild rumor going around that getting a puppy is a lot of work.  I would like to debunk that rumor.  No, puppies really aren't a lot of work--they are an enormous, gigantic, time-devouring sink-hole of work.
     People compare them to having a baby, but again, that's simply not true.  Not only can you put babies in a crib, you can also place these marvelous contraptions on babies--they're called "diapers."  O my, I never truly appreciated the joy of diapers until the last few days.  (Sorry I forgot to ever thank You for diapers, Lord.  But I'm thanking You now.)
     Imagine the wonder of diapers--no pee pee accidents on the floor.  No picking up a puppy mid-accident and rushing him out to the backyard while fussing, "Bad bathroom, Bingley. Bad bathroom."  No standing out in the pouring rain when it's 42 degrees with a sweet little black fur-ball looking at you quizzically with an expression that says, "Are you crazy?  Why on earth are we out here when it's so warm and nice in there?"  Only to trudge back inside--for the 27 time that day in the rain--and that precious little dumpling promptly going pee pee on the kitchen floor...and then seeming to smile up at me as if to say, "See how much more comfortable it is in here?"  O my stars.
     But I'm not complaining.  O nooooo.  After all, the No Complaining Challenge is still in effect...although, clearly, there have been a few falls off the wagon.  But for this we have Jesus and abundant grace.  Thank You, Lord.  Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and that in You we have an infinite supply of patience, peace, and joy.  So time to be thankful!
    "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Phi.4:6-7)
     "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Col.3:15)
     Thank You, Lord, that You command us to do that which transforms our grumpiness and irritability into gratitude and joy.  Isn't it amazing what a simple thing like choosing thankfulness over complaining can do to your attitude and to the atmosphere of your heart and your home?
     So today, thank You, Father, for the gift of sweet little Bingley and the enormous amount of fun and delight he has added to our family.  Thank You that he does things like this--

(Climbing into my gym bag sitting by the kitchen door and curling up for a little nap.  Needless to say, I never got to the gym that day...but I had fun with Bingley.)
     Thank You that all our children are home for Thanksgiving...thank You both for the enormous joy of having them home but also for the fact that they are helping with Bingley.  Otherwise, I might not have had time for a shower or brushed my teeth in three days.
     Thank You for Thanksgiving...and pilgrims...and freedom...and our great and godly heritage and this wonderful nation.
     Thank You for turkey and dressing and sweet potatoes and squash casserole and spinach casserole and cake and pie...O my, thank You for food!  And, of course, thank You for chocolate.
     Thank You for our wonderful cousins, the Bordens, who hosted us once again for Thanksgiving. Thank You for the gift of family and friends and the joy of gathering together to talk and laugh and eat.  And thank  You for my amazing niece, Emily, playing the violin every year so we can all sing Thanksgiving hymns.  The picture of Emily was all blurry but here are a few of us singing "Now Thank We all our God"--

      Thank You for this fresh new day to live to Your glory and to love those You have placed in our lives.
      Thank You that today might be "Black Friday," but that the blackest of fridays occurred over two thousand years ago.  Thank You that on that black, horrific, wonderful friday, You gave Your life that we might gain eternal, abundant life.
     Help us to live this day in the light of Your amazing grace and filled with gratitude for all that You've done, all that You are, and all that You've given us.   To God be the glory.
     

Beloved and Mr. Bingley

      Introducing---Bingley!

     The newest boy in the Fountain family.   We picked  him up last night, and here he is with his new siblings, all sitting on the kitchen floor.  By this point last evening, we had already taken 7,000 pictures...and had completely fallen in love with him.  But it was love at first glimpse--the moment we saw his little black fur peaking out through the sides of the kennel crate.
      No, no, I take that back.  It was actually love at first moment...the moment we decided Bingley was going to be ours.  Way back a few weeks ago, when we choose him while he was still a wee little pup with his mama and his other siblings.  When we choose him, he became ours, our beloved little puppy who would always belong to our family.
     And I couldn't help but think--isn't that exactly what God does with us?  He chose us before the creation of the world to be His very own, His beloved children.  He chose to adopt us into His family...and so we are forever a part of His kingdom.  Yes, we have to choose Him by making Jesus our Savior, but all along, it's really all by His sovereign grace that He chooses us. O thank You, Father!
     And just as we adored Bingley from that very first moment, so too, our Father loves us with a love we cannot begin to fathom.  We are truly His beloved.  The beloved of the Beginning and the End.  Incredible.
     Just this morning, I read in Daily Light, "The Lord delights in you." (Isa.62:4)  O to think the Lord of the universe delights in us!  Just as we delight in our sweet little Bingley.
     And God's delight doesn't diminish one iota when we mess up or miss the mark...nor does our delight in Bingley (though he's already have a few "accidents!").  We're still crazy about him--not for anything he does...but simply for who and what he is--our precious puppy.  It's all just the tiniest glimpse of the way our Father cherishes us simply because we are His.  Thank You, Father.      Last night, he got up...a lot.  But somehow, I wasn't one bit irritated...even with his hoooowling.  In fact, I got up pretty cheerfully at 3:00 a.m. to take him outside.  And then came back in and played fetch with him.  (I know--not a good plan--I'll do better tonight and just put him back to bed.  But I couldn't resist.)

 Look how jaunty he looks for 3:15 a.m.!  I, on the other hand, didn't look quite so dapper...but I was sure delighting in him!
     And I'm thinking God doesn't mind it when we howl or keep Him up at night.  Nope, because here's what else I read today: "But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." (Isa.43:1)
     He doesn't just know our names; He calls us by name.  He has redeemed us and sustains us and even right this very moment, He is calling you, calling me, by name.  Why?  He tells us--"You are mine."  
     We are His beloved.  We are His redeemed.  We are His.
     Just as Bingley is ours.  We bought him (which is one of the meanings of redeem--to buy back).  We named him, and he is ours.
     So thank You, Lord Jesus, for choosing us.  For redeeming us.  For delighting in us.  For calling us by name.
     And thank you for Bingley.  Here he is a little later this morning--after our early morning, all night play session--

     Boy, I know the feeling....but thank You, Jesus, that we rest in You.
     And thank You for yet another gift from Your gracious, glorious hand--our Bingley.  Help us to remember this day that You delight in us and call us by name for we are Yours.  Might we live this day as children of the King.
     To God be the glory.

The music of thanksgiving

    "...singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph.5:19-20)
     On this cold, clear Monday morning, Father, help us to give thanks to You "always and for everything."  Help us to sing Your praises--O might our lives resound with the melodies of thanksgiving that live in our hearts but that also pour from our lips. You tell us to not only think gratitude, but to speak it, to sing it, to proclaim it, to share it. 
     And Lord, please give us thankful hearts even when the gratitude comes hard and begrudgingly.  When the road behind has been brutally difficult and sorrowful.  Or when the road ahead looks dark and uncertain...give us, even then, hearts that see and trust You in the midst of it all, and so still to find room for thanksgiving.
      For You have promised that You inhabit the praises of Your people.  Might the sound of our personal thanksgiving choruses be reflected not just in the happy blessings of our lives, but also in our hard and perplexing challenges.  For You are in them all and will use them all--somehow, someway--in Your divine sovereignty for our good and Your glory.  O Lord, give us thankful hearts!

     And so this day, I thank You, Lord for a bridal shower last night in Charlotte for our oldest daughter.  Thank You for the hands that worked so hard to prepare it.  Thank You for her dear and wonderful friends who were there to celebrate.  Thank You even for Charlotte, NC--though I wish our daughter lived here in Raleigh!--and for the good life You are giving all those young folks there.  (Okay, but just in case, Lord, I'm still praying for an eventual return to Raleigh.  I'm just saying...but I'm thankful!)  Thank You for safe travel for everyone.  Thank You that our younger daughter could go with me even though she has a lot of work for school.  Thank You for my husband manning the fort back home.  Thank You for Matt (the wonderful man she's marrying!). Thank You that we didn't get lost driving to Charlotte--a complete miracle with my total lack of any directional skills whatsoever.  Seriously.  Thank You for GPS on cell phones.  Thank You for the yummy food--O my, thank You for that food..especially, of course, the CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!  Life is so good when there is chocolate cake to be shared with the people you love.
     Well, I could go on and on, but you get the point--God tells us to be thankful in everything, and I'm trying to practice that in my life.  To reflect, to remember, to recount all the big and little gifts He gives us everyday.  When I started this morning, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything on my plate...but now I'm just feeling grateful and joyful.  For gratitude always always always leads to joy.
     So today, if you're feeling a bit anxious or grumpy or discouraged, start recalling and recounting--right this minute--God's goodness in your life, big and small.  And watch His joy start flowing.  And the music resounding.  To God be the glory.

This year--Delighting...not dazzling!

     "385 WAYS TO DAZZLE FAMILY & FRIENDS"
     That's what it said right there on the cover of Southern Living.   And with a picture to boot of a spectacularly beautiful and luscious looking cake perched beside the headline.  And there are "155  HOLIDAY RECIPES!" and "114 GRACIOUS GIFT IDEAS" inside the magazine's covers as well.  O mercy, we better get working, working, working right this minute!  Not to mention the back cover features a gorgeous young blond in a slinky gold dress and bedecked in jewels.  Yeah, I look like that a lot over the holidays.
     Okay, not to sound like the Grinch, but these editors are clearly living in Martha Stewart la-la land.  Yeah, sure, maybe some of you out there are Super-Duper-Fabulous-Incredible-Organized cooks and moms and spouses and decorators...all rolled into one.  If so, stop reading this immediately and run pick up a copy of Southern Living or Martha Stewart Living and go all out over these next few weeks.  More power to you...though I don't think I want to invite you over to our house.
     Because here's the thing--I'm not good at "dazzling" my loved ones--especially when it comes to cooking, cleaning, and decorating.  My family would probably read that and laugh, "Ya think?  Duh!"  Dazzling clearly isn't the word that comes to mind when it comes to my very limited repertoire, limited time, and even more limited skill set.
      Oh my, how I wish I could dazzle, decorate, cook, and look like Giada whatever-her-name is  on the Food Network.  Who wouldn't love to create that "magical" Christmas about which the magazine cover boasts?
      But here's what I know--none of us (and certainly not yours truly) can ever live up to the impossible standards of perfectionism and dazzling magic that our culture promotes and that we often place upon ourselves during the holidays.  And when we try--and fail yet again--we exhaust ourselves and grow discouraged and even bitter in the whole ugly process.
     Dazzling, I've found, does not produce the godly characteristics God longs to see in us.  And even worse, our often futile but zealous attempts at dazzling cause us to forget the very reason and purpose that originally lurks deep behind our dazzling goals--to LOVE our families and friends!
     Why do we want to have lovely homes of refuge and rest that reflect the joy of the holidays?  Why do we want to cook good food to nourish and strengthen our loved ones?  Because we LOVE those people, that's why!  Because we want to REJOICE together with them for all the manifold ways God has blessed us.  Because we want to experience a truly thankful Thanksgiving!
     And because we want to CELEBRATE and REVEL in the wonder of God--the Almighty, Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient, All-glorious Lord of the universe--coming down to earth as a helpless, dependent, fragile infant...for us!  Can you believe that?  For you, for me...even with our sorry and selfish attitudes and our prideful self-sufficiency.  Because "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  (John 3:16)  That's far beyond dazzling love, isn't it?
     How can we not rejoice in the astounding, eternity-altering wonder of that...and celebrate it with JOY with those that we love?
     But you know what--for many of us, that means forgetting about dazzling and focusing instead upon delighting.  Delighting first in our Savior who is both the Greatest Giver and also the Greatest Gift.  And gifts call for rejoicing and thanking, do they not?
     And secondly delighting in those that Christ has so generously loaned to us for our brief sojourn on this planet.  Delighting in our children (instead of always finding fault or looking for ways they can "improve").  Delighting in our spouses (maybe we need to do a little dying to ourselves and our selfishness and pride in this category, no?).  Delighting in parents, in our brothers and sisters, and in our friends.  Delighting in these eternal souls lovingly hand-crafted by their Creator--souls for whom His love was so infinitely great that He came to live and love and serve and die for them.
     Jesus didn't seek to dazzle them, did He?  No, the Savior simply delighted in those He had made...and then He steadfastly went to the cross to die for them.
     So this Thanksgiving and Christmas, I'm laying aside my goal of dazzling in favor of a much humbler--but far harder and greater--hope.  To die to myself.  And to delight in God and those He's placed in my life.  I may not bake any show-stopping cakes or purchase perfect gifts for everyone or live in a magically decorated Christmas palace.  But if I can love and serve unselfishly, if I can share a thankful, contented heart, if I can rejoice in God's goodness and greatness...well, then, I think we'll be good around here.  Even without the dazzling.
     Because nothing's more dazzling than the love of Christ and the joy He gives.
     To God be the glory.

   

How to shine

  There is something so comforting about wading through a gentle carpet of leaves.  Does that sound odd?  Well, maybe so, but what can I say?  I love God's carpet!  That quiet rustling sound as you slide through...the softness on the foot...the perfume of fall's earthy scent.  The leaves form a pathway for autumn's goodbye kiss.  

 I'm sure some folks see the leaves and think "Ugh--raking."  That's what I should be envisioning, I'm sure...but I don't!  Instead, I'm choosing to rejoice in God's blanketing of leaves on our driveway.  Maybe tomorrow we can blow them or rake them...or maybe not.  But for now, let's indulge in the last beautiful vestiges of one of God's finest seasons.  Let's jut walk on those leaves and choose gratitude for their beauty rather than grumbling for their messiness. 

     And while we're on the subject of thanking versus complaining...I wanted to add the "why" Paul gives us behind God's admonition not to grumble and complain.  If I don't remember today, I'll likely forget all about it, so here goes-- 

  After telling us to "Do all things without grumbling or questioning"(Phil.2:14), Paul goes on in verses 15-16 to explain the reason--“that you may become blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the Word of life...”  What a promise!  If believers would stop complaining, we’d start shining!  The world is filled to overflowing with grumbling people who are never satisfied and are quick to complain, dispute, and fuss.  If we would simply choose to cease griping, of course we’d stand out like sparkling stars in inky black sky!  We don’t need more bumper stickers or buttons or banners proclaiming we are Christians.  We need more believers who shine like stars in a dark world, because they’re living out the truth of what they believe by refusing to grumble and instead choosing to give thanks!

     The world complains, but the Christian rejoices, because her joy is in Christ.  Society is twisted and distorted, but the Christian stands straight because she measures her life by God’s Word.  The world is dark, but the Christian shines, because she carries the Light of Christ within her.  The world has nothing to offer, but the Christian, Paul tells us, holds forth the Word of Life! 

     O might we shine for Christ this day, because we refuse to go along with the culture's penchant for griping about everything and fussing about any perceived denial of our rights and preferences.  

     O Lord, keep us counting our blessings rather than calculating our burdens.  One leads to piercing the darkness and the other simply adds to it.  Help us to shine like stars for You, Father.  For You are glorious.  To God be the glory.

                

One bloom

     In case you aren't familiar with this particular type of flower, it is called "The Persevering Against All Possible Odds Rose."   Yes, this rare type of rose grows only in the Fountain's yard where the two forlorn rose bushes are never--and I mean never--pruned, fertilized, or cared for in any manner whatsoever.  I admit this to my utter shame, but my full disclosure should give you a greater sense of wonder and admiration for "The Persevering Against All Possible Odds Rose." (PAAPOR for short--doesn't that have a snappy ring to it?)
     Yes, loads of her sissy, wimpy cousins flourish in yards where they have fancy men in a white truck that come and slather them with all manner of fertilizer and bug repellent and other assorted potions to enable them to grow and produce loads of beautiful blooms. But still, wouldn't any flower flourish under such excessively luxurious conditions?  They're gorgeous...but then, why shouldn't they be?--they live on easy street.
     But not our hardy PAAPOR!  No sir!  Despite the negligence, ignorance, and lack of all gardening prowess or desire by her caretakers,  our little PAAPOR bloomed anyway!  Incredible!  In fact, I was stunned one morning when I looked over toward the boxwood bushes and there she was: one perfect blossom, opening up her pale pink blooms to a sun-splashed fall day as if in celebration of life.  Just one solitary bloom, but that was enough.  Thank You Lord for the gift of her beauty...her persevering beauty.
     This all brought to mind a quote I read just the other day by French novelist Alphonse Karr: "Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses."  Amen.  Sometimes we need a little reminder, don't we?
     So today, I'm thankful for PAAPOR, for fall days, for roses--and even for thorns--and for their lessons on perseverance, perspective, and gratitude.  Just a little more ammunition in the war against complaining!  Keep us grateful for You and Your gifts, Father.  To God be the glory.

So, how's your day?

     “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;  on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.  And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (II Cor.11:25-28)

     So, how’s your day going?

     Thought this might provide a little fuel for the fire for anyone joining me in the No Complaining Challenge.  Boy, we’re quick to find things to grumble about, aren’t we?  The weather, the wait in the fast food line, the weariness of our daily routine.  But not Paul!  Like James, he “counted it all joy” and, in fact, ended his staggering catalogue of suffering by saying, “For the sake Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak then I am strong.” (II Cor.12:10)  O how thankful I am that in our weakness, God is strong and strengthens us!

     What’s the opposite of grumbling?  Gratitude!  Or, more specifically, speaking words of gratitude.  We can’t just desperately attempt to bite our tongues when the bile of griping and grousing threatens to spill out of our lips.  No, we need something positive to put in the place of complaining, right?   We need to have hearts that are focused upon Who God is, what He has done, and what He is doing even now.  Even in the midst of our sufferings and sorrows and setbacks. And I’ve found I need to write down or speak out loud those words of thanksgiving. Replacing words of grumbling with words of gratitude changes not only us but can alter the whole atmosphere of a workplace, a school, a church, or a home.

     We’ve got to choose “a sacrifice of praise” even when we don’t feel like it.  So in those moments when we’re trying not to grumble, make the choice to replace it with gratitude. After all, nature abhors a vacuum!   

     Sometimes it can be challenge, but I’m telling you, nothing changes your perspective and your attitude like finding something, anything, for which to be grateful.  When Janie was in such terrible shape in the ICU, I mentally kept a running list of all that I was thankful for--the wonderful nurses, the hot tea, the warm, dry place inside when it was pouring outside, the amazing care Janie was getting, the encouraging text from a friend just when we needed it, the presence of dearly beloved family and friends, the gift of laughter, a good sandwich, and on and on.  It didn’t change Janie’s condition...but it sure changed me. 

     More to come on this subject!  But for now, Lord enable us this day to speak words of gratitude rather than words of griping.  Keep us focused upon You, the God of all grace and goodness, rather than upon ourselves and our circumstances.  After all, circumstances change by the minute...but You are changeless and completely in control of all.  

     We choose to trust in and rejoice in You.  To God be the glory.

The No Complaining Challenge!

     Time to step out on a limb and take a leap of faith.  Maybe not your typical leap of faith, but still, a bold step.  Wanna join me and jump?  

     We’re going to call it the “No Complaining Challenge.” 

Let me explain: We're studying Philippians in Bible study--which, by the way, is one fine book of the Bible!  But O my, if you want to indulge in grumbling and ingratitude and keep a consistently negative perspective on life, then do NOT read Philippians! 

      But if, on the other hand, you’d like to change your attitude and your life and if you’d like to know how to live with indefatigable joy even in the midst of adversity, well, then, you know where to go.  And incidentally, I can’t think of a better book of the Bible to be reading around Thanksgiving.  

      So here’s what Paul tells us in Phil.2:14 “Do all things without grumbling or questioning...”  Goodness, he had me “all.”  Don’t see much wiggle room in there, do you?  Not “Do most things without grumbling...except, of course, when someone is irritating the fool out of you.”  Or “Do as much as you can without grumbling...except, naturally, when your teenagers are driving you crazy, or the weather is horrific, or you're overwhelmed by all you have to do and no one seems to helping you.”  

     Nope, just “Do ALL things without grumbling.” 

     Paul goes on to give us the incredible, wonderful incentive as to why God doesn’t want us to gripe and fuss...but I’m saving that for my next post.  Otherwise, you might start complaining (shame on you) that I’m going on too long.  So stay tuned.  

     But for now, let me explain the “No Complaining Challenge.”  I figure if anybody out there wants to join me, then you might want to hear a bit more about it.  My original modest goal was to make it one whole day without any kind of grumbling or griping...but I already messed up yesterday...several times.  sigh.  

    So I had to start fresh today.  Thank the Lord we serve a God of second...and third...and fourth chances!  

     Then I thought, well shoot, let’s go for a week.  Ambitious, bold, probably impossible...but “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” right? (Phil.4:13)   

      And then the Lord had to go to meddling. Funny how He likes to do that.

      He reminded me that occasionally, just every so often, I turn into the Wicked Witch of the West while trying to get everything bought and wrapped and cooked and cleaned and mailed and finished for Christmas.  Somewhere about, O let’s say mid-December, I start to freak out about all that’s left to be done and that inevitably leads to fussing and fretting.  Actually, that should read “Fussing and Fretting” with capital “F’s.”  

      This may never happen to you, and if so, you might as well stop reading right now and go finish those last few details of your Christmas preparations, since you’re probably one of those people who have it all done by mid-July.  But mind you, I’m not complaining.  Just observing.  

      Anyway, the Lord seemed to whisper--why not go for the whole holiday season?  After all, Philippians 2:14 is a command contained in His Word and that which the Lord calls us to do, He promises to enable.  

      So, no grumbling, griping, or fussing through Christmas Day.  By the way, that includes Christmas Eve--no griping while futilely trying to assemble that toy or gift at 1:45 a.m....when you’re already on the edge of hysteria-induced exhaustion.  Always a happy, happy time, isn’t it?        What do you think?  How’s this for a bold, somewhat insane, and completely impossible challenge?   But it is God’s Word, after all.  It is by His power and for His glory.  And then, of course, there’s always His amazing, relentless grace for our inevitable mess-ups!  

      Anyone out there up to joining me?  In the words of a Bebo Norman song: 

  Here goes nothing

  Here goes everything

  Gotta reach for something

  Or you’ll fall for anything

  Take a breath, take a step

  God only knows

  But here goes...

      To all my friends and family, you have permission to remind or correct me throughout the holidays.  “Oops, Mama, what about the NCC?”  That’s short for the “No Complaining Challenge”--to perhaps lessen embarrassment...and irritation.  I need all the help I can get.

      So here goes, Lord.  To God be the glory!  

The stars...the Savior...and us

     Wow.  That’s pretty much covers it.  Wow.

     It’s early in the morning--my favorite time of day.  So quiet and still.  A blanket of darkness outside makes the warmth of light and mug of hot tea inside all the more cozy and comforting.      I walked outside to put something in my car, and the bracing cold startled me into alertness.  Deep breath--O my, it’s good to be alive this fine, cold day.  I had somehow forgotten the gift of this day as I abstractedly began the early morning routine.  

     But then I glanced up at the sky.  And that was when God wow’ed me.  Yeah, yeah, sure, there’s the sky and the stars again, you say.  But that’s our problem, isn’t it?  There it is again...and again...and again.  Dulls our senses to the wonder of it all.  The vastness.  The distance.  The glory.  

     An inky black sky with pinpricks of shining light dot the canopy above me.  How on earth can we simply walk underneath such astounding beauty and be indifferent?  How can we not be awed by our smallness and heaven’s vastness?  How can we not look beyond the glories of the heavens to see the unmistakable reflection of the Creator and His jaw-dropping handiwork?  

     Makes me feel both small and large at the same time.  Small, of course, in comparison. “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?” (Ps.8:3-4)  We’re just little “dust-people” as Jill Driscoe always says.  Dust, here and then gone so quickly. 

     Consider the vastness and the eons of time reflected in those pinpricks of light poking through the blackness.  We’re here, what, 60, 70, 80 years?   The stars would laugh at such an age span.  And here we stand beneath the heavens, all 5 foot 5 or even 6 foot 5 of us.   Wonder what the heavens think of us when we think we’re too big for our britches?  “You little pip squeak!  You want big, I’ll show you huge,” shout the stars at our audacity.  Yep, puts me in my place to see such vast and awesome wonder. 

     But yet...I feel big somehow.  In fact, pretty gigantic.  For Jesus created the stars...but He came to save me.  Someday, eventually, all of those stars will die.  It may be thousands upon thousands of years, but each of those pinpricks will fade and disappear.  But not us.  Small dust-people that we are, we were created for eternity.  And the Creator of those heavens chose, in His merciful sovereignty, to exit the unfathomable glories of heaven and enter time and space for us.  For you, for me.  To become dust-people just like us.  So that we could become like Him for eternity.  

     We were crafted for eternity.  That’s why King David went on in the very next verse of Psalm 8 “Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty!” (v.5)  Kind of makes you want to square your drooping shoulders and lift your head in thankfulness and wonder, doesn’t it?   Yeah, stars, you've got it going on and you're pretty remarkable and wondrous...but He simply created you.  He came...and died for us.   

     So today, just remember who you are--small, sinful, needy.  But then remember Whose you are--saved by an Almighty, all-glorious Savior who spoke those stars into being with a word.  Remember His saving power.  Relax in His sustaining presence.  Rejoice in His goodness and grace to you again...and again...and again.  

    To God--who not only created, but who came--be all the glory.