Thankful for 2016

        So this is how I began this final day of 2016--

        Nothing like a little time alone with the Lord of the universe...and welcoming it with a few feathered friends in the midst of God's glorious creation.  Thank You, Lord, thank You.
        The last  Psalm in the Bible for this last day of the year: "Praise the Lord!  Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens!  Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness!  Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!...Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!" (Ps.150)
        Tim Keller writes of this Psalm: "The psalms are, in the end, a miniature of life.  Every possible experience, if prayed to the God who is really there, is destined to end in praise.  Confession leads to the joy of forgiveness.  Laments lead to deeper resting in Him for our happiness.  If we could praise God perfectly, we would love Him completely and then our joy would be full.  The new heavens and new earth are perfect because everyone and everything is glorifying God fully and therefore enjoying Him forever."
        Lord thank You for this year You have so faithfully and generously and graciously brought us through...we praise You.  Thank You for all You have taught us.  Thank You for the hard, dark places and times where You showed us that You are our Light and our sufficiency.  Thank You for the sad and lonely times where You revealed that You are joy and our never failing Friend.  Thank You for the priceless gifts of dearly beloved family and friends.  Thank You for the glorious moments of seeing You in Your magnificent creation and in Your people and in Your mysterious but beautiful and perfect ways.  Thank You for Your patience, love, joy, grace, forgiveness, beauty, perfection, holiness, faithfulness...and thank You for Your Son, the incarnate One who is all of these and infinitely more.
       We ask to love You and worship You and glorify You more and more this year.  Might we know You far better and better everyday of this new year You give us, for as many days as You choose to give us.  Might we love You more and more deeply.  Might we delve into and loveYour Word with greater and greater insight and consistently and wonder this year.  And oh Lord, might we relentlessly thank and praise You more and more and more every day we breath on this earth until we step into heaven and breathe that celestial, wondrous air.
        "Lord, You have given so much to me.  Give me one thing more--a heart for praising You.  'Not thankful, when it pleaseth me; as if thy blessings had spare days; But such a heart, whose pulse may be Thy praise.'" (Tim Keller)  Amen and amen!
         We love You, Lord and to You, to God alone, be all the glory this last day of 2016 and every single day You give us in the days ahead.

Downton Abbey and remembering and rejoicing...

         "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.  (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)  And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  And Joseph also went us from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:1-7)

        Such familiar, beautiful words.  How many times have we heard them?  How many readings upon readings, years upon years, decades upon decades?  Yet they never lose their stunning and glorious wonder.  

        Every year we listen to the familiar, beloved carols.  We pull out the cherished old family ornaments and nativity sets.  We put up the same bows on windows and string that same roping on our staircases.  We hang those dear and precious ornaments made in preschool or elementary shop class.  We bring out the same worn plastic church my husband has loved since childhood that still faintly plays "Silent Night."  

       Year after year, we bake the same Alice Preyer candy cane cookies and Aunt Janie famous chocolate cake with marshmallow icing, and we savor Jane Preyer's yummy spinach artichoke casserole.  And we watch familiar old Charlie Brown, The Grinch, It's a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Carol.  And once again we tear up at the end, because any beautiful depiction of grace always does that, doesn't it? 

       "And it came to pass in those days" that Almighty God suddenly, shockingly intervened to save this desperate planet by sending His Son as a helpless infant to save and redeem mankind.  It's the old, old story that we never tire of hearing and experiencing every Christmas.  "And it came to pass" that we savor Christmas as little children, then as teenagers, then as grown children, and eventually, Lord willing, as parents and grandparents ourselves.  

       "And it came to pass" that our own dearly beloved parents and grandparents celebrate Christmas with us--year after year, decade after decade--until they inexorably depart this ragged earth to finally and truly go "home for Christmas" and rejoice with the angels.  

        Our memories of Christmases past are both bittersweet and beautiful.  The joyous memories of those we love and have loved, of those with us but also those who have moved on to heaven, and even of those yet to be born...all those memories and thoughts seem to intensify this time of the year and bring both a smile to our face and a tear to our eye.  

       Yes, indeed, those days do "come to pass," and only the perfect love of Almighty God and that of our dearly beloved ones remains.  Surely that's part of the deep joy and sweet nostalgia in bringing out the familiar decorations, cooking the familiar recipes, and singing the familiar carols.  Yes, it's all about Jesus and how He came down to earth to save us, but it's also a reminder of His precious gift of our beloved family and friends.  All gifts from His hand.  All gifts of His grace.  

        Every year at Christmas, we rejoice in Jesus...we remember the past...we recall that someday, we too, shall "come to pass"...and we repeatedly--decade after decade, for as many years as the Lord chooses to give us here--give thanks for all of it.  With a happy smile...and with a nostalgic tear.

         Richard, my dear husband, shared with me a quiet yet remarkable, scene from Downton Abbey that conveyed this in a unique but powerful way.  Lady Mary is preparing to marry for the second time.  She has recently betrayed her sister Edith and seemingly caused Edith to forfeit all chance of happiness with the man she'd loved.  Yet remarkably, despite this terrible betrayal, Edith ultimately chooses to come home to be with her sister for her wedding.  

        A now repentant and stunned Mary (grace always stuns, doesn't it?) asks Edith why she has come.  Edith answers: "Because, in the end, you're my sister and one day, only we will remember Sybil... or Mama or Papa or Matthew or Michael or Granny or Carson or any of the others who have peopled our youth... until, at last, our shared memories will mean more than our mutual dislike."    Eventually, after years and years of mistrust, sarcasm, hurtful comments, and deception, the sisters reconcile, largely because they recognize that what they shared--the people they loved--bind them together deeply, powerfully, and lastingly.  

         Richard said that's part of the bittersweet but beautiful nostalgia of Christmas.  Even as we rejoice, we remember.  We remember Jesus.  We remember Christmases past.  We remember our loved ones.  And in remembering, we recognize God's great grace in our past, His relentless goodness in our present, and His sure and certain faithfulness for the future.  

        Yes, someday our children will pull out our beloved old nativity sets, battered ornaments, and beautiful old stockings...and they will remember.  The wider world won't remember us...but they will.  How I pray that when these days come "to pass," our children and future grandchildren will remember and rejoice in our glorious Savior and His amazing grace, infinite goodness, and perfect faithfulness in their lives.  

        To God be the glory.  

        

           

The cold...and Christmas!

        "Baby, it's coooooold outside!"
        Can I just say that I am not terribly fond of the cold...correction, I despise the cold.  Gee whiz, winter's just plain tough, don't you think?  No wonder Dave Barry said that "The problem with winter sports is that — follow me closely here — they generally take place in winter."  Amen to that one.
         But oh my, we're to be thankful in all things (I Thess.5:18),  and I don't recall any biblical exceptions for frigid temps, so here goes--
       Thank You, Lord that: 1)winter doesn't last forever;  2) You sovereignly chose to place my family below the Mason-Dixon line;  3) bracing frigid air certainly wakes us up and gives our cheeks a rosy glow; 4) Mr. Bingley loves freezing weather;  5) there are lots of wonderful things that accompany cold weather, such as, hmm, roaring fires, hot chocolate, cozy thick sweaters, super hot baths at night (ahhhh), steaming mugs of tea, skiing (if you don't mind freezing your tail off), snow days (if you don't mind endlessly cleaning up the kitchen and running the dryer with wet gloves and socks 24-7)...oh golly I'm clearly going downhill and running out of ideas for winter gratitude...
        BUT NO!  There's the greatest, most glorious reason for cold weather rejoicing: celebrating CHRISTMAS!
       So in case you need a little thankfulness booster, or even a complete attitude transformation, on a cold, gray day, here are some words from Tim Keller's wonderful little book, Hidden Christmas that rocked my world: 
       "In Jesus the ineffable, unapproachable God becomes a human being who can be known and loved.  And, through faith, we can know this love.  This does not stun us as much as it should.  Look at the Old Testament.  Anytime anyone drew near to God it was completely terrifying.  God appears to Abraham as a smoking furnace, to Israel as a pillar of fire, to Job as a hurricane or tornado.  When Moses asked to see the face of God, he was told it would kill him, that at best he could only get near God's outskirts, his 'back' (Ex.33:18-23)...
        Can you imagine, then, if Moses were present today, and he were to hear the message of Christmas, namely that 'the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son' (John 1:14)?  Moses would cry out, 'Do you realize what this means?  This is the very thing I was denied!  This means that through Jesus Christ you can meet God.  You can know Him personally and without terror.  He can come into your life. Do you realize that's going on?  Where's your joy?  Where's your amazement?  This should be the driving force of your life!'"  Amen, amen, amen!
       Forgive us, forgive me, Father, for how prone we are to take this astounding, destiny-altering, joy-overflowing Truth for granted!  You--the almighty, omnipotent, omniscient, ineffable, eternal Lord of Lords and King of Kings--came to earth so that we might know You personally and experience Your infinite love and boundless grace through the God-Man Christ Jesus.  The Almighty Lord in a manger.  Hallelujah!!
      Lord, please give us fresh eyes and renewed hearts this Christmas season so that we're not just amazed, but super-abundantly filled to overflowing with wonder, praise, joy, and hope.  No matter what's going on in our lives and in our world, You came and You are here!  Immanuel--God with us, God before us, God behind us, God beside us, God for us, God in us.  
       Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus!  Might we live this day in the happy and certain hope, peace, joy, and astonishment at Your wondrous and eternal presence with us.
      Cold weather?  Ha, bring it on!  We're celebrating Jesus--the Light of the world--and there's no light and warmth and wonder like Him.  To God be the glory, glory, glory!

         
       

Christ was born to save...

          Sitting in front of a warm fire on a chilly Saturday and thinking of--and praying for--a number of dear friends who've lost loved ones over the past couple of weeks and days.

         I gaze at the stockings hanging there, and I remember my own dear Mama and Aunt Janie who were responsible for nearly every one of those colorful stockings.  And I smile, thinking of Mom, Janie, Daddy, Kacky, and many loved ones in heaven...surely meeting and rejoicing with so many other moms and dads of my friends.  What wonders, what joys must they be experiencing right at this very moment?  Gloriously imponderable.
         Just last week I shared about this very thing--loss in the face of Christmas.  Somehow Christmas can both magnify our pain, yet also move it into beautiful, soul-strengthening and hope-filling perspective.  Yes, we can have deep sorrow in our hearts and yet also a song in our soul...all because of the priceless, glorious gift of Jesus.  Because Jesus came, conquered sin and death on our behalf, and rose to new resurrection life, we too, will live forever in heaven with Him, as His redeemed children.
        Look at how many Christmas carols mention this great and glorious truth--
       From "O Come O Come Emmanuel"--"O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here.  Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadow put to flight.  Rejoice!  Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
         O come, Thou key of David come, and open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.  Rejoice!  Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to Thee, O Israel."
       Or from "Once in Royal David's City" (one of my Daddy's favorites) "All our eyes at last shall see Him, through His own redeeming love.  For that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above. And He leads His children on to the place where He has gone."
       Or one of my favorites, "Good Christian Men Rejoice"--"Good Christian men rejoice with heart and soul and voice; now ye need not fear the grave; Jesus Christ was born to save.  Calls you one and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall.  Christ was born to save!  Christ was born to save!"
       Or "Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing"--"Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace, hail the Son of Righteousness.  Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings.  Mild He lays His glory by; born that man no more may die.  Born to raise the sons of earth;  born to give them second birth.  Hark!  The herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!'"
       And that's just a few of them.  The carols are rife with the astounding, encouraging, wondrous news--Jesus is born...and that means death is defanged and defeated.  "Now ye need not fear the grace, Jesus Christ was born to save.  Calls you one and calls you all to gain His everlasting hall.  Christ was born to save.  Christ was born to save. 
       If you've lost someone you love, remember that  Christ was born "that man no more may die."  Christ was born to "raise the sons of earth; born to give them second birth."  Christ was born to "make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery."  Christ was born to lead "His children to the place where He has gone."
         Christ was born to save...and so we can sing, even when there is sorrow in our hearts.  Might you really gaze at the baby in the manger this Christmas...remember the Savior on the cross...recognize that He now reigns in heaven and on earth forever...and rejoice that He did all this for you, for me, for your loved one.  Christ was born to save, so that you might be reborn to salvation.          O come let us adore Him.  To God be the glory forever.        

Because Jesus came...

       
        He told me on the greenway early this morning...on a gray, damp, chilly Sunday morning.  "My wife just died," he whispered.  
       It took me a moment to register his words.  You see, I run into him regularly as I walk Bingley, and although he doesn't know my name, he always greets me with a "Good morning to you both!"  I'm usually listening to a podcast of some kind, but I always love seeing him and wishing him a good morning, or, as he often says, "a blessed day."  You can just tell he's a truly remarkable and wonderful man, and I feel privileged and grateful to see him and say hello.  
      This morning seemed like all the others, so as he approached, I smiled and cheerfully declared, "Have a wonderful Lord's day!"  But this day was different.  He paused, turned around, and said something.  At first I couldn't hear, so I took out my headphones.
    "My wife just died," he gently repeated.   You could see the deep sorrow etched on his face, and after embracing him, I walked down the greenway in tears.  Tears of great sadness over the pain, disease, and death in this often dark world.  Tears over the terrible, deadly effects that Adam and Eve's sin brought into the world.  Tears over my own selfishness and self-preoccupation that all too often causes me to miss God's opportunities to share His love and reflect His grace.  Oh forgive me, Your faithless child, Father.
      But also tears of overwhelming gratitude--because Jesus came, this world, this life is not the end.  Because He came, death does not, not, not have the final word.  Because He came, our loved ones in Christ are never, ever lost.  No, because He came, our loved ones in Christ cannot be lost, because we know exactly where they are: with Jesus, in heaven, forever, and we will see them again one glorious day.  Because He came, death and sin have been defeated.  Because He came and went to the cross to die for our sins, we are redeemed.  Because He came, we can live each day by His resurrection power, so that He alone is glorified.
     Because He came, we can go...go to our heavenly, eternal, perfect, and glorious Home in heaven.
       And because He came, my friend's wife is truly "home for Christmas."
       I remember thinking the same thing 17 years ago when my dear Mama suddenly and unexpectedly died on December 12th.  Such deep pain in my heart and yet a song in my soul.  Oh how I grieved and missed my Mama, but how I also rejoiced that she was truly home for Christmas and was worshipping with the angels.  All because He came.
     Today, the second Sunday in Advent, we light the peace candle.  Because Jesus came, we can have peace with God.  The peace of God.  And the supernatural peace that passes all understanding...even in darkness, even in despair, and even in death.
       Zechariah prophesied it in his song before Jesus was born: He would "give light to those who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Lk1:79)
      Thank You, Jesus, for coming.  Thank You for coming as a baby and dying on a cross.  Thank You for giving us the wondrous, priceless-beyond-all-imagining gift of salvation.  Thank You for being our light in the darkness and our perfect peace.  And thank You that because You came, we can go to live with You forever in heaven.  
      To God be the glory.