This morning came with a very rude awakening. I walked downstairs to find our 9-foot tall Christmas tree lying across my family room floor...hardwood floor. Scattered all about were what seemed to be millions of tiny glass shards from all the broken ornaments. Fortunately, my brother-in-law was there to lift the tree back into its stand, while my daughter and I surveyed the mess.
Within seconds my heart began to sink as I discovered ornament after treasured ornament that couldn't be repaired or replaced. There was our Pecious Moments bride and groom ornament from the first Christmas we were married, there were "baby's first Christmas ornaments," a favorite Georgia Bulldog ornament (go Dawgs!), some of the hearts that I have given Joey each Christmas Eve, and a beautiful Lenox china angel that a very special lady gave me when I celebrated my first Christmas in my own apartment years ago. Also among the casualties were precious ornaments my children had made, as well as others that were given to us as gifts.
Once I began sweeping up the mess and throwing away the pieces, I couldn't hold back the tears. Every year I love pulling out the Christmas ornaments and recalling the special people and memories that so many of them bring to mind. It broke my heart to see so many of them going in the trash.
As I swept (and wept), I remembered a verse from the Christmas story that I have thought about many times the last couple of weeks. It's Luke 2:19, "But Mary treasured up all these things, and pondered them in her heart."
I realized that God was using that verse to remind me that life is all about relationships, relationships with him and with other people, not about things. When Jesus was born in a Bethlehem stable, there were no cameras to capture the moment. When the sheperds arrived to worship and share what the angels had told them, there was no one making a video for posterity. So Mary stored it all in her memory and in her heart, where they would be safe forever.
The broken ornaments were simply things that I treasured because they reminded me of special people, but it is the people themselves who are important. As we count down the last couple of hours to the New Year, I resolve to do more memory-making with the people I love. I want to build strong, lasting, loving relationships to treasure, both with my family and friends, and with my God. How wonderful that I get to ring in this New Year with my husband and children, my sister, my brother-in-law and my nephew. I am truly blessed! Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Anticipation
Wow, Christmas Eve! I just love this day. I love the feeling of anticipation it brings. When I was a child, of course it was anticipation over what the NEXT day would bring, all the gifts that would appear under the tree. There is still some of that to it, although now it's more about the anticipation of watching my children delight in what's under the tree. It is such a joy to see their faces and their excitement on Christmas morning as they discover their gifts.
I wonder if God gets to experience the same joy as I do as a parent on Christmas morning. How many people does he find delighting in his Son Jesus as they're tearing into wrapping paper and flinging bows across the floor. Do we get so caught up in the material gifts that we fail to delight in the most precious gift of all?
Sadly, I have to admit that Jesus is not the central figure in our Christmas morning celebration. Yes, we go and worship on Christmas Eve, but by Christmas morning it's all about what's under the tree. My family doesn't know this yet, but I think this year I will start a new tradition. Before we open our gifts, I think we'll hold hands around the tree and offer up a prayer of thanks for Jesus on his birthday. What a gift he is to us! He left a perfect home where he basked in glory with a perfect father to enter a sinful world full of imperfect people. It wasn't because he needed us, or because we had anything to offer him, or because he was lonely. The reason can be boiled down to one small word with huge meaning--love.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
And you know what else is amazing? Even though he has returned to his perfect home in heaven with his perfect father, he has promised to come again to bring believers to that perfect home, where we, too, will bask in glory with him and the Father. How could I not love a god like that? Now there is something to anticipate!
"Come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20) Merry Christmas!
I wonder if God gets to experience the same joy as I do as a parent on Christmas morning. How many people does he find delighting in his Son Jesus as they're tearing into wrapping paper and flinging bows across the floor. Do we get so caught up in the material gifts that we fail to delight in the most precious gift of all?
Sadly, I have to admit that Jesus is not the central figure in our Christmas morning celebration. Yes, we go and worship on Christmas Eve, but by Christmas morning it's all about what's under the tree. My family doesn't know this yet, but I think this year I will start a new tradition. Before we open our gifts, I think we'll hold hands around the tree and offer up a prayer of thanks for Jesus on his birthday. What a gift he is to us! He left a perfect home where he basked in glory with a perfect father to enter a sinful world full of imperfect people. It wasn't because he needed us, or because we had anything to offer him, or because he was lonely. The reason can be boiled down to one small word with huge meaning--love.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
And you know what else is amazing? Even though he has returned to his perfect home in heaven with his perfect father, he has promised to come again to bring believers to that perfect home, where we, too, will bask in glory with him and the Father. How could I not love a god like that? Now there is something to anticipate!
"Come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20) Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 22, 2008
From Praise to Peace
Recently, a pretty amazing lady named Sharon Glasgow came and spoke at a Christmas Tea that our women's ministry hosted at church. She gave this wonderfully inspiring talk which included details of how her family has endured some recent trials by continuing to praise God in the midst of them. By doing so, God has actually used those trials and the family's praises to bless and encourage others.
Before she could even get out of the church parking lot for her four-hour drive home that afternoon, Sharon received word that her family's barn had burned to the ground while she was giving this talk. I know that despite whatever hardship this might cause, Sharon will continue to honor God with praise. She has a deep and abiding faith that won't allow her to do anything else.
That's the kind of faith I want to have. It's the kind of faith that understands what the apostle Paul told the Philippians: "I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:11-12 NIV)
When our hope and strength is found in Christ, then there is true contentment. When we offer a sacrifice of praise during a crisis of life (and often in those times it is truly a sacrifice), he graciously rewards us with peace. This Christmas season, may the Prince of Peace rule in your heart.
Before she could even get out of the church parking lot for her four-hour drive home that afternoon, Sharon received word that her family's barn had burned to the ground while she was giving this talk. I know that despite whatever hardship this might cause, Sharon will continue to honor God with praise. She has a deep and abiding faith that won't allow her to do anything else.
That's the kind of faith I want to have. It's the kind of faith that understands what the apostle Paul told the Philippians: "I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:11-12 NIV)
When our hope and strength is found in Christ, then there is true contentment. When we offer a sacrifice of praise during a crisis of life (and often in those times it is truly a sacrifice), he graciously rewards us with peace. This Christmas season, may the Prince of Peace rule in your heart.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)