Posts with the label christmas
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Friday, December 2, 2022
Faith and Grief
The waning grief seems to be unearthed and dug up again when any holiday rolls around, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I'm not sure why death seems to come calling more often during the holidays. I've attended three funerals in the last two weeks. I cry at every funeral. My heart breaks for the families. These three funerals were "good" funerals or rather, celebrations of life. The three individuals professed hope in Jesus so we know we will live with them forever in heaven. Until that glorious reunion, please allow me to share a wonderful message I heard at my uncle's funeral recently. I pray the words comfort you during your grief as they have me. The minister used the following scripture in his delivery.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
His message is "Nothing can seperate us from the love of our loved one", just as nothing can seperate us from the love of God. The love of Christ in us binds us with others for eternity. We can appropriately insert the name of our loved ones into this verse...
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of ___(insert name here)___, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The comfort of knowing love remains is powerful. I Corinthians 13:7 (paraphrased) assures us that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Certainly, love helps us grieve.
Much love,
Sunday, November 28, 2021
The Days Were Accomplished
I woke this morning with the phrase "the days were accomplished" scrolling through my brain like an LED threatre marquee, over and over, I repeated it to myself as it crossed my mind. I began to drift back over the last 12 days, then 12 months, then 12 years. I googled the bible verse to refresh my memory of specifically how it is written. Luke 2:6 reads "And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered."
THAT SHE SHOULD BE DELIVERED. The first thing that struck me about the verse was "she should be delivered". Not Jesus, but Mary. The verse could have easily read; the days were accomplished that Jesus should be delivered. The verse points out the delivery of Mary not Jesus. The verse pinpoints the servant of God that willfully accepted the challenge he gave her.
THE DAYS WERE ACCOMPLISHED. This phrase is the reason I searched this verse today. I thought about the past year(s) leading up to Steve's diagnosis and subsequent double lung transplant. So many things could have hindered our days from being accomplished but God. Who else can accomplish our days but God?
WHILE THEY WERE THERE. Mary and Joseph had to be in the place where God would accomplish their days. They were there, in this place of uncertainty, for at least 9 months and surely more. While they were there, they struggled, anticipated, believed, waited to be delivered. The couple had to stay "there" where God had placed them. "There" where God had planned them.
AND SO IT WAS. Because God has the plan. He not only has the plan, it is a written plan. We make many plans as individuals but rarely do we put our plans in writing, to pen and paper, black and white. If we do take the time to make a proper written plan, we would most likely follow through. God had the plan for Mary and Joseph. God has the plan for Jesus. God has the plan for us and so it will be. He will faithfully follow his written plan. And so it was with Mary, so it shall be with us.
I've always correlated this verse to the Christmas Story of Jesus until this morning when God blessed me with a snippet of just how full, rich and encompassing his Word is. The message he gave me this morning is He is 'accomplishing our days' for his purpose and ours if we live in his will, our "while they were there", the place he has us in. We have no idea how many days it will take to accomplish his purpose nor how long we will be in this place. We simply must be there until he accomplishes our days, the fulfillment of his plan. However, we can put our faith in God's "And so it was" because his plan is unfallable and his word is true, we will be delivered!
Put yourself into this verse. Mine and Steve's goes like this...
And so it was, (God had a plan),
while they (Steve and Tammy) were there (going through illness and transplant),
the days were accomplished (3,650 days. 10 years. Steve was diagnosed 2011, his lungiversary was 2021)
that she (Steve and Tammy) should be delivered.
AND WE WERE!
Praise God for his plans. Praise God for his Word. Praise God for his Son. As God moves us into another Holy season of Christmas, may we always see and feel the magnitude of who he is. From the precious babe in the manager to the Almighty King of Kings,
He is...
and was...
and is to come!
Praising365,
Sunday, December 16, 2018
The One Question You Need to Ask Yourself
The mantel is decorated. The fire is lit. The Christmas tree lights glow in hurried anticipation of soon-to-open gifts, upcoming festivities, good friends and oh yeah, family. The air is crisper than usual. People seem happier than normal. Christmastime, after all, is the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is the most beloved holiday in American culture.
The season makes one giddy with memories of Christmases' past. Remembrances of that one great gift you can never forget. The one question you probably ask yourself most is "What can I get (you insert name here) for Christmas?". Gift-giving is a fun experience but gift-buying is a totally different aspect of Christmas, usually a dreaded one. Although that's probably the most asked question, it is not the one question you need to ask yourself.
There are so many legitimate questions to ask at Christmas:
- Should I buy that beautiful expensive wrapping paper?
- Wonder if I'll get a Christmas bonus at work?
- What date should I mail Christmas cards?
- How much should I spend on Christmas gifts?
- Will I cook for the pot luck or pick up something at the store?
- Where do I find a knock-out outfit for the office party?
- How will I take care of everything on time?
So many questions! But, these are still not the one question you need to ask yourself. So what is it?
When Jesus came into the coast of Phillipi, he asked his disciples, Who do men say that I am? The disciples told him some people say he is John the Baptist or Elias or Jeremias or another prophet. Then Jesus said, "WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?" The one question you need to ask yourself is who do you say Jesus is?
Simon Peter answered Jesus saying "Thou art the Christ! The Son of the Living God!" Is Jesus your Christ? Do you call him your Savior? Is he the Prince of Peace in your life? Is he your Counselor? Is he ordinary to you or extraordinary? If you don't get all your holiday season questions answered or maybe even skip one, please don't miss the one most important question that effects you forever. The one question you need to ask yourself effects your eternity, not just one month out of the year. This Christmas, please take a moment and concentrate on the one question you need to ask yourself...
What can you get me for Christmas this year? Answer the one question you need to ask yourself! Tell me in a comment who you say Jesus is!
Jesus is Lord 365,
Tammy
Jesus is Lord 365,
Tammy
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
The Unexpected Christmas Card
Every blog should have a catchy Christmas post. I intended to title mine "10 No-No's of Sending Christmas Cards". It would have started something like this:
1. No-no #1. Don't address your card to "The Family Name". For example, we received a card addressed to THE STAFFORD FAMILY. Before we even opened it to see who sent it, my husband said, as he was reading the envelope and shaking his head, "They don't even know our names!". I admit it does seem a bit impersonal to send a greeting to a household without addressing the individual persons.
2. No-no #2. Don't sign every card you send with a coined expression. Imagine this. You go to the mailbox to find a Christmas card from a friend you haven't talked to since last Christmas. YOU ARE EXCITED to hear from them until you open the card to read....Christmas Blessings, signed xxxxx. You wonder if your friendship really means anything to them or at least that's what crossed my mind.
Yes, that's how my list was starting to come together until yesterday when Steve found this in the mailbox.
An envelope from a return address and person neither one of us knew. More suspiciously, addressed using my complete formal name. I encouraged Steve to open it. He found this:
A beautiful Christmas card with Mary, Baby Jesus and scripture on it. Who could it be from? Puzzled, Steve opened the card to find this:
1. No-no #1. Don't address your card to "The Family Name". For example, we received a card addressed to THE STAFFORD FAMILY. Before we even opened it to see who sent it, my husband said, as he was reading the envelope and shaking his head, "They don't even know our names!". I admit it does seem a bit impersonal to send a greeting to a household without addressing the individual persons.
2. No-no #2. Don't sign every card you send with a coined expression. Imagine this. You go to the mailbox to find a Christmas card from a friend you haven't talked to since last Christmas. YOU ARE EXCITED to hear from them until you open the card to read....Christmas Blessings, signed xxxxx. You wonder if your friendship really means anything to them or at least that's what crossed my mind.
Yes, that's how my list was starting to come together until yesterday when Steve found this in the mailbox.
YES! A CHECK FOR FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS!
BUT WHY? FROM WHOM? AND WHAT FOR?
Inside the card held the explanation:
It said:
Dear Mrs. Stafford and Family,
I have given much thought to the auto accident that occurred on April 11th of this year with your daughter, Sloane. (If the accident report is correct) I think there may have been some shared responsibility for the accident. The check enclosed should hopefully cover any responsibility that may have been mine. Sincerely, _______________
WOW! It took me a minute to remember the accident because Sloane has been hit five times this year, no fault of her own. She was hit by an uninsured driver that she had to pay for, this accident which this gentleman declared was not his fault that she paid for, a minor bump that didn't get reported and was not necessary to repair, a hit and run that didn't get fixed and finally an accident where the other person's insurance paid!
This random act of kindness is refreshing to my faith! I will call this gentleman, thank him and extend our sincere appreciation for his thoughtfulness. The accident did cost us $1500 to repair Sloane's car. I'll also tell him he's forgiven. We forgave him the minute the stress of the accident subsided. Christmas Blessings to him! I'm glad he's free from his burden just in time for Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Do People Wonder?
Sloane is obsessed with celebrities. She follows her favorites on
Twitter. She wonders who's dating whom. Sydnee peruses the fashion
section of magazines. She loves new clothing styles and wonders what's
in or a has-been. Steve studies survival methods. He wonders if we'll be
alright if disaster strikes. I google recipes. I wonder if I can find a
fabulous new dish my family will love! We are curious about these things. We have a desire to know more which moves us to "go see".
Have you ever heard something
and wondered about it? So curious you simply MUST check it out to see if
it is true? For example, you hear how beautiful Hawaii is. Does that
expressed beauty make you wonder enough to get on an airplane to go see
for yourself? If not, your storyteller is a dud! I heard for years about the beauty of Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. My curiosity got me on a boat, a plane and an automobile to find out if the stories were true. They are, the beauty of the garden is overwhelming!
The Christmas Story in Luke 2:16-18 speaking of the shepherds says "And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds." The Bible doesn't tell us but I believe those who wondered surely had to come and see. I imagine people making their way to the stable peeking around corners hoping for a glimpse of the baby. I can almost hear people tell others "I heard him cry!", "Well, when the stable door opened he opened his eyes and looked at me!" or even "I saw one of those angels appear near his manger bed!"
The exciting story is still the same, our Savior was born! I wonder if I am telling the story in a manner to make people wonder? Do people hear my story of Jesus and wonder about him? Do I soak up and use Sunday sermons to help someone on Monday by sharing what I heard? Do I tell people about the miraculous things God does in my life every day enough to make them wonder about who He is? Do I use God's Word in every day language to intrigue peoples' wonderment about where those words came from? Do I tell a good story? Do I cause people to wonder about Jesus?
Some people the shepherds told went to see the first time they heard it. Some people had to hear the story multiple times and see others excited before they were moved to check it out. Regardless of how many times it takes for a person to hear the story of Jesus before they come and see, the story has to be WONDROUSLY told!
Wondering 365,
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