Thursday, January 06, 2011
Taking down the tree
Some people are all too eager to take down their pine-shedding Christmas tree. We got ours early this year, so it was becoming an actual fire hazard. But still, I was so bummed to see it go. It felt like Christmas flew by this year... no matter how hard I tried to suspend it into slow-motion. The dinner, the lights, the church service, the presents, the laughter, the music... it raced by like a shooting star.
So, to respond to the melancholy of the passing holidays, our family decided to celebrate the night of taking down the tree. We sang along to some fun Christmas tunes, took pictures of the kids in front of the tree, wrapped each kid with white Christmas lights, and finally decorated our official 2010 family ornament. we even went outside for a Christmas tree bonfire before bed.
I explained how it was the ultimate recycling process. The kids were thoroughly entertained by the monstrous sized blaze in our fire-pit. We have 3/4 of the tree left in the backyard to burn later this weekend; so we'll definitely have to make some S'mores.
Our family night of un-decorating the tree and house was helpful to review the season and to let it linger on for just one more night. However, I still can't take down the last few decorations. I love my hanging snowman banner that says, "Let it snow." I also display my family picture ornaments on an upstairs display shelf so that we can see them throughout the year.
There's also one new piece that I may keep out indefinitely as well. It's a red and green wooden decoration that says, "HOPE." It reminds me that the message of Christmas lives in my heart all year long. It doesn't have to fade into the storage bins like most of the ornaments. I don't have to hide this one in the garage until next Christmas simply because it is green and red.
Even though we know we have hope in Jesus all year, we sometimes forget. Somehow the baby Jesus figure in the manger scene makes it so much clearer. And we feel more hopeful while the kids are smiling and opening presents around the tree. It's just easier to cling to our Christian hope when we're on that long relaxing break.
The truth is that we can all find HOPE in Jesus and His goodness every single day. As I sat reading my Bible this afternoon, I studied the "voice of the Lord..." from Psalm 29. It made me wonder, "What does the voice of the Lord sound like?" I pictured things like thunder, fire, wind, and even a quiet cloud.
The Psalmist describes it like this, "The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars... The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert... The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare" (from Psalm 29:4-9).
The feeling I had after reading this Psalm was one of comfort because of God's power. I might feel defeated about saying goodbye to Christmas, amongst a plethora of other struggles and obstacles, but the Lord is still majestic. The Psalm ends with these words: "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace" (verse 11).
Psalm 29 is an in-your-face reminder that no matter what's going on, you can get through it because God is there for you. It's also a passage about extending our faith. It can be hard to listen to the Lord; it's not usually an audible noise that we can record on our MP3 players. Isn't it more like a reminder of His truth through His word or a fellow believer?
Let's choose to find hope as we listen for His voice in 2011. Let's grab hold of God's strength and peace as we depend upon one another. Share your thoughts about the post-Christmas season. We'd love to hear from you. :)
So, to respond to the melancholy of the passing holidays, our family decided to celebrate the night of taking down the tree. We sang along to some fun Christmas tunes, took pictures of the kids in front of the tree, wrapped each kid with white Christmas lights, and finally decorated our official 2010 family ornament. we even went outside for a Christmas tree bonfire before bed.
I explained how it was the ultimate recycling process. The kids were thoroughly entertained by the monstrous sized blaze in our fire-pit. We have 3/4 of the tree left in the backyard to burn later this weekend; so we'll definitely have to make some S'mores.
Our family night of un-decorating the tree and house was helpful to review the season and to let it linger on for just one more night. However, I still can't take down the last few decorations. I love my hanging snowman banner that says, "Let it snow." I also display my family picture ornaments on an upstairs display shelf so that we can see them throughout the year.
There's also one new piece that I may keep out indefinitely as well. It's a red and green wooden decoration that says, "HOPE." It reminds me that the message of Christmas lives in my heart all year long. It doesn't have to fade into the storage bins like most of the ornaments. I don't have to hide this one in the garage until next Christmas simply because it is green and red.
Even though we know we have hope in Jesus all year, we sometimes forget. Somehow the baby Jesus figure in the manger scene makes it so much clearer. And we feel more hopeful while the kids are smiling and opening presents around the tree. It's just easier to cling to our Christian hope when we're on that long relaxing break.
The truth is that we can all find HOPE in Jesus and His goodness every single day. As I sat reading my Bible this afternoon, I studied the "voice of the Lord..." from Psalm 29. It made me wonder, "What does the voice of the Lord sound like?" I pictured things like thunder, fire, wind, and even a quiet cloud.
The Psalmist describes it like this, "The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars... The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert... The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare" (from Psalm 29:4-9).
The feeling I had after reading this Psalm was one of comfort because of God's power. I might feel defeated about saying goodbye to Christmas, amongst a plethora of other struggles and obstacles, but the Lord is still majestic. The Psalm ends with these words: "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace" (verse 11).
Psalm 29 is an in-your-face reminder that no matter what's going on, you can get through it because God is there for you. It's also a passage about extending our faith. It can be hard to listen to the Lord; it's not usually an audible noise that we can record on our MP3 players. Isn't it more like a reminder of His truth through His word or a fellow believer?
Let's choose to find hope as we listen for His voice in 2011. Let's grab hold of God's strength and peace as we depend upon one another. Share your thoughts about the post-Christmas season. We'd love to hear from you. :)
Labels: Bible, hope, peace, post-Christmas, strength
Friday, April 16, 2010
Darkness
When you're in a tunnel of darkness, you reach for the light as if you can already see it... or you close up in terror to protect yourself from imminent danger. You feel blind, unable to move.
When it's pitch black, you can't fathom the distance around you, except for its immensity and its vastness. You don't know how long the darkness will hold you captive in its evil grip. However, when your eyes capture a glimpse of the light ahead, you gain perspective and the obscurity begins to fade away. Depth perception is regained. You can see the world around you. You begin to hope.
When we go through tough spiritual or emotional experiences, we can feel we are falling indefinitely through a dark abyss. We try to cling to the truths we know as the deep chasm engulfs our hearts and minds. We grasp for air... but we can not feel it in our lungs. We look for the light, but we simply can not see it. We hope for a better perspective to save us from the pain that crushes us. But, we can't find it.
Is there true hope amidst the darkest hours? Many people feel that there is no true hope in this life. So, they turn to alcohol, drugs, medications, an affair, or even plain old busyness... to numb their pain. Unfortunately, those things only offer a temporary and dissatisfying source of relief. The giver of light tells us that He offers true hope: from the Bible and through the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says, "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness..." (John 1:4+5). Subsequently, Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The Bible anchors us during uncertain times, especially when our feelings deceive us.
The Holy Spirit also offers His peace: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. PEACE I leave with you; my peace I give you...Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (26-27). The Holy Spirit guides us when we can't find our own way. Even though it is hard to surrender to Him, we must turn to Him in faith.
It's hard to turn to the Bible and to trust God's Spirit when we feel like God just doesn't care. Sometimes, we don't believe that He even hears us. Or, it seems like we're simply going to get a busy signal forever, since we don't see signs of an escape! So, we just give up on God.
But, as my five-year-old reminded me this morning, God is the ONE to turn to. First, she asked me at the top of our stairs, "What's this story about (meaning our lives)?" "Is it about God?" she inquired. Then, a few minutes after we navigated our way downstairs, she hid a book behind her arms and asked me if I'd read her a story.
As I sat down on the couch next to her, she revealed the book she was hiding. It was my Bible...the one book I did not feel like reading. But, once we opened it up together, I was reminded of its power to give light, life, and hope...through the Holy Spirit. This morning, my daughter, Grace, helped me to see the light when my heart was trapped in darkness.
After we read for a bit, I explained how the words written in red were the words that Jesus spoke. She then grabbed her "Build-A-Bear" teddy bear that has a hole in his back. She removed the cloth shaped heart from the bear. Then, she placed it on Jesus' words with her whole hand over the heart. It was her way of trying to show Jesus that she loved Him, by giving Him her teddy-bear's pretend heart. If only we could show our faith so simply and so resolutely!
When it's pitch black, you can't fathom the distance around you, except for its immensity and its vastness. You don't know how long the darkness will hold you captive in its evil grip. However, when your eyes capture a glimpse of the light ahead, you gain perspective and the obscurity begins to fade away. Depth perception is regained. You can see the world around you. You begin to hope.
When we go through tough spiritual or emotional experiences, we can feel we are falling indefinitely through a dark abyss. We try to cling to the truths we know as the deep chasm engulfs our hearts and minds. We grasp for air... but we can not feel it in our lungs. We look for the light, but we simply can not see it. We hope for a better perspective to save us from the pain that crushes us. But, we can't find it.
Is there true hope amidst the darkest hours? Many people feel that there is no true hope in this life. So, they turn to alcohol, drugs, medications, an affair, or even plain old busyness... to numb their pain. Unfortunately, those things only offer a temporary and dissatisfying source of relief. The giver of light tells us that He offers true hope: from the Bible and through the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says, "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness..." (John 1:4+5). Subsequently, Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The Bible anchors us during uncertain times, especially when our feelings deceive us.
The Holy Spirit also offers His peace: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. PEACE I leave with you; my peace I give you...Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (26-27). The Holy Spirit guides us when we can't find our own way. Even though it is hard to surrender to Him, we must turn to Him in faith.
It's hard to turn to the Bible and to trust God's Spirit when we feel like God just doesn't care. Sometimes, we don't believe that He even hears us. Or, it seems like we're simply going to get a busy signal forever, since we don't see signs of an escape! So, we just give up on God.
But, as my five-year-old reminded me this morning, God is the ONE to turn to. First, she asked me at the top of our stairs, "What's this story about (meaning our lives)?" "Is it about God?" she inquired. Then, a few minutes after we navigated our way downstairs, she hid a book behind her arms and asked me if I'd read her a story.
As I sat down on the couch next to her, she revealed the book she was hiding. It was my Bible...the one book I did not feel like reading. But, once we opened it up together, I was reminded of its power to give light, life, and hope...through the Holy Spirit. This morning, my daughter, Grace, helped me to see the light when my heart was trapped in darkness.
After we read for a bit, I explained how the words written in red were the words that Jesus spoke. She then grabbed her "Build-A-Bear" teddy bear that has a hole in his back. She removed the cloth shaped heart from the bear. Then, she placed it on Jesus' words with her whole hand over the heart. It was her way of trying to show Jesus that she loved Him, by giving Him her teddy-bear's pretend heart. If only we could show our faith so simply and so resolutely!
Labels: darkness, God, hope, life
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hope Comes
Sometimes it feels like there's no hope. Thankfully, feelings can be misleading. There is always hope because God is good and He loves you. He has your best interest in mind, even when unfair things happen. When people mistreat you and take advantage of you, the Lord sees it all and intends to carry out His justice in the end. When you have said and done all you can, you need to let go and rest in HIM.
Here are some verses of encouragement and hope:
Psalm 84:11 says, "For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."
Psalm 85:1 says, "You showed favor to your land, O Lord; you restored the fortunes of Jacob."
Psalm 86:5-7 says, "You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me."
Psalm 89:5-6 says, "The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?"
Here are some verses of encouragement and hope:
Psalm 84:11 says, "For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."
Psalm 85:1 says, "You showed favor to your land, O Lord; you restored the fortunes of Jacob."
Psalm 86:5-7 says, "You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me."
Psalm 89:5-6 says, "The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?"
Labels: encouragement, hope, the Lord
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Life's Rhythms
Life is so unpredictable. One minute things are going so well. The next minute, you can feel you have lost who you are or where you are going. And yet, some things are so certain. The sun will rise and set. The moon will wax and wane through its expected cycles. Our small children will eat and sleep and grow on a daily basis. The seasons will come and go. Tragedies will befall every neighborhood, as will celebrations and parties. New things will lose their newness. Old things will pass away.
Dreams are born in the midst of life’s rhythms. Then, they too will fade away into oblivion. But, there is Hope. It is born even out of dying or dead dreams because there is ONE who gives amazing HOPE, even when there is none. His name is JESUS! He is consistent at all times. HIS Love is always there for us! HIS forgiveness embraces us before we even ask. The Cross carried a dead KING into eternal LIFE. Whatever rhythm you find yourself in, hold on to the GIVER of HOPE!
Dreams are born in the midst of life’s rhythms. Then, they too will fade away into oblivion. But, there is Hope. It is born even out of dying or dead dreams because there is ONE who gives amazing HOPE, even when there is none. His name is JESUS! He is consistent at all times. HIS Love is always there for us! HIS forgiveness embraces us before we even ask. The Cross carried a dead KING into eternal LIFE. Whatever rhythm you find yourself in, hold on to the GIVER of HOPE!
