MY WORD FOR 2015 - RECAP

So, my word for 2015…

HEALING.

I remember thinking that I was relieved to have this word.

You see, the year before my word was JOY.

And I remember struggling with that word – especially when it was almost immediately challenged when my father passed away unexpectedly a little over two weeks into January.

Of course, the Lord taught me many things over the course of that year.  

He has a way of doing that.

And in the end, I learned a great deal about true joy.

But, it was a very difficult year.

So, when I felt like God gave me the word *healing,* I was pretty happy.  

"You know what," I thought to myself, "that sounds nice."

Restful and restorative.

Like 2015 was going to be an easier year.

A year in which God was going to make me feel better.

Yup, that sounded really good.

Well, things didn't quite work out like I expected.  This past year we've had more medical things happen than ever before – both with "The Hub" and I, and our extended family.

More tests, screenings, procedures.

More illness, infections, conditions.

Things that have sorely tried my patience with the mysterious workings of the human body!

Emotions have been hurting, too.

And it has NOT been fun.

So, what on earth did God mean by healing?

Why didn't He make me feel better – (as in, *take all the bad stuff away* or *don't have it come in the first place* better)?

So, as I sit here in front of my computer, I'm contemplating what He's taught me about healing.

And really, as I seriously ponder it all, I realize that God has indeed taught me quite a bit – not just about healing, but also about suffering.

Here's what I've learned:

1) You only need healing when you're hurting

OK, that sounds really obvious, but think about it.

People who think they've got it all under control, people whose lives are chugging along just fine – well, they don't need healing.

It's when life hits us smack in the face, when we're suffering – physically, emotionally, perhaps even spiritually – it's then that we need healing.

It's then that we cry out for it.

Yes, if you want healing, you have to admit you're hurting.

"And Jesus answered and said to them, 'It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.'" (Luke 5:31, NASB)

2) Sometimes healing requires more brokenness

Yeah.

Just like broken bones sometimes need to be re-broken before they can heal properly.

Or a tooth needs a root canal and a crown – (which I whined about quite well last week).

Sometimes healing is a process, not an immediate fix.

And sometimes the Lord has more work to do, and we must learn through the pain.

"For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness…" (Hebrews 12:11, AMP)

3) Not all suffering has a reason, but it all has a purpose

Let me clarify this.

Sometimes we might be tempted to put a "label" on our suffering (or that of others).  

We might be inclined to attribute the blame to either God or the devil.  

But, I would caution against this tendency.

Sometimes God isn't trying to teach us a lesson, or the enemy isn't attacking us.

Sometimes suffering just happens because we live in a broken world.

Stuff happens.

So there might not be a "reason" for suffering, but there's always a purpose.

God is not a God of waste.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV)

4) The question shouldn't be why, but how

So sure, suffering is inevitable in a sinful world. 

And as I said above, there might not be a clear place to assign blame. 

However, I think spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out why something happened is really a waste of time.

The better question is how.

How am I going to react to this?

How am I going to let God use this in my life?

How am I not going to let the enemy use it?

Refocus from the confusion of the pain, to the completion of the work it will do in your life.

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you." (Philippians 3:14-15, ESV)

5) We were not promised ease in life

Yup, straight from Jesus' mouth.

In this life, you WILL have trials and tribulations.

Healing may not come, or it may not come in the way that you want it – 

But there is always hope, and hope itself is healing.

"Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, NLT)

6) Suffering for Jesus' sake is a privilege

Ouch.

I don't know about you, but pain is…well…a pain!

And it's hard to recognize it as anything else.  

But in some crazy, God-works-backwards kind of way, sharing in the suffering of Jesus is important, even honorable.

And it requires humility on our part to bear this particular cross.

Do I understand the mystery of it all?

No, but as His child, I'll gladly stand by His side.

"Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.  Instead, be very glad – for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world." 

(1 Peter 4:12-13, NLT)

7) God cares about our healing, but more about our sanctification

Sanctification can be defined this way:

"Sanctification involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration."

And though God is not callous toward our pain, His greater purpose is to make us look more and more like His Son.

His perfect will sometimes requires that we are not healed.

And sometimes when that happens, the soul transcends the pain in beautiful fashion, and healing comes in an entirely spiritual way.

Not a cure, but healed nonetheless.

And sometimes in the not-healing, one is given an extra dose of grace and glory.  

"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was…Then Jesus told them plainly, 'Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.'" John 11:5-6, 14-15, ESV)

8) Jesus understands

We say this so often, does it begin to lose its impact?

Honestly, how can it?!

Jesus, God of the Universe, GETS. IT.

He knew pain, and He also knew the pain of asking for healing, and having the answer be "NO."

The Garden of Gethsemane is evidence of that.

Jesus was not spared suffering.

He was not miraculously healed.

No, He died.

He went through all the travails of being human, and even endured things worse than you or I will ever have to face.  

Therefore, He is our perfect Friend.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are…" 

(Hebrews 4:15, HCSB)

9) You can feel particularly close to God when you're sad, sick, or suffering

I have noticed this to be true.

When I'm hurting, needing desperately to be healed, I am often transported to a small and vulnerable place within myself.

And in that place, God meets me.

Lo and behold, sometimes the healing is just His very presence.

And it is more than enough.

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18, NIV)

10) Your pain can allow you to help heal others

Have you ever gone through something, then talked to someone else who either has or is going through the same thing?

And then you hear them say those magical words:

"I know what you're going through."

There is powerful healing in those words. 

And sometimes, our pain puts us in that precious position of reaching into the spirit of another person with comfort and empathy.

And lo and behold, helping someone else brings healing to our own spirit.

Giving brings receiving.

"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT)

11) The Word of God has power to heal

I can't tell you how many times I've opened my Bible and found just exactly the right passage of Scripture that spoke directly and deeply to my pain.

No, maybe the circumstances didn't change, but I did.

If healing means to set right again, to restore to proper functioning, to be relieved of pain – then the Word of God is my miracle cure.

The words of God possess the power to heal.

"And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." (Romans 15:4, NLT)

12) It's OK to pray for healing

Again, Jesus is our perfect example.

And once again, I refer to the Garden of Gethsemane.

He asked, more than once, in deep agonizing turmoil, to be spared the pain of dying.

God did not grant that request, and Jesus accepted His will.

But He asked.

And therefore, I believe we are given permission to bring our requests for healing – for ourselves and for others – directly into the throne room of God.

But please, let's not fool ourselves into thinking that our faith is what makes the healing happen.  I am not a fan of the spiritual outlook that supports the contention that if you pray with enough faith, healing will come.

I've seen too many faith-full people die, and I've seen some others who nearly lost their faith over their agonized inability to *drum up enough.*

Whether we are healed or not, that is up to the divine and perfect will of God.

But go ahead and ask – He tells us to do just that.

"…in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6, NIV)

13) When healing doesn't come, you get in touch with your core beliefs

Let me tell you, when one is sorely tested and in desperate need of healing, what we do speaks volumes about our core beliefs.

I have had times this past year when I was just completely overwhelmed and overwrought.  Times when I wanted healing more than anything else.  Times when things didn't work out in my way or timing.

And yet, in the very depths of my heart, I realized something.

God was there.

And I wanted Him more than ever.

Though I did not enjoy the path of pain that got me there, it was a blessing to realize that way-down-deep-inside…I believe.

There is something rather amazing to know that you know what you know.

To know that underneath all the myriad emotions you feel, beyond the pain and suffering, at your very rock bottom...you know that you are a person of faith.

And you will not be giving up.

"As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.  So Jesus said to the twelve, 'You do not want to go away also, do you?'  Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have words of eternal life.'" (John 6:66-68, NASB)

14) Eternal healing will be a victory

Sometimes people are miraculously healed in this lifetime.

Goodness, Lazarus was even raised from the dead!

But, in the end, all people die.

Well, at least to this life!

You see, the final word on healing is still ahead of us, still in the glorious future that awaits us.

Final and complete healing will never take place until we're united with our Lord face-to-face.

It does my heart great good to know that the loved ones that have passed on in my life are now in the presence of God.

And they are awaiting that future time, just like we are, when we will be granted immortal, resurrected bodies.

Perfect and complete – incorruptible.

Free from disease and pain and suffering and death.

Ultimate healing will be the resounding victory that Jesus bought for us with His life.  

Ultimately all our prayers for healing will be answered.

For our victory, bought and paid for on the Cross, will once and forever vanquish death.  Our enemy will lose…

And we will live.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." 

(Revelation 21:4, NLT)

15) Healing is a choice we make

Let me explain.

Certainly the journey of healing often requires "outside help."

Sometimes we can't heal ourselves without the aid of doctors or nurses, psychologists and counselors, surgeries and medication.

Sometimes we need the help of a trusted pastor or fellow believer.

Sometimes our healing, though we can contribute to our own wellbeing, sometimes healing is out of our hands.

But, somehow we must be part of the process.

I think of a very popular book published in 1979 called "Anatomy of an Illness" by Norman Cousins.

Norman Cousins was given a few months to live in 1964.  He had Ankylosing Spondylitis, a rare disease of the connective tissues.  He was told by a doctor that he had a 1 in 500 chance of survival. 

Cousins basically responded, "No way."

And one of the things he did was to laugh.

He chose laughter intentionally, convinced that it would affect his health.

Well, who knows – but Cousins lived until 1990!

(One of his great quotes: "Death is not the greatest loss in life.  The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.")

Research indicates that our thoughts and emotions *speak* to our bodies, and they have a tremendous impact on our health.  Though it's still not completely understood, one's attitude seems to make a huge difference in the progress and prognosis of many diseases.

I believe that there are three things crucial in our contribution to healing – a desire to get well, a fighting spirit, and hope for the future.

A positive attitude is good medicine.

"…by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us.   This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it] – a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells], where Jesus has entered [in advance] as a forerunner for us, having become a High Priest forever…" (Hebrews 6:18-20, AMP)

When I began my journey in 2015, when I was pondering the word *healing,* I felt so strongly that I was given the story of the man at the Pool of Betheseda.  Crippled for many years, he had many excuses for why he wasn't healed.

But when Jesus met him, He didn't immediately heal the man.

Instead He asked him a very pointed question:

"Do you want to get well?"

This question has come to my mind so often during the past year.

I think that was the beginning point of my year of healing – answering that question.  

Because it's not as straightforward as it seems.  

My gut reaction was to scream, "YES!  Of course I do!  I am in pain, after all."

And if I'm honest, I still sorta feel that way.  I want the quick fix, the "take all the bad stuff away" or "don't have it come in the first place." 

But true healing has required learning other lessons.

Lessons of humility, desire, longing, self-sacrifice, surrender.

I wanted to feel better.

God wanted me to believe.

Won't you please come back next week for the *Big Reveal* of my word for 2016?

It's definitely another stretching word, and God has His work cut out for Him when it comes to me!!

But I believe it's a continuation, a further revealing to my year of healing.

Chapter Two, if you will...

I just wonder what He has in store!!

Unto you who revere
and worshipfully
fear My name
Shall the Sun of Righteousness
arise
with healing in His wings.

Please check out my thoughts and verses on HEALING on my sidebar.  They'll be up there until next Monday, when I reveal my Word for 2016, which is...

You'll have to come back.

I love a cliffhanger...

Do you have any additional thoughts or comments on healing?

Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, REFLECT LINKUP, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, UNITE LINKUP, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, RA RA LINKUP, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, WISE WOMAN, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, COZY READING SPOT, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, NO RULES LINKUP, COFFEE SHOP CONVERSATIONS, LIVING PROVERBS, WEEKEND WHISPERS, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, GIVE ME GRACE, SOCIAL BUTTERFLY SUNDAY




BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

A CROWN FOR CHRISTMAS

It's not what you think.

Well, it will be…eventually.

But first, an entertaining little story about my teeth!!

So, earlier this year, I noticed that something was *weird* with one of my back molars.  I was having all sorts of trouble keeping it clean, and flossing it – (You know what flossing is, right?  That thing that you do a week before getting your teeth cleaned??) – flossing was becoming a futile chore.

That's when I noticed that part of an old filling, and a goodly portion of the tooth, had chipped off.

Oh phooey.

(Can't imagine why a 50+ year-old filling was so weak…ahem).

Well, at my next teeth cleaning in June, I mentioned it to my hygienist.

She said, "Well, let's clean your teeth, and then I'll have the dentist look at it."

OK.

Said dentist then came in, and in utter horror, informed me that the gums surrounding this tooth, and his backyard molar neighbor, were in serious need of repair.

"Lucky for you, we now have a periodontist in the office every other Thursday, and he's here today."

Yes, lucky me.

Well, this guy opened my mouth and uttered another expression of horror, and dropped the hatchet of verdict – (that's what I like to call it).

I needed gum surgery.

"Oh, and by the way, there's decay in that tooth, too."

Double-lucky me.


Well, I had the gum surgery in July.

And healed for the next six weeks. 

And put the cavity/filling on the back burner.

After all, the tooth wasn't bothering me.

Fast forward…

Remembering that my dentist was retiring at the end of this year, I called and made an appointment to take care of this.

It was about six weeks off.

I figured that would be fine.  The tooth still wasn't bothering me, and there were countless other things going on that I thought took precedence over a stupid filling.

Uh, yeah.

You know how this story goes…

The tooth started bothering me.

A little bit – and then A. LOT.

And so I lumbered through the remaining three weeks until my appointment.

I went in last Wednesday, now eagerly (??) looking forward to having this dumb molar taken care of…

If wishes were pennies, I'd be a rich girl.

They took x-rays so my dentist would have an accurate idea of where the decay was, and how he was going to proceed.

That's when I was informed that the tooth had *exploded* in the last six months, and he couldn't fill it, and he was going to try to pull some strings and get me into an endodontist for an emergency root canal.

Say what???

He showed me the x-ray, and almost the entire tooth was now consumed with decay.

No wonder it was bothering me.

Well, to cut to the chase, the endodontist was kind enough to stay extra hours to fit me in.  At 5:30 that evening, after close to two hours in the chair, I walked out into the cold evening and muttered to myself…

"What just happened?"

It's kinda good that it happened this way so I didn't have to fret and worry about it ahead of time.  I am not a dental hero, I've never had a root canal, and needles frighten me.  So, having less time to ponder was probably a good thing.

But, we're not done yet.

Next week I have to go in to get my first crown.

And, oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I'm still going to the same dental office that I've been going to for years – you know, the one that's 2 ½ hours away from our mountain town – so now each visit requires five hours of traveling time.

Yeah, that office.

Sigh.


All I can say is that I'm humming my own version of that classic cute song, "All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth."  My version goes like this:

All I want for Christmas
Is one really good crown
A lovely crown
A beautifully functioning crown
Gee, I if I could only have a totally repaired tooth
Then I could wish you Merry Christmas…

CODA:
Except I won't be able
To buy you a gift
For my bank account is empty now, ow...
Yes, my bank account is empty now.
Tra la.


Yup, my version isn't nearly as cute and endearing.

But as I was driving back up the mountain the other day, the Lord revealed to me three things that were true about my root canal and upcoming crown procedure – and how they parallel Christ's arrival upon the earth.

And yes, there's a Christmas devotional in it all.


1) It was unexpected

When I walked into the dentist's office that afternoon at 2 PM, I was expecting an easy, straightforward *drilling & filling* experience.  I was prepared for a short visit, but what I got was an odyssey.

In similar fashion, the arrival of the Messiah didn't happen like expected.

The Jewish people had been looking for a Messiah for hundreds and hundreds of years.  He had been talked about, wondered about – anticipated, sought, and longed for.

Of course, they were expecting a vanquishing King, a mighty Deliverer.

Someone who would swoop into their world and rescue them in overpowering fashion…quickly.

Perhaps he would be a rebel, a revolutionary, a righteous warrior.

A whirlwind.

What they got was a whisper.

A baby.

Unexpected…


2) It was expensive

Any of you who have had gum surgery, or a root canal, or a crown know that all of these procedures are very expensive.  And, adding the expense of my tooth travails to the already hefty costs of all the other medical stuff we've had this year, well, let's just say that it's been taxing on the budget.

Yeah, our Christmas gifts to each other might involve just paying bills…

In like manner, the coming of Christ was expensive, a costly venture that would eventually require the greatest payment of all…

A life.

People were counting on a quick fix, an *in-and-out-and-Israel-is-restored* kind of Messiah.  They would never have guessed that delivering them would cost him his very life.

And certainly not in the way it happened.

On a cross.

Gone was their vision of the hero, the strong and powerful King.

What they got was a beat-up, mangled, bloodied, humiliated, weak, taunted and rejected and abandoned man.

They did not understand that this man was also God.

Yes, the coming of Christ was expensive, for it cost Him so much…

Willingly giving up His place of honor in Heaven, emptying himself of His God-ness, relinquishing His power and majesty, He deigned to become a cell, an embryo, a fetus, a baby.

Helpless and completely reliant on His earthly parents to preserve and nurture His life.

Just so He could one day give it up.

Expensive…


3) It was necessary

Tiny pockets of decay can be fixed with a simple filling.

But decay that has completely invaded and consumed a tooth requires drastic measures.  For if the problem is not remedied, the poison could invade the bloodstream and multiply in rampant fashion.

An out-of-control situation that could one day become fatal.

As much as I tried to stall my treatment, as much as I wanted the *simple fix,* in the end my dental problem required extensive and necessary work.

Why?

Because it was the only way to bring healing.

Is this not the perfect metaphor for sin?

We might look at sin as a minor pocket of decay.  Causing a little aggravation sometimes, occasionally a moment of pain – but easily taken care of with minor correction.

God saw it different.

He saw a pervasive, virulent, poisonous corruption of the very essence of man.

He knew that it was going to require something painful to restore His beloved children to spiritual health, to give them eternal life.

And because of His love, He did what was necessary.

He gave His only begotten Son.

And Jesus willingly gave Himself, and chose to die.

Alas, sometimes the cure requires more brokenness, more agony, more suffering, more misery.

But Jesus did what He did because it's what had to be done to keep sin from killing us.

He literally saved our lives.

Necessary…


So, yes, I've been on a dental odyssey lately.  

And when the title for this blog post came to my mind – "A Crown for Christmas" – I was only thinking about the upcoming "awesome" gift of a new crown for my pesky molar.

But then I got thinking about the King, about Jesus –

About how He laid aside His glorious crown in exchange for a crown of thorns.

About how the whole mission of salvation was unexpected, expensive, and necessary.

I got pondering...

He deserves a crown, but He gave it up…

We do not, but He gave us one anyway…

A crown of life.

An awesome gift!

Oh joy!

Forever live the King!!



MERRY CHRISTMAS, ONE AND ALL!!

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down...
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

"Don't be afraid...Look, your King is coming…" (John 12:15, NLT)

"Because God's children are human beings – made of flesh and blood – the Son also became flesh and blood.  For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death." (Hebrews 2:14, NLT)

"Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor.  'Are you the king of the Jews?' the governor asked him.  Jesus replied, 'You have said it.'" (Matthew 27:11, NLT)

"The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head."  
(John 19:2, NIV)

"…Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.   Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..." (Philippians 2:5-11, AMP)

"They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." (Revelation 17:14, NIV)

"And behold, on the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him.  And to Him (the Messiah) was given dominion (supreme authority), glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and speakers of every language should serve and worship Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed." 
(Daniel 7:13-14, AMP)

"'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.'" (Hebrews 1:8, ESV)

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, 'KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.'" (Revelation 19:11-16, NASB)

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12, NIV)



This Christmas let's celebrate our Lord Jesus' journey – cradle, cross, crown – and thank Him for giving us the gift of eternal life!!



Linked with:

MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, REFLECT LINKUP, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, SHARING HIS BEAUTY, SMALL WONDER, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE LINKUP, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, RA RA LINKUP, WISE WOMAN, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, COZY READING SPOT, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, GRACE & TRUTH, TGI SATURDAYS, DANCE WITH JESUS, WEEKEND WHISPERS, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, GIVE ME GRACE, SOCIAL BUTTERFLY SUNDAY




BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

MY HOLIDAY DECORATING

Holiday decorating.

Love it!

I have a true confession to make, though.

Last year, I just never got around to it.

I didn't really have any good reasons.

Part of it might have been that it was the first Christmas after my dad died earlier that year.  Part of it might have been that it was just going to be "The Hub" and I together on Christmas Day.   Part of it might have been that I was just tired and lazy and stressed and discouraged.

Bah humbug.

But, let me tell you.  I regretted not decorating.  Big-time.  Something was lost by having the "same old house" for the holidays.

This year I determined that I would NOT repeat the same mistake.

So, a few days ago, "The Hub" pulled out the Christmas decoration boxes from the shed, brought them into the house, and we got to work!


We started with our tree.

For all of my life, I have always had a real Christmas tree.

I really enjoyed walking through the tree lots, searching for *the one.*

I loved bringing it home, and lovingly placing the trunk into water and putting a tree skirt around it to keep it warm, and smelling the delicious aroma of fir.

Finding dried out needles in August?

Did not love that so much…

But, I held on to my real-tree tradition like a dog with a branch to chew on.

However, in the summer of 2013, we were evacuated from our mountain home for four days when a wildfire threatened to consume our tiny community.

Later that same year, "The Hub" and I were in a certain home-improvement store when we saw a display featuring artificial trees.

We looked at each other.

I said, "Maybe this is the year we should make the change.  It would be so much safer."

He looked back at me and said, "I think you're right."

So, we purchased a "fake tree."

That's what I kept calling it in my head.

Fake.

But, you know what, after we had assembled the whole thing, and spread out the branches, and lit up the pre-strung tiny white lights – well, I was taken aback.

It looked beautiful.

Full and green and, well, REAL!

As for the delicious aroma of fir?

I just crank up my oil diffuser and fill the house with the wafting scent of *tree*!!


This year I eagerly looked forward to pulling out our tree.

Which I no longer think of as "fake" – it is now lovingly known as self-sufficient!

We have so many ornaments!!

Some that I have saved from when my sons were growing up, and some we've collected throughout our marriage together.

It makes for an interesting mix of Hallmark, cowboy, cabin, wildlife, Southwest, and Santa!

Isn't it interesting how each one of us has our particular *style* when it comes to decorating our trees?

Some like silver and shiny, others like color and bows.  

Some trees are green, and some look snowy.

(Sidenote:  Truly, does anyone miss that fiberglass stuff we used to stretch across the branches to look like snow, and then spent forever picking bits of it out of our fingers?  Or how about those strings of tinsel?  I used to carefully place one strand at a time.  Others, not mentioning any names (brother), might have thrown entire clumps willy-nilly at random branches).


And then, there's the lights.

Everyone seems to have a preference for that, too.

My mom used to have these bubble lights.  You know, the old-fashioned ones that had a little bulb on the end, and then a glass tube with different colored liquid in it.  When the lights went on, the liquid would heat up and bubble – all in living technicolor.

Whatever happened to those?

Probably not energy-efficient, and most likely a heat hazard for both tree and human limbs!


OK, so then "The Hub" and I spent two afternoons stringing outdoor lights.  (Yes, folks, when I decided to atone for last year's Scrooge Christmas, I decided we were going to go all out!)

We strung lights around our entry, and along the railings, and down the railroad-tie steps that lead up to our house.  And then, to complete our fantasyland, we wrapped six of our trees with strings of tiny colored lights.  (This took forever, and gave whole new meaning to the idea of being a tree-hugger…)

TA DA!!

Last night I walked outside and got into perfect position for viewing.

I shut my eyes, while "The Hub" went to plug it all in.

I sensed the lights on my eyelids, and waited in gleeful anticipation for the unveiling.

"Open your eyes!"

Oh, it was just perfect!

Do you know that I actually jumped up and down and clapped my hands?!

I felt like a child again!


Finally, I attended to all the inside decorations.

I like my inside stuff.

It's a weird, eclectic mix, too!

But all of it has a certain place to go, and a certain way to be displayed.

Especially my *vignettes.*

One of my favorite things is an Advent cabin!

Each day leading up to Christmas, I open a tiny door on either side of the cabin.  And, each day I add a small forest creature to the surrounding scene. This morning (the 10th), I added a tiny brown mouse.

I have some Peanuts sets, one depicting a nativity scene.  (Guess who baby Jesus is – it's Woodstock!!)

I have also collected Playmobil sets throughout the years.

I have one little scene with icebergs and Eskimos and polar bears and penguins.  With, of course, a Santa – who, fortunately, is used to the climate.

Then I have a scene depicting Santa arriving in his sleigh, complete with eight reindeer!  Next to that is a light-up Christmas tree surrounded by gifts and toys.  There's also a miniature calliope, which amazingly still plays its music after umpteen years!

I especially love my nativity set.

It gives me great joy setting this up.

Of course, I must have all the characters in just the *perfect* place.

The three wise men have to be in their proper order, and angled *just so* toward the baby Jesus.  Same thing with the shepherd and the little angels on the other side.  (Not to mention the camel, the sheep, the steer, and the donkey!)

And then, of course, I have added Santa.

Because in my mind, Father Christmas believes in Jesus!!


We finished everything last night, and I'm so pleased with the holiday touches to our "not just the same old house."

I've got to give "The Hub" a round of applause for his patience with me.

Because, you see, everything's got to be correct and precise.

And the process of getting everything perfect to my eyes can be tiring.

This year it just might have involved a few extra rounds of re-stringing around a tree trunk (or two…or six) until the lights were perfectly spaced.  And it just might have involved a few rearrangements of some ornaments.  And it could have possibly entailed a great deal of set decorating to get everyone and everything into their proper places in my vignettes.

But when it was all done, and I took it all in…

I smiled.

And you know what I thought to myself?

"I wonder if this is how God felt when He stood back and looked at His creation?"


Now, there's no way that I have reached that standard of perfection in my meager decorating efforts.

But, I think my satisfaction and joy was a taste of what He felt.

"God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good…" (Genesis 1:31, AMP)

I think He smiled.

I can only imagine His joy in creating life, in all its myriad ways of expression.

Did He hang the Sun and Moon with a shout, and then quietly whisper each star into existence by its own name?

Did He shape the Earth with the care of a Potter's hand, so that it would sustain the life He was bringing?

Did He chuckle at an elephant's trunk, and beam at the majesty of a whale?

Did He laugh at the antics of a chipmunk, and grin at the plumage of a peacock?

Did He take great pride in creating the big creatures, and delight in the tiny members of His newly created Kingdom?

And then, what of man and woman?

The culmination of His creation.

The image-bearers of His very being.

What must He have felt about that?!

How deeply satisfied He must have been at seeing it all *just so* – everything in its proper place, and everything functioning in its perfect role and purpose.  

How pleased He must have been to see the beauty His painstaking efforts had fashioned.

And then He rested, not because He was tired, but because creation was complete.


Creation – a miracle.

Yes, it was very good.


Of course, we all know the familiar and heartbreaking story about how sin entered the world.

Have you ever shattered a beloved keepsake?  Or crashed a car?  Or ruined a project?  Or lost a loved one?

Again, only a glimpse of what His heart must have felt.

But, of course, God is God – and so He had a plan, even for this.

And what did He do?

He created His very own vignette, the very first Nativity scene!

He directed the heavens to shine a bright light.

He fashioned the stable, and placed the manger in its proper place.

(I think He made sure that animals were there – so that just as they had witnessed the creation of man, now they would see the birth of the Son of Man!)

He made sure all the inns were booked up.

He orchestrated events so that Mary and Joseph arrived, at just the right time.

He sent an angel to speak to the shepherds.

And when the surroundings were all complete, when the whole world was angled *just so,* when everything and everyone was in its proper place, He did something incredible.

He brought forth the Savior.

Life.

The Life that would bring life in all its myriad ways of expression.

Abundant.  Full of hope.  Born again.  Eternal.

Yes, it was very good.

It was perfect.


I have so enjoyed decorating, and I derive great pleasure in the final result. I am delighted by the festive surroundings, and take great satisfaction in having everything *just so.*

And I am grateful for the insight it has given me into the heart of the Creator.

A chance to know, at least in part, His satisfaction, pleasure, delight, and joy – His enjoyment of His creation.

But more than anything, I am grateful for the scene that He created in a little town called Bethlehem.


Yes, I love His nativity best of all.

O Christmas Tree.

Long lay the world
in sin and error
pining...

His Light
is the cure
for our darkness.

The LORD God
sent His Son,
bringing
salvation
to the world.

And behold,
it was very good. 

(This is long, but I especially like this accounting of Creation as it's expanded in the Amplified Version of the Bible.  Might I encourage you to reread it again, with a sense of wonder at the miraculous beauty of it all…)


THE CREATION

In the beginning God…created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.

Day One:

And God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light.  God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.

And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.  And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

Day Two:

And God said, 'Let there be an expanse [of the sky]'…And God made the expanse [of sky]…and it was so [just as He commanded].

God called the expanse [of sky] heaven.  And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Day Three:

Then God said, 'Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place [of standing, pooling together], and let the dry land appear'; and it was so.

God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that this was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it.

So God said, 'Let the earth sprout [tender] vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit'…and it was so.

The earth sprouted and abundantly produced vegetation, plants yielding seed…and trees bearing fruit with seed in them…and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it.

And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

Day Four:

Then God said, 'Let there be light-bearers (sun, moon, stars) in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be useful for signs (tokens) [of God's provident care], and for marking seasons, days, and years; and let them be useful as lights in the expanse of the heavens to provide light on the earth'; and it was so, [just as He commanded].

God made the two great lights – the greater light (the sun) to rule the day, and the lesser light (the moon) to rule the night; He made the [galaxies of] stars also [that is, all the amazing wonders in the heavens].  God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to provide light upon the earth, to rule over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it.

And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

Day Five:

Then God said, 'Let the waters swarm and abundantly produce living creatures, and let birds soar above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.'  God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves…every winged bird…and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it.

And God blessed them, saying, 'Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.'

And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

Day Six:

Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth living creatures…livestock, crawling things, and wild animals of the earth'…and it was so [because He had spoken them into creation].  So God made the wild animals of the earth…and the cattle…and everything that creeps and crawls on the earth…and God saw that it was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it.

Then God said, 'Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.'

So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.  And God blessed them [granting them certain authority] and said to them, 'Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subjugate it [putting it under your power]; and rule over (dominate) the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth…'

And it was so [because He commanded it].

God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely."


(From Genesis 1, Amplified Version)



(And then, of course, read these verses, with a sense of wonder at the miraculous beauty of it all…)


"For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah)." (Luke 2:11, AMP)

"For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16, AMP)

"[Jesus] said, 'It is finished!'  And He bowed His head and [voluntarily] gave up His spirit." (John 19:30, AMP)


"And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new…It is done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  To the one who thirsts I will give [water] from the fountain of the water of life without cost.  He who overcomes [the world by adhering faithfully to Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior] will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.'" (Revelation 21:5-8, AMP)




Have you stopped and pondered the wonder and beauty of God's creation, and the miracle of His nativity scene?!




Linked with:

SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, REFLECT LINKUP, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, SHARING HIS BEAUTY, CHRISTMAS JOY BLOG HOP, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE LINKUP, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, RA RA LINKUP, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, WISE WOMAN, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, JOYHOPELIVE LINKUP, WORSHIPFUL WEDNESDAY, LIVING PROVERBS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, SHINE LINKUP, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, GRACE & TRUTH, TGI SATURDAYS, DANCE WITH JESUS, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, NO RULES WEEKEND PARTY, WEEKEND WHISPERS, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, GIVE ME GRACE, SOCIAL BUTTERFLY SUNDAY




BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

THE FROZEN PLACES

Brrr…

It's cold outside!

We were out of town during the Thanksgiving holiday.  And upon our return last week, we had to stop at a few places before we actually arrived home.

(You know, the usual – market, mail, and Mexican food).  

Each time we were greeted with the words, "Did you get snow?"

Actually, I suppose we did.

Though there wasn't much evidence of it left!

Whatever frosty flakes fell while we were out of town were now mostly melted – with the exception of a few icy patches stubbornly refusing to thaw.

I'm thinking about those places.

Why don't they melt?

Sometimes they stick around for days, long after everything else has melted.


I'm Google-obssessed, an info nerd, curious, so I looked it up to see if there's a scientific explanation for this.  And yes, there is!

"An interesting thing about snow and ice is that they are very good at absorbing long-wave radiation…If atmospheric conditions are such that long-wave radiation can easily escape or leave an area, that area will experience radiational cooling even if the sun is shining and the temperatures are warming up.  We can see this in the snowmelt…Even though the air is warm enough to melt the snow, in [some areas] very little if any will often melt because that snow is cooling radiationally."


Hmmm.

I sorta get that??

But even if I don't understand all the scientific intricacies of snowmelt, I have noticed two things that all these patches have in common.

For one thing, they're always in the shade.

I see them in cold ruts by the side of the road.  Or under trees with heavy branches.  Or in forgotten corners lurking under our stairs or decking.

They are found in dark places, away from the light and warmth of the sun.

I've also noticed that these patches are found in areas where there's no greenery surrounding them.

Areas that are bereft of plants or shrubs.

They are found in rocky or stony places, places where nothing grows.

Cold, lonely, forgotten places.

Frozen places.


As I gazed out my window the other day, and pondered these places, I realized something...

Sometimes these places exist in our own hearts.

Dark, rocky, stony places.

Lonely and forgotten places.

Places where something has gone cold and dead.


The causes can be many…

Maybe it's the long-ago, or not-so-long-ago hurt of rejection or betrayal. When your heart was shattered by someone you trusted.

When you said to yourself, "I'll never let anyone get that close again."

And something froze.


Or maybe it's the crushing blow of failure.  A mistaken decision.  Or something you did and shouldn't have, or didn't do but should have.  When you were overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy.

When you said to yourself, "I'm a loser." 

And something froze.


Or maybe it's the gnawing ache of estrangement from someone you once loved.  When the seeds of bitterness took root deep inside, strangling and choking.

When you said to yourself, "I'll never forgive them."

And something froze.


Or maybe it's the death of a dream you once had.  Of something you'd do or be.  When something you wanted with your whole heart was smothered by the realities of life, and it never happened.  

When you said to yourself, "I give up.  I'll never try again."

And something froze.


Are you like me?

Do you open your heart, but only so far? 

Do you surrender your life to the Lord, but only so far?

Are you like me?

Stubbornly clutching deep and secret and hidden places?  Places where something cold and stony resides?

Places imprisoned in shady darkness, where nothing at all ever grows?

Frozen places where hope has died?


Oh friend, let's look deeply at ourselves, deeply within ourselves.

And let's not be afraid to see what's there.

God already knows.

He knows.

And He loves those deep and secret and hidden places.  

Places where something cold and stony resides.

Lonely and forgotten places.

Frozen places where hope has died.


For He loves to thaw them out with the Son, with the Light of the World, with the warmth of His Spirit.


In this season of Advent, I am thinking of another place, hidden from the eyes of the world.  A lonely, forgotten, stony place.  A place where the deep darkness of the world was invaded by the bright Light of the Son.

A place where the cold and icy power of evil and sin was overcome.


A secret place where Hope was born.

And frozen places began to melt…


Are you willing to meet Him there?

In the frozen places of my heart
Where my hidden pain doth hide,
Shine Your light, bring Your warmth
Let Your hope once more reside.

Melt the icy, stubborn parts
Where I have ceased to be,
Bring me back, restore my breath
Give me life, abundantly.

(Sharon Kirby, 12/6/15) 

C. S. Lewis, who described himself as a most reluctant convert, once described his conversion in these words:

"I felt as if I were a man of snow at long last beginning to melt.  The melting was starting in my back – drip-drip and presently trickle-trickle."
("Surprised by Joy")

It's interesting that Lewis chose this word picture of snow melting.  It's a good one, suggesting how the bitter coldness of one's heart can be changed and transformed into a vibrant heart for God.

Later, Lewis once again used the imagery of snow in his beloved classic, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."  When Narnia came under the rule of the wicked White Witch, she turned it into a place where it was "always winter but never Christmas."  When the snow of Narnia begins to melt, it's an apt metaphor for how the "winter in our hearts" can once again experience the springtime of hope when a Savior invades our world.

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."

("The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe")

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.  I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart." (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)

"'I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior – all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.'" (John 12:46, AMP)

"'…I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" (John 8:12, NIV)

"In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4-5, NIV)


"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; 
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone…
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; 
and the government shall be upon his shoulder, 
and his name shall be called 
Wonderful Counselor, 
Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, 
Prince of Peace.  
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, 
on the throne of David and over his kingdom, 
to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness 
from this time forth and forevermore." 

(Isaiah 9:2, 6-7, ESV)



Do you have a *frozen place* that Jesus needs to melt?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, WORDS WITH WINTER, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE LINKUP, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, INTENTIONAL TUESDAY, WORSHIPFUL WEDNESDAY, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WISE WOMAN, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, JOYHOPELIVE LINKUP, THE (NOT JUST) HOMEMAKING PARTY, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, SHINE LINKUP, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, GRACE & TRUTH, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, DANCE WITH JESUS, TGI SATURDAYS, LIVING PROVERBS, WEEKEND WHISPERS, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, GIVE ME GRACE, SOCIAL BUTTERFLY SUNDAY



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"