Month: December 2013

I spent a good chunk of yesterday taking down my Christmas decorations. I find that most people fit into two camps with Christmas decorations. There are those who can’t wait to get them taken down and get their houses back in order and there are those who like to leave them up as long as possible in order to squeeze every drop out of the holiday season.

Personally, I have to take mine down by New Year’s because my daddy drummed it into my head while I was growing up that they had to be down by New Year’s Eve or it was bad luck. I have no idea where that superstition came from, but my tree is down. I’m sure my daddy is proud.

While putting up decorations is always fun and exciting and finding extra help from children or teens who live in your house is always easy. Finding help taking them down can be like living in a ghost town. It’s a chore; not a fun event. We plan the big meal and plan for family and we plan for the perfect gifts for our loved ones to go under our trees. We go to church and sing Christmas carols and then it’s done. Now what do we do?

Not one radio station is playing Christmas music today. It can be a little bit depressing. But, I remind myself that a lot goes into planning for any new birth. We attend birthing classes. We read parenting books. We have baby showers. We prepare a room.

Ask any mama; no matter how difficult the birth of a child was; the birthing is easy compared to raising a child. But, the rewards and blessings are greater too. After all of the preparation, we eventually bring the baby home.

So, instead of being sad about Christmas being over, I think it’s important to remember that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s a beginning, not an isolated event. The baby that we have spent so much time and preparation for has an awesome story.

If you are feeling a little wistful about the passing of Christmas, pick up a Bible and check out one of the Gospels. The tiny babe from the manger walks on water, heals many, casts out demons, raises people from the dead and eventually dies for us all, so that we may live eternally.

The Christmas story is just beginning, even though the decorations have been put away and we are invited to come along and see what unfolds. If you take the journey with the Baby Jesus who becomes the man; you will be forever changed and that is the true miracle of Christmas. What do you think? Feel free to share.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

My sister and her husband are visiting with their three children. They are ages one, three and five. My sister is a busy woman. My kids are older now at twelve and fourteen, so when my sister visits, it’s a bit of a shock to the system. But, it’s a good shock.

I always see God in the faces of children. They always do and say things that make me chuckle if not laugh out loud. I always learn something from them. My three-year-old nephew, called me last week to tell me he wanted to play with my Buzz Lightyear rocket as soon as he arrives from New Jersey.

He also called my mother to tell her that he wanted to play with her pool rockets (which are really water torpedos), but he requested that she bring those up to Aunt Wendy’s house. Since they are pool toys, I have no earthly idea what he will do with them, but Mom complied.

My other nephew, the five-year-old, told me in July that he wanted a Lego toy for Christmas. He told me to write it down so I wouldn’t forget it. From the mouths of babes!

Three young children can be quite disruptive, but they can also be a wonderful blessing. They will move all kinds of knickknacks that I have sitting around and I will find them placed safely somewhere unexpected weeks after they are gone. I will find tiny super heroes under my couch in January and sometimes into February.

I always smile when that happens. They come in like little Tasmanian Devils and they leave their mark on my heart. I am thrilled that I get to spend Christmas with these little ones. I am thrilled that my children and I get to be part of their Christmas memories.

I hope that they will tell fun-filled stories of being at my house for Christmas to their kids someday. They are blessed to have both of my parents here to spend Christmas with and we are all blessed to be together for one more year.

My brother joins us with his dog and there’s always a picture of the entire crew, which of course, takes like fifty takes. It’s colorful chaos for a while, but it’s good chaos.

Sometimes chaos makes the best memories and when everything  gets really loud or too out of hand, I say a little prayer to remind myself that family is a special gift, a true blessing.

In my quest to appreciate the journey, I’m trying to remember that occasional chaos is good for the soul and a perfectly orderly house is for magazines. Maybe you agree? Feel free to share.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

As I write this, I have had a Christmas feast for lunch and dinner. I have eaten way too many sweets and stayed up way too late. After all of the excitement that leads up to Christmas, the day after is a little dull.

We have been to church and celebrated and opened gifts. Clothes have been tried on and gift receipts have been located, so somethings can be returned. I have never been one of those people who can go out the day after Christmas at 6:00 AM  and fight the crowds for the “day after sales.”

Like a mama who has waited for the birth of a new baby, I’m tired. I’m happy, but tired. All of the hustle and bustle, all of the preparation was well worth it, but it’s kind of exhausting too.

What about you? Do you have a bit of a Christmas hangover? I’m not talking about the drinking kind, but the kind that happens the day after the big wedding or the first day on a new job or the first day of school.

Here’s what I think we should do. I think we should take a couple of days and just enjoy. Epiphany isn’t until January 6th. That’s when we celebrate the three wise men who visited Jesus. The birth, the shepherds and the wise men didn’t all happen in one day. We just depict it that way for the sake of Christmas plays.

The point is, what’s the rush in taking all of the decorations down? Why not take a few days and continue to enjoy this season. Take some time to recharge and soak it all in before we rush to the next season. Watch a movie or enjoy your family or maybe some peace and quiet. Take a walk and reflect.

Take some time and write down some special moments from this season. If they are bad moments, you can look back and see how far you have come. If they are good ones, you will treasure the details that you recorded, that you might not remember later.

If you tried a new recipe and liked it, make a note. I always forget what we tried and liked and what we didn’t like. I’m trying to learn to enjoy the journey and to appreciate the season. I think slowing down a bit, if only for a little while, is a good way to do that.

I’m going to try to rest and relax. We have a brand new year on the horizon. Care to join me?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

I’m assuming if you are reading this, the gifts have been unwrapped and maybe you’re taking a moment to yourself with a cup of coffee, a Sabbath moment if you will. I hope that you have a fridge full of food and a turkey roasting in the oven or that you are planning on joining friends or family later for dinner. Maybe you didn’t even have to cook!

I pray that your heart is full of peace and joy on this Christmas morning. I pray that this Advent Season has been intentional and meaningful. I pray that your heart is filled with the hope that comes from the birth of the Christ Child.

But, if today is a sad day for you, if this day is difficult, I pray that you give your heart to God and let Him heal you. The baby we celebrate today grew up to give a very famous sermon, the first in the Book of Matthew and he tells us, “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

These words are from Jesus himself. He became one of us and he gets it. If you mourn today, know that you are not alone and that God cares deeply for you. Rest in His arms and seek His comfort. Keep your eyes and ears open for people who reach out to you. He may have sent them.

If your Christmas is a fabulous one, pay attention to any nudges you may get to reach out to someone in need. There’s always room for one more plate at the table. Right?

I ask that you please join me in a prayer for the soldiers who can’t be with their families today because they are fighting to keep us free. They have given up their family celebrations so that we can continue to have ours in any way we see fit. Please pray for those who mourn. Please pray for peace, even if only for a day. Please pray that all of mankind will know the wonder of Christ’s birth.

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

It’s Christmas Eve at last. I have tried diligently to be more intentional this Advent Season and to really seek God and I have found Him in so many places, from Christmas decorations to Wal-Mart of all places.

Tonight is such an exciting night and we should all be giddy like little children are with the hope and the promise of it all. Tonight some two thousand years ago, humanity was changed forever. Tonight, in a stable in Bethlehem, a young girl went into labor and a baby took his very first breath, a breath that would eventually guarantee salvation for the entire world.

God Almighty, came into the world as a tiny, helpless human infant. The enormity of it is astounding.

The angel said to the shepherds, “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior-yes the Messiah, the Lord has been born today in Bethlehem in the city of David. And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. Suddenly the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven-praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:10-14

What do you think the shepherds said? “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15

Did they debate it among themselves? Did they sleep on it and check it out in the morning. Nope. They went. God sent them angels and they went. Ever notice how those who have the least material wealth often have the most faith? They went and they found what they were seeking.

The scripture goes on to say they found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger and they told everyone they ran into their story. Then they went back to their flocks “glorifying and praising God.”

The shepherds had an encounter with Jesus and they were never the same. They just had to tell everyone they ran into about their good news. They couldn’t keep it to themselves. It was too good not to share.

We can still encounter Jesus in the same way the shepherds did, not face-to-face on this side of heaven, but we can still encounter him and when we do, when we really open up our hearts to him and all that he is, like the shepherds, we are never the same. We just have to share the good news. The joy is too much to contain. We have the need to glorify and praise God.

So on this Christmas Eve, we should all be excited and joyful at the wonder of it all. We should seek him. The entire world went to bed lost that night in Bethlehem, but when the sun rose a savior had been born and the whole world had hope and that’s something we all need more of. May the hope of Jesus fill your heart this Christmas Eve.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Christmas is getting very close, so I decided to do a little research on Santa Claus. I was curious as to how he fell into the mix of our Christmas celebration. I also wondered if there was a deeper meaning to the “jolly old elf,” than just bringing gifts to good girls and boys.

You guessed it! He has a beautiful back story. It was a long time ago, so much is considered legend, but here’s what I found consistently. Nicholas was born in the 3rd century in what is now the southern coast of Turkey. It was Greek at the time. His parents were quite wealthy and they were devout Christians and raised him to love Jesus.

They died in an epidemic while we was still very young. He decided to follow Jesus as closely as possible and is said to have given all of his inheritance away to the needy and sick people who lived in his village of Myra. The people were so impressed with his generosity and his faith walk that they requested that he be made Bishop of Myra. Nicholas became a bishop at a very young age.

One of his most famous stories of generosity was to three poor girls with no dowry. Back in that time, if a girl had nothing to give to a future husband, no one would marry her and she would be sold into slavery or prostitution. When it came time for the oldest daughter to marry, a bag of gold was found in her socks that were hanging out to dry. The same thing happened with the second daughter. The father just had to know who the secret benefactor was, so he hid and caught Nicholas while he was placing the gold in the third daughter’s sock.

The father was very thankful, but Nicholas swore him to secrecy, so the story was never told until after his death. That’s where hanging up the stockings by the chimney comes from.

Nicholas was also known to be especially kind to children and sailors and there are many stories about him offering aid to them. He was imprisoned by Emperor Diocletian who ruthlessly persecuted Christians for their faith. Nicholas refused to renounce his faith and so he was imprisoned with many other priests and bishops. Constantine set Nicholas free when he came to power.

Do you remember who is credited with teaching Constantine about Jesus? Yep, his mama, Helena. Never underestimate the power of a faithful mama.

Nicholas died on December 6th in 343 AD in Myra. He became a celebrated saint very quickly and thousands of churches were named after him. During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther frowned on anything to do with saints and he fell out of favor. But, the Dutch refused to let him go. They called him Sinter Klass and they brought him with them as they emigrated to America in the 1700’s.

He still wasn’t huge until 1882 when a poet named Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem anonymously called, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” The poem went viral and we know it today as “The Night Before Christmas.” In 1881, a cartoonist named Thomas Nast, gave him a red suit with white trim and our modern Santa Claus was born.

But, I think it’s awe-inspiring that his roots are what Christians should all strive for, loving God, being generous, taking care of those less fortunate than we are and standing up for what we believe in. We could all use a little more Nicholas. Now you know!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

We’re getting into the Christmas homestretch. This weekend is the last shopping weekend we have before the big day. It’s likely to be crazy on the roads and in stores, especially grocery stores. But, while we are all planning on making the perfect Christmas dinner, maybe we should try to keep a few things in mind to help keep our shopping experiences in perspective.

I actually had to go to Wal-Mart twice yesterday (lucky me, right?), and this really worked. I prayed before I went, that God would give me the grace to see the good in others while I was out and I actively searched for it. I had several Wal-Mart employees ask me if I needed help finding anything. When the aisles were so crowded, that I had to wait for someone to finish getting what they were looking for, before I could even walk by, I made an effort to smile at them. Most were very apologetic for the hold up and returned my smile.

I reminded myself of the unbelievable abundance that we are blessed with in this country. There was plenty of flour and sugar. There was no rationing. I can buy butter right off the shelf. I don’t have to churn my own. There was plenty of milk and eggs and bread. There was plenty. We sometimes forget in our abundance, what a blessing that is. I may have had to wait for a few minutes, but there was plenty.

When I saw a cart with a brightly colored pink bicycle with streamers on it, I tried to picture the excited face of the child who will be receiving it on Christmas morning. Do you remember your first bicycle? Do you remember the excitement you had when you saw it beside the tree? Then I saw a motorized “Hello Kitty” ride on and I had to grin thinking of the fun that child would have on Christmas morning.

I decided to go into the store knowing that it would be crowded, knowing that it would be a three-ring circus, but with the intent to look for God, just as I have tried to look for Him this entire season. I found Him in so many faces yesterday. There was even an older gentleman with snowy white hair who I ran into several times as I went up and down the aisles who picked at me with a twinkle in his eye, about all of the contents in my cart.

When I went to check out, a cashier approached me and told me she would open a line for me. That has never happened to me at Wal-Mart before. So here’s my challenge to you on this busy shopping weekend.

Say a prayer before you leave your house. Ask for patience and ask for the grace to see the good. Ask God to show you some wonder of the season and see what happens. You might be surprised. I was! Be sure to let me know if something fabulous happens.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Last Sunday night, we finally got the church Christmas play produced. We really struggled with it this year because we had less help than usual. We seemed to be surrounded by the perfect storm of people being too busy to assist and with less people to help to begin with, the Friday night set up reached a critical point.

At one point, there was just the Gaines family of four to get the sanctuary cleared and everything set up for the dress rehearsal on Saturday morning. But, wouldn’t you know it, God provided. My daughter called two friends who agreed to help finish sets. My son and my co-director’s son were also on hand. The director of music (a part-timer), showed up unannounced to help and then there was good old, Mr. Roy.

I suppose every church has a Mr. Roy. If they don’t, they need one. He’s a retiree who is always on hand to help with just about everything. He serves on committees. He drives the bus and goes on youth retreats if we are short. He even agreed to be in the play last year. (Much to his dismay) He cuts grass and rakes leaves. If it needs doing at the church, he will do it, no questions asked.

One of my favorite provision stories is Elijah and the ravens.  It’s found in 1 Kings 17:2-4. “Then the Lord said to Elijah, ” Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening.

Let’s consider that for a moment. I can’t even get my dog to return a chew toy I throw for him. God commanded the ravens. Can you imagine commanding a wild bird to do anything? God commanded the ravens and they complied. They helped keep Elijah alive while he was in hiding.

Now let’s get back to our little Christmas play. If God could command ravens, then He certainly could send me help when I was trying to tell the story of the birth of His son and that was exactly what He did. We had enough help to get it done. We didn’t have extra, but we had enough. Isn’t that what faith is all about? Isn’t believing in our hearts that God will provide like He did with the fishes and loaves and the ravens, what helps to drive our faith? We have to humbly give what we have and trust that He will do the rest.

And He did. The play went off without a hitch. We did have to Duck Tape a shepherd’s staff that got broken when they were using them for swords during practice and there was a sheep that whispered in my ear about it being too dark in the sanctuary until it was time for him to go on. But, those are the memories that I treasure the most.

As usual, God took something that looked kind of hopeless and turned it into something beautiful, but then, that’s His way. Why do I ever doubt? Have you ever had a similar experience? Feel free to share.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂