Month: December 2021

Happy New Year!

Posted on by Wendy
May 2022 be a year filled with intentional living.

As I sit on the edge of a brand new year, I always find it meaningful to reflect on the year that is coming to a close. Sometimes it’s been such a good year, I hate to see it end and other times, I find myself sprinting to midnight, anxious to turn the page on the calendar for a brand new start.

But, the older I get, the better I get at remembering the many blessings of the past year. Even in the worst of times, there have always been more blessings than I can count and certainly more than I deserve. I am also reminded that as a Christ follower, January 1st is simply symbolic. Grace gives me a chance for a brand new start every single day that I wake up and a chance to do life better than the day before.

While I’m not big on resolutions, I do like the idea of focusing on a single word for the year. In the past, I have used thankful, to remind me that I have so very much to be thankful for. I’ve also used abundance, to remind me that I always have so much more than I need. I’ve used trust, to remind me that God loves me and He always has a plan. Last year it was transform, to remind me to not be afraid of change and to push me to do my part in changing what I wasn’t happy with.

Every year I settle on a word and then I write it in places where I will see it. It reminds me to be intentional. In the end, living with intention is always my goal.  New Year’s Eve just serves as a reminder. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Happy New Year!

Wendy 🙂

The Call to be Light Bearers

Posted on by Wendy
We too, can offer light in dark places.

My family and I recently visited a Christmas light show. We chose our ticket time carefully because we wanted to be sure it was completely dark. Who wants to watch a light show in the daylight? We were not disappointed. Even though it was overcast and misting rain, the lights were spectacular against the dark night.

As we get ready to celebrate the birth of Christ, it makes perfect sense that it’s the darkest time of year. We have less daylight this time of year than any other time. In fact, December 21st is the longest night of the year. That darkness allows the lights shine even brighter.

As people of faith, we look towards the spiritual light that Christmas represents.

The prophet Isaiah said it this way, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2

In his Gospel, John wrote about Jesus, “In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” John 1:4 and “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”

While we all like to focus on Christmas being the most wonderful time of the year, I think it’s important to remember that it’s a really dark time for many people. We live in a broken world. There is sickness, death, loneliness and heartbreak on this side of eternity and for some, the Christmas season magnifies loss.

But, as people of faith we are called to be bearers of the true light of the season. Like the Christmas lights that we see everywhere, we are called to shine in the darkness. There are so many ways we can choose to act differently than the world expects us to.

We can give to charities or buy toys for the less fortunate. We can invite someone to a Christmas Eve service. We can let someone out ahead of us in traffic. We can offer a reassuring smile to the frazzled mama with the screaming toddler, at the grocery store or stop to chat with the elderly man at the hardware store. We can pay for the person behind us in the drive thru line or post kind encouraging words on social media. We can invite someone to share Christmas with our family.

In short, we can open our eyes and go out of our way to be the face of Jesus to a world so very desperate for a glimpse of Him.

A Christmas light show reminded me that people of faith are called to be a Christmas light show too. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too.

Merry Christmas!

Wendy 🙂

Do Not Be Afraid

Posted on by Wendy
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged , for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious hand.” Isaiah 41:10

One of my family’s favorite Christmas movies is, “Home Alone.” We’ve seen it a dozen times, but we watch it every year and laugh like it’s the first time we have seen it. We watched it last week and found ourselves entertained as usual.

One of my favorite scenes takes place in a church. It’s Christmas Eve and a children’s choir is singing. Kevin knows that the two bad guys are coming to break into his house and possibly do him harm, but he has decided to fight and it’s as if he instinctively knows he needs to go spend some time in church first, to prepare for the fight.

While there, he runs into Marley, an old man he has been terrified of the entire movie. They talk, the old man and the child, and share some wisdom that each needs to hear. Marley tells Kevin he doesn’t need to be afraid of him, but Marley admits to Kevin that he is afraid to call his son because he doesn’t know how he will react. Kevin calls him out.

“No offense, aren’t you too old to be afraid?”

Marley replies, “You can be too old for a lot of things, but you’re never too old to be afraid.”

Kevin seems to accept that fact. They talk a few more minutes and Kevin heads home to defend his home and with Marley’s help, in the end, he comes away victorious.

Marley’s words in the church seem particularly pertinent this year. We are surrounded with so much uncertainty and fear; it’s almost palpable.

Yet, as people of faith we should note that the Christmas story reminds us at every turn that we are not to be afraid. In Luke 1:30, Gabriel tells Mary, “Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God.”

In Matthew 1:20, when Joseph is thinking of quietly divorcing Mary, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David , do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

Then in Luke2:8-11, we find the shepherds, minding their own business, watching their flocks and an angel appeared and they were terrified. “But the angel said to them. ‘Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause joy for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Marley was right. We are never too old to be afraid, but the story of Christmas reminds us not to be. God is with us, so it is well. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Remembering the Reason for the Season

Posted on by Wendy
A gift from a neighbor tells the true story of Christmas.

On the day after Thanksgiving, we put up our family Christmas tree. At some point, among the Christmas decorations, my son found an Advent calendar I had saved. When we first moved into our house, my kiddos were 3 and 5 and the sweet lady who lived across the street, brought them an Advent calendar. I had no idea that it was the beginning of a tradition. She brought them a new one every year until they were in middle school.

My son pulled the calendar out and started going through the days, reading them aloud as he went while I continued to decorate the tree. Day one was the Bible. Day two was Joseph. On Day three when he said, “There’s Mary and Gabriel;” he got my attention. He continued and I listened although I didn’t let him know it, until he got all the way to the birth of the Baby Jesus.

I’ll have to admit that this mama’s heart and eyes were both full.

Even thought he’s twenty, there was something about hearing my child recite the true meaning of Christmas that filled me with joy.

I thought about it long after the tree was done. I thought about all of the players that go into faith building. I thought about our sweet neighbor who shared her faith in such a quiet, but incredibly meaningful way. I thought about his Sunday school teachers and the many Christmas pageants he participated in and the Christmas Eve candlelight services where we always sang Silent Night and I thought about the importance of telling the story we believe in.

The Christmas season is fun and meaningful in so many ways. There are parties and gifts, Christmas trees and lots of goodies and beautiful traditions that get handed down from generation to generation. While those are all good things,  as people of faith, we are called to remember the true meaning of Christmas and to share the story with others.

The truth is that Christmas is the story of a teenaged girl who said yes to God’s plan for her and her fiance who stood by her although he had every reason not to. That obedience changed the fate of all mankind. It’s the story of God’s provision for His people. It’s the story of the birth of hope. It’s the story of a God who loves His children so much that He decided to become one of us.

It’s a story worth telling over and over. An Advent calendar reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

The Christmas Cactus Testimony

Posted on by Wendy
The Christmas Cactus knows its job is to announce that Christmas is coming despite its circumstances.

About a week ago, I was delighted to find small, bright pink buds on my Christmas Cactus. I tend to it year round, but once a year, it rewards me with stunning tropical blooms. When I see the little buds, it’s like a little announcement from Creation itself that Jesus is coming. It makes no difference to that little plant what new viruses or variants are surging or what new political  chaos is raging.

It’s purpose in life is to announce that Christmas is coming and it does so with great enthusiasm.

Years ago, when I first got it, I planted it in a pretty white ceramic pot that thought suited it beautifully. Last week, my hubby accidently knocked it off the plant stand and it fell crashing floor. Once I realized that he was ok and I saw the shards of white all over the floor, I rushed to see what kind of damage was done to the plant. I was pleased to see very little damage to the plant itself, but the saucer part of the pot was mostly gone.

I didn’t dare repot it while it was covered in buds, fearing it would go into shock and not bloom, so I bought a plain, ugly, plastic saucer to put underneath it. It definitely wasn’t as pretty as before. I mean, the pot was toast. It made me a little sad to see it broken.

But, over the next few days, the buds got bigger and brighter. I found myself drawn to it one day after work. The plant it seemed, was blissfully unaware of the ugly saucer it was sitting in. It’s job was to announce the coming of Christ and it was happily doing its job despite the circumstances.

I’ll have to admit that I felt both inspired and humbled at its defiance.

How often do we allow our circumstances to hinder our worship and our mission? When life sends blows our way, how do we respond? When we lose a job, or a relationship falls apart or we get a bad diagnosis, do we stand tall like that cactus and continue to point others to Jesus or do we curl up in a ball and wait until the sun is once again shining and life is good to resume our worship?

Life on this side of eternity will always be a mix of both good and bad. A Christmas cactus reminded me while we have no control over our circumstances, we do have control over our response to them. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂