A Clean Slate

 It's that time of year again....the end of another year.  It's a time when most people begin to make New Year Resolutions.  They want to change for the better, but are waiting until the Calendar page turns over to the next year.  Unfortunately, most New Year Resolutions last for a couple of weeks, and then old habits begin to creep in, and we are no different than we were a few weeks ago.  

2020 has been a year most people want to forget.  With Covid, the restrictions and the fears it brought with it, we are ready to close the door on this time in history and move forward.  

Sometimes doors don't close just because we are starting a New Year.

But I know what doors can close, and you don't have to wait until 2021.  And when you fail in this New Year, you don't have to wait until 2022 to start over again.

With Jesus, you can have a clean slate every day.  All you have to do is ask.

And it's not difficult.

You fail;  you pray, "Jesus, forgive me."  Guess what?  A line has been drawn in the sand and you are new.

You need help to overcome bad habits?  Pray;  "Lord, change me."  Guess what?  He will.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9

Forgiveness happens in an instant, and it's a promise from God.

If you need to draw a line in the sand and begin anew, don't wait until tomorrow....

begin today!

But that's just me!

"Resolution One:  I will live for God.  Resolution Two:  If no one else does, I still will"-Jonathan Edwards

"New Years Day is a good time to fix one's eyes on the only One who knows what the year is to hold."

Elisabeth Elliot

What is Christmas?

 On December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas written by Charles M. Schulz first aired on television.  It has turned into a Classic and has been shown on TV ever since.  Who could ever forget the frustrated, desperate cry from it's main character, Charlie Brown, when he cried out, "Isn't there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?!"  If you remember the cartoon, his best friend Linus steps up on the stage, their friends hush, and a spotlight surrounds Linus as he quotes Luke 2:8-14.

Verse 11 says, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Linus steps off of the stage and tells his friend, 'That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.'

The true meaning of Christmas has been buried beneath mistletoe, Santa's, presents, and parties, and yet if we look close enough at the people around us, we will still see those asking this same question:  "Isn't there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?"

May we be there for them to proclaim the miraculous birth of our Saviour!  The babe who was born of a virgin for the sole purpose to save us from our sins.  This babe grew up to live a sinless life that we could not.  He grew up to pay the price of our sins by dying on a cross, and resurrecting from the grave to give us victory over death and the grave!  And this same Jesus will soon come again!

So what is Christmas?

It's all about Christ!

But that's just me!

"You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father's face and tell him you have received His Christmas Gift."  John R. Rice

I Want...

When I was a little girl, watching Saturday morning cartoons in the month of December gave me plenty of ideas for all the 'things' that I wanted for Christmas.  And trust me, I had a long list.  Every commercial on TV advertised everything a little girl was suppose to have in order to make her happy.  My list seemed to change daily if not minute by minute.  Every time I thought of something new to add to my list, I would run to my Mom and say, "I changed my mind, I want....."  

Then we grow up, and if we aren't careful, we do the exact same thing.  We see the new gadget, or the shiny new toy being advertised on TV and add that to our list of  'I want....'

Luke 2:25-32 tells us of a man named Simeon, whose only request was to see the Lord Christ before he died.  God answered his prayer and gave him what he wanted.

The Lord loves to bless His children!  In fact, the Bible tells us in Psalm 68:19, that the Lord daily loadeth us with benefits, but it's easy to start focusing on the blessings, and not the Person giving us the blessings.  

I want to stop looking in His hands for blessings, and start seeking His face for Who He Is.

The Saviour of the World.  He's already given enough.

But that's just me!

Wrap this thought:  Jesus is both The Giver and the Gift!

A Soldiers Christmas

 Matthew 24:6a  And ye shall hear of wars...

Back when there was only email for communications from over-seas, I remember when my husband would send an email that would say, 'Heading for the bunker, I will write when I can, remember, I love you."  In the early 90's, my husband served in the Gulf War/Desert Fox, and during this time, my children and I would sit on the couch watching the News as the missiles lit up the night sky over Kuwait and would pray for my husbands safety.  Maybe it's because we were apart during the Holidays, that my mind seems to drift to thoughts of those Military families who are separated during the Holidays today.

Twas the night before Christmas was first written anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823, and then the classic that we read today, was written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1837.  But I want to share a different version of this classic and dedicate it to the Men and Women who are serving in our Military today, and for those who will be spending this Holiday separated from their families.  For those who have served, who are serving and for those who will one day serve, I salute you and thank you and your families for your Service.  You are not forgotten this Holiday and we are praying for you!

But that's just me!

The Soldiers Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,

In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney with presents to give,

And to see just in this home did live.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,

A sober thought came through my mind.

For this house was different, so dark and dreary,

I knew I had found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.

I heard stories about them, I had to see more,

So I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.

And there he lay sleeping silent alone,

Curled up on the floor in his one bedroom home.

His face so gently, his room in such disorder,

Not how I pictured a United States Soldier.

Was this the hero of whom I'd just read?

Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean shaven, his weathered face tan,

I soon understood this was more than a man,

For I realized the families that I saw that night,

Owed their lives to these men who were willing to fight.

Soon 'round the world, the children would play,

And grownups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.

They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,

Because of soldiers like this one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,

On a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.

Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye,

I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,

"Santa don't cry, this life is my choice;

I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more,

My life is my God, my Country, My Corps."

With that he rolled over and drifted off into sleep,

I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still,

I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.

So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,

And covered this Soldier from his toes to his head.

And I put on his T-shirt of gray and black,

With an eagle and an Army patch embroidered on back.

And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,

And for a shining moment, I was United States Army deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him on that cold dark night,

This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, whispered with a voice so clean and pure,

"Carry on Santa, It's Christmas Day, all is secure."

One look at my watch, and I knew he was right,

Merry Christmas my Friend, and to all a good night!

Bruce Lovely, 1993

Carpe Diem

 Winter months in the North can, at times, be gloomy.  One cloudy day can be manageable, but then one day turns into two, and then three, and then you find yourself, if you aren't careful, in a mood just as dark as the clouds.  Some people suffer with SAD;  Seasonal Affective Disorder.  It's a form of depression that kicks in every year as the days get shorter.  When I was researching this disorder, I was astonished to learn that more than three million people in the United States alone suffer from this disorder every year!  A lack of sunshine is the culprit.

When I was a little girl, I had a record of Bible songs by Little Marcy.  I remember songs like, 'Sunshine in My Soul,' or 'I'll Be a Sunbeam.'  Even in our Hymn Books today, you can find numerous songs about Sunshine.  So what should we do when the sun seems to be hiding?  

Shine!

John 8:12a says, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: "

Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

No matter the weather, or my circumstances, I have work to do for Jesus.

I want to be a sunbeam to those around me...

but that's just me!

Carpe Diem: Seize the Day!

Hacked!

 Matthew 6:19,20 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:"

I received a text message on my phone yesterday informing me that my phone number was hacked.  My number is now in the possession of some stranger in another State.  I spent most of my evening changing passwords and accounts on my phone and computer, with an unsettling, sick feeling in my gut.  I kept asking myself, why do people spend their days trying to steal from other people?  It's a question you can trace right down to Jacob and Esau and the theft of a Birthright.  The goal:  selfishness.  Getting something that does not belong to you with little to no effort on one's self.

With technology expanding to new heights everyday, we are left with no control over personal information.  Identities are stolen, it's just the world we live in.  But I am comforted to know that although one might try to steal my name, my phone number and my other personal information, my Saviour knows the Real Me.  My Salvation and My Soul are kept in His mighty hands! No one can stand before God and identify themselves as someone else.  God knows each one of His Children, and no one can steal our Identity in Him.

Amen!

So I will update and monitor my Web activity and rest in the Grip of my Saviour.

But that's just me!

"Kept by His power-that is the only safety."  Oswald Chambers

All Year Long

 I was in Grand Forks this morning finishing up the last of my Christmas shopping, (and it's only the 10th of December!  Pretty good, don'cha think?) when I decided to drive through Starbucks to treat myself with a yummy fou fou coffee and to bring home a treat for my husband.  Imagine my surprise when I pulled up to the window and the Barista inside revealed to me that the person in the vehicle in front of me had paid for my purchase!  I was so excited!  So what was I to do?  Why, pay for the person in the vehicle behind me, of course!  I handed the money to the Barista and told him how wonderful it was to be able to do this for someone else, a complete stranger, no less!  He replied, "Yes, spreading the Holiday Cheer!"

As I pulled away it made me think:  shouldn't we as Christians spread Good Tidings to friends, family and strangers all year long?

I think so!

But that's just me!

Matthew 7:12 "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." 

All year long,

We must worship day by day,

All year long,

Tis the season to obey,

May the Christmas tree lights,

And the sleigh rides at night,

Remind us all to stay...in God's presence,

All year long....

-Lyrics to All Year Long, by Larnelle Harris

Asleep In the Light

 Webster's Dictionary has quite a few definitions for sleep:

-The absence of wakefulness and consciousness of ones surroundings-

-The occurrence of dreaming-

-A state of torpid inactivity-

-Death-

-A state marked by diminution of feeling followed by tingling-(example, your foot has fallen asleep)

-Hibernation-

-Slumbering-

I was actually surprised that there were so many definitions for sleep!

Now I will admit a pet peeve:  People who sleep during church.  Not the ones who just pulled an all night work shift and wanted to come to church, I'm talking about the people who, once they sit down in the pew, get settled in for the Message, go to sleep.  Every Service.  I want to walk up to that person, lean down into their ear and shout, "WAKE UP!  GOD'S WORD IS BEING PREACHED!"

That's the definition of 'the absence of wakefulness,' but I want to zero in on the other definitions:

"Inactivity, loss of feeling, slumbering, hibernation."  That occurs when we have gotten too comfortable in our walk with the Lord.  We are content with where we are and have become lazy to the work God is still calling us to do.  That's a serious place to be.  We begin to neglect the needs of those around us.  Our hearts are no longer stirred for Outreach.  Our love to help meet the needs of others has dried up.  The urgency to reach souls for Christ has faded.  Do you see where I'm going with this?

I had to ask myself, "Am I asleep for the cause of Christ?"

I had to ask God to pinch me to make sure-

We have no time to waste, Jesus will be here soon.

But that's just me!

"The world is sleeping in the dark, that the church just can't fight, 'cause it's asleep in the light."

Keith Green

1 Thessalonians 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Ephesians 5:14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Lists

I confess.  I'm a list maker.  I make a list for everything.  I have a:

Grocery List-

A To-Do List-

A Wish List-

A Book List-

A List of my Lists-

I even make a Husband To-Do List-

Before I drive into town, I make a list of where I will go first, in between, and what will be my last stop.  Yes, I confess, I'm more than a little OCD when it comes to my daily activities. 

I would like to think that the reason behind my list making is because I like to be organized, and by writing things down I am less likely to forget what is needed, or what is needed to be done.

If I don't complete my list on any given day, for whatever reason, I simply add that task to tomorrow's list along with all the other 'tomorrow' tasks.

However, I have realized that I have shackled myself to these lists.  I have become so wrapped up in what I 'think' must be accomplished during my day, that I leave little room for any interruptions.  I leave little room for 'others.'

I become bogged down in the mechanics of everyday tasks.  I'm going under, have added needless stress on myself, and have invited failure into my life because I just can't seem to get everything done according to my lists!

I start each day by looking at 'my plans' instead of what God has planned for me.

God, forgive me.

Yes, I will continue to have lists, but I will start my day asking God what He would like me to do, before I look at the list I had prepared the night before.

I want my SOLE purpose to be SOUL purposed.

But that's just me!

Psalm 25:4-5  Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.  

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Adult Children

As parents, we all know the verses:

Proverbs 22:6-Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

2 Cor. 5:20a-Now then we are ambassadors for Christ...

Ephesians 4:1-I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Isaiah 30:21-And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Life seemed so much easier when our children were small.  We could make the right decisions for them.  If they did something wrong, we could immediately fix the problem, rescue them from the repercussions of their actions, because their messes seemed to be so small.  That all changes when they grow up and are on their own.  They make their own decisions now, right or wrong, and we can no longer help them back on their feet, dust them off, and fix the mess they fall into.  They must face the consequences of their actions, just like we do.  As a parent, I think it's more painful for us, than for them.  We have the same reflex to reach out and rescue them from the hole they dug for themselves.  We want to protect them from the pain they will have to endure to make themselves right again.  Even now, I can think of a time when I was 16 years old, and made a decision that brought heartache for my Mom.  It was something I did, and she could not fix it, yet her love for me never wavered.  I can think of things my own adult children have done that brought heartache for me, because I could not fix it for them either, and my love for them never wavered.

God sees His children make wrong decisions as well, and it brakes His heart, and His love never wavers.  God will always be:

Our Restorer-

Our Rescuer-

Our Redeemer-

There is nothing we can do that will ever remove us from His Love and Care for us.

Yes, we will reap the consequences of our actions, but He is ready to forgive when we call out to Him.

As parents who have children who have made wrong choices, I want to encourage you to trust God and pray for your adult child.  God will hear your prayers.  

And because God forgives, we can forgive too.

    But that's just me!

"Everyone has a chapter that they do not want to read out loud."  Toby Mac