A few months ago I read a post by Mrs. Rabe over at Creekside Cottage about a Thanksgiving Tea she was helping host. She also posted pictures of the previous year’s Christmas Tea which caused me to consider hosting a Christmas Tea for the “girls” (Jr. High age on up) in my church. Discussion with a few friends and my husband (the pastor) led to plans being made and a date being set.

I prayed and thought about the kind of atmosphere needed for the evening and the phrase “peace on earth” kept coming to mind. For many the Christmas season can be extremely stressful, and my desire was to create an evening to “get-away” and relax with friends and family! We strung pretty white lights wrapped in white tulle, prepared delectable treats, and planned an evening of fellowship and fun. Various women were asked to decorate and set one table each and to be the hostess at their table.

Upon entering the inviting, glowing room, the ladies were asked to choose a hat and a boa to wear for the evening. They were like little girls having a “Tea Party”, and it was heart-warming to hear their contagious giggles erupt as they tried on their hats and boas!

The evening was laced with Christmas Carols, conversation and dreamy desserts. Somewhere near the middle of the evening, I asked the ladies to stand up and move to the perimeter of the room. I explained that the music would tell them what to do next. Yes, we all did the Hokey Pokey!

After the final dessert and Christmas carol, I read the Christmas story, prayed the joy we had experienced together would remain with us and asked that the peace Jesus gave us would guard our hearts and our minds throughout the remainder of this Christmas season.

It was a delightfully pleasant evening together, and many of the “girls” commented they hoped we could do it again next year. As a result of their accolades I have found myself greatly treasuring this year’s time together, and beginning to ponder and dream about our special Christmas Tea for 2010! I love Christmas — and I love spending time with my friends! I am grateful we can celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus, and even more grateful He died on the cross for us and made a way for us to have fellowship with Him and with our friends!

This is my little friend Katie and she’s getting ready to jump to the next huge tire. Perched up there on that big rubber platform she appears quite secure while getting herself situated to jump again. As a follower of Jesus, I think I live a lot of my life, sitting securely atop my little realm, surveying the next place I want to be, but not actually taking the jump.

I want to jump. I want to step out in faith; and I know, in some small ways, I have done it. Then I think about people in the Bible who really jumped out in faith. Take Mary, the mother of Jesus. saying to the angel Gabriel, “Be it done to me according to Your will.” Now that’s a BIG jump. . . From a safe betrothal to carrying the Christ child in her womb and being completely misunderstood by her friends and family. I find it amazing — and I wonder — would I have said yes? Would I have jumped? I hope so!

A very long time ago I heard a man from Sri Lanka quote this scripture: “The just shall live by faith.” He repeated it over and over again, always emphasizing the word live. I knew he was saying every day of my life is to be lived by faith. I may think it’s better to remain safe and secure in one place, but I know from experience, the thrill of walking with God comes through taking that jump of faith and seeing where He takes me. I’m not satisfied to remain static. Nor am I content to hear the testimony of others’ leaps of faith. So, I’m getting ready . . . I’m pretty well set . . . and I hope the next time you see me . . .
my life looks like this!

“Mom, can you write a note that says, ‘I think you’re a great person’, and put it in Dan’s lunch box for me?”

“Mom, can you help me get the red plate out that says You’re Special. I want to put it at Sissy’s place tonight, but I don’t want her to see me putting it there.”

These were the kind of comments that were heard in our home during the Christmas Season each year. At the beginning of each week of the month of December we would all draw names and then we would try to do secret acts of kindness every day for the person whose name we had drawn. We called it Christmas Secret Pals!

The children loved it, but Don and I loved it even more as we watched our children consciously focus on the rest of the family and do something kind for them each day. We started it when they were very young, so sometimes the little ones needed our help to write notes to their siblings, or to pick up their Dad’s favorite candy bar at the grocery store. But watching them deliberately think up ways to bless their secret pal and observing how their hearts were attune to the other person’s likes and dislikes was something we will treasure in our hearts forever. It touched us to see them care for other family members, and it also caused their hearts to be knit together in a deeper way. It was a Christmas tradition that held great purpose and brought great results!

What is a Christmas tradition you did/do in your family that was or is meaningful to you? I’d love to hear them! Please share!

Recently, I found a blog called Raising Arrows. Along with writing about raising a large family, she was also offering a creative writing course, so I started reading it and answering the questions she was asking. It primarily dealt with your own blog, and writing about your life and what people were finding interesting. So, rather than writing here, I’ve been writing in a notebook — and thinking. Thinking a lot about my life and how to share it here in this blog. After all, that IS why I decided to start this blog. Yet, so often I sit down to write and after a couple paragraphs think “I really don’t have anything to say that someone else hasn’t already said.” And I close my computer and never finish what I started.

However, the thinking I’ve been doing as a result of this course, has been causing me to discover something about my life. My life is just that . . . my life. Although, I may think others have more insight, or greater experiences to draw upon and write from — which probably is true — it doesn’t really matter, because, this is my life! And my view, from where I sit, and from what I’ve experienced, brings something to the table that no one else brings, simply because it’s mine. It’s been seen through the lens of my life, not someone else’s. It’s not a prideful thing, it’s a freeing thing. It’s freeing me to think differently. But, the thing I love the most is — it’s freeing me to write past the point of giving up.

Overall, it’s a good process I’m in, and today, I like where I have ended up!

YOU ALONE CAN RESCUE by Matt Redman

Who, O Lord, could save themselves
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea,
Your grace is deeper still

You alone can rescue,
You alone can save.
You alone can lift us from the grave.
You came down to find us, led us out of death.
To You alone belongs the highest praise!

We’ve been singing this song at our church this past month. If you haven’t heard it you can hear it here. The words of this song immediately catapult me back to the time leading up to Jesus finding me and bringing me into His Kingdom. Remembering His rescue stirs emotions deeply hidden in my heart.

For you see I remember darkness and life without hope. I remember a sinful lifestyle and the emptiness of it all. I remember my older brother’s death when he was just twenty three years old — a brilliant young man almost finished with college and poised for a job at NASA — I remember asking WHY? over and over! And I remember the agony of not knowing where he was after death. I remember deep, inconsolable grief. I remember shaking my fist at God and challenging Him to show me His reality, because in that deep pit of grief I didn’t believe He was real!

And I remember His rescue of me. For out of a deep pit of despair came my quest for truth! Nothing could stop me! I would not be denied truth. I wanted truth and I wanted real answers! What was life about if you could live twenty three short years and it all be over? There had to be more to life than that! My religion and my friends offered me no answers, and my angry, aching heart definitely held nothing but emptiness. I sought for answers day and night. I longed for it like a person wandering in a desert without water.

Then one day, still in mourning, seated in a church steeped with religious practice, but void of life, I prayed The Apostle’s Creed from the depths of my heart. Like a drowning person fighting to stay above water, I cried out the truths of this ancient creed. “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord. . . “, I prayed the entire creed — fervently!

Suddenly, for the first time in my entire eighteen years of life, I felt peace enter my heart! An awareness of His Presence surrounded my soul, and all I knew was I never wanted to leave that place. I wanted this moment to last forever and I didn’t want to return to the life I had been living.

“You came down to find us, led us out of death.” Instantaneously found! Transferred from darkness to amazing, overwhelming light! Oh how incredible it was to be found! To be led out of death!

“You alone can rescue! You alone can save!”

“To You alone belongs the highest praise!”

Today is always an emotional day for me because it is our granddaughter Claire’s birthday and it is also the birthday and home-going of her twin sister Ellery Blythe. Claire’s other grandma, Kathy Nickerson is one of my best friends and a great writer. She has captured the heart of this day, and I would love for you to read about it. If you would like to read it, the title is “Once Upon A Time” and you can find it on her blog called Mercy Street. I promise — her post will touch your heart!

Several months ago Don and I were involved in setting up a date for a special retreat called an Encounter. We were committed to not only participate, but also to receive training in leading an Encounter. We gladly agreed . . until . . something else was scheduled for the same weekend.

A special “one year old” birthday party was scheduled to be held in Omaha for a darling cousin of our Missouri Grandchildren. This meant our daughter-in-law, Felicity, and three of our four grandchildren would be here at our home while we were off to the retreat. At first we struggled to know what to do; but in the end we knew we needed to go.

The retreat was this past weekend and it was definitely right for us to have attended. Not only did we get to spend time with friends we rarely see; but we experienced very close times with God throughout the Encounter. In fact, in deeply personal ways, we encountered God and His amazing love for each of us!

Meanwhile, back in Omaha, our grandchildren were having a memory-making time with their cousins and extended family. I often wondered how they would feel being in our home without us or if they would be so busy it really wouldn’t be noticeable to them.

The answer to my “wondering” came through what is pictured above. Our 5 year old granddaughter, Ada, wrote special notes to both Grandpa and I, and left them on our white board in the kitchen. What she didn’t know was that she had used a permanent marker! No matter . . . there’s absolutely no removal necessary!! They’re not only permanently written on the white board, they are permanently written on our hearts as well! Thank you sweet Ada!

She was dressed in a beautiful fluffy pink dress, little white ruffled socks and black patent leather shoes. At only five years old, she walked shyly up the side aisle to the front of the worship center and stood a few feet away from the worship team. She glanced over her shoulder at her daddy standing near the back, then turned toward the team and began to twirl in circles to the music they were singing.

Slowly, one-by-one, the rest of the children came out of their seats and into the aisles to join her in the front. Some of them joined hands in a circle and danced together, others individually hopped or danced and sang the songs of praise! It was a priceless moment!

Finishing the song, yet realizing the need to continue praising, our worship leader stopped and gently told the people she would take a moment to pick new songs and we would stay in the spirit of praise the children had ushered in! As quickly as she began the new song, they grabbed the hands of their nearby parents and brought them into the dance as well! The spirit of praise spread throughout the gathering and many participated with hearts abandoned!

After the praise time a young mom, then an older mom, exhorted us and strengthened us through their words! And then someone quoted the scripture we had just witnessed. “A little child shall lead them.”

She led, all followed and God had His way!

Selah!

Lately I’ve been reading and studying “Story”. One particular DVD by Donald Miller entitled “Let Story Guide You”, challenged me with the idea of seeing the Story in my own life and letting it lead me into my future. I understood the concept and clearly saw it in others lives, but I had trouble seeing it in my own. However, recent days have brought some pieces together and connected my past with what I see in the future.

Looking back, my life has been that of being a mom. When my children were little this meant far more than making sure they were fed, clean and clothed. It involved discovering who they were, what gifts and talents they possessed and nurturing their hearts as well as their physical bodies.

I found praying for them was also a significant and effective means of nurturing them. God would draw me into prayer, and almost always He led me to pray for my children. If the days were hectic, and I hadn’t prayed, He would awaken me in the night. We would spend an hour or so together and He would help me pray for each child — always concerned with their character and their training. He often illuminated scriptures that would build them up in their weak areas, and I would pray these for them. It seemed He was continually training my inner eyes and ears to pray into their destinies.

Life threw some definite curves at us and I allowed some of those curves to wreck my prayer life for a season. Over time I moved back into more prayer, but still felt something was missing. Recently, some friends prayed with me and I experienced GREAT breakthrough in my time with God. He restored those places where hurt had still been hiding. With this healing came renewed vision regarding my prayer life.

As a result I can see a new perspective! In recent days many young people have come to mind whom God has placed in my heart and life. I have found myself praying for them in the same way I had prayed for (and still pray for) my children. Scriptures have been flooding my mind for each one and their situations. It seems a floodgate has opened and Jesus is drawing me away with Him again! He has been aiming my prayers at a specific target — these dear young people.

Now I can see how God is using the story of my past prayer life to guide me into this prayer focus. Only this time it not only includes my children and their spouses and children, but it extends to other sons and daughters God has written on my heart. The great thing about this story is that the Author knows exactly what He’s doing and how it’s all going to turn out; and I’m completely happy to be a “mom” in His Story!

Today I introduced my friend, Gail, to the children at our school chapel. She described for them the details of her journey into faith and meeting Jesus when in 8th grade. Upon giving her life to Jesus she quickly experienced a radical transformation in her heart which resulted in a deep, passionate devotion to Jesus! Having known her for 31 years, I already knew something the kids were just discovering as they listened:

Her passion is contagious!

The definition of contagious is: literally “communicable by contact”. That’s Gail! Merely carrying on a conversation with her brings out her passion for Jesus. She lives and breathes a deep love for God. And it’s not merely words. Her actions reflect her words. It’s a beautiful thing to experience! And . . . it gets on you. Or perhaps I should say, it gets in you!

Her example causes me to desire contagious passion! To exhibit continuously the symptoms of an embedded, passionate heart that speaks of Jesus and affects and infects anyone who comes in contact. A contagious faith that causes people to be love-sick for Jesus! And the beautiful fruit of seeing others come to know Jesus!

Thanks Gail, for being my friend and for being contagious!