It's been a looong time since Valentine's Day! The days have been so full of changes and challenges that I've hardly had a moment to think, and thinking is the essence of writing. Hence, no blog posts!
Today is Good Friday, though, and I have had some moments to reflect this morning. Uppermost on my mind is one of the odd things about love. Our depiction of love is usually "sweet" - relaxing and beautiful environments, that special someone with adoring eyes looking at us, and the joy of giving (love is about giving, after all!) in ways that bring us a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure. Sometimes love is experienced this way.
The aspect of love I'm pondering today though is the not-so-pleasant presentation of love -- intense suffering and paralyzing grief. So many people that I love are in the throes of suffering right now, and my heart breaks. My heart grieves. My mind reels and cries out for an end to it. I've had my own physical challenges as well, and it's hard to remember sometimes that I'm in the hands of a loving God.
Good Friday puts it in perspective, though. How bleak that day was for those who loved Jesus. How unbelievably difficult it was for Him as He anticipated it all in the Garden of Gethsemene. Yet, "for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame." (Hebrews 12:2b) That joy was the salvation of His people! That joy was life from death!
Love was wrapped up in bloody, sorrowful suffering and death. It was a gruesome sight, an utterly hopeless moment for those who loved Jesus that day. They couldn't see yet that the awful day was a prelude to the most glorious day in history - the resurrection!
I'm looking forward to the celebration of Christ's resurrection on Sunday. I'm also praying for faith to see the hand of love behind the sufferings of this present day. And, I'm giving thanks for the reminder of Good Friday.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Celebrating Love
If one day of celebration is good, a week is better!
That's my philosophy about almost every holiday and it holds true for Valentine's Day as well. Will you celebrate with me? Here's the challenge: I'm focusing on one aspect of I Corinthians 13 (the great love chapter) each day of the week and prayerfully seeking to love as Christians are called to love. It's much costlier than flowers and chocolate in some ways, but the riches are for those around you and for your soul.
Monday, Feb. 14 - Love is patient. Prepare early in the morning (with prayer) to patiently meet those daily challenges and glitches to your plans. Bless those around you with the peace of a patient spirit!
Tuesday, Feb. 15 - Love is kind. Don't be random; be intentional. Who needs kindness today?
Wednesday, Feb. 16 - Love is not envious. Put down the magazine, turn off the ads, and make a list of blessings to give thanks for!
Thursday, Feb. 17 - Love does not seek its own. What can you give up today in order to give to someone else? Your right to some "me" time? That manicure you've been wanting? Our perhaps you have the opportunity to be flexible because of someone else's need or lack of planning. ☺
Friday, Feb. 18 - Love thinks no evil. Here's a challenge - speak only words of blessing to other motorists today! Don't assume that people are idiots. There are so many applications for this one -- see what God has for you!
Enjoy your week of love! ♥
(and feel free to share your stories here!)
That's my philosophy about almost every holiday and it holds true for Valentine's Day as well. Will you celebrate with me? Here's the challenge: I'm focusing on one aspect of I Corinthians 13 (the great love chapter) each day of the week and prayerfully seeking to love as Christians are called to love. It's much costlier than flowers and chocolate in some ways, but the riches are for those around you and for your soul.
Monday, Feb. 14 - Love is patient. Prepare early in the morning (with prayer) to patiently meet those daily challenges and glitches to your plans. Bless those around you with the peace of a patient spirit!
Tuesday, Feb. 15 - Love is kind. Don't be random; be intentional. Who needs kindness today?
Wednesday, Feb. 16 - Love is not envious. Put down the magazine, turn off the ads, and make a list of blessings to give thanks for!
Thursday, Feb. 17 - Love does not seek its own. What can you give up today in order to give to someone else? Your right to some "me" time? That manicure you've been wanting? Our perhaps you have the opportunity to be flexible because of someone else's need or lack of planning. ☺
Friday, Feb. 18 - Love thinks no evil. Here's a challenge - speak only words of blessing to other motorists today! Don't assume that people are idiots. There are so many applications for this one -- see what God has for you!
Enjoy your week of love! ♥
(and feel free to share your stories here!)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Talking and Learning
"The wise in heart will be called prudent, and sweetness of the lips increases learning." Proverbs 16:21
I have just a simple thought based on this proverb. How sweet is the speech in your home? Are you encouraging your children? Are you their best cheerleader? Are your words life giving or death dealing? People are intricately woven together - mind, body, and soul. We often acknowledge this in theory but don't apply it practically. If your child's body is sick, you realize that he won't be at peak performance academically, and you wouldn't demand it of him. But what if his spirit is broken? What if his heart is hurt? What if she's afraid? And what if those hurts and bruises are all because of careless and impatient words spoken in the family? All these things can affect the ability to learn (and to enjoy learning). Let me encourage you to begin each day with a prayer to see each of your children through God's eyes - whole people, not just bundles of demands or recalcitrant antagonizers designed to make your life more difficult. Then, speak graciously and take every opportunity to build them up. Not only is this good for their souls, it also enhances their learning potential! And when the time comes for hard lessons (in school and in life) or discipline, the strength they've gained from good words from a prudent parent will go far in helping them meet the challenges.
I have just a simple thought based on this proverb. How sweet is the speech in your home? Are you encouraging your children? Are you their best cheerleader? Are your words life giving or death dealing? People are intricately woven together - mind, body, and soul. We often acknowledge this in theory but don't apply it practically. If your child's body is sick, you realize that he won't be at peak performance academically, and you wouldn't demand it of him. But what if his spirit is broken? What if his heart is hurt? What if she's afraid? And what if those hurts and bruises are all because of careless and impatient words spoken in the family? All these things can affect the ability to learn (and to enjoy learning). Let me encourage you to begin each day with a prayer to see each of your children through God's eyes - whole people, not just bundles of demands or recalcitrant antagonizers designed to make your life more difficult. Then, speak graciously and take every opportunity to build them up. Not only is this good for their souls, it also enhances their learning potential! And when the time comes for hard lessons (in school and in life) or discipline, the strength they've gained from good words from a prudent parent will go far in helping them meet the challenges.
Friday, January 28, 2011
We Need Old Stories
I've been teaching a class in Greek and Roman literature this year to high school students and have been reminded that human nature has remained pretty constant throughout the generations. While we've made advances in knowledge about the world around us, I'm pretty sure we've lost knowledge about the world within - we no longer know our souls for what they really are.
One of the things that constantly amazes me when I'm looking at the daily news reports is how naive people seem. Even with multiple degrees and years of schooling, many folks miss the simplest truths.
One reality that the Greeks saw that we seem to be unaware of is the concept of hubris, or excessive pride. It's painfully obvious in the plays Oedipus Rex and Antigone that the kings, for all their good intentions, are closed to the counsel of others because they are so sure they have the right perspective. They need to be strong leaders, so they won't consider any change of course. Ultimately, everything they hope to preserve (their good intention) is destroyed because of their pride.
I want my children and my students to read and think about these old stories. They are as current as today's news reports! I pray that they move into adulthood with an accurate and humble view of themselves and an ability to honestly assess situations and people. We need adults who have let go of the magical thinking of childhood, who realize that all the wishing and believing in the world won't make things right. Leadership takes discernment, an ability to make wise choices, a willingness to learn the truth, a cautious approach to making pronouncements, and a determination to persevere in hard times. In a nutshell, it takes humility and hard work. The old stories tell us these things; E-News Tonight can't and won't.
One of the things that constantly amazes me when I'm looking at the daily news reports is how naive people seem. Even with multiple degrees and years of schooling, many folks miss the simplest truths.
One reality that the Greeks saw that we seem to be unaware of is the concept of hubris, or excessive pride. It's painfully obvious in the plays Oedipus Rex and Antigone that the kings, for all their good intentions, are closed to the counsel of others because they are so sure they have the right perspective. They need to be strong leaders, so they won't consider any change of course. Ultimately, everything they hope to preserve (their good intention) is destroyed because of their pride.
I want my children and my students to read and think about these old stories. They are as current as today's news reports! I pray that they move into adulthood with an accurate and humble view of themselves and an ability to honestly assess situations and people. We need adults who have let go of the magical thinking of childhood, who realize that all the wishing and believing in the world won't make things right. Leadership takes discernment, an ability to make wise choices, a willingness to learn the truth, a cautious approach to making pronouncements, and a determination to persevere in hard times. In a nutshell, it takes humility and hard work. The old stories tell us these things; E-News Tonight can't and won't.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Perfect Christmas
We all have a picture in our minds of what the perfect Christmas would be like, don't we? Mine involves lots of family, plenty of food, everyone pitching in to clean up, having energy to play with each grandchild and spending extra time with each older family member, all the while praising God and exuding joy and beneficence over all with whom I come in contact. I don't know where I got this ideal from, but it certainly hasn't been my experience (especially the last part, I'm sorry to say.) I was reminded of my expectations this morning when I woke up at 4:30 with a stuffy head and sore throat. Not today, not when Joel and his family are coming from Georgia tonight! As the day has progressed, other needs, burdens, and little glitches have presented themselves. It's tempting to get frustrated by all this real life that is interfering with my ideal.
Right now, I'm catching my breath and pondering that first Christmas.... one unexpected thing after another, and none of them easy! Mary and Joseph had to leave home when it was least convenient in order to answer a government summons, no comfortable accommodations were available for her as she went into labor, no one pampered her through childbirth and postpartum, and they didn't even get to go home right away! Someone was out to find and kill the child, so she and Joseph had to flee with their child to a foreign place.
In spite of how this all looked, though, everything was under the eye and hand of a loving heavenly Father. In so far as it happened according to His will, it was a perfect Christmas! The promise of the Messiah was fulfilled, and real people enduring real hardship were very much a part of those promises coming to pass. As life moved on for Mary, she would endure much more suffering and heartache, but she always knew that she had committed herself to God's care that day the angel first appeared and she said, "Be it done to me according to your word." As hard as things got, the glorious day of the resurrection made everything clear. He did everything He had promised.
As I try to finish up the prep for the week-end and pray for friends and family who are having a difficult time, I'm thankful for the reality of the gospel. My idea of "perfect" is so shallow and selfish; God's kind of perfect is life-giving! These momentary sufferings and hardships are under the care of One who came to live a most inconvenient human life, to die so we could live! I pray that your Christmas will be perfect this year -- that you will truly know "Emmanuel", God with us, and that you will know joy and peace in believing.
Right now, I'm catching my breath and pondering that first Christmas.... one unexpected thing after another, and none of them easy! Mary and Joseph had to leave home when it was least convenient in order to answer a government summons, no comfortable accommodations were available for her as she went into labor, no one pampered her through childbirth and postpartum, and they didn't even get to go home right away! Someone was out to find and kill the child, so she and Joseph had to flee with their child to a foreign place.
In spite of how this all looked, though, everything was under the eye and hand of a loving heavenly Father. In so far as it happened according to His will, it was a perfect Christmas! The promise of the Messiah was fulfilled, and real people enduring real hardship were very much a part of those promises coming to pass. As life moved on for Mary, she would endure much more suffering and heartache, but she always knew that she had committed herself to God's care that day the angel first appeared and she said, "Be it done to me according to your word." As hard as things got, the glorious day of the resurrection made everything clear. He did everything He had promised.
As I try to finish up the prep for the week-end and pray for friends and family who are having a difficult time, I'm thankful for the reality of the gospel. My idea of "perfect" is so shallow and selfish; God's kind of perfect is life-giving! These momentary sufferings and hardships are under the care of One who came to live a most inconvenient human life, to die so we could live! I pray that your Christmas will be perfect this year -- that you will truly know "Emmanuel", God with us, and that you will know joy and peace in believing.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Hello, old friend
It's been about four years since I've had my sewing machine out. Something about this season, though, always makes me itsy to create a little something that won't be consumed by January 2nd. This year I decided to pull down some fabric from the attic and make some quick aprons. It's not a lot, but it satisfies my need for color and tactile activity. Of course, that means other things aren't being done right now, but I'll catch up later. And my sweet hubby is fixing dinner tonight so I can have this brief time of R & R.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Tradition!
December is here and I think I'm the only one without any Christmas decorations up yet! Not to worry, though; we're right on track with the traditional Trumbo approach to the holidays. Tomorrow is the day to put up the Christmas wreath and the window candles. Saturday I'll wash the holiday mugs for display and use. Next week I'll put the garland up in the dining room and hang some mistletoe. Then the baking begins! We will get our tree on December 18th. Why so late? Because we always wait until school is out so we can actually enjoy the process of putting it up and decorating. (And Rick likes to look for "specials" as the countdown of days gets closer to the 25th.) The girls will hang the ornaments after Rick tussles with the lights. Then, we'll settle back and enjoy the lovely soft lights and the amazing aroma of fresh pine. That, more than anything else, puts me in the Christmas mood.
I think my family's favorite tradition has to do with food, though. Like everyone else, I do a lot of holiday baking - special cookies and treats that I only make once a year. I begin early and freeze as much as I can for Christmas day. On that day, I put out a dessert buffet of all the goodies, and everyone is allowed to eat from it at any time of the day. I don't monitor my husband's fat intake or my children's sugar intake that day - it's one of my gifts to them. ☺ We enjoy a bountiful breakfast that morning, then keep a pot of Christmas stew on the stove and fresh bread on the counter for whenever anyone gets hungry. After breakfast, there's the general mayhem of presents and play, and with five children, eight grandchildren, and my mom all pitching in, that's a lot of activity!
The predictability of these things is one of the special aspects of the Christmas season. It's the anticipation of the special foods, the favorite ornaments, the same routine that generates an eager, joyful feeling about the holidays. The shared memories of family traditions is a gift that I enjoy year after year.
I think my family's favorite tradition has to do with food, though. Like everyone else, I do a lot of holiday baking - special cookies and treats that I only make once a year. I begin early and freeze as much as I can for Christmas day. On that day, I put out a dessert buffet of all the goodies, and everyone is allowed to eat from it at any time of the day. I don't monitor my husband's fat intake or my children's sugar intake that day - it's one of my gifts to them. ☺ We enjoy a bountiful breakfast that morning, then keep a pot of Christmas stew on the stove and fresh bread on the counter for whenever anyone gets hungry. After breakfast, there's the general mayhem of presents and play, and with five children, eight grandchildren, and my mom all pitching in, that's a lot of activity!
The predictability of these things is one of the special aspects of the Christmas season. It's the anticipation of the special foods, the favorite ornaments, the same routine that generates an eager, joyful feeling about the holidays. The shared memories of family traditions is a gift that I enjoy year after year.
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