Christmas Is Over

Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to search and a time to quit searching; a time to keep, and a time to throw away..." ESV

Today, I took down the Christmas tree and put all of the seasonal decorations in the attic. What a chore. I dread this day every year. I love putting up all of the festive garnishments and then looking at its beauty throughout the Christmas season. But the day of taking it all down is just depressing, and what a chore it is! Usually, I delay it because I just hate it so much. My kids' birthdays are in the middle of February, and one year on their birthday, there was a birthday cake/ice cream photo taken with the unlit Christmas tree in the background. But no matter how quickly I remove all of the decor, I'm always shocked at how bare the house looks when it's done, and things have returned to their normal places.

A wise person recognizes that everything has its own season, both in our physical life and in our spiritual life. We should be able to determine the appropriate time to engage in or stop an activity. But unfortunately,we as humans would just like to live our lives in the fun times. No one wants to go through trials and storms, but such is life. Someone once told me that if I were going to thank God and enjoy the good times, then I needed to accept the hard ones in order to appreciate the good ones. Such wisdom.

The remaining two days that we have left of this year are short. Much has happened in our lives, in our country, and in our world this year. I saw a meme on social media yesterday that said "2015: The Year Everyone Got Offended." Tis true. Our world is different now. Heartache has happened, people have been taken from us, we've relocated to another part of the country, and my ministry role has changed. But through it all, God has been good.

Things may look a little different in your home, in your heart, or in your family after living through 2015. The question is, how will you end it? Make the most of these last 2 days. It's the season for organizing, for cleaning out, for taking inventory of those Christmas lights that quit the third week of December. But's it's also the season for realizing that 2016 is coming, and it's a blank slate. What will happen this coming year? None of us know the answer to the question, but we can embrace the new season upon us and clean our hearts and homes for its arrival.

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Happy New Year!

Ecclesiastes 5:4-7, "When you make a promise to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don't let your mouth make you sin. And don't defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. Talk to cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead."

The new year is just a few days away, and Christmas is only 3 days in the past. Already, some people are talking about their New Year's Resolutions to lose weight and get healthy, but far too many others are still sleeping in their cozy Christmas Cookie Coma.

I don't know about you, but when I indulge in the holiday sweets, it seems like the rest of the day goes downhill. I don't know exactly the science behind it, but when I eat sugar, I crave it for the rest of the day even though it's making me sick to my stomach. That's the honest truth. What makes me sick, I crave. The entire time I'm indulging, I don't really enjoy it like I used to. My healthy lifestyle has made me a different person, and I don't really want to go back to where I was. The physical sickness isn't really the whole issue either. Inside, I can't enjoy what I know will eventually make me unhealthy.

Ecclesiastes is a hard book. It's deep, honest, and straight to the point. Oh, but the wisdom it conveys to us. Chapter 5 is no different. In this section, Solomon teaches about approaching God with respect and care. We shouldn't just flippantly make promises to God and then when those promises are broken, try to justify them with excuses. It only makes the situation worse. I had to laugh at verse 6, "Don't let your mouth make you sin..." Of course, Solomon is talking about how we talk and justify our lack of follow-through. But in thinking of healthy lifestyles, our cravings can cause us to cave to temptation. When tempted with unhealthy food choices, we need only to ask the Lord to help us honor our commitments. It's that simple. Talk is cheap; buying workout clothes...not so much. We can make a decision to be healthy, and we can even invest in new yoga pants and running shoes, but the true test is the follow-through.

I think all too often we make promises to God like we make New Year's resolutions. Do you know that 85% of New Year's resolutions are broken in the first month? Solomon says we aren't to live this way. And by the power of His Spirit, we can succeed.

The day after Christmas, someone posted on Facebook the following status: "Do you wait until January 1 to start your diet, or will you start on Monday?" The overwhelming response was, "January 1." A couple of people said that he should start on Monday, and my thought was, "Why not today?"

Why not today? Why do we need to wait to be healthy? Go put on those new yoga pants and break in those new running shoes. Go wash your new blender bottle, and get after it. Carpe Diem!

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Christmas Eve

For my family, today is Christmas Eve. Since we are traveling tomorrow, we will open gifts early tomorrow morning before heading out. Therefore, today is, for me at least, the llloooooooonnnggest day of the year. Seriously, it goes on forever. I can't wait until bedtime because, in this sense, I'm just as excited as a kid. I'm the mom that wakes her kids up at 5:00 on Christmas morning while every other parent is telling their kids to go back to sleep because it's too early. We are that family. Tonight, I will prep breakfast, clean the kitchen and living room to perfection, organize the gifts to hand them out speedily, set up the go-pro to video our excitement, and last but not least, lay out my husband's Bible to read the Scripture of Luke 2 over breakfast. For me, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

For many, Christmas Eve is stressful, awkward, sad, lonely, and long for other reasons. For many, it's just another work day, and for others, it's the day they're reminded yet again, that there's an empty chair at the table this year.

Christmas was, no doubt, all of the above for Mary and Joseph. The night their first child was born was exciting, awkward, lonely, uncertain, and long. People they didn't know crowded in to see their child, and they had to be at least a little curious about why (and how) these people came. Only to be told a little later that King Herod was after the baby's life. Mary had just given birth when she had to run to protect His life. This wasn't what she had in mind when she said, "May it be to me as you have said," to the angel. Several years later, the Magi of all people came bringing strange gifts, and Mary had to wonder. In fact, the Scripture even says several times, "But Mary treasured all these things in her heart."

I'm a little like Mary. At least, I imagine her reaction through the lens of what I know I would think/do. Outwardly, I would roll with the punches, but inside, I would ponder. Hmmm... I would "discuss" the obstacles with Joseph, and I would eventually ask God to help me deal. But most of all, I would prepare. I would plan. I would make all the preparations we would need for the next day, and I would sleep confidently, knowing that things would be much less chaotic in the morning.

But life with Jesus often doesn't work that way. We want smooth sailing, no bad surprises, no obstacles, and no stormy weather. God never promised Mary that being a mother to Jesus would be easy, but He did tell her, "You have found favor with God." Wow, she found favor with God! And she lived the life of a truly favored woman.

I don't consider myself more than an ordinary woman, raising ordinary children, and being an ordinary life. But for some reason, I feel favored. I am blessed beyond what anyone could measure, and I live life walking in fellowship with that baby boy born that Christmas night. I have obstacles, stormy weather, and hiccups happen along the way, and no amount of planning can account for those things. But I can choose to life a life, knowing I am favored, and I can say, like Mary, whatever plan you have for me, I will live it and glorify you in the process.

Physically Obese and Spiritually Malnourished

Matthew 4:4 “But Jesus told him, ‘No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ‘“ NLT

June 25, 2012 found me at the end of my rope. We had given everything we had to our ministry, but despite our best efforts, it just didn’t pay off in the tangible way we had hoped. The stress of the last few years had taken its toll on our family, our marriage, our finances, and our bodies. That day, it came to an end. I was physically obese and spiritually malnourished. We were drained, tired, burnt out, and I was obese.

For the first time in my entire life, I found myself outside of ministry, and it was an odd feeling. I had always had an identity in serving God, busy doing His work, whether as a pastor’s kid, a Bible college student, or a pastor. Now, I was none of those. What was my identity, I asked myself every day. I didn’t even have a job to contribute financially to my family, and my self-esteem was at an all-time low. All I was, was a fat woman, I thought. I believed it too. That’s all I was, and no one could take me seriously like this. What’s more, my spiritual life had been drained emotionally too. I was always giving out, serving, but never taking in enough spiritual nourishment to restore what I had given. I was so dry spiritually, and everything I read or heard, I just soaked up like a sponge. I was certain that my sponge would never be saturated again.

In our Scripture today, we find Jesus of all people, at low point. He has fasted for 40 days, is drained physically, and Satan is trying his best tactics to tempt Jesus and bring Him down. Jesus has an answer, though. Here Jesus refuses to use his God-given power to get something that He trusted God to give Him. It was God’s place to provide the strength Jesus needed. Originally, this verse is found in Deuteronomy chapter 8, when the children of Israel are complaining and struggling with unbelief in God to provide food and nourishment. Unlike Israel, Jesus here looks to God the Father, unswerving in His faith. Because the very thing that Jesus needed was a word from God. 

Sometimes we think we just need energy and strength, sometimes it’s a pat on the back in encouragement of our work for God. Other times, we pray for God to give us a sign that our labor for Him is “paying off,” but we must remember that our work for Him isn’t always visible in the here and now. We need only trust in the God who has always provided richly to His people and who gives us balance. There is no need to worry whether the manna will fall, but simply trust in the Word He has already spoken to us.

Sometimes we think we just need to lose weight, and things will be better. We fool ourselves to thinking that our problem is a physical one when often times, it’s a spiritual one. I’m totally of the opinion that our physical life affects our spiritual life in a big way, yet which is more important? I’ve heard it said that it would be a shame to be physically fit for this world yet unfit to meet the King of Kings. 

There will be seasons in life, seasons of both plenty and want. But in those times, we have to rely on the Word of God to sustain us. He has already provided!

Are you out of balance in the fitness of your physical and spiritual life? He can bring balance and order! Read through Deuteronomy 8 and Matthew 4:1-11 and contrast the Israelites’ response to Jesus’ response to times of testing.

Encouragement for Today

1 Timothy 4:8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” NLT

Philippians 3:19 “They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.” NLT

Read more in my new book FitFaith, available on Amazon!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

7 Days! In 7 days, just one week, my family and I will celebrate Christmas together. Gifts will be torn open, and the Christmas magic will explode. That's why today, just now even, I am deep-cleaning my home. Nobody's actually coming to my house besides the people that live here, but there's just something about a clean house on Christmas morning. I mean clean. Closets, baseboards, cabinets, the floor behind the big appliances...clean.

I don't know what exactly it is about cleanliness and holidays. But it seems to me that I can't really relax and enjoy the environment of excitement when there's a mess everywhere. I want to look back on photos of this Christmas and soak in the sweetness of my children's faces and not be distracted by the mess in the background.

I also have this crazy itch to help my kids (and me too) purge whatever isn't being used in their rooms and closets before Christmas. We donate any good-repair items to charity and the rest gets pitched. There's no need to keep things just for the sake of hoarding. And it makes finding a home in their room for new gifts a lot easier.

I know, I know...you'll read tons of blogs and articles on the web about just being "present in the moment." And you should. Absolutely, I am a firm believer that people come before process. People always come first...especially my own family. But for me, it's about preparing my home so that I have eliminated all distractions. The temptation is gone for me to be anything but present in the moment. I think my household cleanliness issue can mirror closely what should be happening in our hearts too.

I think of the Christmas carol, "Joy to the Word," and specifically, "Let ev'ry heart, prepare Him room..." This time of year, and all year, really, we are constantly bombarded with things to accomplish, stress, pressure, and temptations of all kinds. I think many times our hearts get so cluttered with all of the tactics of the enemy:  anxiety, jealousy, grief, resentment, stress, and many others I'm sure you could name.

If we don't take time at some point to take inventory of heart and purge all of the things that are unnecessary and allow the Holy Spirit to do some holiday cleaning, how will we ever be able to hear Him when He speaks and make room for His gifts? His gifts are simple, but oh so sweet: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness and self-control.

When David prayed his prayer in Psalm 51:10, he was repenting of sin and asking God to renew his soul. I think we all could benefit from repeating David's prayer as well. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." This year, my home won't be the only vessel ready for Christmas. Baseboards are on my list today. But when I'm on my knees scrubbing, I'll be praying David's prayer.

Christmas Memories

Fruitcake always gets a bad rap this time of year. Apparently, it's known as a pity gift to people or a gift for someone you don't particularly like. My son Trevor is in a play on Sunday, and he was practicing his lines today. His very first line mentions "fruitcake." He went on practicing, but I couldn't get the fruitcake out of my mind.

Dewayne has always been special. I'm not really sure of the medical abnormalities that he may suffer with, but he is indeed special in other ways too. Always eager to help, and always willing to lend a hand or a strong back, Dewayne loves his church and community. Affectionately known as "Chick," to most people, the story is told that when he was a child, he didn't think there would be enough to eat for a particular meal. He went to the yard and wrung a chicken's neck, and carried it to his mother to cook. In his heart of hearts, Dewayne always just wants to help. He loves Jesus, and He loves people.

When I was a child, he loved the kids in our church. Even though his legal age was that of an adult, he played with the kids in the church in the yard during choir practice. He was literally our tree that swung us around by our hands, ankles, and was always picked first for a team when we were going to play Red Rover. He was an umpire during softball games in the cemetery (don't ask), and he was the resident referee during times of squabbles and disagreements. Every summer, he would come and get my sister and me and take us fishing. He patiently baited our hook only to watch us cast the line straight into the tree.

And Every Christmas, without fail, he would bring a fruitcake to our home. His sister apparently made fruitcakes for friends/family each year, and Dewayne always made sure that our family received one. He didn't have much to give, but he made sure that we knew we were loved. And we did. When I was a really small child, I didn't see the big deal about fruitcake. But as I grew, I realized the sentiment behind the fruitcake. No, he didn't make it with his own hands, and no, he probably didn't pay for it either, but he made sure that we got one. Because he loves us.

Today he still loves us, and I know it. When I'm in town, he always wants to see me to see how I'm doing. He always tells me that he's proud of me, even though I'm 35 years old now. And he loves my children, even though he doesn't know them that well.

I wish everyone loved like that. I wish everyone knew the joy that Dewayne carries in his heart. I've never seen a heart so pure.

This time of year, we get hurried, frazzled, stressed, and downright angry at the way people act. And sadly, sometimes the holidays bring out the worst in us. This year, I'd give anything to have a piece of that fruitcake...just to remember the depth of love that we as Christians can display if we just spend time and share with others. We don't have to give extravagant gifts or decorate elaborate cookies. Sometimes the most-often joked-about gift can be the best...as long as the recipient knows we care.

The Ultimate Joy Sucker--Customer Service

John 15:10-12, "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you."

Shop online, they said. It'll be simpler, they said. Sure! I've shopped almost entirely online for the past several years for my Christmas list, and so far, most things have gone smoothly. Until this year. Twice this week I have had to make several calls, only after chatting online too, to two different stores for lost orders, items that won't ship, and mis-delivered orders. Sigh. Each time I call or chat, I'm met with either someone who isn't fluent in my native language or someone who just doesn't understand my situation. After each interaction, I'm frustrated and still have no solution to the problem I just called about. After my last phone call with Kohl's, I opened my email to find a new order placed on my behalf by the representative I just talked with, and she got the order wrong!!! Ugh!!! Now my problems are even more complicated than before!

All of the items are needed. I bought some coats for kids that don't have one, and the other item I only bought because I got a REALLY good deal on it. All of my kids' other gifts are accessories to THIS gift, and if it doesn't arrive and other stores sell out, I've got to do my Christmas shopping ALL OVER AGAIN!!

Can you tell I'm frustrated?!?!

My husband and I have both worked in positions where we were the person on the other end of the phone or across that counter that is receiving the frustrated message from a customer that just wants the situation rectified. And most of the time, the customer isn't very kind. I mean, it's their job as a Customer Service Representative to represent the company to the customer. Therefore, their job is to take the heat and make the situation right. Right? Technically. But not morally.

Inside I know how that customer service representative feels. They're taking the heat for a policy and a problem which they did not create. They didn't make the stupid policy. And they didn't forget to personally ship your order. And they certainly did not understaff their company, making for "longer than expected" wait times.

Unfortunately, we see what I like to call "Customer Service Abuse" in our culture. And we see it on both sides of the counter. Angry customers, red in the face, fighting for what they feel is justified, and in most cases, they're asking for something free on top of the rectified situation. And then we see companies that just don't care that they aren't providing great customer service. Representatives aren't empowered or trained to make the situation right, and quite frankly, their attitude stinks.

If we're not careful, this joyous time of year can be the opposite...a joy-sucker. When I got off the phone the last time with Kohl's, I was literally shaking I was so angry. But today, while I was on hold with Toys 'R Us for 50 minutes, I used the opportunity to run a few miles on the treadmill while I waited. Voila! Productivity at it's best, I say. After I finished with my phone call with Toys 'R Us, I turned to the word in John chapter 15.

Jesus doesn't just suggest, He commands us to love one another. Why? So that our joy may be full. Hmm... It's interesting to me that our joy is dependent on loving someone else. Even in our Christian culture, we feel as though it's okay to be frustrated and abuse the representative on the other side of the counter when we are justified in our stance. When we have been wronged, and the person attending us isn't doing what we think should be done, we feel it's okay to abuse them and to show them less than the love of Christ. In fact, we even use "God bless you," in a cursory tone while giving them the stink eye when we turn around in a huff to leave. I've seen it time and again.

And we wonder why joy just doesn't seem to be real. Where's the joy after you've treated someone in a way contrary to the way that Jesus would have us to do? Where's the joy when we stiff our waitress of her hard-earned tip because she's overworked and didn't refill our drinks quickly enough? Where's the joy when we are decorating our lawns with nativity scenes, huge letters that ironically spell out "J.O.Y." yet we have barked orders at our families because the Christmas ornaments aren't equally distributed?

Where's the joy? Jesus says we receive full joy when we love one another. Would it kill us to just show a little bit of kindness to a cashier that's heard nothing but complaints all day? They probably do understand our plight, but they are powerless to do anything about it. Would it really harm our bottom line to be understanding to an overworked waitress that's really trying to do her best but comes up short sometimes? Would it really ruin the season if our ornaments are a little skewed? Our kids are happy, excited, and proud that they've done a good job. Why can't we just love one another?

Would you like the recipe for a less-stressed Christmas season? Would you like to actually live like we portray ourselves to our friends and neighbors? Would you like to actually live like we see other families living on the Folgers commercial? Just love one another.