So this is Christmas

So this is Christmas...

This year my goal was to make jam cake. You might assume from this that jam cake is my favorite cake. It is not. It is not even second or third. On any given day if you asked me what my favorite cake is you would not even find this one listed amongst them. I like red velvet with thick, smooth cream cheese frosting or carrot cake with flecks of orange peeking out amongst the spicy brown layers. And cheesecake...if cheesecake counts, it definitely moves to the head of the pack. But it was jam cake that was on the corner of my grandmother's kitchen counter every single Christmas of my whole life until her last years when she was ill. I never ate it but it was always there and my mother loved it. The last Christmas before alzheimer's completely erased so many of the things she knew as well as the back of her hand my mother went her house to learn to make this cake she loved so much. It was too late. They tried and they giggled and had a good time but the result was not edible because she had forgotten the recipe. She had forgotten how to make it. So this Christmas I pulled out a tattered homemade cookbook, held together by a single silver ring. We were on a quest and at last we found the recipe, typed on a sheet of paper before I was even born and placed in this book. We made the cake, asking the men to stir the thick caramel frosting as it stiffened... and it turned out just as I remembered. The layers were a little less even but the caramel frosting looked just as I remembered. Having that cake just setting on my counter made me feel like it was Christmas and I had brought a little bit of the old into my new home for this holiday season. It made me feel happy to tie the old to the new... like I had grabbed the baton and carried it well. In Deuteronomy six, our heavenly Father reminds the children of Israel to remember and to carry the message to their children and their children's children. He says,

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you--a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant--then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord..."

So many of the things we do at Christmas are the things that were handed down to us from those in our family who did them before us. Whether it is filling stockings or making cookies or building gingerbread houses....or eating jam cake...it is filled up with the things that make us remember who we are. As you have celebrated Christmas this year, what have you passed to those who will come after you. What have you done that will cause another generation to say, "Remember when Mom or Grandma or Aunt so and so did this? I want to do that with my children" Or remember when Dad or Grandpa or my favorite uncle told me the Christmas story in this way? That is what I want to do with my family."

So this is Christmas. It has to do with remembering and celebrating. It is remembering the way you have learned to celebrate it and those who have taught you to do so. It is tastes and smells and sights that make your heart feel warm and happy because of the things and people you associate with them.

But in the end, it is about remembering the Baby we celebrate and how we learn to shift our attention to Him...maybe in a way that will refocus our vision for more than just one day. It is about remembering Whose we are and how our lives can be a reflection of that.

It is about carrying the baton well and passing it on before the days when we are no longer able to remember all the ways God has been at work in our lives. Ultimately the essence of Christmas is remembering. Tonight, as you tuck in children who have been running on the adrenaline of gifts and desserts and grandparent's love, tell them the stories and remember well.

Love Extravagantly

Love Extravagantly

“We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.”

I Corinthians 13

Did you ever receive a very extravagant gift? During November and December of 1996 my husband was extremely secretive. He would go out on unexplained trips and have secretive conversations at church. Finally, late Christmas Eve afternoon I was sent to the bedroom with the door shut while he brought in the big surprise, covered in quilt after quilt so not one square inch of it showed. He was very pleased with himself and would not let me near the thing for the whole evening. The next morning at the very first light I padded to the bathroom (because that is what women do when they are great with child) and saw the light beginning to shine on the great monstrosity that sat in the middle of the living room. I awakened Tim and we headed to turn on the Christmas lights and start coffee. This was our first Christmas on our own and I think we were both a bit nervous about it measuring up to the other Christmases we had both known. Tim told me to open my gift. Carefully I removed the layers of blankets and quilts. Beneath the layers was a cherry wood cradle, lovingly handmade by a man in our church and my husband. The spindles were each hand-turned and the wood had been sanded to the texture of pure glass. The pieces were put together with wooden pegs, with no nails or screws used at all. It was exquisite. Tears leapt to my eyes. Money had been tight yet my husband had squirreled away the cash to buy this quality wood. Mr. Bill had literally spent hours carving and sanding and measuring to make this perfect piece of furniture. He had made only two before, one for each of his grandchildren, and yet he had poured out hours crafting this cradle for me and the baby in my womb. My heart told me that the hours he poured into this place that my child would rest her head were small compared to the hours he had prayed for the health of this child I had been told would never be.

The gift was extravagant. My heart was so full. I was loved extravagantly. This is the kind of love God lavishes on us. This is the kind of love He wants us to lavish on others. The dictionary says that extravagant is abundant and beyond what is reasonable. Most days we don’t have to wait for that opportunity. When I bake a pie for my husband when he was grumpy that morning, it is loving extravagantly. When I smile at the lady in the grocery store that has 38 items in the 10 items or less aisle and let her go ahead of me I am loving extravagantly. When someone lets me down once again and I continue to love them I am loving extravagantly. Something tells me there are enough relatives in most households this time of year to give most of us plenty of opportunities to love extravagantly. This Christmas why not find as many opportunities as you can to love others beyond what is reasonable. After all, isn’t that what brought our Lord to the manger anyhow?

Discussion Question
Who has shown me extravagant love? How can I show extravagant love to someone tomorrow?

Family Activity
Make a list of five people that you are going to make an effort to love extravagantly over the next few days. Go out of your way to love them better than they deserve. Enjoy watching them and their looks of confusion at your extravagant acts of love.

Contagious Joy

Contagious Joy

“When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:41-45


I have always loved this passage. At the time I was expecting Moriah, I was the pianist at the small church where we were serving in Kansas City, Kansas. When she became big enough for me to feel her moving about in there, I could always feel her leaping around when I began to play the piano. She was so active when I played the piano that towards the end of the pregnancy parishioners who sat near the front could literally see the movement in my belly. Music still brings her a great deal of joy.


In this passage of Scripture, Mary comes to spend some time with Elizabeth. Her life is all topsy-turvy and she is still full of wonder at the whole idea that God could reside in her womb. Perhaps she wondered if she had imagined it all. Perhaps she questioned her sanity. I don’t know but God gave her a beautiful acknowledgment of the special bundle of Joy she carried when John leapt in his mother’s womb when Mary came into the room. I love that.


I am not carrying the Christ Child in my womb but what if others could be filled with joy because the presence of Christ was so very real in my life? What if it were so tangible it made others feel simply delighted to be near me because in being near me they felt near to God? I have met a few people like that, haven’t you? Right within our church are some prayer warriors who when I speak to them I can see that they have been spending a great deal of time in the presence of God. I want to be like that. I want others to be like John the Baptist was that day and it wasn’t because someone told him or that he had watched others do it…when he was in the presence of Christ he simply could not contain his joy.


Joy to the world! The Lord has come!

Joy to the Heart

Joy to the Heart

Joy - Week three - Friday

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.” Psalm 19:7-10



Ever wonder what a precept is? What are these precepts that give joy to the heart. The dictionary says that a precept is a principle that guides someone’s actions. Because of my work as an applied behavior therapist, I understand this concept very well. I frequently lay out principles to guide a child’s behavior. A great example is communication. A child with autism may not have any words and I come in and demand that they communicate their wants and needs…that if they want that train they are going to have to sign or talk or show me a picture to ask for it. They may weep and wail and gnash their teeth but in the end they get it and then suddenly they realize this is pretty cool because they can tell people what they want and need and they understand and they actually get it. And it doesn’t just bring them joy…those around them find great joy from these principles that are being followed. That is how God’s precepts are at times. We may argue with Him and fight with Him and then we resign to His ways and find that it was the right way all along and we were silly to battle Him. We find joy in following His precepts. Learn to trust His heart and His precepts and find the joy that comes from obedience.


Discussion Question


What does joy look like to you? What does it feel like? How do others know when you are experiencing joy?


Family Activity


Why not make some joyful luminaries to line your sidewalk or driveway? Using some paper lunch sacks, cut out designs on each side. You can have small children draw designs in yellow and older children or adults can cut out the designs. Put about an inch of sand in each one and set them along the sidewalk or driveway. Add a small votive cup and candle and light them. Add some sand or dry beans to the bottom to keep them upright. Be creative in how you can share the real joy of Christmas through this decoration.

Sing for Joy!

Sing For Joy!

Week 3 - Joy - Thursday

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
Psalm 5:11-12

Do you long for the protection of the Lord? We all do at times. We all have times when we wonder if the favor of the Lord is on us…if He really notices that we are having a hard time. What if God isn’t seeing the problems I am facing? We have probably all had times when we have thought He might have forgotten about us. Our verse tells us clearly that we should take refuge in Him and find joy and gladness. It tells us that when we live righteously God surrounds us with His favor just like a shield. Are you a worrier? Do you wonder if God can ever give you back your joy? Do you face mountains of debt or broken relationships or other difficulties that cause you to question God? Take refuge in Him. He is not surprised by the things you are facing. Let Him handle them and you find joy in the giving of it all to Him.

Discussion Question

Who are people that protect you? Police officers, firemen, etc. Think about how they protect us. Compare and contrast that with the way God can protect us.

Family Activity

Our verse says to “ever let them sing for joy”. Gather the family and any others who may want to join you and go out for a night of old-fashioned caroling. Find some older folks who may miss the old tradition and spend some time introducing it to some families who may have never had carolers come to their door.

Turning Joy to Praise

Turning Joy to Praise

Joy - Week Three - Wednesday

‘He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.’

Luke 24:44-53

Again Jesus was reminding them of all the things they had heard from Him. It says that He opened their minds so that they could receive and understand the Scripture. He reminded them they were witnesses of these prophecies being fulfilled. Then He took them outside of the city and He raised His hands up and blessed them. While He was still blessing them He ascended up to heaven with His hands still raised. Think about that picture for a moment. To say a blessing over someone was something special. They are looking at the risen Christ. They probably have barely left His side since they found He had arisen. I imagine they are basking in this special blessing that is for them. Then He is taken up from them. They could have experienced grief all over again. Instead, they are filled with great joy and they worshipped and praised Him. There is no grief here. Talk about your praise and worship service! Their joy led them to worship and to praise Him….continually….at the Temple. They didn’t worry about the leg of lamb in the crock pot or the afternoon game. They couldn’t stop praising God and worshiping.

There have been times like that in my life. Times when my joy was so full that I could not stop praising my God and times when services went exceedingly long but no one noticed because the joy in God’s house had led to so much praise and worship no one was ready to stop. But in my daily life I tend to worry about what I left simmering at home and the daily things I had planned. I often am filled with joy but forget to take time to praise the Joygiver. I, for one, am going to pay attention more. I am going to turn my joy into praise to the One who makes my heart joyful. I am going to worship both privately and corporately in a way that demonstrates that He has given me great joy. How about you?

Family Activity

We all have moments of great joy…moments when we especially feel the presence of God in our lives. For me these include my salvation, a moment I spent alone with God in General Butler State Park in Kentucky when I was about 17, the day I joined my life with my husband’s, the birth of my child, her salvation, the beginning of Stone Soup at Faith and so many more. These were times my heart was so full I could barely put words to it but my heart was in constant praise to my God. Consider, having a special tree to put ornaments that are a reminder of these significant times in your life where you felt God’s hand moving and you were filled with great joy. It might have been a mission trip or someone for whom you had prayed for many years coming to know Christ. Think of a token of that moment….something to represent it and make an ornament to go on this special tree. Every year your family may add to the tree and it will come to be a special representation of God’s hand in your life and what moments filled you with joy unspeakable.

Joyous News

Joyous News

Joy - Week Three - Tuesday

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.' Now I have told you. So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples” Matthew 28:1-8


Have you ever had a chore you dreaded? I have always hated studying for a test. I will come up with very important things to do when I need to study for a test. My house is usually very, very clean when I have to study for a test. My family eats really nice meals when I need to study for a test. The dogs are bathed and their toenails clipped when I need to study for a test. Some of us will think of anything to avoid a dreaded chore.


The chore these women faced was far more dreaded than a test. They were waiting for the Sabbath to end so that they could take care of the body of Jesus. This was the Man they had followed and listened to and served. This Man was family to them….and so much more. They had suffered a great loss. They were grieving. The women arrived, I imagine, bracing themselves for the sight of the battered body of their Savior. Instead, an angel awaited them, sitting on the stone that was rolled away from the tomb. He tells them that Jesus is not there. He has risen…He TOLD you this would happen! Didn’t you listen to what He said? The angel is aware that clearly they will need to see for themselves and invites them to look into the tomb and then tells them to go tell the disciples. The women listened this time….scurrying away they headed out to tell the disciples. No longer grieving, they find themselves filled with two emotions….fear and joy. They are afraid because, well…since they headed out to do this dreaded chore they have been through an earthquake, found guards that seemed to be dead, were rebuked and given good news by and angel that looked like lightning, and found the tomb empty. What does all that rate on the life stressor scale? Suddenly they have been given a new chore. They are the ones who get to tell the disciples that Jesus is alive. They get to remind the disciples that this is exactly what Jesus had told them would happen and it did. They get to bring the good news. And Jesus is alive…that is news enough to bring them joy.


So often we live without joy because we simply don’t pay attention to the things that Jesus told us. We forget His promises. We forget that He has told us everything we need to know in order to live lives of great joy and so we waste of days living without it. Be filled with joy this season. Remember what He has told you and then be filled with joy so you can hurry and tell the others!

Family Activity



Have a special breakfast picnic. Use the grill or a fire pit to fry bacon and eggs and make hash brown potatoes. Enjoy eating it out in the nippy air. Look around you and see how many things you experience with your senses that are reminders of the things God has given you and the joy you have through Christ. Have a special prayer time as a family. You might just find this one to be a cherished family tradition.

Celebrate the Joy!

Celebrate the Joy!

Joy - Week Three - Monday

“All the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion…Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground…They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them…The whole company that had returned from exile built booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days..” Nehemiah 8

These folks knew how to rejoice. The wall was finished and the people were coming to listen to God’s Word and have it explained to them. They were coming for some good old-fashioned expository preaching. Hours of it….days of it and as they listened they wept because they finally were understanding the words that God was telling them But Ezra says to them, “Whoa, hang on a minute here. This day is sacred before God. Don’t mourn…don’t cry. Instead go have a party. Make some great food and some sweet drinks. And don’t forget the people who have nothing to prepared to share. I hear him saying we are celebrating with some casseroles and dinner on the ground and don’t worry if you didn’t bring a dish…we got you covered.” The Scriptures say that they listened to God’s Word and celebrated for seven full days and that there had not been such a celebration as this since the time of Joshua. The word holiday actually comes from the words holy days. This was a holy day and he tells them to eat choice foods…enjoy yourselves…hey have an extra dessert if you like! Then gather up baskets and bowls of food and take it to others. Give presents! Celebrate! Up to this point they had forgotten how to celebrate the Lord. They had forgotten how to find their joy in Him. They had forgotten how to laugh from deep down in their bellies just because God had filled them with joy.

They had forgotten and often so have we. Celebrate fully this Christmas. Celebrate the fact that God has filled you up with joy just because He loves you so very much. Remember why you are celebrating. Remember!

Family activity

Pull out the party hats. Make some cupcakes or whatever it is that your family thinks of when they think of celebration. Have a party to celebrate Gods Word. Remember aloud the reasons that you celebrate Christmas. Celebrate! We have much to rejoice about!

Real Joy

Real Joy

Joy - Week Three - Sunday

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him; sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually! I Chronicles 16:8-11

Just about a year ago I became acquainted with a family that would become very dear friends of mine. I met them when Tim and I headed to Nashville to take our first peek at a Stone Soup ministry which is our ministry to families with children with differing needs. When I met Lynn and Ross I knew I had met folks whose heart beat in tune with mine. Their love for the ministry God had called them to was evident…as was their love for one another. When I met them Lynn was already fighting a full assault battle with cancer. In the weeks that followed, as we were in preparation to begin Stone Soup here in Monroe, I was in a position to witness what was transpiring in that battle. I often would call to ask questions and would hear Lynn in the background with the constant cough she had at the end. That did not stop her from piping in and giving me instructions and ideas and godly advice as we moved forward. Lynn was not the only one in this battle. Ross fought hard alongside her. I know that those last weeks were tough on the whole family and yet, each time I called and said, “How are you?” Ross would answer with one word….blessed. I knew they were experiencing long nights, multiple trips to the doctor, nausea, and so many other things. No matter what Ross shared about how the prognosis looked his heart held a certain joy. When God brought Lynn to her new home in heaven, I called Ross to express my support and prayers in his time of sadness. When I asked how he was…you guessed it, he told me he was blessed. He was glad Lynn’s pain had ended. Shortly after I would attend the memorial service where Lynn’s family would laugh through bittersweet tears as they remembered her.

The Bible speaks of rejoicing 183 times and joy 155 times. It speaks of joy in hard times and joy in good times and joy that comes in the morning. Joy is a funny thing. We look at it like happiness but it comes from a much deeper place. Joy is not dependent on the things that are happening around us. Joy happens at funerals through the tears and at weddings and at births of new babies. Joy happens in hospitals and on battlefields and in prisons. Joy is not external. Joy is something that comes from the Lord. I can be happy because I got that really great present I wanted. I can be happy because my friends took me out for a really fun evening on my birthday. I can be happy because I have a new outfit or a new cell phone or new friend. But I can have joy when no one brings me presents and no one asks me to hang out with them. I can have joy in my old clothes with my old cell phone and with my old friends.

We have true, unshakable joy when it is comes from our relationship with Christ. Joy is knowing that God has got it all under control. It is seeing our own personal situation change from day to day and knowing that God never changes. Christmas might be different for many this year. This is a year when many have lost jobs and have to really tighten their belts. When you are counting pennies to pay for groceries there is not a lot in the pot to buy presents for under the tree. This Christmas rejoice. Hold on to the joy you have in the Lord. Don’t look around...look up!

Discussion Question

What makes you happy? What makes you unhappy? How can you find joy no matter what things are tough in your situation in life? Acknowledge the things that might be different this year. How can you make sure your joy stays in tact?

Family Activity

Take a moment to worship together using the steps in tonight’s passage of Scripture.
Give thanks to the Lord – Take turns thanking God for the things you are thankful for in your life.
Make His deeds known among the peoples – Each family member share with the others something special God has done for you.
Sing a praise song together
Tell of all His wondrous works – this can be anything God has done (creation, salvation, etc)
Glory in His holy name – Think of all the names you can remember for God and Jesus
Rejoice – Tell someone else about the joy you have in Jesus
Seek the Lord and His strength – Ask the Lord for strength for the things you might be facing this week.
Now continue to do this in your hearts all week!

Peace in Letting Go

Peace in Letting Go

Peace - Week Two - Saturday

“Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:4-7

On a warm summer day in the late 80s I boarded a plane in Chattanooga, TN headed for New Jersey to spend a much anticipated two weeks with my friend and roommate of many years. She lived close enough to New York City for us to drive in several days to shop, see a show, and fulfill my lifelong wish of seeing the Statue of Liberty. We would also drive to Philadelphia and see the sights there and spend some time with her parents. I had been excited about everything about the trip for weeks, except for this….riding on this airplane to get there. I had flown as a small child and maybe one other time but it always made me nervous and uneasy. I know people who love to fly, who look forward to the surge of energy from the plane as it levels off in its designated airspace and who enjoyed peering out the small windows to look at the tiny world far below. For me the greatest feeling of excitement would be when I felt the wheels touch the earth again and I knew the worst thing that could happen was to hit another plane as we taxied in to the airport. I thought I could probably come out of that type of accident okay.

I moved into my assigned seat by the window. I had requested a window seat, not to look at the billowy clouds as we ascended, but so that I could be the keeper of the window and have the option of shutting the shade when I decided it was scary. I fastened my seatbelt and clutched my bag tightly in my hand and waited. After a moment a man in a business suit joined me on the aisle seat, gave me a cursory nod and smile and fastened his seatbelt. The plane finally lifted without incident and when I was sure we were finished with turning and lifting and maneuvering I pulled out my book and began to read. I read several pages, glancing around me and out the window from time to time when I heard a chuckle come from the man beside me. I looked up from my book only to see him looking directly at me.

“You know,” he said, “You can lean or move in any direction and it really does not affect the balance of the plane.” This man was MOCKING me! I looked at my hands carefully holding the book straight out in front in me. With his book he mimicked how I had turned the pages without moving anything but my one hand and then imitated me turning my head only slightly to look all around the plane. I wanted to be mad but a laugh escaped as I looked at his head held rigidly erect but eyes looking at me out of their corners, but looking, nonetheless. He cocked his eyebrow, awaiting a response.

“Are you very sure?” I countered and he too, began to laugh. He suggested that we simply trust the pilot who had navigated this route many times and not worry about it. As radical as that sounded to me I agreed and we had a nice chat the rest of the trip.

As strange as it may sound to you I could not have a peaceful trip on that airplane until I gave up my ability to in any way control the success or failure of that flight. How silly is it to think that on a great jet plane, my movement of my hands or head could in any way affect the plane’s ability to function properly? In that same way, so many of us have no peace because we expend a great deal of energy trying to “help” God be able to handle His flight plan for our lives. Even our prayers are often directed at showing God the way to handle His plans for our lives. We don’t have enough trust in Him to successfully navigate us through clear or troubled weather. We simply don’t trust.

On that flight there were a few things I was asked to do. I could not smoke in the bathroom. I could not be up walking around if the light was on that said to remain seated. I had to put up my tray and have my seat in a fully upright position when the plane began its descent. Oh, and if I was seated at the wing, I had to open that door for the other passengers if the plane did indeed crash. The pilot would take care of everything else. I just had to follow the directions he had given me.

The same is true with our Lord. He gives us some simple instructions and all we have to do is follow them. We don’t have to try to do his job. He knows where the air will be choppy before we get there. He knows how to navigate our lives in a way we could never do on our own. We simply need to trust Him to do it. “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” Why don't you find peace in letting go this Christmas?

Discussion Question

What areas are you trying to maintain control of in your life and the life of your family? What things can you give back to God this Christmas?

Family Activity

If you have a fireplace or fire pit or anywhere to have a small fire this is a great activity for your family. Each family should take a pinecone and a sharpie. Think of the things you need to let go of…things you have been trying to control that you need to give to God. On the petals of the pine cone write down these things. It can even include people that you keep trying to “fix”. When you are finished, throw it into the fire. If you do not have a place to have a fire, bury them or put them in a big box and wrap it and put it under the tree with a tag that says, “To God”. Just don’t take that gift back.

Paying Attention to the Message of Peace

Paying Attention to the Message of Peace

Peace - Week Two - Friday

“And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:10-14

Shepherds in the field were not usually the first to find out the latest news. They spent their time with sheep that have a reputation of not being terribly intellectual and with other shepherds who spent their time out in the fields and the countryside, not in the towns and cities. No one dropped by with a Sunday paper. They didn’t get CNN. They could not bring up the internet. Nope, not even a text. They spent much of their life pretty much cut off from the rest of the world. They were an unlikely bunch to hear the news of Christ’s birth first…or news of any kind first, for that matter. So on this night when the city is bustling with so much activity that there is not even one single room to house another visitor, they are out in the fields under the stars. I can’t help but wonder if one of them, who were so familiar with the stars that shone above them, might have noticed that one star shone a little brighter…looked a little less familiar…seemed a little different than the others. Was it possible that wasn’t there before? On this night of restless activity in Bethlehem these shepherds are sitting under a starry sky and being still. And then the sky lights up like the noonday sun, blinding the shepherds under its intensity. Shielding their eyes, they try to see what it might be that had invaded their quiet night. I cannot begin to imagine the fear they must have felt. But the angel comes to them and says, “Look, you have absolutely nothing to be afraid of, as a matter of fact you are not going to believe the news I have. It is the greatest news you can imagine for unto you is born this day, right up the road in Bethlehem, the Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Then the angel proceeds to tell them how to find this baby, after which he is joined by a huge choir of angels saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.” Then the angels are gone…simply gone, perhaps leaving the shepherds to wonder if they would make the cover of the Bethlehem Enquirer if they shared with folks what had just transpired. Nonetheless it took them about a split second to decide to ditch the sheep and head to Bethlehem. It took them just a second because they knew Who had made it known to them….”Let us go see this thing that the Lord has made known to us”.

I don’t know if the angels came to the shepherds because they were quiet and still and prepared to listen or perhaps God simply wanted the common man to know that His Son had arrived among them, the Lamb that would pay for our sins. We cannot know why God chose a group of lowly shepherds to share the biggest news in the world but we can know that they were given an opportunity to find peace and they dropped everything and headed for the stable where they were told they could find it.

And so I sit amongst piles of ribbons and rolls of wrapping paper with a to do list a mile long. I haven't noticed the stars in days and stillness is something I simply long for...not experience regularly. And yet, at this time of year especially, God wants me to receive the very same message. He wants me to understand that His Son has arrived and all this is about Him. He wants me to quiet my heart and feel the awe of it. God's own Son dwelling right here...in my heart, bringing me peace.

What about you this Christmas? Do you have peace with God? Jesus came to be that peace (Micah 5:5). It is free and it is for you. Why not find true Peace this Christmas?

Discussion Question

What does it mean to say that Jesus is Peace? How is He the peace between God and man? What do you have to do to have the Peace in your life?

Family Activity

Together create a Bethlehem Gazette or a newscast in which you pretend you are the ones telling of the events in Luke chapter 2. You may want to dress up and pose for pictures that depict the parts of the story. You can work together and draw pictures. If you are technically adept you might make it all on the computer. Then you can send it out to family members and friends who will enjoy the fun but also hear the message of Christmas.

Making Peace

Making Peace

Peace - Week Two - Thursday

“Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:12-17

In the final instructions Paul leaves with the Thessalonians in this book, we find these words, “Live in peace with each other.” How do we take that peace that God has given us and put it into practice in our lives with other far less perfect people in the world around us? It is often a challenge to do it. If I don’t have a quiet time with the Lord it is all on me. If I steal or tell lies or kick the dog it is on me. But when I am in disharmony with another, things get messy. Instead of merely coming before God and repenting or coming to someone and apologizing for something they possibly don’t even realize occurred, I have to sort things out with someone who may or may not want to work through it. We all experience hurt and most of us have probably caused it at one time or another. That is when things get difficult. If someone has hurt me I may not be ready to let go of my hurt to forgive. If I have hurt someone I may not feel ready to let go of my pride to ask another for forgiveness. And yet, we see it right there in black and white…”live in peace with each other.” It does not seem to be a suggestion or just a good idea to consider. Then it is followed with a few pointers that will help make that happen. This Christmas, why not ask God to make it clear to you if there is someone you need to make peace with…or maybe that person came to your mind so quickly it rivals the speed of light and you don’t even have to ask who it is. Ask God how He would have you mend that relationship and make peace. Make peace in your personal relationships so it does not impede your relationship with the Lord.

Discussion Question

Do those of you who live together in your house live in peace? What can you do to live more peaceably with one another? Is there anyone in your home you need to make peace with? Agree to forgive and put disharmony aside and enjoy this season of peace.

Family Activity

Think of someone who is difficult to one of you or your family. It may be that grumpy neighbor who complains about your yard or someone who makes life difficult at work. You may each decide to choose one. Figure out ways to be a secret Santa to this person for the next two or three weeks. Do nice things without being noticed and simply do it anonymously or write Secret Santa. Take that neighbor’s trash to the road on trash day or bring the can back up the day after the trash has been picked up. Leave a candy bar on that coworker’s desk, etc. You will be surprised how good you will feel and you may just find that they begin to soften up just a little.

A Heart of Rest and Peace

Peace - Week 2 - Wednesday

"David said to Solomon: "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.' "Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would. May the LORD give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged… He said to them, "Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? … Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God…

I Chronicles 22:5-19

In this passage of Scripture, David tells of his desire to build a beautiful and magnificent sanctuary for God. He has all the supplies needed to do it. He has craftsmen from throughout the known world at that time. It says he has more trees than he can count. He has a plan. He is ready to build. So why did his son build the Temple instead of him? He was missing one key ingredient. God told him to wait. God told him that his life had been about turmoil and war and destruction. God told him that He needed a man of peace and of rest to focus on this job of building the Temple. And while David was a man after God’s own heart, the disruption around him kept him from building this sanctuary before God… this Temple that would be worthy of housing the Ark of the Covenant which represented God’s presence housed within it. Several times in this passage, God’s Word reiterates that Solomon would build it because he was a man of peace and rest and that God would grant the nation rest during this critical time.

The Scripture clearly tells us that we as Christians are the Temple of God. We are to prepare our hearts and lives with the same type of attention as one would in building a Temple to God. But this requires periods of rest and peace. It requires seasons when we shut out the world and quiet the busyness around us and even our own hearts to focus on building our lives on Him. For us, nothing may seem more difficult. Everything we are doing feels very important. Everything David was doing was very important, too (Well, except for that whole Bathsheba thing) but it meant he lacked the focus to do this important task of building. In this season of celebration of the birth of Christ, set aside time to have rest and peace….to focus solely on building your personal relationship with God and that of your family’s. Make time to worship Him privately and corporately. Enjoy periods of resting in Him and building your relationship with Him. Enjoy times with your family away from the technology you think you can’t live without…and rest.

In the book The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan, the author says this about taking time for true rest and quiet:

"Indeed, this is the essence of a Sabbath heart; paying attention. It is being fully present, wholly awake, in each moment. It is the trained ability to inhabit our own existence without remainder, so that even the simplest things... the in and out of our own breathing, the coolness of tile on our bare feet, the way the wind sculpts clouds into crocodiles and polar bears...gain the force of discovery and revelation. True attentiveness burns away the layers of indifference and ennui and distraction...all those attitudes that blend out days into a monochrome of sameness and reveals what is hidden beneath , the staggering surprise in infinite variety of every last little thing. "

Take time this year to notice and thank God for the delights He sends to our senses. Notice the way the lights twinkle on the tree, how different arrangements of the same Christmas carol touch us in a different way, the smell of cinnamon and spices, the hugs and kisses, and so much more. Live in the awareness that this is the everyday beauty God has given you to enjoy…..don’t miss one bit of it!

Discussion Questions

Take turns naming at least one way you enjoy this season for each of your senses. I love smelling this….I love tasting this….I love hearing this…I love seeing this…I love feeling this.

Family activity

Choose one night to shut out the noise. Turn off televisions and computers and phones. Shut off the video games. Listen to Christmas music while you do something together as a family. Make popcorn and cranberry garland to hang on your outside trees. Make Christmas gifts together. Play a game. Enjoy just growing together as a family. To finish off the night, have a devotional time together. Pray together. Grow in Christ together. I am thinking this may just turn out to be something you want to do again and again.

Peace in the Storm

Peace in the Storm

Peace - Week Two - Tuesday

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was not full. And He was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow and they awoke Him and say unto Him, ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish?’ And He arose, and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still”. And the wind ceased and there was great calm. And He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? Why is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly and said one to another, ‘What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’” Mark 4:36-41

It was a blustery winter in Kentucky and I had been driving for maybe two years. I was still a teenager. Mom, who was a teacher, had ridden to work with some others so I could use the car that day. I was to meet her in the Kmart parking lot. Snow had threatened all day, enough that the bread and milk had disappeared from stores and along the road were men selling firewood out of the back of their battered pickup trucks. When I left to go get my mother light speckles of snow floated down around me like I was some figurine inside a snow globe. Nothing was sticking on the roads. I gathered my scarf and coat more snugly around me and headed out to get Mom. The drive would have been about 15 minutes on a good day but given the snow and overabundance of caution being used by all it took a good bit longer. The snow continued to thicken until I found my windshield wipers on high and my eyes trained on the tail lights ahead of me. When I arrived at the Kmart parking lot I found that it was a thick blanket of snow and I was eager to hurry home and play in the white fluffy stuff. Mom moved her things over to the car and climbed in the front seat and left me behind the wheel. We pulled out onto the white covered road and snow began to not only come down harder but was blowing around us in such a way it made it difficult to see even a small space ahead of us on the road. And yet, there was no safe space to pull off the road. Now my mother is not commonly given to hysterics but as we moved forward in the snow she began to talk faster and faster and her voice got higher and higher and no matter how calmly I talked to her in my best “I mustn’t startle you or we might both be hurt” voice her stress level continued to escalate. I must say that I am now the mother of a child less than four years away from driving and I understand that type of stress a little better than I did then. I told her I needed her to calm down so I could pay attention but she continued, going on about topics that required more attention than I could give at the moment…like our impending death. I calmly shushed her. Nothing worked so I decided I had to take drastic measures. I did something I had never had the courage to do before (nor since) and in my firmest voice told my mother to shut up. I could not believe the words had come out of my mouth. I had not been allowed to say those words to anyone, much less my mother. Clearly the words shocked her just as equally because she stopped talking completely and just stared at me. It was like a balloon that has been let go before tying that has been spinning madly around the room and then just drops to the floor limply. I immediately apologized to my mother and told her I could not concentrate on driving with her going on like that. We were both quiet until we were on roads that were more easily maneuvered again and then we began to laugh. My mother said that you always hear that you should slap a person who is hysterical but that those words coming out of my mouth were more powerful than the physical slap. I was just looking for some peace.

It seems Jesus’ disciples were in this same frame of mind. Jesus was getting some much needed rest in the boat but the storm around them was tossing the boat about and splashing water in to the point they thought they might not survive. So they woke Jesus and asked Him if He cared at all that they were all going to die. Can you imagine what Jesus thought when the disciples asked Him, whose whole mission on earth was to save them from death, if He cared what happened to them? They were in a storm and the circumstances were frightening and they couldn’t see past that. Jesus stepped up and told the wind and the waves, “Peace, be still” and they immediately calmed. Jesus looked at the disciples and asked them why they were so afraid….why they had no faith. Sometimes life feels a lot like that and this season of peace, goodwill to men can often be the most chaotic time of the whole year. It may be a time when finances are particularly difficult. It may be a time when you have to interact with difficult family members that you can manage to avoid the rest of the year. School is out and there is a lot of quality time between the immediate families…sometimes a bit too much. It is a time of year when families of children with special needs or those with serious illnesses are reminded of wishes that they normally keep tucked away in a quiet place in their heart. It is a time when we often need to stop and hear the words of Jesus, “Peace, be still” and let him calm us in the midst of our personal storm. We need to realize how deeply He loves us and that He has it all under control.

Discussion Question

What storms has your family weathered this year? How did you find peace? What storms are you still in the midst of? What can you do to remind yourself to find peace that goes beyond understanding while you celebrate Him this season?

Family Activity

Near your front door have a basket with scissors, a marker, green construction paper and tape. As guests come to your home this Christmas season, have them take a moment to trace around their hand, cut it out, and write on it their Christmas wishes for others for this year. Have them sign and date it and tape it to the back of your door. You can shape these as a Christmas tree or a wreath. This activity tends to get everyone thinking about the things that really bring peace to our hearts throughout this hectic season.

Pursuing Peace

Peace - Week Two - Monday

“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.” Psalm 34:11-15


Have you ever had a time when you just longed for a little peace and quiet? When my daughter was a baby, there was a period of time in which she was quite sick. She had asthma which was so severe we had to do breathing treatments every three to four hours around the clock. That meant one of us getting up throughout the night to do it. Further, the medication in the breathing treatments wired her up like the energizer bunny throughout the day which meant a very sleep deprived mom was trying to keep up with a very busy baby. I remember one particular period of time in which she had been sick with a cold or flu along with the asthma problems. In addition to this, the carpet had just been replaced in the church nursery and every time we would walk in that suite she would immediately have a full blown asthma attack. We had not been anywhere but the doctor for more than two weeks. Who knew where my make up bag was....it was an emblem of a different life when I went out with friends and worked occasionally. Moriah was cranky and whiney and could not sleep for any stretch of time at all. When I would put her down for a nap I would lie down as well, trying to catch just a few moments of precious sleep. Just about the time my breathing would become even and my mind clear she would begin to cry and wail. After about four days of being cooped up in the house with this I was stressed out and, just between us, perhaps a bit irrational. Tim came home from working at church, only to put on a suit and tie to go to the funeral home. I began to weep uncontrollably.

“It’s not fair! You get to do everything fun and I never get to do anything!” My husband looked at me like I was from another planet.

“I am not going to a party, Tami. I am going to the funeral home, where people will be crying and sad.”


I let out another sob, “See, there will be people….people who are not throwing up and coughing and racing around like the energizer bunny! People who are grown ups! You are going to have…(sniff, sniff)…conversations!”


Again my husband stared. He was staring at a woman who had no peace in her life at the moment. He told me I should get ready and when he got home he would stay with Moriah while I went out to Walmart (which should tell you how low I was on the peace scale....Walmart was a great big step up!) and just walk around and maybe find a few grown ups to talk to or something.


I had no rest, no moment’s peace. I was in a bad place.


This passage in Psalms tells us we need to seek peace and pursue it. We don’t wait for it to happen to us. We don’t just hope for it. We are to hunt it and chase it down. We need peace in our lives. So many times at Christmas we get so busy with all the shopping and parties and events that we don’t make time for peace…time to reflect on why we are really celebrating….time for us to meditate on Him. This season why not set aside time to pursue peace. Make it a priority. Mark it on the calendar if you must. Take time to rest in Him and have His peace that He freely offers us.


Discussion Question


What are the things that are important to your celebration of Christmas? What things bring you closer to God and bring peace to your heart? What things do you do simply because you have always done them, but they bring more stress than peace? How can you celebrate and teach your whole family to celebrate Christmas in a simpler, more peaceful way?


Family Activity


Plan a “Silent” Night for yourself or your entire family. Light the Christmas tree. Light the fireplace or an array of candles. Turn on some soft Christmas music. Let it be music that reflects the true message of Christmas. Get a mug of your favorite tea or coffee or cocoa and then quietly listen to the music. Allow yourself an hour to unwind and meditate on God’s words and the words about the birth of Christ. Your whole family may be able to do this together. It is not a time for talking but for listening and meditating. Rest in Him and find peace.

A Heart Wrapped in Peace

Peace - Week 2 - Sunday

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

This group of followers had been with Jesus since He first called them out of their normal everyday lives to be disciples. They were men who had dedicated their entire lives to Jesus. He had loved them, cared for them, scolded them, and taught them. The fishermen had learned to fish for men. The tax collector had learned about giving. They had learned to trust Jesus, not just to teach them His principles, but often to meet their most basic daily needs. Now He is preparing them for their future. He is letting them know that He is leaving but that He is not leaving them alone. He has just told them that the Holy Spirit will be with them to guide them and now He tells them that He leaves them peace.

We tend to think of peace as the absence of conflict or a feeling of harmony or inner calm and certainly that is part of it. But in the days in which this was spoken by Jesus it conveyed a much deeper meaning. It is a blessing. Rather than the absence of something negative, it is the presence of something positive. It must have been valued for the greeting Shalom, or peace, is still prominent among the Jewish people. It has to do with a right relationship with God and the people He has placed in our lives. Yes, it is harmony and tranquility and calm, but it is also blessing. When Jesus said that He was leaving His peace with them, He was certainly not saying that He was leaving them with an absence of war or conflict or that their lives would be in a perpetual state of calm. Just a few moments later He tells them how the world will mistreat them and hate them for His sake. That doesn’t add up to much tranquility! He tells us in this verse, “No, no, don’t be confused….this is not the kind of peace that the world offers you…it is my peace. And while that may not mean peaceful situations, it does mean the quiet assurance that God knows what He is doing and I can trust Him. It is a quiet wrapped around your heart no matter what is happening in the world.

This Christmas, as things become busy and hectic and you are tempted to be overwhelmed by it all…”Let not your heart be troubled” because Jesus tells us we do not have to be afraid. His peace is available to us. His blessing is on us. We are not facing anything alone.

Family Activity

Together look in God’s word and find a verse that you can memorize that will help you remember God’s peace through all the things that happen during this season. Practice it this week until you know it and remind one another of that verse throughout the Christmas holiday craziness.

Things to Ponder

Hope - Week One - Saturday

“But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19

Christmas was just around the corner. We were in Kansas City and I was great with child. The doctor had given his orders…I would not be going home for the holidays. Every time I thought about it tears ran down my face and the words seemed captured in my throat. Christmas, for the Embry family was very traditional. My Uncle Paul would most likely be wearing his “candy cane” shirt. Mamaw would make pretzel salad and pies. There would be too much food, an abundance of laughter, and when it came time to gather around the tree, each one of us would find ourselves in the same spot where we had sat last year and the year before that. Papaw would have chewy peppermint nougat candy and the music we would listen to would be on vinyl records, not CDs or cassette tapes. When we sat down to open presents, because I was the oldest grandchild, I would have the privilege of reading the Christmas story. This year my spot would be empty. We would spend our Christmas in the tiny seminary apartment in Kansas City without family near. I was brokenhearted. My Papaw got on the phone and told me that we would celebrate again when I arrived. My husband bought me the peppermint nougat candy. My parents came to visit prior to Christmas. They brought with them my other grandparents with whom I had always spent Christmas eve, where we would stay until late at night opening gifts from handmade stockings from beneath a tree overladen with ornaments. On the way home, no matter how old I was, I kept my eyes trained on the night sky looking for signs of St Nick and eight tiny reindeer. Disappointment did not begin to describe the way I was feeling about Christmas that year. We decided to make a video to send back home so that we could be a part of the holidays with the family. Walking around the plaza we shot footage of the snow glistening against the thousands of tiny lights that outlined each building. Then we came home and I sat on the couch and though I was a little choked up, I read the Christmas story aloud. As I sat there and read about Mary I felt a certain kinship with her. Both of us were great with child, both of us were longing for home, and both of us were about to be blessed beyond measure. I think Mary was probably a little less whiney than me, although she did ride all that way on a donkey which I think entitles her to just a bit of whining without being judged. Reading that passage and ending with, “And Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” brought me to a place of quiet within my own heart. Pondering is rarely a quick thing. It does not imply a fleeting thought. It says to me that she thought carefully about all the things that were happening to her and tucked them away in her heart to remember again and again. I think if Mary lived in our times she would have been scrapbooking a little hay…a scrap of swaddling clothes...perhaps some wool from some small lamb brought in the arms of a shepherd. Mary pondered…took time to remember and tuck those thoughts away in a place where she could remember again and again.


This is a time of year that can often be remembered by the number and size of the gifts received and the culinary delights served. Why not spend this season watching to see how God will work in the life of your family? Rather than simply remembering things like it being the year you bought the wii, why not make it a Christmas in which you have gifts to remember like hospitality to others, sharing the love of Christ, and spending time together as a family. What will you ponder in your heart when the decorations are placed back into the attic?


Discussion Question


When each of you thinks back over past Christmases, what are the things you remember….the things you ponder in your heart? What do you want to remember if you are asked the same thing next year? How can you make those things happen?


Family Activity


How about starting a journal in which you record the special moments of the season. Leave it out in a place that any family member may write in it. Is there a new baby in the family? Even a precious little footprint or handprint can be a joyful memory of that Christmas season. Keep your journal Christ-centered. At the end of the holidays tuck it away for the next year. This can be something that not only allows you to ponder the presence of Christ in your Christmas, but imagine how it can touch others in your family in years to come.

Living in the Edges

Hope - Week One - Friday

"Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?" Job 26:14"

When I think about hope I think of looking beyond a situation to what might be in store. It can be seeing beyond the present to the promises of God and believing and hoping in Him.

When I was just out of college my first teaching position was in Sequatchie County, Tennessee in a little school nestled beneath the edge of Signal Mountain. The drive there from Chattanooga each day was long but it was such a beautiful drive it allowed me time to reflect and notice all the spectacular things God was doing in nature. One day I noticed that high upon a cliff overlooking the beautiful Tennessee River Gorge a house was being built. From my vantage point below, it seemed it sat on the very edge of that cliff and I wondered at the bravery of having a house built teetering on the edge of a cliff. Regardless of the beauty below I would not want to slide down into it from all those feet above. I took the time one afternoon to drive over and see it up close. What I found was there was some space between the house and the cliff’s precarious edge but hardly enough to even call a yard. It was clear the house was to be grand. I looked at it and the view and I was hooked. I went by at least weekly to see the progress. I lurked around when it was time for the workers to go home so I could get a closer look. I kept telling one of my best friends, “One day I will have dinner in that house”. It was a joke between us because it was evident these folks did not run in the same circles as I did but it was a nice dream. One evening when the house was moving nicely toward completion, the walls and some windows in…flooring, fixtures and doors not in…my friend and I took a picnic meal and headed toward the house. Because there were no doors I felt fairly sure that a breaking and entering charge would not stick…entering maybe but certainly not breaking. We ate dinner on the subflooring beneath the supports that were most certainly made to hold an opulent chandelier. The windows in the great room were two stories high and on the second floor above the spot prepared for a huge garden tub were massive windows. I thought, “Why would you put windows above your tub but as I looked out at the wooded mountains and their beauty and realized that the only way to get a good look into this window was a helicopter, I thought, “Why wouldn’t you?”
This house was unfinished and yet its future splendor showed through so magnificently it was if I was seeing the finished product. The truth was I was only seeing the mere edges of its greatness. I would not get a look at the finished fireplace or the shiny fixtures. I would never see it painted or floored. It was only a whisper but a whisper that made me long to see more.
This verse today made me think of that little adventure that I had not thought about in many years. We praise God for His power. We are blessed by the things He does in our lives but how small a whisper it is compared to the thunder of His awesome true power. We see only a bit of how He is working and sometimes we don’t like the way it all looks but that is because we are not seeing the big picture. In His thunderous, mighty way He is working to make something amazing and wonderful and designed by Him. When we give Him our lives and the freedom to do as He will, we have the opportunity to grow in our faith and to hope in the One who will never let us down. This season, look at what God is doing in your life. If it looks dismal, start looking for the ways God might be working through your situation to show the thunder of His power. Trust in Him, although you only see a small whisper…the mere edges of His ways and never lose hope in Him.

Family Activity

Think of something your family really would like to do or have. Maybe it is a game you have wanted to play together. Perhaps it is a special overnight trip. Maybe it is tickets to a game. Decide as a family what that item will be. Set aside a jar or a vase or some other container that can be in a visible place and throw your change in the jar. Periodically count and roll the coins as a family. You will find that it is a very different thing to wait for something special and save for it together as a family project than just to receive it without any effort. It is a good picture of waiting for special things.

What Kind of Love

What Kind of Love?

Hope - Week One - Thursday

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

I Corinthians 13:4-7

Shortly after my Papaw died my Mamaw called me and asked me to come visit with her for a few days and help her go through some of Papaw’s things. I agreed to come in the next few days and after making arrangements at home drove to Louisville, Kentucky to the home my grandparents had shared for many years. I was eager to help Mamaw, who was legally blind from macular degeneration, but also knew that it was a difficult task that was before us and was dreading the resurfacing of all the emotions I had tried to tuck away since the funeral. The house felt quiet and I was missing the infectious laugh of my Papaw and the mischief that always twinkled about the corners of his eyes. Mamaw brought me out of my thoughts with a box. She sat down next to me on the couch and told me that she had something she wanted me to do that would be difficult to do but she wanted me to promise I would really do it. Of course I promised. I would have promised her anything at that moment. Her look was solemn and resolute. At that moment I would have promised her anything. Then she opened the box which was filled to the brim with greeting cards, all of them from my Papaw. I was thankful that Mamaw did not have a clear view of the tears that immediately sprang to my eyes. Mamaw asked me read each card to her and then throw them away because she could no longer really read them and they were deeply personal. She wanted to hear their precious words one more time and then throw them away so that they would not be handled and read and reread.

That night I read card after card to my Mamaw. I wondered if the tears streaming down my face were evident in my voice. The cards were funny, poignant, serious, romantic….It was a beautiful display of my Papaw’s love for my Mamaw. As I read each card, Mamaw would tell me the story behind that particular one. I watched her face as she relived the moments in each of them. Then I pulled out a small card from near the bottom. I read the card and then read the words he had penned at the end, “You are all I really need”. Mamaw was quiet a moment and then said, “Your Papaw gave me that card the day after our house burned to the ground and we lost everything.” I thought of a life of building a home together, of working hard and buying the things they needed and then losing it all but your family and saying, “I have all I really need”. What kind of love is that?

As we look at the verses penned by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 13, verse seven, “hopeth all things” when interpreted from the Greek could be worded this way,

“…love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up”.

This is the kind of love that anticipates the best in others and for others. It is an agape love that says, “I am in this for the long haul and no matter what I refuse to give up. I am staying put and I refuse to move!” This is a tenacious, I don’t even know how to surrender, I am doing what God wants me to do and I refuse to let go kind of love. This love sometimes calls us to wait…to hold on...to anticipate that the best is yet to come. It is a love that when everything seems to be a pile of ashes you can nestle in close to God and say, “I have everything I really need. I am not letting go. I am going to hold on and see what You have for me.”



This is a year when many have experienced loss and while they might not be looking at a house burned to the ground, they may well be looking at a bank account that is mostly empty and a pile of bills that is mostly unpaid. We have the opportunity to share God’s love in ways we never imagined this year. Think of that person who you have given up on…a son, a daughter…a friend…a loved one. Find your opportunity to show them agape love this Christmas season. It might be a card. It might be in the way of financial help. It might be inviting them to share a special day. And in the doing of it, you might just find that you are the one most richly blessed!

Discussion Question

God is so powerful and can do things in any way He chooses. Why do you think He so often chooses to reach out to people using personal relationships? If He can give you what you need, why does He so often take care of your needs through the hands of others? What relationships do you have now that He might want to use to meet the needs of others?

Family Activity

Prepare a Christmas party to go for someone who is homebound. Take plates and cups, refreshments, and other items to celebrate the holiday. Pack it up in a basket and go share with that person. For younger children you could take a game or craft. For adults you could take a jigsaw puzzle or movie. Spend time being with them at this time of year when they might really be longing for some company.