A Most [Un]Traditional Christmas

There is something so special about the Christmas season.  It is the time we remember and acknowledge the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He left the glory of heaven to come as a baby to earth and journey to the cross, where His death and subsequent resurrection provided the forgiveness needed for our sins.  This is reason enough to celebrate!

It seems, however, there is another reason so many of us enjoy Christmas and it comes down to one word. . .traditions.  It is a time we look back and remember, while at the same time making new memories to carry forward with us in time.

This year was a unique combination of keeping and breaking traditions at our house.  It began as contemplations were made regarding decorations.  At our house we decorate full force and rarely take decorations down until mid-January.  This year, however, we knew we would be leaving for Bismarck shortly after the holidays, so it seemed practical to hold back on some of the traditional decorating.  The difficulty was trying to decide what to put up and what to leave in the totes.  Everything carries a memory, and in the end most of it went up, including two trees, one upstairs, which features my Nativity ornaments and the other in the basement with a vast assortment of ornaments collected over the years.

The rest of the Nativity collection underwent a tighter scrutiny, and perhaps about half of them remained in storage.  Last year all of them saw daylight when we had a Community Nativity Display, so this year it seemed okay to let some of them rest.  The "window clings" were set aside for the grandchildren to put up, but they got "lost in the shuffle" and never did find their way to the bathroom mirror, dishwasher and microwave where they usually spend the holidays.

 

It was our year to share "real Christmas" with our daughter and her family.  (On the years they are with her husband's family, we find a time, early or late, and celebrate together.)  They arrived on Friday evening, bringing lots of Christmas joy and excitement with them, and we settled in to enjoy the holidays together.

A tradition which began when our children were little is an annual "Cousins Cookie Bake".  With an extended family of over 100, there are usually lots of cousins and second cousins around to join us.  This year, however, it was only our four little bakers and their mom who joined in on the fun.  Our oldest grandson was the most creative this year, making a Santa out of six different cookies, but the granddaughter qualified for the "most heavily decorated" cookies!  My contribution was a set of Nativity cookies, complete with Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, a shepherd and his sheep, three Wisemen and a host of angels.  Later on, when we were down to the last of the dough, it was decided we also needed to bake three "gifts" for the Wisemen! 
 

The usual routine on Christmas Eve is to attend services at our church, followed by a meal and then off to a gathering of extended family at the home of one of my husband's brothers.  This tradition got twisted in many ways this year.  Our pastor was away, leaving us with no service on Christmas Eve.  We opted to attend the Lutheran church which I attended growing up instead, but their service was at 6, instead of our usual 4 or 5 o'clock.  It was decided we had best eat prior to church.  Also, very few of the extended family was here, so the gathering at the brother-in-law's house was cancelled.  I did miss the singing together as a family, especially the song, "Come On Ring Those Bells"!  My mother-in-law plays piano by ear, and could really get us singing, accompanied by the little ones jingling sets of bells.  She had a different kind of Christmas this year, too, as she wasn't feeling well.

Another tradition we try to keep is pictures by the Christmas tree.  We took a few prior to eating, which turned out to be a good thing.  By the time we got back home, the youngest was tired and in no mood to take pictures.  We managed to get a few, but never did accomplish one of all of us together.

 

Prior to opening gifts, we like to read the Christmas story from Luke 2.  With modern day technology, we no longer require a Bible to do so, and this year our son-in-law did the reading from his iPod.  Big yawns let us know it had been a busy day, but things perked up as we tackled the massive pile of gifts, opening them one by one so we could savor the moment of each response.

Christmas Day there are always "stocking gifts" waiting in the morning, followed by the traditional assembling of Lego sets received the night before.

 




It had been our plan to have my brothers and their families over as dinner guests, but wintery weather prevented them from coming.  Although things didn't turn out exactly the way we originally intended, we felt the important thing was having our kids and grandkids all under one roof making memories.  We even got them one extra night because of the Christmas storm!

As my husband prepared for our church service on Christmas Day, a thought crossed his mind.  What would it be like if, instead of the massive pile of gifts, we each only received one.  After all, God's original gift was just one baby in a manger. . .and He was enough! 

Counting My Blessings

There is a song in our hymn book entitled "Count Your Blessings".  Many of you are probably familiar with the lyrics and tune.  The words of the chorus remind us to count our many blessings, naming them one by one to see what God has done.  Many people make November a month to thank God for a different thing each day.  In lieu of doing so, here is my attempt at catching up and counting 24 days of blessings. . . so much to be thankful for!

1.  God who loves me
2.  His Son, Jesus, who saved me
3.  The Holy Spirit who guides me
4.  A husband of 40+ years who has stuck with me through the ups and downs of life
5.  A daughter who is now a wonderful wife and mother to our 4 grandchildren
6.  A son who has been faithful to stick around "small town USA" to help his dad
7.  A son-in-law who couldn't be a better "fit" as a husband to our daughter and father to the grandchildren
8.  Grandson #1 - A tender heart, likes things "just so"
9.  Grandson #2 - A "free spirit" with a quick wit
10.  Granddaughter - A "girly girl" who can also tangle with the boys!
11.  Grandson #3 - An entertainer at heart!
12.  Parents who left this world far too soon, but gave me a wonderful start in life
13.  My two brothers and sister, along with their kids and grandkids.
14.  My husband's 5 brothers, 4 sisters and their kids and grandkids.
15.  A grandmother, aunts and uncles who helped shape me into who I am today.
16.  My hometown. . .small with big-hearted people
17.  Friends. . ."Make new friends, and keep the old. . .one is silver and the other gold!"
18.  A loving church family
19.  The gift of music and ability to share in multiple ways
20.  Technology which allows me to stay "connected" with so many and also gives me a platform to share what God is teaching me along the way
21.  A roof over my head and heat to keep me warm through the cold ND winters
22.  Cupboards that are never bare
23.  God's Word which is His love letter and manual of instructions for life
24.  The avenue of prayer as a means of communicating through faith with blessings #1, #2 & #3!

It would be possible to continue on, but it is soon time to start "counting sheep".  Feeling very blessed at the end of this Thanksgiving Day!

God's Love Language

This morning as I headed down the street for my daily walk, there was a bit of a conversation going on in my head.  Most of it was negative "self talk".  [In retrospect, it was actually the voice of the enemy attempting to defeat me!]  What was the conversation?  "You're not a very effective Christian." "Your talents are not being utilized to their fullest.",  "You should be as devoted to spending time with the Lord as you are to walking."  

As I reached the gas station on Main Street, another voice chimed in, "But I love you anyway!"  Just then, my eyes were pulled to a pile of gravel on the sidewalk and I smiled.  With a stretch of imagination, a heart shaped verification of God's love was before me.  Even amidst the "dirt" of my life, He still loves me!

 

 

The building next to the gas station is an empty apartment building.  During a hail storm last June, the windows were broken, and they are still in need of repair.  It seems the owners are waiting for the replacement windows, but in the meantime the damaged windows stand waiting for their demise.  Glancing at the broken glass, I saw something I hadn't notice the many other times I had passed by. . .there among the brokenness was another heart shape.  "Yes, Diane, I really do love you.  Even when things in your life seem broken, I still love you!"  Can you find the heart?  [It's in the lower corner of the left pane!]

 

 

 

Often while walking, a heart shape will appear and I am reminded of God's love which is always surrounding us.  It seems if I'm trying to find one, they aren't around.  Other times, the reminders show up where I least expect them.  They might be in the form of a rock, a leaf or a cloud, such as the ones in these pictures, taken on other outings. 

 

 

 

Next time you are out and about, open your eyes to the beauty of God's world and don't be surprised if occasionally He leaves you a "love note"!

 

For Such a Time As This

Our church usually offers two alternatives for Adult Sunday School.  One follows the traditional class published by our church headquarters.  There is a new book each quarter, which often is broken into a couple of different units of focus.  For the summer months, the themes are "Triumph of Christ's Kingdom (Daniel and Revelation)" and "Help for Life's Journey".  The second option we refer to as the "elective class", and usually involves selecting a book to study or DVD series.  Interestingly, our current class option came our way from someone who doesn't even attend our church.  They had the study materials on hand, and felt led to pass them on instead of letting them collect dust on their bookshelf.  Thus it came to be we are now pursuing a DVD Beth Moore Study on the book of Esther.

The story of Esther has long fascinated me, and a fresh perspective is always welcome.  If you've never read her story, I would encourage you to do so.  You will find it in the pages of the Old Testament, sandwiched between Nehemiah and Job. Or an alternative would be to watch a 2006 movie rendition called, "One Night With the King", which follows the Biblical account fairly well.  Esther's story is a fairy tale type story, where a seemingly insignificant young lady finds herself in a position to change the course of an entire nation.  One of the portions often quoted from chapter 4 and verse 14, finds Esther's cousin, Mordecai, sending her the message, "And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

The story of Esther is one of destiny.  She was placed in the right place at the right time for God's right purpose to be fulfilled.  Perhaps my life story doesn't involve being invited to a palace or marrying a king.  Still, I sense God has a purpose and calling on my life, just as He did Esther's.  How about you?  In the comings and goings of your life, do you see God at work, "for such a time as this"?  Please feel free to share how God is working in and through you or your church to make an impact on your community.  We can all learn from each other, and with God's guidance make a difference in the world.

All Gone But the Memories

The "Before" Picture

It has been a bittersweet day which started out with a bang. . .and a beep, beep . . .and a crash!  "What is going on out there?" ran through my mind until I realized the concrete crew we had hired to replace our sidewalks had begun the deconstruction phase of the project.  First to be removed were big chunks of sidewalk.

Then they progressed to taking down the little deck outside our front door, railing and steps.  Soon the only thing left was the dirt they would rebuild on.

 

As I visited with one of the workers, I commented there were a lot of memories packed into those pieces they had removed.  Somewhere around forty years of memories.  How many times were those steps used to access our home and by how many different people?  I thought of our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles and scores of relatives and friends who came to visit and left by those stairs.  I thought of our children learning to walk up and down them, and then in more recent years our grandchildren doing the same.  If concrete steps could talk, they would have lots of stories to tell!

 

Crossing my mind was a memory of the time a little fawn wondered into our yard in the evening and a curious little girl and boy came out onto the steps to investigate.

 

I thought of countless dozens of petunias which had added a splash of color in the adjacent planters during the summer months.  At Christmas it was a Nativity scene which graced the same planters.  Artificial flowers filled them with autumn colors in the fall and welcome colors of spring when it was not yet warm enough for the real thing.

As I looked back, I also thought ahead to the completion of the project and how different things will be.  The stairs will descend to the west instead of to the south to avoid the inevitable patch of ice which seemed to accumulate every winter.  A broader base will provide the foundation for a small deck with space for a couple of chairs to relax in.  It will take some thinking and planning, but factored into the new layout will be a means to continue planting petunias and displaying the Nativity Scene.  It will be a "work in progress" for a time, but hopefully, when completed, it will be the source of many more memories in the years to come.

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

and He will establish your plans."

~Proverbs 16:3

It Ain't So Bad!

Today is my birthday.  It's a big one.  6-0!  I've known it was coming for quite some time now, and must admit the fun involved has been well worth the change to a new decade!  Several ladies from my church joined me for lunch at the Columbus Café, about a 30 minute drive to the east.  Another lady who attends our fellowship recently took over running the business, and we enjoyed our time together and some great food.

We arrived back in Crosby just in time for me to pick up my mother-in-law for our weekly "Music Makers" outing to the nursing home.  Although two of our regulars were unable to be there, the rest of us did our best to entertain the local residents.  Here's a sampling of our music!






Next on the agenda was a drive to Williston, which is about an hour south of us.  We met our daughter and her family at one of the Mexican restaurants and proceeded to wait for a large table to open.  It seemed to take forever, but it gave us some quality time with the grandkids who didn't complain about the wait.  (It was good thinking on their mother's part to give them a few snacks beforehand!)

 

Turns out it  was well worth the long wait.  Our granddaughter exclaimed, "This is really good food!  It's like a feast!!"  But the best part was the birthday cake which came later on, made and decorated by my daughter.  She remembered my favorite. . .white cake, with lemon filling and 7 minute frosting.  She found recipes on the Internet, not knowing I usually just open a can of lemon pie filling and make the frosting from a mix!  "You did good, Rebekah!"

 

 

 

Opening presents was filled with excitement. . .with a good percentage of it coming from the grandkids!  Grandpa had ordered a kit to make a bank for our Lego community, and they were sure we should start assembling it tonight. 

On the ride home, I thought back on the day and had to admit I was blessed.  And now the day ends with a prayer of thanksgiving to the One who has provided each and every one of the blessings.  Yes, being 60 is going to be just fine! 

 

Something's Missing!

Today is Mother's Day, the day when most everyone posts a picture of themselves with their mother on FaceBook.  Sadly, as I look through the many photo albums in our home, there are very few pictures of my mother and I together.  I have come to the conclusion this is what happens when the "family photographer" passes the trait on to her child.  In the photo albums of me growing up, my mother was always the one taking the pictures, and as time progressed I gradually took over as the one behind the camera.  Consequently, opportunities to be in pictures together were very rare.

Thankfully, although there are no actually pictures, there are many memories which float through my brain, especially on days such as today.  There were many times of "helping" in the kitchen, with my favorite being the baking.  If vanilla was involved we always had to smell the wonderful aroma.  Birthdays meant getting to page through a little book of decorated cakes and choosing our favorite for the year, knowing a party with family was always part of the plan.

As I sing the alto line of the hymns at church, I think back to sitting by my mother in church and hearing her do the same.  Perhaps it is the reason singing harmonies comes so easy.  Although I don't remember her often playing the piano, I do remember her teaching me a catchy little duet.  She would play the chords on the bottom and I would play a variety of tunes to fill in on the upper notes.  Not long ago I found myself teaching my grandchildren some of the same tunes, only this time I was the one playing the bottom chords.

During this season of planting flowers, my mind often drifts back to helping her fill the front planters with petunias and geraniums and the back planter with moss roses.  Work the dirt, dig the holes, fill them with a drink of water first, then add the starter plants.  Gardens were also a part of the summer routine, although my favorite part came when the peas were ready to eat straight from the shell!

Looking back on our wedding, I now realize how much my mother contributed, especially since the date was only three days after Christmas.  She always made the holidays extra special,  and I can now see and appreciate the extra effort she put into throwing a wedding into the mix.  Of course, at the time, I was more interested in my future husband than tending to details, so it's a good thing she was there to help pull it off.

When our daughter arrived and I needed to go back to work after four months off, she was there to volunteer her services as a babysitter.  They lived five miles out in the country, and she offered to drive in every morning so I wouldn't have to wake the baby if she was still sleeping.  It was another example of the "above and beyond" she invested in everything she did.

It was tragic to lose her at such a young age.  She suffered a brain aneurysm at the age of 68, leaving a huge hole in our lives.  Yes, something is missing, and it is much more than pictures.  But the good news is we have the hope and assurance in God's Word there will come a time we will once again be together.  Although I must confess Mother's Day seldom comes and goes without a few tears shed, it is comforting to know God's love and faithfulness never come up missing, giving me reason to simply smile and whisper heavenward, "Happy Mother's Day, Mom!  See you again in God's perfect timing!!" 

 

The Unexpected Gift

Have you ever received an unexpected gift?  Each spring as blossoms appear on a small bush located at the corner of our house, I'm reminded of the fact we sometimes receive things we weren't expecting.  Triggering the memory is a small bush we first noticed two years ago, and each year we find it growing a bit larger.

Because it was not planted by us, we are not even sure what type of bush, or even perhaps tree, it is.  Since it is located just under a downspout, we are guessing it was gifted to us by the wind, or a bird and the added moisture in the area caused it to spout and grow.  If you recognize the blossoms as a particular variety, be sure to let us know!

 

Last year there was evidence of a few "fruits" starting to grow, but unfortunately the birds had them for a treat before we could figure out what they were!

 

How often in life do we receive unexpected gifts. . .or pass them on to someone else, for that matter.  Each spring, I am reminded of the importance of being grateful for these blessings, as well as initiating a few in the lives of those God has placed in my path.  It may be a loved one, or even someone yet a stranger.  Keep your "God eyes" open and look for opportunities to pass on the gifts God has so generously placed in your life.  They may be unexpected in the life of the recipient, but exactly what they need!

 

 Open my eyes that I may see
   wonderful things in Your law. . .

-Psalm 119:18 (NIV)



Standing Corrected!

After sitting under the preaching of Dan Johnson today, I came to the realization there was error in what I had written last night.  In reference to the writers of the Gospel accounts, my indication was all four men were friends of Jesus.  As a part of Dan's message today, he included mentioning the fact Luke did not personally know Jesus.  Isn't it interesting how God works?

Doing some further research tonight, I found tradition credits Matthew and John, disciples of Jesus, with penning the books which bear their names.  On the other hand, Luke was a friend and companion of Paul, and a doctor also credited with being a great historian.  His knowledge of Jesus and pathway to salvation came through the witness of Paul.

Mark also had a "second hand" view of the Gospel, one which he received from his friend, Peter, who was one of the original disciples of Jesus.  Some suggest Mark was recruited to preserve Peter's memories during the time Peter was being held in prison.  The important thing to note about both Luke and Mark is their willingness to hear and pass on the "good news" they received about Jesus Christ.

As I stand corrected, there are a couple of lessons which stand out.  First off, there are times I work too hard to find a deeper meaning to record as a "seeking lesson".  Perhaps I need to bear in mind there are some things to share which don't necessarily have to include a spiritual application.

Secondly, although I have basically been a follower of Christ for as long as I can remember, there is still much I have to learn!  The key is remaining open to instruction and maintaining a willingness to stand corrected when necessary.

As if God knew all this would transpire, the devotional I read tonight was about removing from my mind all thoughts of failure.  Instead, what appears to be "failure" should be considered as one step further toward the goal of a high calling in Jesus.

Tonight I am thankful for men like Dan Johnson who carry with them a lifetime of Biblical knowledge and a willingness to share.  I'm thankful for a God who listens to my ramblings and then patiently works a way to bring out truth when error slips into the equation.  Mostly I am thankful for the preservation of the Gospel accounts over the years.

A passage of Scripture comes to mind:

But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him?

And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him?

And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?

And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?

That is why the Scriptures say,

"How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring Good News!"

 

It seems there is a long line of "messengers" between those who first listened to Jesus and those of us who now call on His name to save us.  What a blessing to know God cared enough to keep the narrative going.  And don't forget to do your part to pass the message on. . .there are many who have not yet heard!

Down Memory Road

It was a beautiful evening, one which prompted me to include a short walk on my agenda.  Although I often follow the new sidewalk designed especially for walkers, tonight found me taking a bit of a detour down a favorite street of mine.  Dating back to high school days, this particular street always seemed to be included in our "cruising" times. 

The street layout of Crosby, ND is fairly basic.  Most intersections of streets and avenues cross at a basic 90 degree angle, although the north half of town lines up with the railroad tracks and the south half with the highway going through town, making somewhat of a "kink" in the middle.

This evening I found myself on the one unique street which follows a curve.  Just why this street ended up with a curve is beyond my scope of knowledge, but perhaps it has something to do with the railroad right of way which banks one side of the street.

As I started down the street, I snapped a picture and sent to my best friend from high school days.  She remains just as close (if not closer!) during this stage of life.  With the picture was a short message saying I was thinking of her and our drives down the street in days gone by.

 

Her reply was not what I expected.  The memory she had was driving in her dad's new car, and looking to avoid two particular young gentlemen.  On the other hand, my memory had me driving (not sure which car!) and continuing on to a street just north of the fairgrounds which had an interesting dip at the intersection.  You wanted to hit it fast enough to get a little thrill bump, but not too fast or the bottom of the car would get a scrape.

Later this evening I found myself once again reminiscing and wondered if somewhere in all of this there was a "God Lesson".  After all, it was Saturday and I was feeling like doing some seeking.  Asking God where the lesson might be, the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John came to mind.  All four men were friends of Jesus.  After the death, resurrection and ascension of their dear friend, each of them took a trip down memory road and, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recorded what we now refer to as "the Gospels".  Many of the same stories exist in all four of the memoirs, and yet each had their own unique perspective and some included incidents not documented by the others.

In conclusion, I found myself thankful for memories.  As wonderful as they are, it is also a good thing to have friends who can fill in the memories we may have forgotten.  I so appreciate the four unique perspectives of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which have been preserved over the years to continually inspire us with accounts of the "life and times of our Lord Jesus Christ".  Have you read them lately?  Their stories never grow old!

Blown Away!

The wind has blown all day, something which happens quite often here in North Dakota.  It seemed to be a good reason to get out of town, along with the fact our grandchildren's art was being displayed at an art gallery in downtown Minot, ND.  The drive was two hours for us, and coming from another direction was a vehicle holding the grandchildren, their parents (our daughter and son-in-law) and our son-in-law's parents.  Other than to celebrate birthdays, it isn't often we all get together and it ended up being a fun-filled day.

The display included pictures submitted by students in grades K-12 from many communities in the area, and was quite impressive.  At one time the building had been a bank, but now was wide open areas with lots of wall space to feature the artwork.

 

 

It was amazing to see the wide variety of talented art pieces, but of course our favorites were the ones submitted by our grandchildren!

 Flower and Butterfly, by Faith, Age 6

 

 Desert Creatures, by Benjamin, Age 8

Faith and Benjamin's picture were right next to each other!

 

 Journey into Space by Jeremiah, Age 10

 

Jeremiah was surprised to see they had hung his upside down, but was still happy to have it there!

 

 

Daniel, who is almost 4, wasn't old enough to display an art piece, but he was proud to be there in support of his brothers and sister.  The entire family was wearing matching shirts featuring a drawing of Faith's which had been entered in a contest for the "Week of the Young Child".  As the winner, her artwork was featured on the T-shirts which were sold during the "Kids Day Out" event in Williston.

 

 

The remainder of the day was spent checking out a wonderful store called, "Main Street Books", having a snack at the mall and then enjoying a meal together at "Pizza Ranch".  Before parting ways we decided it would be a good idea to take this kind of "family outing" again. . .maybe next time it won't be so windy and we can check out the Minot Zoo!