Real Life In The Neighborhood

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. John 1:14 (MSG)

Each year my daughter and I have a tradition. We get together and bake Christmas cookies! We’ve been doing this for years and it is a cherished part of our holidays. We’ve invited friends to celebrate in this time with us and it’s been a lot of fun. A few years ago, she gave birth to my first grandson. What joy he has brought! And then came the second grandson and more joy! Except for during cookie baking time.....

This year, trying to juggle two grandchildren plus the “adopted” grandchildren of friends, well, let’s just say, the focus was not necessarily on the cookie baking. Mostly, they were wrangling kids while I was baking. I did get to take a moment here and there to mix cookies with the oldest (even though his attention span was short.) And I did get to hold babies in between - joy! My daughter and her friend apologized because I was doing all the baking. But you know what? No apology was needed.

You see, we make all these cookies each year and I bring them home. I don’t give many away (except to family) because I don’t think I am that great at baking. They sit in my house and eventually, I throw some away. So why do it? Because I get to spend time with them. We were still talking and sharing and caring.

The holiday season shouldn’t be about the tasks we have to do. It should be about being with each other. It should be about what happens in life together as we take care of life’s stuff. I know that as the kids keep coming and growing in our circle, baking will look different each year. And some years (like this year) we won’t get much baking done.

But we will share, laugh, love and hug on each other and the kids. We will connect once more to say “I love you.” Jesus did that. He came, he shared life and he connected with us to remind us how much we are loved.

That is what Christmas is all about and those moments are what brings joy to our hearts. So today, while you are doing your ‘list’, do it with someone. Love on someone and so what if things don’t look like they used to or like they should. Honestly, when you lean into the loving part, the end result is even sweeter!

Reflections

1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)

It was the Christmas season and I decided to go to a mall to do some shopping. I was in the car with my two kids. We pulled into the parking garage to find a place to park. I live in a pretty congested area so the mall parking garage was packed. I drove around looking, for what seemed like a very long time, for a parking space.

Just in front of me, someone started to pull out. Their reverse lights went on so I slowed and waited. They pulled out and I pulled in. Just as I pulled in, I hear a horn behind me and I look in my rear view mirror to see if there was a problem and there bold as the noonday sun I see a woman flipping me off. If you are not familiar with that term, she was doing a gesture with her hand that showed me her extreme displeasure.

I was surprised by this. She was behind me in the garage so why would she be so upset that I took the space. But more importantly, as I looked in my rear view mirror I recognized her. She went to my church! I sat in my car in complete disbelief. And to be honest, I purposefully didn’t turn around because I was embarrassed for her.

That image of someone from my church sharing hand gestures with me and the angry look on her face has stayed with me all these years and it has been a long time.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am sure in my past I have shared hand gestures with someone. I am sure I’ve been rude and angry at times. And I am sure others have an image of me that is not pretty. But here is why I am writing this post.

Our number one job is to reflect Jesus in everything we do. If the image of this woman is so imprinted on my mind so many years later, that should be a lesson to me regarding the impact of my behaviors on others. I do not want people to watch my behavior and assume anything negative about Jesus. That would be heart breaking. I want them to see him in me.

As we get into the hustle and bustle of the season, as we run here and run there trying to get “the list” done, let’s remember why we celebrate Christmas. Jesus. Only Jesus. And hopefully because we are in a relationship with him, we will behave more like him, even in crowded parking garages.

A Minute In It - This Changes Everything

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:4-7 (NIV)

Why do you think Jesus came as a baby?
What would be the impact if he had come as a grown man instead?
How would you see him differently?
What does his life, born as a baby, signify to you?
How does this change your relationship with him?

Denied!

69 Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”

70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

71 Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.

73 A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”

74 Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.

75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly. Matthew 26:69-75 (NLT)

We often read this story, okay, at least I often read this story and think “How could he do that? How could he deny he knew Jesus in front of all of those people? Didn’t he have a relationship with him? Didn’t Peter remember all the experiences they had together - all that Jesus did for him and others?”

And then, I have to pause and realize I also have done this. When I have a decision to make and I choose the thing that does not demonstrate that I know Jesus. Or when I know I am being prompted to call someone, to reach out or to serve in a specific way and I choose instead to sit on my couch and watch TV. Maybe, it is when I snap at someone or say something that is not reflective of the Lord I know in my heart.

During all of those times, I am denying that I know Jesus. I am sure there are many moments during the day when I am shouting “Denied!” by my behavior or thoughts. And people see. They take note because after all, I call myself a disciple.

I am no different than Peter. In my world full of people watching, I make mistakes too. The only difference is someone isn’t writing it down and publishing it for all the world to see. Another thing that is the same in my life, in our lives, as in Peter’s, Jesus still forgives. He still says “Do you love me? Then come, feed my sheep. Take care of my kids. You have a job to do.” Praise God for that!

Who Should We Talk About?

I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. Psalm 16:7 (NLT)

I don’t know about you but lately, I’ve been waking up a lot in the middle of the night. I don’t normally do this but in the last few weeks it seems to be a thing. For a while, I was praying and asking God to help me go back to sleep. And ask each moment went by, I got more and more frustrated.

Mostly, I woke up the next day tired and annoyed.

But then I started thinking “OK, if I am going to be awake, what do you want to talk about?” This turned into “Who do you want to talk about?” I would wake up, lay there for a minute and ask God who he wanted to talk about and names would pop into my head. I spent these moments (sometimes longer) praying for someone.

Honestly, I find this totally amazing. The names that pop into my head are random. Sometimes they are people I know and am in relationship with. Sometimes, I know what to pray about. Sometimes, they are people I haven’t seen in many years and I have no clue. But I pray anyway.

I’ve also had people tell me that God has placed me on their heart. I absolutely love this. I love that God is prompting me to pray for people and prompting people to pray for me. I love that God wants to talk to us about each other so we can wield the strongest weapon we have at our disposal. Prayer.

Do you want to know what else I find amazing in all this? After I pray for them, I go back to sleep, perfectly at peace.

God is alive and well, taking care of his kids. If you happen to wake up in the middle of the night, ask God who he wants to talk about? And then do it! It’s probably the only time you should engage in talking about people!

Teach Them

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)

Over Thanksgiving, we had a lot of family around. We gathered one evening for a meal and were called together to pray. I was holding my great-niece (that makes me a great aunt!). As we stood in a circle and bowed our heads, I looked at her out of the corner of my eye.

She was tilting her head, straining to see around me and was looking at all the adults praying. She was so curious to see what everyone was doing. Now, I know she’s seen people pray before and I know she is being taught to pray but can you imagine what she was learning from watching this?

Was she looking at her extended family giving thanks to God and filing it away? Was she curious that everyone was joining in on this activity? Was she somewhere in her mind filing away that we bow before our Creator God and give thanks? Was she becoming aware that her family believes in giving thanks to Jesus?

As I pondered this, I remembered the today’s Bible verse and one other.

18 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 20 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. Deuteronomy 11:18-21 (NLT)

Teach them in with your words but more importantly, in your actions and in every single thing you do. Teach them. They watch everything we do and will learn more from our actions than from anything else.

For Everything

Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (HCSB)

This morning, I woke up feeling a little overwhelmed by a “thing” that is in my life. I decided, since it was Thanksgiving, I was going to sit down and write a list of everything I was thankful for. As I started to write, I quickly realized, there was no way I could get this list done in one sitting. There were too many people, too many events, too many ways God speaks. It was an amazing moment.

Then, I decided that since I wasn’t going to be able to write it down, I would say it. Today, I am going to tell everyone I see that I am thankful for them.

You try it. What are you thankful for today? Even if there is a trouble in your life, there are still things to be thankful for. Write it down. And then, share the love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Different Day - Different Mercy

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3;22-23 (ESV)

As we enter into the Thanksgiving season, I’ve been thinking of things I am thankful for. One of them is relayed in this text.

Think about it. God’s mercies are new every morning. This word chadash is defined as new, new thing, fresh. I personally am really happy about this. Some mornings, I need mercies because I am grumpy and not being considerate of other people. Some mornings, I am way too busy and distracted and don’t do what God is asking me to do. Other days, I am worrying and not trusting God for things I know he is going to handle (because he promises he will.)

Each day when I open my eyes, I will need a new, fresh, different mercy than I did the day before. Each day, I will need to be forgiven differently than previous days (or even hours.) Great is his faithfulness.

Every moment of every day we receive his mercy. We receive his unconditional love and his grace. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. It is a gift.  

This stretches my mind and leans heavily into my heart. It produces gratitude and love. This is definitely something for which I give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!