I am pretty sure that we could all make lists of our regrets. I could quite easily start with my pencil back in elementary school and fill a page with stupid, foolish, and sinful things I did that I regret. Then I could move on to fill a couple of pages with junior high and high school, and then get a new notebook to start with the college years. And that would only be the stuff I remember.
But God intervened in my life in 1973, the summer after my junior year of college. Not that He had been absent all those years before. But He shed His Continue reading ‘The Regret Trap’
Happy New Year to you all! I love the fact that God loves new beginnings; otherwise, why would He give us creatures so many opportunities to start fresh? New mornings, new months, new seasons, new years. He is good.
And what would a New Year be without some resolutions to go with it? I have one resolution to recommend for 2012, and that is to find contentment. Contentment doesn’t change our circumstances, but it does change our hearts, which makes all our circumstances more comfortable. Our contentment does not lie in our circumstances, for if it did, we would only be able to be content when everything is going exactly as we like, which isn’t very often. Contentment is found in Christ, who will never leave us or forsake us. Contentment is found in submitting to God’s purposes and plans in our lives, even (or especially) when we don’t understand. Contentment is a way of exercising our faith.
So here are ten ways to apply contentment in 2012.
1. Be content with your story. That means your birth and upbringing, your parents and your siblings, even your ancestors. Own your people and be content that God has written all of them into your story. Don’t just be content with your story; love your story.
2. Be content with your condition. Are you married? Are you unmarried? Divorced? Widowed? Are you pregnant? Are you not pregnant? If there is sin involved, confess it. If you already have, don’t keep on confessing the same sins. Don’t waste time on regret because it is both Continue reading ‘New Year Contentment’
Yesterday’s sermon was on the theology of gift giving. It’s easy to slip into the expected Christmas rush with all the stress of shopping like a maniac and we can forget what it is we are doing. So here’s why we Christians can celebrate Christmas like no one else on the planet. We really do have a reason for all this.
First, the Magi brought Jesus gifts. And they brought Him expensive gifts. Matthew calls their gifts treasures. So gift-giving has always been associated with the story of the Incarnation.
Second, the overwhelming message of the New Testament is that God gives to us so that we Continue reading ‘Why do we give gifts anyway?’
A family is a lot like a church. After all, a mother has a little congregation at home, as my mother-in-law kindly pointed out to me long ago. “You have three in your congregation, three in your little Bible school.” It seemed like a pretty big congregation to me, but some of you mothers have two, three, and four times that number in yours.
Mothers of children, let me tell you something. You are like a pastor to your children. You must feed them like a good pastor does. You must know how each one is doing. Each and every one. You must make sure each child is receiving love and attention, that each feels loved as a special member of this family/congregation of yours. You must see that each one is washed and clothed and fed. And you must be available at all hours to minister to these little or big ones. You may not ignore them or put them off. The way you love and teach them is showing Continue reading ‘Shepherd Mothers’
Tonight is our kick-off for Advent, and out comes the Advent candle wreath with the four candles, one for each week until Christmas. It is also the night that I hand out the Christmas jammies to the grandkids. I know some of you save those for Christmas Eve, but my philosophy is to let them wear them for the month of Advent, so they can get nice and worn in and out for Christmas Eve. If I hit the sizes right, they’ll be wearing them till Easter!
But what about dinner? Who wants to cook a big meal two days after Thanksgiving? Who wants to eat a big meal two days after Thanksgiving? But it is Lizzy’s birthday as well as our first Sabbath in Advent. However, since she has always been a very flexible girl, she doesn’t mind something easy, so we are having sub sandwiches to celebrate her birthday and the first Sabbath of Advent. Think paper plates (festive red plastic ones) and the bright green Christmas oilcloth (with poinsettias all over it) to cover the table. Goodbye acorns and fall colors and hello red!
The idea with the Advent candle wreath is to light one candle tonight and let it burn through the whole celebration. Then next week I light that one first and then light the second one for week two, and so forth for four weeks. Then Christmas Day we light one in the middle.
Next week I’ll hand out the ornaments to each of the grandkids, and the following week….hmmmm….I haven’t gotten that far!
But a Merry Advent to you all! And Happy Birthday, Lizzy!
Recent Comments