Category: God’s grace in Christ

None of us know what Mary felt, but Scripture says it was something like this:

The day began like every other day.

Then out of nowhere a radiant being stood before me and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Somehow I knew it was an angel, yet why would an angel come to me? I was a poor young woman who lived in lowly Nazareth.

The angel said, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."

I could make no sense of it, but as I felt my heart warm within me I knew it must be true.

"How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God . . . For nothing is impossible with God."

I could say nothing but "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Suddenly I was alone again and my heart brimmed over with wonder and joy.

But … What will I tell Joseph?

Joseph! My precious Joseph, my betrothed. As was the custom, we were waiting out our year of betrothal before we came together as husband and wife.

What would Joseph say when he found out? What would he do?

A shiver of fear ran down my spine. He could accuse me in front of the elders and have me flogged in the public square. I would be disgraced. Alone.

No, I and this child would live in disgrace.

I sat a long time, pondering. Praying. Crying. I swung from joy to sadness and back to joy, over and over again.

At last I resolved to trust the Lord, no matter what

As any other man would be, Joseph was stunned to find out I was pregnant. Finally he said he cared too much for me to see me judged. That dear, righteous man would quietly seek a divorce.

Not long after, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

Joseph believed! Neither of us really understood, but we believed

How, I cannot say, but we knew it had to be true that God chose Joseph and me to be part of his miracle in sending his only son to earth.

Joseph took me to his home. We already had agreed not to come together as husband and wife until after God's Son was born.

Just as I feared, the townspeople whispered about the child I was carrying. The men called Joseph a fool, but he paid them no mind. He became my protector and my support.

The months went by.

Then Emperor Caesar Augustus decreed a census must be taken of the entire Roman world

Caesar ruled his Empire with an iron fist, so we had no choice. Joseph and I both belonged to the line of David, so we must travel from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, and then to Bethlehem, the city of David.

Oh, the misery of that journey! I knew God's Son would be born soon. Whether I walked or rode on the donkey, I felt every jolt, every rock, every rut in the road.

Toward the end I did not think I could go on and I held my aching belly as I walked. We were close to Bethlehem when I felt a sharp pain down low. I knew my time to give birth would be soon.

Yet we had no place to stay.

Joseph searched the town, pounding on doors, frantically inquiring of innkeepers. There were no rooms, not anywhere. At last one kind man took pity and told us we could stay in his stable.

A stable for God's Son?

At least we would be out of the cold night air and have a bit of privacy. The innkeeper lent us a small oil lamp. We watched its light dance and flicker on the rough walls and listened to the soft sounds of the animals.

Joseph did what he could. He spread out a garment for me and helped me lie down on it. My swollen feet throbbed and my whole body ached.

We had only the warmth–and the smell–of the animals. Only our love for each other.

Only the waiting for God's Son to be born.

Then my labor pangs began in earnest, quickly growing stronger. Joseph stayed by my side, his eyes filling with tears as he stroked my forehead and tenderly whispered my name, over and over. I hear him still: Mary. Mary …

Then the urge to push grew stronger. With one final push and a long sigh my labor was over.

God's Son, the Savior, the long-awaited Messiah, was born!

As I looked into my baby's face I wondered what the future might hold for him. Then I wrapped him in soft cloths I brought with me and held him.

After awhile I laid the Child on top of the fresh hay Joseph had spread in the manger. It was the cleanest place in that cattle barn.

We never could have imagined what would come next. A group of shepherds burst into the stable. They went right to the manger and gazed down at Jesus. Then they bowed down in worship.

Their faces glowed.

As if they already knew who he was

After awhile they told us what brought them to the manger. They were guarding their sheep out on the Bethlehem hills as usual.

Suddenly everything around them shone so bright they fell to the ground. Then an angel appeared and said, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Before they could speak a word the sky filled with a great company of angels, all of them singing and praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men."

Just as suddenly the angels were gone. The shepherds could hardly contain themselves. One said, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this wonderful thing!"

So they abandoned their sheep and ran as fast as they could to find the Savior, Christ the Lord, there in that lowly manger just as the angel told them.

Why were any of us surprised?

Centuries before Jesus was born there lived a prophet of God named Isaiah. He foretold that a virgin would be with child and give birth to a son who would be called Immanuel, which means, "God with us."

I never stopped thanking God for choosing me to be part of that glorious night.

Still, to my dying day I wondered how it could be that one night God stepped into our world and almost no one paid attention.

_________________________________

Dear reader friends,

To read the best-known account of Christ's birth, turn to Luke 2:1-20 in the Bible.

Nothing has changed: Jesus is God with us. All who believe in him as Lord and Savior are forgiven for every sin and will live eternally. (John 3:16-17)

Thank you for reading my blog. I pray each of you will have JOY in Jesus this Christmas–and throughout every day of the year ahead!

With love,

Lenore

Looking at the first Christmas through Mary’s eyes

December 13, 2023
If someone asked, "Tell me about you and your life," how would you answer?

We all have a mental picture of who we are.

Maybe we lost track of where it came from but we're used to it and it feels like fact. Every moment this inner picture either lifts us up or drags us down.

Our thoughts–and our words–can hem us in or set us free.

Does that sound like an exaggeration? Take a listen

Sometime back a popular radio talk show host announced the day's topic: "Are you a victim?"

He introduced his guest, a professional counselor, and then opened the phone lines. One of the first callers was "Rita," whose tears kept interrupting her story

"Am I a victim? Absolutely! Last fall I was beaten up and raped. That attacker ruined my life!"

Asked about her family or friends, Rita replied they kept trying to reach her and her fiancé still wanted to marry her.

"I don't want to see any of them!" she sobbed. "Everyone just feels sorry for me, so I don't go out. Anywhere. With anyone.

"They tell me I'm depressed, but why wouldn't I be? My life was good and I had a happy future planned with the man I love. Now I know I will never be the same. I can't ever be the same.

"Once you become a rape victim it changes everything."

"Mindy" called next

She said, "I was raped, too, by a neighbor I thought I could trust. That horror followed years of my stepfather molesting me.

"Like your last caller, I saw myself as a victim. I lashed out at anyone who came near me and kept asking, 'Why me?' Night and day I hugged my pain around me and inside, I shivered in misery.

"After a long time I realized I had lost myself. When I thought of myself as 'the victim,' I locked out everything and everybody. I decided I didn't want to live like that anymore, so I searched out a good counselor and worked on building a new life. A better life.

"I want to say to the woman who just called, it's true you never will forget what happened. But you decide what you will do with this experience.

"You can rename it, like, call it a pothole in the road you were on. Everyone has those. Hitting a bump in the road can give you a bad jolt and leave you shaken, but it doesn't have to stop you in your journey–unless you let it.

"I hope you can hear me. I know your pain, I really do because I've been there. I came to understand that I was choosing to see myself as injured. Damaged. Powerless.

"Forgive me, I know this sounds harsh, but that awful man did not make you a victim. You are doing that all by yourself."

Could there be meaning for our lives?

Here's my number one takeaway:

In every situation, how we think and speak of ourselves not only impacts our lives, but can determine our lives.

Once we plug that into our thinking it can help us deal with whatever comes.

Whatever the reason, we all have times we feel unworthy and unlovable. Some of us ache with regrets over past or current failures or problems we can't fix.

Some of us loved and counted on a person who let us down in some way. Some of us constantly replay hurtful conversations that haunt us. Some of us got a raw deal from an employer or a co-worker and can't let go of the injustice.

Whatever is on our personal list, here's the truth in all of it: All these circumstances are the ordinary stuff of life.

Simply put, life can be hard. How do we live with the day-to-day?

Always, the same truth applies

We get to choose how we label–and view–our lives. And ourselves. Every. Single. Time.

We can stay in the "pity pit" and be stuck with its lousy view. We can vow to trust no one ever again, as a way to protect ourselves.

We can put up emotional walls against being wounded, essentially living as loners, even within a marriage.

Or–and I know this may sound too simple–we can dig deep and decide to leave our heavy load behind, with the One who knows our everything and loves us still:

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed … There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus … "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

John 8:36, Romans 8:1, John 14:27 -ESV

Millions of believers around the world know that no other way brings real inner peace

Faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior gives us a new identity: "Child of God, Washed Clean and Set Free by Jesus."

This identity cancels out harmful labels, whatever they may be. It enables us to let go of what weighs us down and to finally be at peace. With God. With ourselves. And with the people in our lives.

It's as Jesus said to his followers in John 14:27:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Praying for you, my reader friend,

Lenore

How Do You See Yourself?

December 1, 2023
Every one of us runs out of optimism and hope once in awhile.

Or is it just me?

I remember one day of despair as vividly as yesterday. Warm sun coaxed forth spring blossoms and leaves on all sides and life was good, yet that day I couldn't see it or feel it–and I couldn't have told you why.

I drove home along a beautiful tree-lined boulevard, glad no one could hear me screaming.

At God. The same God I've loved and trusted since childhood. The One who said in Scripture his plans for us are good, plans to give us hope and a future. Right then He seemed cold and distant and I felt abandoned–and guilty for even thinking that way.

Do you ever have times like that?

That's why Easter matters 365 days of the year

Easter means we don't have to beat up on ourselves because we blew it. Or questioned. (Or screamed at God.)

How can that be true? Because Jesus paid for all our failures on the cross.

That's not all. He conquered Satan–the devil, the author of despair and failure–when He rose from the dead.

What's more, Jesus came back to earth and showed himself to His followers several times, fully alive and fully human, as all four
Gospel writers recount for us. These sorrowing believers touched His human flesh and were overwhelmed with rejoicing. He walked with them and talked with them and ate regular food with them. Jesus' presence transformed their depression and fear into joy and renewed faith.

Because of Easter you and I can have hope, even in our lowest moments.

Because of Easter God will never turn away from us when we get discouraged or feel we've let down everyone we love.

On our dark days we can clutch onto these promises from Scripture and hold them close to our hearts:

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life… Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. -Romans 5:1, John 3:16, Rom. 5:5:8

It's not about how good we are or whether we checked all the boxes. The Good News of Easter is that when we believe in Jesus as our Savior, God looks at us through Jesus and sees us as if we were perfect, like His only Son.

It is all because of Jesus that our Heavenly Father counts us worthy of love, no matter what.

Even "heroes of faith" sometimes get discouraged

The Apostle Paul often is labeled this way because of all the suffering he endured in his life. Yet he was human. Just like you and me, he asked God, "Why?"

For example, he pleaded repeatedly with God to take away his "thorn in the flesh," that mystery problem or medical condition that dogged him.

Each time God answered, "No."

Paul could have given up in despair, but he responded this way:

But [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." -2 Corinthians 12:9

Whatever it was, that "thorn" troubled Paul all through his life. Every day Paul counted on the Lord's strength, not his own, to get him through.

Paul's humble, teachable spirit enabled the Holy Spirit to use him to spread the Gospel widely and with power. We call Paul's letters "Epistles" and they constitute 14 of the 27 books in the New Testament. We believers still count them precious.

Doesn't this prove that God will not turn away from us if we dare to ask, "Why, God?" Or when we sometimes give in to despair?

Easter means we don't have to stay stuck in our pit of gloom

His grace is sufficient for you and me, too. In our times of weakness we can count on God's promises and by faith, find courage and strength to go on.

Many of us know by experience how these words of Paul still bring strength, whether we say them in our minds or aloud–as often as needed:

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. -Philippians 4:13

Easter is our guarantee that we are not abandoned. Easter is our reason for hope and our comfort in despair.

It's all because the tomb was empty

Our pastor makes sure even the young children know that. Every Sunday when they come forward for the children's message, he asks, "How do we know Jesus loves us?"

Somebody always says, "'Cuz He died on the cross for us."

"Did Jesus stay dead?"

They always answer with a shout, "NO! He rose from the grave! He's alive!"

Then he asks the kids, "So where is Jesus now"

With one voice they answer, "He's in our hearts! He lives in our hearts!"

That's exactly what Jesus told His followers when He came back to be with them for just a little while. Here's Matthew 28:20:

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

He is alive! Now. With us, living in our hearts. We're not in this mess alone and despite our failings, he never gives up on us. Never. Never.

Let's consider that light for our dark days!

My friend, may you know the truth of the Apostle Paul's words. They are Truth for you and for me still today–and every day.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Lenore

*"B.C." cartoon by the late, great Johnny Hart

Let the Light Shine in Your Heart Every Day

April 5, 2023
Some time ago I wondered aloud to a wise friend about what makes each of us–and our kids–tick?

Her "Mayberry" answer came quickly. "Well, nobody does nuthin' for nuthin'–even kids."

Was that poor grammar? Sure, but don't miss the truth of it.  Every one of us, no matter our age, always has a reason for what we do–even when we don't admit it to ourselves:

We expect to get some kind of payoff

If you want to see that principle lived out, simply observe a young child in action.

Nobody has to teach youngsters how to go after what they want. They're experts at it. After all, they have lots of time to study the grownups around them and figure out what works.

I watched one skilled practitioner in The Art of Getting What I Want the day I was stuck in the returns line of a local store behind a mom and her daughter, age 4 or 5.

The bored little girl announced she wanted a toy perched atop the "Put Back" cart.

Mommy says "No," so the child begs and gets refused each time. Then she throws a classic hissy fit.

Mommy stands firm: "No! You heard me. No!"

Little Darling screams, "But I WANT it!"

Mommy refuses to budge, so out come the tears and wails. Still no results.

Then comes the charm blitz. Sobbing, the preschooler sidles up to her mother and hangs on to her leg. "P-l-e-a-s-e, Mommy, Darling? Pretty please with sugar on it?"

Mommy sighs, then says to the clerk in a resigned tone, "Just add it to the other stuff. Okay?"

Turning to her daughter, she says, "Now this is absolutely the last time! Do you hear me?"

At which this small master manipulator flashes a big grin to all of us, then skips around in circles until Mommy finishes.

Tactics become more subtle by adolescence and adulthood

Over the years we become more careful and diplomatic but we still do what we do for some kind of reward:

To get what we want–or to get our own way

Because we like the feeling of "winning"

To make us look good in someone's eyes

Because we hope it will strengthen a relationship

We believe in what we're doing. Whatever the cost, we think the end result will be worth what we put into it

Motivation toward a goal or benefit is not wrong, it's just part of being human. To keep this principle in the back of our minds helps us to understand ourselves and others.

If this sounds new and strange to you just let it simmer in the back of your mind. Some time later you may replay recent interactions with other people. You may have an aha moment and gain new clarity into an interaction that puzzled you.

Self-honesty is hard, I know, but take it to the bank: Always, always, always, there is some kind of benefit in what we do–even if it's just self-satisfaction.

For some, a negative payoff can feel "right"

Perhaps you worry about someone who over and over seems to fall for a person who doesn't treat them well. You and everyone who cares remain baffled as to why.

Or you may know an individual who repeatedly starts afresh and seems on the way to succeeding. Then this person messes up and has to start over, again and again and again.

Why?

Counselors say it often traces back to messages they picked up as children such as: "You're no good." "You'll never make anything of yourself. You're a loser." "You're such a disappointment to me."

These individuals may unconsciously sabotage their efforts in order to make those predictions work. For them failure feels like a kind of success because it reinforces what they've always "known" about themselves. "A-ha! I always knew I was a loser and didn't deserve to be happy."

Once again they settle back into familiar territory. It's what they've always known of themselves and feels somehow comfortable.

What about the rest of us?

It's not childish to want and need some kind of reward, but we don't always get it. Then what do we do?

Ever thrown a pity party for yourself and decided comfort could be found in a hot fudge sundae, even though you were on a diet?

Ever nursed the feeling you do everything for everybody, but no one even notices? One day you come home with shopping bags–for yourself–and wonder why.

Ever picked a fight with your husband (or wife) just to get some kind of attention because you were tired of them being wrapped up in their stuff and ignoring you?

We're more like kids than we want to admit.

Finding a better way

We human beings never will have absolutely pure motives. As the Bible tells us, we are sinners, flawed and imperfect:

As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; Romans 3:10

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8

But God didn't leave us there.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Romans 5:1-2

We remain fully human and we fail even ourselves, but we don't have to drag around a load of guilt. Because we're forgiven in Jesus we can leave our messes at His cross and be free of old, negative patterns. Because we belong to Jesus we are secure in God's love.

Now that's somethin' that really means somethin'!

Rejoicing with you,

Lenore
Here’s a help in understanding people

August 19, 2022
What an odd mixture of Easter symbols we have in America…and probably all over the world. Bunnies, butterflies, baby chicks, eggs, flowers and green grass, chocolates in foil wrappings.

And once in awhile, a picture of a man hanging on a wooden cross.

But hey, isn't Easter really all about Spring and everything greening up, blooming, growing?

No, not really.

The deeper meaning of Easter

Easter traces back to the life and death of a man called Jesus, who was impaled on a wooden cross on a hill outside Jerusalem.

Heavy nails had been pounded through his hands and his feet. Blood trickled down his face, the intended result from Roman soldiers twisting together some thorny branches to make a crown, then pressing it down on his head.

Blood seeped from the wounds on his back, too, the result of being mercilessly whipped by soldiers with leather whips that featured bits of bone and rock imbedded on the ends.

Onlookers moaned and wept to see the suffering of this man.

But the story doesn't end there

Jesus said little during the nine hours he spent on the cross. Near the end, he cried out in a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:45)

Not long after, once again he called out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

At this point, for one who had been hanging on the cross for nine hours to be able to say anything in a loud voice was remarkable. A few breaths more and Jesus gave up his life as a human being.

One of Jesus' followers found courage to ask permission to take down Jesus' body from the cross before sundown and Roman rulers permitted it. So Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish ruling council, took it down, then wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a new tomb cut in stone. The women at the cross followed and saw where Jesus' body was laid.

Then because sundown ushered in the Sabbath, they hurried home so they could observe it properly.

The sad day Jesus died became known as "Good Friday," because it led up to Easter

Early on Sunday morning followers of Jesus went to his grave, ready to embalm his body properly. They pondered how they could move the heavy stone Roman guards set in place to block the entrance, then sealed it around the edges with sealing wax. What's more, Pilate, the Roman ruler, had told the soldiers to stand guard, day and night.

They tried to think how they could manage those barriers.

Matthew 28 tells us when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrived at the tomb there was a violent earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled back the stone, then sat on it. The Roman guards were so afraid of him that they shook and passed out.

When these grieving friends looked into the tomb they saw it was empty, with only the cloth death-wrappings left behind.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid…He is not here; he has risen, just as he said…Go quickly and tell his disciples…"

What could this mean?

Who could know what it meant to "rise from the dead?" Every person alive, now or then, knows that dead means dead.

They hurried away from the tomb, headed for Galilee. Then suddenly (Matthew 28:9) Jesus himself stood before them and said, "Greetings."

Filled with joy, they clasped his feet and worshiped him. Jesus said, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

They could not explain it, but Jesus did not stay dead. This was not a ghost, not a spirit, this truly was Jesus, their friend and teacher.

Jesus, fully human, born of Mary, was–and is–true God, as well

Now his followers saw and touched the same loved friend they had watched die on the cross, very much alive and in the flesh. He spoke with them. He ate with them. How could this be?

Jesus told them again how much he loved them and promised they would receive power to carry on his ministry. How would this happen? Through the power of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promised to send them. (And he did, just read the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament.)

Even today, the same indwelling Holy Spirit lives within the hearts of everyone who believes what the Bible says and trusts in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Maybe you're reading this and thinking, "Says who? Why should I take your word for anything?"

Please don't. Check it out for yourself. Pick up a Bible and read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. (Don't miss John 3:16-17.) They all tell the story of Jesus and his life.

Each Gospel has a slightly different "flavor," since each was transcribed by a different individual. Matthew and Luke begin with his birth. Each one winds up with the sequence of events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his resurrection.

It's worth reading the book of Romans, too, especially chapter 8, verses 1-4 and also verse 31 to the end of the chapter.

How could one sum up the Easter story? John's Gospel, Chapter 3:16-17 lays it all out for us:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Are you looking for a more modern explanation?

One I think says it well goes something like this:

Jesus had to be true man, because God cannot die for the sins of the world. God cannot die for any reason. He is eternal, without beginning and without end.

Jesus had to be true God because man cannot forgive sins or pay the price of sin for the world. Only God.

So what's the big deal about Easter? Just this: New life for the world. New life for each of us–eternally–free for the taking.

Look around. Every new leaf, every bud and bloom, points back to the Source of life that never ends: Jesus Christ.

All it costs is taking Jesus at his word.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Romans 10:10.

Life. To the full. Now and eternally. For me, that's the real meaning of Easter, because Jesus' resurrection proved the truth of what he said about himself. Now, there's reason to celebrate!

May you know for yourself the peace and joy that Easter's real meaning brings,

Lenore

Will the real meaning of Easter please stand up?

April 7, 2022
It's the season when it's way too easy to go overboard–and justify it–as we tell ourselves we "just want Christmas to be perfect."

Or we want to be sure our children have lots of happy memories of Christmas.

What does that mean, exactly? Whose standard are we trying to live up to?

However we answer, a lot of us keep trying–and feeling we're failing. Or almost getting it "right." When we fall behind we get the guilts. Then we try even harder.

Here's the problem: Even if we succeed in every detail–outwardly–this frenzy of "doing" can steal away what matters most: The heart of Christmas. The wonder and the joy of remembering again that Jesus is the reason for this happy season, just as it was foretold centuries before:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

If you're a fellow stumbler, here's some food for thought

It's my variation on a familiar theme:

If I decorate every corner of my home with glittery baubles, strings of lights and evergreen roping, but have no love, I am just another interior decorator.

If I stay up until 2 am making fudge and bake 15 different kinds of Christmas cookies, if I fix gourmet meals that make me proud and serve them on a table fitted with burning candles and special china, but snarl at my family, I am just another cook.

If I gather toys for tots and canned goods for food baskets, help decorate the Christmas tree at church and always drop in a few dollars when I pass a Salvation Army red kettle, even write checks to every charity, without love it profits me nothing.

If I insist on a living Christmas tree decorated with "natural" materials instead of baubles, if I sing with the choir and loudly proclaim, "Merry Christmas!" to one and all, but forget that Christmas is all about Jesus Christ, I am empty.

Love smiles at the child whose mom is wrapped up in her cell phone and stoops to wish a Merry Christmas to the lonely individual in a wheelchair or walker.

Love waits patiently while the next customer and the checker chat endlessly, then smiles at the clerk.

Love does not remind her husband that the guy down the street once again wins the annual "Best House on the Block" contest.

Love looks at the teenager wearing earphones and tattered jeans with eyes that take the long view, offers a smile instead of scorn and focuses on potential yet to unfold.

Love stops to listen and to hug, even when there's no time.

Love does not complain about what's missing, but thanks God for what is.

Love gives without expecting a return. Love endures through whatever comes.

As for styles, they will change. This year's trendy best-seller will be next year's white elephant. Human knowledge will be disputed, disproven and surpassed. Today's new discovery will become tomorrow's joke.

Only faith, hope and love remain. But the greatest gift of all is love.

Based (loosely) on 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13

Maybe as you read through that listing you decided you really don't know how to love. Here's a bit of comfort: Most of us miss the mark.

Let's take another look at what Christmas means

New beginnings. For anyone. No matter what kind of "stuff" lies in our past.

That is possible only because Love that goes way beyond all human understanding was born that long-ago night in that Bethlehem stable.

Take time to read aloud the Gospel of Luke, chapter two, and read it thoughtfully. Let its beautiful words flow over you and comfort your spirit.

Gather your loved ones and go to church together. Sing familiar–and new–Christmas songs guaranteed to lift your heart.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

   1 John 4, verse 9

As for a Christmas decorating theme, turn to the one that never grows old: Love

Why not give yourself a gift? Let go of trying to measure up. (Feel your shoulders relaxing?)

Let go of whatever gets in the way of giving yourself to the people you love.

Take time to listen–and to lift someone else's heart by letting them know they matter to you. All it takes is a sentence or two, sharing a memory or an overdue thank-you to one who showed you kindness. (Wouldn't you treasure such a note even more than the most beautiful commercial Christmas card?)

These are the raw materials that go into laying down memories of happy Christmases. The people. The love. The laughter. Trust me, these will live on way into the future.

May your home and your heart be flooded and filled to overflowing with fresh new love. May you rest in the love of Jesus, born so long ago, yet with us today. Love that never fails.

How is this possible?

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

This is all we need to leave "frazzled" behind and be free!

Here's to merry getting ready to celebrate Christ-mas!

Growing still,

Lenore

If you’re feeling frazzled, get a lift here

December 11, 2021
Have you ever stood at the beach just after dawn and been mesmerized by what seems an endless expanse of sand?

Ever been the first one to leave footprints?

That's a perfect picture of each day you and I live.

The hours stretch before us…

Unsullied.

Untouched.

Ours to explore and enjoy.

Ours to revel in and rejoice in and give thanks for.

Here's a simple way to get your day off to a better start. Right away, as soon as you wake up, get your mind in gear by speaking this simple-but-profound verse aloud:

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 ESV

Sometimes the dawn feels like a rescue

How many times have you sat up with a sick family member longed for morning?

How often have you said to someone, "It will be a better day tomorrow. Just wait for morning."

Somehow everything looks brighter, fresher, more hopeful in the light of a new day, doesn't it?

We realize again the truth of Psalm 30:5b:

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. KJV

Whatever is going on–or not going on–how shall we live?

With the fresh vision of morning let's take a reading of our life. Situations and relationships that looked one way yesterday may appear different in the new day.

Vow to fix your thoughts on joy, not gloom.

Dwelling on what's wrong in our world and with other people is like hanging heavy weights around our necks. Venting our frustrations to others in person or over social media only adds to the load we drag around.

So what are we supposed to do with our emotions?

In good times or hard times, we can't do better than to follow the timeless wisdom of a Christian poet and preacher, Joseph Scriven. In 1885 he wrote a poem that became the lyrics to one of the best-known hymns of Christianity, "What a Friend we have in Jesus."

Here's verse two–and doesn't it fit our troubled times?

Have we trials and temptations?
  Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
  Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
  Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
  Take it to the Lord in prayer.

That hymn verse echoes Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. NIV

We're never alone and never on our own

There's a way to be calm and joyful in the midst of whatever comes. We remind ourselves who we are and Whose we are. We lock those truths in our minds and in our hearts by reading and studying the Bible.

Some folks think the Bible is outdated. Old-fashioned. They say our society is "more advanced" and we're more enlightened, so we've "moved beyond simplistic thinking."

Here's what Jesus said in Matthew 25:35:

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.  NIV

Turn away from know-it-all newscasters and turn to God's Word

Reading the Bible and prayer help us understand deep-down in our bones that Jesus is for real and that He loves us.

Loved us enough to willingly give up His life to pay for our sins so that all who believe already possess eternal life.

This is not something we must qualify for or earn by our good deeds. Rather, this is God's gift.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. NIV

What better way to greet each new day than with the Lord?

He's the only one who knows what's ahead of us and who can strengthen us for each challenge.

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.   Psalm 143:8 ESV

If we want to change our outlook we need to change what we feed our hearts and minds. Bible verses like that can be heart-lifters for every day IF we let them.

I'm praying for you, my friends. May you greet each new day with JOY, the joy of Jesus!

Blessings,

Lenore

What a gift! Every morning we step into a fresh new day

January 8, 2020
If Messiah fills the air waves and our arms are getting sore

    From the Christmas cards we've written, but we've still a whole lot more,

    Yet we're feeling jolly, hanging lights and holly on the door,

    The secret's out, there is no doubt, it's Christmas time once more.

If the family's acting funny and we're fuming just a bit

    While we're hunting for the bunting that will surely be a hit,

    Christmas shopping has us hopping, we're about to lose our wits,

    And the object that's a project has turned out to be the pits.

If we have no whammy bunting, only clammy hands and sighs

    'Cause we're sick of spending money. Isn't funny, isn't wise.

    So we go into a huddle, still we muddle, agonize,

    While our dreams of finding "perfect" self-destruct before our eyes.

If we'll pitch the lists and flowcharts, let our hearts start thinking small,

    No more reading. What we're needing won't be found within a Mall.

    All the best stuff is the real stuff. Nothing changes, after all,

    It's still love that makes gifts matter, 'spite of chattter in the hall.

So at Christmas time and all the time, this wish comes from my heart:

    May great joy reign, May all your pain and all your stress depart,

    And may every day be one you say, "I cannot wait to start!"

   Then at day's end, let Christ, our friend, speak peace deep in your heart:

(Jesus said) "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; For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. –Isaiah 9:6

So . . . Merry Christ-mas to you and yours! May your heart be filled with JOY because you know the Babe in the Manger came for you–to be your Friend and to set you right with God.

Lovingly,

Lenore



It’s Christmas time once more! (with apologies to all you poets)

December 20, 2017
Life is fragile.

Every breath we take is a gift.

That's the refrain that drummed in my mind when I saw the photos and heard the story of US Airways Flight 1549, the one that ended up in the Hudson River January 15, 2009.

Did you hear it, too?

But for the grace of God … you or I could have been one of the people standing on a wing of that sinking US Airways jet. Or it could have been someone we love, icy water swirling around their legs and their lips turning blue.

A couple members of our family fly often in connection with their work and all of us fly now and then. That day I knew every one of our family members was on the ground. I breathed a silent Thank You, Lord!, feeling a bit guilty for being so self-involved.

But for the grace of God … that plane, bound from New York to Charlotte, N.C., would have been flying over mountainous terrain or a less-inhabited area, with rescue equipment miles away.

Instead … they hit that huge flock of Canadian geese while they were still close to New York, which, since 9/11 has in place elaborate rescue plans and trained public employees for every type of emergency.

But for the grace of God … a less-experienced pilot would have been flying that plane.

Instead … it was Capt. Chesley Sullenberger. "Sully" graduated from the Air Force Academy and flew eight years for the USAF as a combat pilot. He had studied how cockpit crews react in a crisis and is a certified glider pilot.

By the grace of God … Sullenberger made the right split-second decision. He turned the engineless plane around, gliding safely down over the Hudson River. Volunteers from boats that "happened" to be close by worked together with rescue personnel.

Instead … of drowning, passengers and crew were rescued within minutes. They're alive and, as one said when interviewed, "I will never take life for granted again."

By the grace of God …

Every passenger and crew member on US Airways Flight 1549 survived.

I can't tell you what was in cartoonist Rex Babin's mind when he drew this cartoon. Could it have been this verse?

The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. –Deuteronomy 33:27

By the grace of God …

You and I woke up this morning.

    And the morning before this one.

        And the morning before that.

Not one of us possesses a guarantee we'll be here tomorrow, or even at the end of this day.

So why waste our time focusing on the "if onlys" of life?

Or get hung up on the woulda/shoulda/couldas?

Why bother to nurse hurt feelings or grudges?

Rather, let's appreciate the people in our lives and the good things all around us. Let's make the most of who we are and of every day we're given.

By the grace of God … you and I live and move and have our being.

    Life is a gift.

    Every breath we take is a gift.

    The eternal God is our refuge and underneath are His everlasting arms.

For more, anytime you find yourself feeling fearful or all alone, turn to Psalm 139 and read the first eighteen verses. Let those beautiful words wash into your heart and your spirit.

Peace to you, my friend,

Lenore
Lessons from the “miracle on the Hudson”

September 14, 2016
Another Thanksgiving Day is upon us, a day to count our blessings and thank the Giver.

Yet the news is filled with terrorist acts. We're more likely to be counting our reasons to feel anxious than reasons to celebrate what's good.

As always, it's all about our perspective.

Picture that first Thanksgiving in 1621. Late the previous autumn the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, MA, with 102 people. Now only 50 adults remained alive. The original group included 18 adult women, but only four lived to see that first Thanksgiving.

Yet those survivors set aside a day to give thanks to God.

It's the same today as at that first Thanksgiving. Having a thankful heart has nothing to do with abundance. Or with everything going just right in our lives.

The Pilgrims knew the real "why" for giving thanks and we can, too.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting. –Psalm 118:29 (NASB)

Gratitude flows from remembering the Giver

Here's a new twist on how to keep track of our blessings.

I heard an interview with a man who works with recovering alcoholics and their families. He passed on one practice that has worked well with his clients. It can benefit you and me, too.

It's a simple process: Keep gratitude lists for our lives.

Keep one for each family member, one for work, one for school, etc. Use regular paper or sticky notes.

Look for things to be thankful for in each person and in each situation

Add to our list(s) whenever we notice something more

Reread our lists (or notes) frequently

Notice how our awareness and sense of gratitude grows

The counselor said even troubled people in hard circumstances found their point-of-view changed. Although everything in their lives might stay the same, these individuals became happier and more contented.

He said writing down how we're blessed is effective it helps us learn that rich or poor, married or single, our happiness is our own responsibility.

Using sticky notes to affirm others

We can help each other along by being encouragers. Sometimes we find it easier to compliment "outsiders" than our own family members.

No flowery speeches needed. Just a few words on a sticky note can break down barriers:

"Thanks for making your bed."

"I'm so glad I'm married to you!"

"Thanks for letting your brother go first."

"Great report card!"

You get the picture.

Taking it one step further

Another speaker suggested sticky notes can help break bad habits and form new ones. She wrote reminders to herself and placed them around the house. Like "Remember your diet!" on her stash of chocolates.

Because she wanted to start being a more positive person, she wrote, "Smile!" on sticky notes. She stuck the little reminders on her bathroom mirror, on her computer screen, over the stove, in her car, etc.

Later she began writing favorite Bible passages on pieces of paper and Scotch-taping them around the house, every day a new one. She found it made a dramatic difference in her perspective on life.

I've done that, too, in a sort of disorganized fashion. Here are some of my favorite reassuring verses:

The joy of the LORD is your strength. –Nehemiah 8:10

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed. He remembers that we are dust.                                                                                          —Psalm 103 :13-14

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.                                                                                          –Psalm 46:1-2

The reason for thanks is because God is good

So good He offers us salvation through Jesus Christ:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. –John 3:16

Happy Thanks-giving–every day!

By the way, I give thanks for each of you who stop by for a visit now and then. Truly, I do.

Love,

Lenore
How sticky notes can raise your happiness level

November 24, 2015