Suppose with Rose

For with God nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:37

The past several days I have found myself fixed on the Earthly parents of Jesus. Not only their obedience but their confidence in that time. It means more than before. Though I am not yet sure the full message God would have me glean from this focus.

Joseph though of no blood relation to Jesus, is the vehicle of the promise. In this way Jesus was adopted.

The fact that Joseph accepted the girl with child, unashamedly, after convening with a messenger from God. I’m reminded that they did not yet have the Holy Spirit.

Then the young virgin Mary. After hearing she was to carry the son of God, rejoices.

Both parents ready and willing to carry Jesus with them. Neither asked why or tried to deny God and His will for their lives.

Prayer:

Gracious Heavenly Father, how wonderful You are.  I thank You that You are the God of details. Help me rest in Your word with confidence Lord.

She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:21 (NKJV)

So many years of my youth I yearned to experience a white Christmas. These days the idea of snow seems frightening. Almost as frightening as this world we live in. The following words make me feel warm among cold. Though I do not know how others will receive them. Enjoy!

Snowflake touched my soul. Did it melt? No Doubt. Soul meets blizzard. Did it make it out?

Snowflakes are unique. No two are the same. Gods creation too, us each known by name.

Water meets could air, perfect proportion. Holy Word meets flesh, sanctification.

Individual, free falling from high. Humbly seeking, why me Father, why?

Strength when together, almost drawn to be. Faithful fellowship, camaraderie.

Force pulls to the earth, gravity Gods grace. Satan controls skin, soul, flesh; face to face.

Fades away in time. Consistency calls. Though the when varies, flesh fails and falls.

Praise to you Father. How was I to know, You would show glory, in a flake of snow?

Prayer:

Thank You for Your Holiness. Your cover Lord, though scarlet upon its coming, shall be seen as white as snow.

 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 1Thessalonians 2:4 (NKJV)

Growing up Christmas was gifts, food, and family. Love was abundant, but the story of Jesus’ birth was softly spoken.

I had confused religious views.

I believed Jesus was indeed alive. He lived among innocent suffering. No child’s suffering was going to be on my behalf. I felt more than deserving of punishment. But if anyone was going to suffer consequence for my sin it would be me. I was so prideful.

Punishment was discipline. Discipline was love. Applying self-discipline was me loving me. I, with me and myself, had the power of my tomorrow.

I was a sinner living life without God. The Holy Spirit met me where I was in life and over time. Through Jesus Christ “sound” came to forgiveness.

My sound and story are unique by God’s design.

Now Christmas includes gifts, tree, and Santa. We set up nativities, sing Happy Birthday Jesus, read and share His story. Then we share our stories.

I’m a Christian. My voice brings sound to forgiveness.

Prayer:

Dear God, Thank You for all that is my life. As I speak of Your forgiveness may my voice be pleasing.

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Growing up my family was rich. Rich in love for one another. Rich in family ties. Rich in personality. Rich in just about every means except for money.

We lived in a single wide manufactured home. Two bedrooms. One bathroom. A living room. A kitchen. And about one hundred acres of land surrounding it.

At Christmas I had the best bed… my bed was in the living room the tree was always in my sight. I remember when I was five or so. I woke up to the door closing, there were presents under the tree and they had just shown up… I had been up not even an hour before and there weren’t any then. That had to be Santa leaving. I jumped up out of bed ran to the door and peered outside. I saw Santa. Sled, reindeer, and all running and taking off from the side of the hill.

“Wake up! Wake up!” I was a bit excited standing at the door with it wide open. “Santa was here and I saw him.”

“Whatever twerp.” My 11 year old brother was a bit less impressed than I was with the visitor.

“I did. I can proove it. His sleigh took off from the side of the hill. Comeon I will show you.”

Mom, Dad, Brother and I walked out to the hillside and I showed them the sleigh marks.

“Told ya!”

He was such a good big brother as looking back he could have busted my bubble at any point. This happened to be the same year that I had stumbled upon the stack of gifts hidden in mom and dads room. I told myself that Santa must enlist parents to hold the gifts and he brings the extra special ones on Christmas morning. So seeing Santa had a particularly special spot in my heart this specific year.

I figured out the truth the following year but did not let mom and dad know… I wanted them to continue letting me believe for a while. It was while it lasted.

The miracle of Christmas. The wonders and the beliefs in the unexplainable. The free gifts. Just because of love and with nothing expected in return. How beautiful. Thank You God, I believe.  

Believe life is simple, smile. 

Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Let your mind rest for awhile.

Pray; you’ll walk the blissful side.

Getting started is easy.

Fake smile till you make it so.

Trust me. It may sound cheesy,

 The Spirit knows where to go.

Smiling has a funny way

Of providing people pause

Whether so to join the play

Or simply to search the cause

Words for Bliss are Blessedness,

Harmony or pure pleasure.

Keep in you God’s forgiveness

and things are not to measure

Believe Life is Simple, Smile

Simply smile yes simply smile

Live for today carefree style

Life may only be a short while

Today was one of those days… you know the kind. The day where even at 10:00 at night it feels like you are in the exact same place as you were at 6:00 in the morning. But am I really?

No. I am 16 hours less of life on this earth than I had at that time. And so is everyone else that I may be connected to. Can you hear the seconds ticking now? I sure can.

So here I am reflecting on the past several hours of my life. Did I make my Father proud? Did I praise His works today? Did I thank him for this beautiful life I have been blessed with? Did I even mention his name?

Now repenting. I know I have fallen short. Thank you God tomorrow is another day.

Despite no longer working in the “real world” as I am now a stay home Mom, I am still resistantly adjusting. Am I unhappy with my choice… can’t be that. Am I depressed… even if I was what good would it do?  So what is the problem?

I came to realize that I yearn for deadlines. I crave goals. In the absence of them a “Que Sera, Sera” attitude overtakes my actions and I find myself accepting less than what is acceptable.

Goal #1 Get in his word more than just on Sunday.

Goal #2 Create a schedule.

Goal #3  Keep to it (within reason)

Goal #4  Make good on good intentions.

What is one of your goals? What are you working toward in this season in your life?

It is a beautiful Texas day. The clouds of unlikely rain chances crowd the sun from the sky enough to make a good outside day the girls. My oldest decided she wanted to ride her bike. It had been awhile. And I had made the promise to myself that we would ride at least 2 times a week when Santa placed not only her new bike, but mine in tact with child seat attached. I had no excuses so we had to ride.

I wrangle both girls into their bike helmets. Do a quick check for bee’s and continue moving my bike on out of the backyard inorder to saddle up. My eldest walking her bike behind me. I stop where the rocks are reasonable to start to ride and lift my 22 month old to place her in the seat. Four wasps come at my face. I hastily grab my daughter up. Set her down away from the bike toward her older sister, run the other way, and instruct my 5 year old to take her sister back into the yard.

No stings! As I referred in my mind of course to myself in such endearing names I sought out the wasp nest, the wasp spray, and sent the aggressive little things on their way. Stomping the nest afterwards just to make myself feel better. 

As we restarted our biking quest that evening I could not thank God enough for how well that situation went. I can not imagine what would have happened if we were riding along, baby all strapped in, and a swarm of hornets stinging as I tried to remove my baby from the overly complicated seat.

So today I thank God for the blessing of the three B’s. Bikes, Bee’s, and Babies!

What a beautiful sight. My daughter facinated at the bright lights filling the air. My toddler in my arms falling asleep as I protected her from the continuous booms. My brother, his wife, child, and mother-in-law being lost in the fiery display setting aside the trouble that otherwise consumes them. I felt so blessed.

Last night as I sat as close as possible to a great fireworks show I wondered what God must think of all the commotion that goes along with our Independence Day celebrations. 

I would suggest that the display is not his entertainment or fullfilment. His satisfaction and glory is all relative to the attitude which we present during such affairs that matters to God. Do we step back to thank him for the freedoms that we have in this country? Do we only send up our fears in regards to its current state? What do you think?

There are times when something hits you, emotionally, and there is absolutly nothing that you can do to move past the thought. I am struck with one of those emotions right now.

This evening my children and I went for our usual walk to the mailbox. Typically on these walks we see some of the livestock, some creepy crawly insect, and/or at times we will see deer. When the deer see us they usually bolt away or atleast use extreme caution in their actions as they move towar safety. Today we saw a mother deer.

The doe saw us too but was uninterested in the fact we were there. By observing her sniffing the ground and noting the fullness of her utter there was no doubt she was searching for her baby. She walked toward us 20 feet away she stopped. She gazed straight into my eyes as if to ask ‘have you seen my baby?’.  I spoke back to the doe. She then walked to the thick grass and weed area, over to the trees, crossed the driveway to another grassy place where the deer often graze and into a field. As we watched I could not help but think how she must feel.

I grew very sad. Tears filled my eyes. I tightened the hold on my children, one’s hand I was holding, and the other’s foot  as I was carrying them on my shoulders. 

My mind wandered into the thoughts that no parent wants to think.  I reflected on how close I was to miscarrying one of my little miracles. I thought of many others and the struggles they have had or are in the midst of currently in regards to children. I thought of those who have lost a child. I wept. I prayed. I looked to my bible for some comfort.

The story of Jacob and his sons famine which God was using to lead them to be reunited in Genesis chapter 43 was where I landed. Remember some unanswered prayers are leading us to other purposes, other treasures if you will. We must trust in God for only he knows his plan for us.  

Where I find myself stuck is on the attentiveness of this animal. Who is the beast? I happen to know the fate of the baby for which she was searching. A full 24 hours after the baby was separated from its mother and died this ‘beastly’ mother still frantically searches for her baby. In the world we live in there are children sufferring in homes where they fend for themselves, where they are left unattended, or even tortured by who is supposed to be nurturing them.

When I get stuck on stuff like this I take this as God’s way of saying to me do something about it…