Posted on December 30, 2008 at 8:13am.
Jimmy’s message hit me hard this past weekend. I have had a lot of “Come to Jesus” moments in my life, and this was no different. Saturday night as I listened to my brother preach I felt convicted, so much so that when it came time for communion, I couldn’t participate. I realized that, even though I sing that “Jesus is more than enough”, He really must not be - for as I took inventory of this heart of mine there,are other things and people who seem to have equal status with Christ. Somehow I got it all out of wack again. Realization leads to confession, and honestly that’s the easier part, but now confession is leading to repentance - turning from those holds I have given my heart to, and turning only to Him. Easier said than done. Today, I am in the battle of letting go, giving up. I don’t have that strength in me, and am trusting the Spirit of God to empower me with fresh power and strength, to do a new work in me. I am so grateful that when the Spirit calls us to “Come to Jesus” we turn and discover again and again the open arms of our Savior - still saving us from ourselves.
Posted on December 29, 2008 at 2:51pm.
I told the folks in the Cafe on Sunday that my family should have never left me alone on Christmas night. There I was at 10pm, all alone in the living room with all the lights and decorations of Christmas- quite a magical moment. Our house was beautiful - Terri went all out this year, there were greens above doorways, down the staircase, and across the mantle. Ribbons, wreaths, guest towels, candles, and goodies everywhere. She even put little village scenes that light up on ever open surface. And there I sat alone, just peering at that tree with all the ornaments from the time the girls were babies - it just hanging there, and taunting me. And so, I rose to the occasion, and sprinted from my chair, and in two hours and fifteen minutes (an all time record) there was not one sign of Christmas left within the walls of our home. I even cleaned the Christmas dishes and put them away, and swept up every blasted needle, and toted the tree out to the curb. My family awoke the next morning like the Who’s from Who-ville to discover that the grinch had stolen Christmas. After the shock of the starkness, and a strong cup of coffee - I was thanked by my wife. We have two birthdays in our house this week, a sweet 16 on January 1, and a sweet forty . . .something on January 2. I made a vow when Megan was born that her birthday would not get lost in Christmas. So we move from Jesus birthday to Meg and Terri this week. Though the garland is gone, there is a greater reality that remains and sustains, if we allow it - and that is that God is with us. My heart is real heavy with the weight of folks lives in recent days, and Jesus reminded me again this morning of His presence with me, with us! God’s love even extends to the me - the grinch!
Posted on December 24, 2008 at 10:26am.
I went with a friend to visit Shirley Maye, one of the founding members of Church at Charlotte over 3 decades ago, who is in a nursing home rerhabilitating from a broken leg. We thought we would take her some Christmas cheer, and took her one of the pointsettas from church. She certainly won’t be home for Christmas, or any time soon for that matter. She put it all in perspective for me this morning - “Christmas is not about where you are, it’s about Christ, and who you belong to”. Aint that the truth. She got a bit emotional as she told us how good God has been to her, and how deeply she has felt His love, and the love of so many others in her life. Going into the nursing home I had been thinking that this has got to be one of the worst places to be over CHristmas - but not for Shirley, for she has the right perspective - and reminded me to have it too.
Posted on December 23, 2008 at 1:57pm.
I hear a lot of tough stuff, and lately there have been some pretty weighty issues going on in folks lives. But there are some pretty amazing things happening too. I have seen the generosity of God demonstrated in tangible, and numerous ways over the past few days. Here’s a for instance: A fairly new believer trusting God for her daily bread, but with no heat, except a fireplace, found God showing up in a profound way as workers knocked at her door to install an actual working heater. How does this happen? By folks listening to the Holy Spirit, and doing something about it. It really is the most wonderful time of the year - the Christ of Christmas seems to bring out the very best in people - Jesus!
Posted on December 22, 2008 at 3:36pm.
It’s a cold Monday before Christmas. I have been chilled all day, and looking forward to going home to a hot meal, and some of the world’s best sugar cookies, and maybe even convince my girls to sit through “It’s a Wonderful Life”. But, I just realized I got kicked out tonight, forced to find a hot meal at a Chinese restaurant. One of our girls is hosting a party for a few friends, and thought it would be much more festive without me there. Actually, it’s not even that personal, Terri and her sister got the boot too. So, my warm house and sugar cookies will have to be put off til 10. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. Hope you are finding the joy this week!
