Emmanuel for the Weary

“O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing.”

This year ends mostly on good notes - a merry Mississippi Christmas trip ahead of us with plenty of time spent with friends, family and the world's most adorable nieces and nephews; solid jobs; a sweet baby girl on the way and so much to be grateful for.

Many years, I have limped into Christmas and the New Year, far far more fragile than I am now, full of brokenness, longing and hopelessness. I am comfortable with that- I know how to celebrate Advent in the midst of pain and times of waiting.  This year is different - it ends with mostly joy and hope and blessings, but as I have struggled through December, I realized that this year ends in praise, but it also ends in exhaustion. I am learning how to celebrate the Savior’s coming with a weary soul and body.

Part of that exhaustion is my fault - over committing, trying to do too much (specifically too much for a 30 week pregnant woman!) and part of that exhaustion is that the road to these blessings has not been easy.  I walked through really hard times this year – with Emmanuel by my side- and now that I have survived, I am worn out.

Celebrating and rejoicing in God's goodness to us in the past year does not undo the fact that many tears were cried and much heartache was felt in 2015. Seeing God redeem and restore is lovely and such an honor to witness, but fresh scars still remain on our hearts. Work, relationships, licensing exams, family (or rather growing our family) has not made for an easy year.  A happy one, yes, but an easy one, not at all. Dave feels it too – after months of holding each other up and trying our best to courageously fight through lives battles, we are far more grumpy with each other and life this December than we were last year and we seem to be more sickly and insulated than our normal selves.  We aren't hurting, per se.  We aren't hopeless.  Just the opposite – we are joyful and thankful for our many blessings.  But, we are just plum worn out – and the exhaustion shows – with worn out bodies, in sickness and colds that won’t go away, in harsh words and baggy circles under our eyes.

And, so I limp into Christmas in a different way – not in a “still in the trenches” type a way, not in a hopeless way – but in a weary and worn out way.  This year, “Emmanuel” ( “God with us”) means something different to me.  I have experienced an Emmanuel who helps me through hard roads or strengthens me in the waiting.  I know the Emmanuel who undeservedly blesses me.  And, this season, I am finding that this Emmanuel is also with me in recovery.  Just as he walked me through hard times, He will hold my hand as I heal and rest and find strength again. He is my rest – and He came to offer us ultimate healing and rest.

This year I am coming to the manger weary – and there I will find rest that only a Savior can grant me.

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

Nor Does He Sleep

I love the good truth found in hymns.  Don’t get me wrong, this traditional Presbyterian girl can enjoy a good praise song, but the heavy meaning found in hymn lyrics always stirs my heart to think deeper and worship.  And, so, during Christmas, I definitely enjoy the carols and Christian songs more than the other catchy holiday pop tunes. Music can subtly slip truth into our hearts and minds while we are mindlessly humming along – so listening to Christmas carols on my daily metro rides not only gets me in “the holiday spirit” – it also reminds me of my Savior and His overwhelming love and faithfulness for His people.

Some of my all time favorite Christmas carol lyrics are:

And in despair I bowed my head

“There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

The pealed the bells more loud and deep;

“God is not dead nor doth (does) He sleep;

 The wrong shall fail, the right prevail

With peace on earth, good will to men.”

I am a fairly black and white thinker – and my heart LOVES justice (both personally and for others).  Feeling like I or someone I loved was treated unfairly hurts me deeply. Forgiveness (without apology or recognition) comes hard for me (and is constantly my biggest confession: Lord help me forgive)  Maybe it is my personality or my legal background  or a little bit of self-righteousness, but the way I long for this broken world to be healed is through a “righting” of wrongs – apologies, healed relationships, acknowledged wrongs, correction or punishment of unfair treatment, seeing those who are "right" succeed, etc.

So, this year, my heart (like many of your hearts, probably) has been heavy.  Such brokenness, such  wrongs, coming at us from every corner (we can’t blame just liberals or conservatives or Christians or Muslims or blacks or whites for this)  Terrorist attacks.  Racism. Mass Shootings.  Refugees. Purposeful attacks on conservatives. Christians acting hatefully. Muslims acting hatefully. Awful presidential choices. Selective concern for others.  A PC agenda.  And the list goes on and on…..

So many problems, so much brokenness, so few answers.  In this fallen world, justice is not always realized as quickly as we hope – or in exactly in the ways we wish.  And, if we are honest, in a world full of sinners, as one area finally sees some justice, a new area of hate and discrimination and loss will emerge.  HE will OVERCOME this broken world, but for now, the weight of the brokenness and hurt seems overwhelming.

Usually, Advent is so personal for me – a time of waiting with hope for the Lord, His coming and the ways He personally is faithful to me here on earth.  But, this Advent season, more than any other in recent history, I take comfort in God’s coming on a more general level – that He sees every single hurting person in this world and His birth, resurrection, healing and second coming is for all types of people.  While it often seems this world progressively gets worse, we serve a God who does not sleep, who is watching and working and can and will overcome in HIS timing.

A baby born in the manger was the beginning of the end for Satan and this broken world.  Christmas and Advent are the ultimate picture of hope and grace, but for those like me who long for a world untouched by sin, loss and injustice, the Christmas story is also the ultimate act of justice!  We wait patiently for ultimate justice – but God enables us to be a part of restorative and redemptive justice here on earth through our ministry and outreach to others.  This Advent season, my focus is on justice – longing for it, praying for it and searching for ways to be a part of it. Maybe the HOPE of the ADVENT season can be seen through His people and how they love others and fight for justice in this BROKEN world.

John 16:23 “….In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have OVERCOME the world."

Psalm 121: 4 "Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither SLUMBER nor SLEEP."

Showing Up in the Darkness

In Sunday School, we watched this Christmas message by Louie Giglio.  If you have time this season, I encourage you to listen to it while wrapping gifts or cooking dinner.  It reminds us of the importance of the Christmas message in a way that is not just cheesy cliches or picture perfect manger scenes.  His words reminded me that the gospel is both beautiful and messy at the same time. And most importantly, he reminds me that the gospel brings beauty to our mess. No circumstance is too disastrous that it can't be redeemed by our Savior and no moment is so lonely that the Savior can't show up.

We often forget the heaviness of Mary and Joseph's situation. Being chosen to carry the Savior may seem like a blessing now, but it was a scandal at the time...an engaged woman claiming that her baby would arrive via virgin birth!  There must have been whispers behind their backs and judging eyes. People assumed Mary was promiscuous and a liar and they assumed Joseph was a fool. I wonder how many friends were lost and if their families doubted their story.

The two had just endured a long journey on what is one of the worst days of the year - TAX DAY.  A pregnant woman who was likely feeling the normal pregnancy discomfort had just travelled bumpy roads on a smelly donkey. They did not have a lot of money and had no place to stay.  No one took pity on them and welcomed them in.  An inn keeper informed them of a place to find shelter -- probably not a lovely stable like in our nativity sets, but instead a dark damp cave on the side of the hill where animals found refuge at night and during storms.

And Giglio pointed out something I had never thought of: what was Mary praying that night?  I think if we pause, we all probably know (or at least we women know) what her prayer was: Lord, please do not let this baby come tonight. Not here, not now.

But, we know the rest of the story...the baby did arrive.  In the middle of what may have been the worst night of young Mary's life, a Savior came. The Lord broke his silence of 400 years in the most basic way -- with a human cry from a tiny baby in a dark dirty cave on a bad day to a scandalous couple. The Lord showed up in the mess.

The Lord shows up in our mess too! I have endured some pretty tough Christmases -- full of heartache, broken relationships, family tragedies, death, pain. I have also enjoyed wonderful Christmases -- with an engagement, family gatherings, friend's weddings, joyful moments.  And you know what? The Lord showed up in each and every moment.  He was there in the tears and brokeness just as much as the joy and celebration. Christmas solidified that He knew and understood because He came.

Christmas will not always be joyful memories and postcard quality moments. Some years, it will be hard to celebrate - but the reality that Christ showed up in our broken world and our messy lives is a message most needed by those dreading the Holiday season.

Our Savior showed up for Mary in her dark moments - and He will show up for us as well!

Advent is for the hopeless

Last week was the first week of advent, the week where we light the candle of HOPE. This has always been my favorite week of advent -- partially because it officially kicks off one of my favorite times of year, but also because I, like most of you, live in a world that often lacks real hope.

Hope is frowned upon by cynics, intellectuals and realists as being too naive and childlike.  Hope is sometimes even discouraged by well meaning Christians out of fears that unrealized hopes will lead to a lack of faith or disappointment. As a result of both secular and religious attacks, we find ourselves suppressing hope daily, clinging to the idea that we must be tough to survive and stoic to show true faith. Hope is seen as weakness.

But advent arrives every December - amidst our broken relationships, sick family members, tight budgets, sinful struggles and unmet longings - and it gently calls out to us - Hope, Long, Believe.

Advent reminds us of a people who hoped for a Savior for hundreds of years before their longing was finally realized.  Advent is a celebration of fulfilled longings and answered prayers.

Advent points to Jesus, His arrival as an infant and His coming return; but it also gives us a much needed respite from a world of cynicism and fear.  Advent reminds us to place our hope in a Savior who hears, understands and answers, a Savior who lived in this same fallen and painful world. Advent reminds us that trust and faith is more than just obedience and fear because we are free to hope for change, freedom, healing and answers. Advent reminds us of our eternal hope and a victory that is already won.

And, perhaps most encouraging for many facing difficulties and trials during the Holiday season, advent provides this comfort: we serve a God who understands our pain and longings, a God who is with us in the waiting. Advent reminds us that longings can be answered and that waiting can be used for preparation, growth and anticipation.

Our world may be cynical, but even a generation of realists long for Christmas miracles, unexplained joys, family reconciliations, healing, relationships and love this time of year.  Every cheesy Christmas movie or commercial displays a sense of hope (albeit false hope) during this season. But we are so fortunate to have a real hope and answer to our longing. We have a Savior who came, will return, answers and sustains.

It's sometimes hard to hope in this broken world, but advent is for the hopeless. It is for those who feel like they are wading through mud, stuck in a world of waiting and longing. Advent reminds us or our true hope. Advent provides a time to celebrate longing, anticipate answers, rest in His comfort and remember that He came to save us from a broken world full of longing and waiting.

So, hope away. Cling to our greatest hope. Lay your longings at His feet. Trust that He can provide and sustain. We are blessed with these 4 weeks each year that remind us of the Hope we have been given.

ADVENT: How We're Celebrating

I love the holiday season (yes, maybe that makes me #basic).  I love it all- the glimmer of lights cheering up even the dullest days, upbeat holiday music encouraging you during your morning commute, delicious seasonal treats that make my belly and heart full, curling up with cocoa and watching Christmas movies with the cheesiest yet happiest endings, time spent with family and fiends, finding the perfect gift for someone and most of all, celebrating advent. 

Celebrating Advent gives us 24 extra days to prepare our hearts and minds for the real reason to celebrate. During the holiday chaos, it gives us a daily opportunity to reflect on the Lord's  birth and to anticipate His second coming.  It serves as reminder not only of Christ's birth, but also His death, resurrection and return.

Earlier this week, a fellow blogger wrote about ways she is celebrating Advent this season and I thought I would share the ways both I and my little family are celebrating. I hope our future kids will anticipate the start of Advent as much as I do each year. I hope that Advent reminds them that the Lord is returning and that waiting (in Advent, life's trials and when awaiting the Lord's return) can be a time of anticipation, growth, encouragement and hope.

Here's how we are celebrating:

(1) Lighting the Advent Wreath.

We light our advent wreath nightly.  I received this advent wreath from a sweet family when we got married and it is one of my favorite wedding gifts. Each night, D and I light the wreath, do our advent devotional and pray.  I like taking time with my sweet hubby to focus on Christ and anticipate Christmas each day.

(2) Reading through an advent devotional.

 We are working through Ann Voskamp's The Greatest Gift advent book. Last year, we worked through one of Piper's advent devotionals, also excellent (and free!)

(3) Celebrating through music.

As silly as it may sound, I try to listen to Christian Christmas carols as much as possible throughout the day.  Music is a great format for sharing truth and as I hear lyrics about advent and our Savior's birth, my heart is focused and encouraged.  Additionally, the church we have been attending is sponsoring a couple Christmas concerts this month and we are trying to attend at least one of these events.

(4) My own personal advent readings.  

A friend posted this advent devotional (by shereadstruth.com) on facebook and I have been following it, plus reading any and all articles I come across regarding the Advent season. Reading an Advent article at lunch or when I first arrive at work tends to refocuse me.

(5) Blogging. 

Whether you like it or not, you will be seeing some posts about Advent (if it's not your thing, then come back in January!) I love Advent and tend to talk a lot about it each year. (examples here, here  and here ) so I am sure I will be doing the same this year. 

(6) Praying Boldly.  

Advent is about waiting, longing, peace and hope. Advent and Christmas is a picture of a God that answers prayers and provides in huge ways, including providing a perfect baby to take our place.  Advent is also a reminder that God became man-- yes, man - like you and me -- so He understands our pain, betrayal, longing, disappointment.  During this time of year, I tend to spend a lot of time reflecting on how privileged we are to serve a God that relates to us and understands.  I also tend to lay aside my doubts and fear of disappointment and make BOLD prayers for myself and for others -- for healing, for babies, for marriages, for salvation, for forgiveness.

It's such a special time of year -- a time when we await the baby's birth and the Lord's return, a time where we focus on the manhood of Christ and the fact that he understands our pain and struggles, a time when longing and waiting is celebrated not hated. Advent has always been a source of encouragement in my life, even more so during life's difficult years. 

What about you? Anyone have plans to celebrate Advent? How do you celebrate?

Memories, Parties and Homecomings

A random Holiday blogpost.....

First, one year ago YESTERDAY, Dave proposed to me.  Such a happy day for us, and personally for me, such a day of God's redemption and grace.  Saying yes and marrying him was the best decision I have ever made! I bet that as years go on, I won't always remember this date (as its not our real anniversary), but I sure hope I do-- it's a good reminder that life can change in a year. On December 20, 2011, I was heading home for the holidays and had gone through a few different failed dating relationships in the past 18 months....and I was thinking I will never meet the right guy.  I met him a couple weeks later.  On December 20, 2012, we get engaged.  And on December 20, 2013, we are happilly married and living in DC (getting ready to go home for Christmas!) How much life can change in a year!!! (always a thought I hope to remember when discouraged -- things usually get easier or better with time!)  You can read our love story HERE.

 

I thought I'd share a few Christmas and non-Christmas articles that I've recently read that were encouraging or fun.

• Dissapointment at Christmas
• Buying Kids Presents at Christmas (I am not saying I agree with the whole thing, but I love a lot of what she says: Her kids don't get gifts because they are "good", they get gifts because she loves them and wants to give gifts and also because she wants her daughter to learn to give with generosity)
• Why you should eat the cookie
• Pregnant with Christmas
• BOLD Prayer lists
• God of the Impossible  -- and my thoughts on the topic
• Jesus is for those that hate Christmas (and for those who are just suffering through it this year or any other year)
• Christian Christmas Grinches 

Also, along the way, we've had a few Christmas parties and I thought I'd share pictures :)  One night, Dave was sick so we skipped a couple parties and spend the night in, watching a holiday flick and decorating a gingerbread house.  I tend to get mopey as the holidays come to an end-- there is always a whole lot more that I wanted to accomplish compared to what I did accomplish.  I wanted to see the lights at the zoo, go to a Christmas play, walk around Old Town Alexandria and see the decorations, go ice skating in Georgetown, etc. But, there were really only 3 weeks of Christmas before we flew home...and one was spent on our weekend getaway. Not too much time to get things done.  However, I am grateful for the fun things we did do....curling up on a snowy day to watch Christmas movies by the tree, managing to send out our holiday cards on time, enjoying the lights that we did get to see, celebrating with friends, listening to Holiday music and making a few Christmas sugary treats, doing our advent devo daily.  It's been a good year -- and things I have failed to do this year will just be done next year....many more Christmases to start many new traditions (and keep old traditions as well!)

Dave's Office Party in Middleburg at Red Fox Inn

 

My office party in Georgetown at the Ritz Carlton

 

Our Community Group party at our apt.

 

 The architect at work (My side is very planned out, his is very artsy and free form -- typical!)

 

 

Final Product!!

Finally, I saved the best news for last...we are going to home sweet Mississippi TODAY.  We've been counting down -- it's been 5 months for me and 6 for Dave. It is my belief that Mississippi is one of America's best kept secrets.  We know that some of our history is bad, but at the same time, many many people (of all races) in Mississippi will love you, welcome you and talk your ear off! I sure miss the South and am eager for a week at home.  We have a busy busy week ahead with the annual game night (with my family and 2 other families), caroling, Tacky Christmas at the deer camp, family Christmas and Christmas Eve traditions, seeing friends and a wedding of 2 sweet friends! I'm so excited to go home tomorrow, but I am almost a little sad to be going because I know we've been looking forward to this week and the week will go too quickly, ha! 

How special to go home at Christmas. My friend Emily posted these words on Facebook the other day (from the advent readings by John Piper which are wonderful!).

"Do you feel restless for home? [Coming home for the holidays] feels good. I think the bottom line reason why it feels good is that [we] are destined in the depths for an ultimate Homecoming. All other homecomings are foretaste. And foretastes are good. Unless they become substitutes. O, don't let all the sweet things of this season become substitutes of the final, great all-satisfying Sweet...ness. Let every loss and every delight send your hearts a-homing after heaven. Christmas. What is it but this: I came that they might have LIFE? ... That you & I might have LIFE, now and forever. Make your Now the richer and deeper this Christmas by drinking at the fountain of FOREVER. It is so near." 

 

 I've been reflecting on this all week. Other than coming home from college, I've never had a holiday "homecoming". All of my post school life until now, I have lived an hour away from my parents - and have celebrated with them all season, so this year I have tried to reflect on how my eagerness to go home (including our countdown!) reveals my even greater need and desire for an ultimate homecoming!! Isn't it wonderful how all the sweet and wonderful feelings and experiences during the holidays are good in and of themselves AND good because they point us to eternal everlasting concepts?

He Came.

We spend a good amount of time during advent discussing that Jesus came, died, rose and will come again!! What wonderful joyful news! Certainly Christmas and Easter tie in together so perfectly! But, sometimes I think we focus so much on what He came to do that we miss one of the biggest blessings of Christmas -- the fact that He simply CAME.

 
Don't get me wrong, Jesus accomplished a lot in his 33 years of life, death and resurrection, the gospel should be celebrated -- at Easter, year round and of course at Christmas, but let's not only look to what all He later accomplished and overlook the simple (yet not so simple) fact that he came.


He came into a messy broken world that he didn't have to enter, a world full of harsh words, hurt feelings, rejection, sin, illness, temptation, physical pain. He went from being God to being a helpless baby dependent on others for food and shelter. He went through all the hard things we go through - except He went through that pain willingly (we don't exactly have a choice like He did) and He walked through earthly trials perfectly and without sin.


Knowing how broken the earth was, He still came. That is just so amazing to me. Life is full of many blessings, but it is also full of trials and the choice to enter into the mess and filth of the people He loved is incredibly sacrificial.
 

Modern day evangelicals focus so much on the "God" aspect of Jesus that we might overlook the "man" aspect. Fully God, fully man. The combination of the two is so extremely comforting -- as we walk through life, we serve a God who overcame sin and death by entering into (and experiencing) our world of sin and death.
 

Each broken heart, each moment of rejection, each day that seems full of frustrating moments, each betrayal, each sickness, He knows and understands. He knows because he experienced this messy broken world. He experienced it because HE CAME.

The Impossible

I've read a few articles recently about not romanticizing Christmas and not getting our hopes up just because it's the holiday season. Some say that we have some hallmark view of miracles, changes, MAGIC!!  Instead of hoping for a magical holiday (full or surprises, provisions, etc) , we should focus on the real meaning for Christmas -- Advent - and rejoice in our REAL hope, not our earthly view of hope (that something magical or IMPOSSIBLE will happen at Christmas, just as it does on every Holiday movie you watch!)

Although I 100% agree with placing our HOPE in the Lord, not other people, situations or circumstances, I think this viewpoint of not believing in miraculous or impossible at Christmas is a bit sad. It's sad not because I want "holiday magic" over the hope that comes through Christ, but because in a way, this view encourages the concept that we as Christians can't want or pray for the impossible- because what if God can't or won't accomplish these impossible requests?

Advent should actually ENCOURAGE us to bring our IMPOSSIBLE hopes to our Savior...after all, ADVENT is all about the Impossible. GOD BECAME MAN! A VIRGIN BIRTHED A BABY!  ANGELS ANNOUNCED THE CHILD'S BIRTH!  AN ELDERLY WOMAN CONCEIVED A BABY (John the Baptist)!  A HUMAN BEING LIVED A PERFECT LIFE WITH NO BAD ATTITUDES, NO SINS, NO HURTFUL WORDS! And, later, this same man, DIED AND THEN ROSE FROM THE DEAD!! This is all impossible. Very very impossible.

Advent gives us HOPE eternally and HOPE now.  Christmas can be quite hard on many -- partly because it's a time of family and friends, so if you have struggles or loss in those areas, you feel the loss even moreso during the Holidays.  For me, personally, Christmas has be difficult in the past because its a milestone (alongside New Yearks) representing another year has passed - yet another Holiday season and this prayer hasn't been answered or this goal hasn't been met. And yet, I always find hope at Christmas through the realization the Christ came and died and rose again, but also in the realization that Christmas is full of miracles.  Advent always reminds me that our Savior is capable of THE IMPOSSIBLE.

So, as you pray for those hard situations in your life this holiday season, know that God is capable of handling even the most impossible situations. He brings healing, babies, husbands, jobs, answers, salvation - even when it seems that those answers could never happen.  This doesn't mean that He will answer every  request (sometimes His plans our different than ours), but HE CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE - and CHRISTMAS displays His love of doing impossible things!! That, alone, should give us hope that no situation is trully hopeless or impossible.

I loved this article on God doing impossible things at Christmas. He stated...

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”Are you facing an impossible situation? Do you look at it and see no earthly way it could change? Maybe you look at a family member who seems to have no interest in God at all, and it seems like he or she is just too far gone to save. Nothing will be impossible with God! Maybe you can see no way for God to provide financially for you – remember Jesus fed crowds of 5000 and 7000 from a few fish and loaves of bread. He spoke to typhoons and calmed the winds and waves. When he needed money for the temple tax he told Peter to go fishing and he’d catch a fish with a coin in its mouth.

Nothing will be impossible with God. Maybe you feel like you can’t break out of a sin you are ensnared in. You’ve tried to quit and you can’t. Nothing will be impossible with God. Whatever you are praying for, unless God has made it absolutely clear that the answer is no, then keep asking, keep knocking, keep seeking. Maybe it’s a sickness you’ve had for years. Keep asking, knocking seeking. Yes, God is sovereign and he takes us through afflictions and he promises to work them all for our good. Sometimes he doesn’t answer in the way we would like, but don’t quit asking! "

The author ended his post by stating, "Don’t give up! Nothing is too hard for our God. Nothing is impossible to him. Who knows, this may be the Christmas he answers your prayers."

I sure relate to that last sentence. I spent a few years and a few Christmases praying that I'd meet a godly husband (and preferably soon) -- and two years ago, right after Christmas, God answered my prayers :) And this year, I have a couple situations that seem impossible to me, but I am reminded through Advent that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. 

I pray we all find the HOPE that comes at Christmas -  the hope that our Savior came to save us and the hope that He can fix impossible situations. While we may not need to believe or hope for magical, as Christians, we should always believe in the accomplishment of the impossible!

ADVENT: Peace when life has "loose ends"

This week, Advent focuses on peace.

Therefore, by default, I think Advent focuses on trust...because the only way to have peace in life is by trusting the Lord even when the situation seems unsolvable, unmanageable, uncontrollable. Funny how we (and by we, I mean me!) often think peace and calmness and stability comes through very controlled, manageable circumstances.

We want answers and certainty and all of our loose ends tied up.  I hate unresolved friendships, relationships, work situations. (It's true, although happily married, if I were to think too long on any exes, I would probably became anxious- not because I "lost" them, but because many breakups never have closure or answers and I hate feeling like the whole issue will always remain unmanaged and unresolved).  One of my life mottos is that I'd rather know the answer, even if it's not an answer I want to hear. (The truth is I'd rather never know bad news at all, but if I know there is news, circumstances, etc that someone is withholding, I just feel I'd rather know than guess!)

Life has been fairly pleasant this year, but even so, there are "loose ends" I wish could be tied up: friendships that have suffered this past year and may never be the same, a job hunt I wish would go ahead and end with some certainty of where I will be for the next year, clarity on which church should be our church home, an established group of friends like I had in Mississippi.  Nothing major, just tiny little annoyances that I want to fix and solve and manage....but I can't.

Many people go into "manage" mode during crisis or tragedy.  "Ok, the circumstances didn't turn out as hoped, but here's what I've got, how do I make the best of this?"  I actually think this is a great way to be - to try to assess hurts in a way where we salvage good from bad, but this tendency to manage and fix should only come after prayer and deep trust in the one who controls and manages all circumstances!

I'm pretty bad at trusting.  Ironically enough, I don't struggle with trusting the Jesus came, died, rose again and will come back again for me.  I don't doubt that the Gospel is true.  I don't ever question that Christmas occurs because of the birth of our Savior or that in the grand scheme of things, God is who says he is....So, when it comes to eternal perspective, I have a lot of peace and comfort that my God loved me so much he came to this world and that he has saved and redeemed me.

BUT I do (like most humans) want to control my life, and by default, I don't always feel peace in regards to my daily life.  I feel worry and stress and anxiety.  We often fail to trust God to tie up the loose ends even when we don't see them being tied up, to control the situation even when it seems out of control.

Advent may be a month long preparation for Christmas, but the concepts should apply all year long....after all, we are in constant waiting for His second coming. When struggling to trust, perhaps its best to look back to Christmas and see how God was in control of the little details.

Seriously, how many tiny details did the Lord have to carefully work out - there were lots of prophecies about the Lord's coming.  God worked out a census to get Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in order to fulfill one prophecy.  He knew an inn would be full so He provided a stable.  The Lord was in the details.  He managed what seemed a little unmanagable.  Until that point, it probably felt to many of God's people like there were a lot of little loose ends that had yet to be tied up - prophecies yet to be fulfilled, a Savior that had not yet come.  The Lord is trustworthy with the details -- be at peace!

Finally, Advent should direct us to peace in our daily lives because we know that Christ has come and overcome the world.  We can have eternal peace and we can have daily peace - trusting that God can overcome and redeem whatever problems and hurts caused by our sins and the sins of others, caused by the harsh disappointments and realities of life, etc.

Peace is hard to obtain.  I doubt anyone has it all the time. It comes from trusting - and trusting comes from remembering -- remembering God's faithfulness, remembering God's promises.  Advent is all about remembering and gives us the perfect time to reflect on God's goodness and perfect control of situations. So, seek peace this advent -- seek it by choosing to remember the Savior's birth and be remembering the Lord's provision.  Remembering the Lord's goodness and sovereign control over biblical history and our own lives will make it easier to trust Him for our daily peace.

Christmas Gems

It's been crazy around here and I haven't had time to blog much this week --- but it doesn't mean I haven't had time to read some great Christmas and Advent articles!! 

It's no secret that I love the the holidays (especially Christmas!) and I love advent. Advent is to Christmas what Lent (for those who celebrate Lent) is to Easter -- time to reflect and prepare our hearts for the celebration of our Lord!! I've been encouraged by some of the wonderful articles I've seen so I thought I'd share these great articles!

1. I love this article on hope, work and waiting....particularly since the holidays/advent is so much about hoping and waiting and can also be a struggle to focus on work -- so much to accomplish, so much to get done, so easy to focus on that!

2. Don't you just love hymns? I enjoy praise music too, but there is something so beautiful about the wording in old hymns -- I guess we just can't phrase things as lovely as people in past times could! It doesn't mean our praise is any less worshipful, but I can't help but long for gorgeous old hymns, particularly Christmas carols.  I also LOVE knowing the story behind the music which is why I loved this article telling the history of 5 carols. I think my favorite two stories were the stories about "O come, O Come, Emmanuel" and "O Holy Night"

3. Who can't relate to hard times and holidays and mixing the two? Who hasn't struggled to believe in miracles? I love this article 'When it's hard to believe in Miracles at Christmas'  Her words are so beautiful...

You’d better believe there really is a Jesus and there is a God in heaven and there is an Emmanuel who came, Creator of the Cosmos who wore bones to touch our skin.

And our Christ, He can be hoped in, believed in, trusted in; He came and He is coming again and He cares.

When hearts are fragile, that’s when they may be most faith-filled — believing in miracles before life makes sense.

Believing in the miraculous coming – so there is real living in the moment now.

Believing in a God bigger than the burdens.

Believing — so there is living.

This is how the fragile are made strong.


4. I love this post clarifying that we are participants in the Christmas drama as we actively await his 2nd coming just like Isreal waited for their Savior.


5. Purely for fun - here are some holiday decorating ideas for small spaces.  And here are some more!! Since we will likely be a small space for awhile due to the fact that we live in a city where apartments are tiny and pricy, I plan on trying some of these decorations next Christmas! (This year, we have a skinny little tree, some wreaths, a few trinkets and a nativity)

how fun is this?

Simple Cheer

 

 

Hope you enjoy these articles as much as I did. The holiday season is so busy - and its always good to take time to reflect. Dave and I do our advent devotional every morning at breakfast and although its only a few minutes long, it, like these articles, helps focus me on the Lord's coming and our time each December (and hopefully other times as well) to prepare for Him! And, when life is busy (like during the holidays) I need all the remind I can get to focus and worship instead of stress! Thankful God gave us advent to help us prepare, worship, rest, wait and hope.

 



A THRILL of HOPE, the WEARY world REJOICES!

This week, one of my favorite times of the year begins: Advent. The first candle of advent is the candle of hope.  Hope is one of my favorite themes of Christmas...and the following lyric from "O Holy Night" is one of my favorites:


"A Thrill of Hope, the Weary World Rejoices."

"The Weary World"

The words have always resonated with me - possibly because I, like every other human, have known what it's like to be weary....exhausted from daily reality; tired from the emotion it takes to deal with pain, longing, heartache, frustration, disappointment; worn out from temptation and sin and my attempt to overcome my own flaws.

Waiting is one of the worst kinds of weariness-- trying to hold on to faith when the daily routine points to no coming changes at all.  Waiting for a spouse, waiting for a job opportunity, waiting to make new friends, waiting to have a baby, waiting for defiant kids to come to their Savior, waiting for children to sleep through the night, waiting for relief to pain or grief.

Yes, I understand weariness and exhaustion and disappointment....and waiting.

I relate to this lyric because it refers to those that are weary, but I LOVE this lyric because it refers to the "thrill of hope" a weary world rejoices in! I know weariness, but thank you Jesus, I also know hope.

"A Thrill of Hope"

Hope encourages, even "earthly" hopes encourages. Hope grants reprieve from weariness, even if it doesn't end it completely. Small hopes give us moments of joy and renewed faith during long exhausting spells of waiting, pain or disappointment.

These small hopes can be being asked on a date after several months of no interest, a couple nights where your baby sleeps through the night, a girls night out where you laugh so hard you forget your problem, a medicine that seems to bring more comfort to chronic pain, an interview after months of job searching, a happy peaceful date night for a couple who has been struggling, an encouraging  sweet letter or email from a friend, etc.

We've all had times when some small event gave us hope during a tough time. Small hopes may not bring an end to weariness, but they do encourage us to keep going amidst the weariness.  That date might not be "the one" or the interview might not lead to a job, but the small thrill of hope encourages you to press on in belief that better times are ahead.

If these small earthly hopes grant us moments of respite, how much more so can our Savior provide his weary followers with a "thrill of hope"?

When Christ was born, the battle was not won yet. There had not been a death, resurrection or second coming. His birth was only the beginning and did not yet take away the weariness and pain of the world. BUT, His coming provided hope of what was to come, a glimmer of anticipation for good things ahead.

The battle is still not won.  We still live in a world that quite frankly, wears me out sometimes.  We still have to deal with sin, pain, illness, death, heartache. But Christmas serves as a yearly reminder of His first advent and more permanently, His future second advent! It is an annual "thrill of hope" for this weary world...encouraging us to press on amidst weariness and pain.

So, take it all in -- the carols, the lights, the gatherings, but most importantly the gospel truth -- and be encouraged and hopeful that our Lord loved this weary world so much that He came down to us to live, die, rise and return.  

The next line of the song states,

"For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn!"

You may be weary now...and you may remain weary for awhile, but be encouraged and HOPEFUL, better days are ahead! Because of the first and second advents of our Savior, there will be a new and glorious morn!