A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news health to the bones. Proverbs 15:30 NIV
As usual this time of year can be full of Joy Killers. Things that like to sneak in and steal away any joy we try to have as we approach the celebration of the birth of our Savior.
A husband's extended stay in the hospital and rehab center. Parents unexpectedly going to the hospital. Children who get sick or experiencing some unusual pain.
Sometimes it's hard to find joy among all the sorrow.
These last couple of weeks instead of kids behaving better they seemed to be getting worse. They are trying my patience. I mean they just don't want to listen and then insult me behind my back. Still there have been moments of joy:
"Oh, Ms. Diana's the best day care lady ever."
One of the moms brought me flowers, not for Christmas just because she wanted to thank me.
Seeing the kids perform in the Christmas play, the one God guided me to write.
Last night getting through my clogging dance with out falling or messing up to bad.
When we saw the couple portraying Mary and Joseph and holding their newborn child.
So even though there is Joy Killers lurking and stress is building; I can have Joy knowing that joy's there right in the midst of it all.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
WAY
And now I will show you the most excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31b NIV
Admit it deep down inside you want your way. I mean I know I do, it just makes things easier when I get my way.
If we were to think about it, we are born wanting our way. We fussed we wanted to eat. We fussed when we didn't want to sleep. We fused because, well, just because. Babies have a knack for getting their way.
Soon though we learn that the wonderful world doesn't actually revolve around us. That other people can have a turn. That sometimes we have to wait to eat. That the best temper tantrum or pouty lip doesn't get us our way.
Learning to yield to another person's idea is one of the things we have to deal with in order to grow up and mature into, dare I say the word, adult.
There's a way even better than some one's else's idea. After all He has good plans for us. He knows everything.
I am sure Mary had a plan for her life. She would marry Joseph raise a few kids and gladly stay in Nazareth living her days. Instead, she let God have His way. She was willing to do what God asked of her.
She under went the ridicule, the stares that went with being pregnant before Joseph and her were married. She left her family and friends to travel to Bethlehem while very pregnant. She had to flee and live in another country for awhile just to keep this child safe. Then when this child grew into a man she eventually had to watch him die an agonizing death.
She could of had her way. She could have stuck to her plan. Instead she let God have His way and it made all the difference for each of us.
Will you let God show you the most excellent way?
Admit it deep down inside you want your way. I mean I know I do, it just makes things easier when I get my way.
If we were to think about it, we are born wanting our way. We fussed we wanted to eat. We fussed when we didn't want to sleep. We fused because, well, just because. Babies have a knack for getting their way.
Soon though we learn that the wonderful world doesn't actually revolve around us. That other people can have a turn. That sometimes we have to wait to eat. That the best temper tantrum or pouty lip doesn't get us our way.
Learning to yield to another person's idea is one of the things we have to deal with in order to grow up and mature into, dare I say the word, adult.
There's a way even better than some one's else's idea. After all He has good plans for us. He knows everything.
I am sure Mary had a plan for her life. She would marry Joseph raise a few kids and gladly stay in Nazareth living her days. Instead, she let God have His way. She was willing to do what God asked of her.
She under went the ridicule, the stares that went with being pregnant before Joseph and her were married. She left her family and friends to travel to Bethlehem while very pregnant. She had to flee and live in another country for awhile just to keep this child safe. Then when this child grew into a man she eventually had to watch him die an agonizing death.
She could of had her way. She could have stuck to her plan. Instead she let God have His way and it made all the difference for each of us.
Will you let God show you the most excellent way?
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
HOPE
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV
We begin the time of year where we have a hope of what may be under the Christmas tree. True there are a couple of things I hope to get, but there is more to hope than a present under the tree.
Sometimes things happen to make us feel less hopeful: a death of a loved one, a serious illness, the loss of a job... At times these seem to happen around the same time. Making us feel that hope is a long way from us.
When I begin to feel hopeless, I think of Job. If anyone in the Bible had an excuse to feel hopeless, he did. He lost all of us children at once, his herds were carried off or killed, his sheep and servants were burned, then he got a terrible rash that wouldn't go away. Even with all of this he still had hope-a hope that God would see him through. God did and blessed him even more than before.
Then are the things that help us feel hopeful: the birth of a new baby, a cure, a job promotion...At times like these hope is high. Hope is close at hand.
When I have hope I feel like I can get through the roughness of the day, the week, the month, or the year. My hope comes from God. I know that with Him all things are possible.
Christmas is a reminder of the hope. The hope that a Savior was born, lived a good life, died on the cross so all of our sins could be forgiven, and conquered death so we can live with Him in heaven for all eternity.
So put your hope in Him the present that really matters.
We begin the time of year where we have a hope of what may be under the Christmas tree. True there are a couple of things I hope to get, but there is more to hope than a present under the tree.
Sometimes things happen to make us feel less hopeful: a death of a loved one, a serious illness, the loss of a job... At times these seem to happen around the same time. Making us feel that hope is a long way from us.
When I begin to feel hopeless, I think of Job. If anyone in the Bible had an excuse to feel hopeless, he did. He lost all of us children at once, his herds were carried off or killed, his sheep and servants were burned, then he got a terrible rash that wouldn't go away. Even with all of this he still had hope-a hope that God would see him through. God did and blessed him even more than before.
Then are the things that help us feel hopeful: the birth of a new baby, a cure, a job promotion...At times like these hope is high. Hope is close at hand.
When I have hope I feel like I can get through the roughness of the day, the week, the month, or the year. My hope comes from God. I know that with Him all things are possible.
Christmas is a reminder of the hope. The hope that a Savior was born, lived a good life, died on the cross so all of our sins could be forgiven, and conquered death so we can live with Him in heaven for all eternity.
So put your hope in Him the present that really matters.
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