If God, by His providence, gives us abundance as He gave to Job,
David, Solomon and others, then we need to take great care to use our
abundance wisely as we guard our hearts from covetousness.
My friend, Andrea Salzman, is a whiz when it comes to eliminating
clutter. In fact, she’s come up with a way to make de-cluttering a daily
lifestyle rather than an all-day de-cluttering binge.
Does anyone else out there feel the crush of stuff? Maybe it’s
overflowing dressers, hampers, and closets; a towering pile of bills
stacked precariously on your counter; or just a general sense that if
you don’t maintain control at all moments, your whole world could come
crashing down.
As you focus on the lovely manger scene today and tomorrow, remember that although the setting appears peaceful, this night brings a warrior Child, the One who will conquer death, hell, and the grave.
Between Santa and jingle
bells, Christmas parties, and presents to buy and hope for, I think most of us
struggle to keep our attention focused on the baby in the manger. I've worked
hard to make this a Christmas where I had time to consider the sacred. That's
why I keep wondering how Jesus would celebrate His birth.
As I recently wove my way through the mass of mall shoppers, past the long line waiting for Santa’s knee, avoiding the tempting smell of far too expensive coffee, I heard familiar carols blasting overhead: “Angels we have heard on high . . .” And I wondered, What are the angels doing this Christmas?
So begins one of my favorite children's Christmas stories, The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.I've been reading this to my
three-year-old for the last several nights and have had to brush the tears from
my eyes more than a few times.
Perhaps you struggle with insecurity or feel you have nothing to offer. Take heart, you serve One who seeks those who know they are needy, and who delights in using small and ordinary tasks as preparation for the extraordinary.
If you’re feeling
ragged these days, you might consider heeding the angel’s advice to Elijah:“Get up and eat,
for the journey is too much for you” (1 Kings 19:7).
Have you said anything yet today? I ask because a combination
of conversations and books over the last few weeks have made me pause
before writing or speaking so quickly.
It all started after years of a quick shout from somewhere near the back
door, “Goodbye, honey. See you tonight . . .” which left us both
wanting more. It stopped when we decided that before we went out to face
our day we would scout the other out, wrap each other up in a warm
embrace, and begin our day with an intimate, very married, six-second
kiss.
Do you remember when postal mail was the only option? As a child, I had a pen-pal in Seoul, Korea. Because of the geographic distance, our correspondence required several days of waiting patiently between letters. While I love the ease and convenience of email, I think living without “waiting” may make it difficult for us to grasp the concept of the eternal.
What would it be like to raise a child to know God's truth
and then watch her choose rebellion? How would I feel if my own children chose
to stay in a pattern of sin for more than a decade? Would I persevere to keep
praying?
There are many things we get hung up on that can be let go. When
frustrated by an oversight or blunder, and when tempted to unload a
criticism, first stop and ask yourself these questions.
Are you facing a circumstance that just doesn't naturally call for gratitude? You're trying to be brave. You want to do the right thing. But trying to be thankful for what God is doing in your life right now . . .
