New Year .... I'll Pay My IOU's First !

   As a personal Journal writer for over 65 years, I often review the weavings of my journey. In doing so, I discovered a plan for growth in 2012. I wholeheartedly agree with the words, but I know in my "heart" preparation that the "living out" the words will be difficult at times. The journey may be painfully confronting and wonderful healing. No doubt I will be learning the art of  true relationship. I invite you to join me in making the daily living of these words part of your New Year.

I owe you respect for your personality.  You are God's creation, made in His likeness.  I owe you the right to your opinion.  You may differ with me without fear that I shall raise a barrier between us.

I owe you belief in your integrity.   Since I do, I shall put the best possible construction on your actions.  I shall trust your words and deeds,even those I am unable to understand.

I owe you honest treatment.  I  shall not steal people's good opinon of you.  I shall voice  the sort of comment about you and your actions that I should wish made about me.

I owe you a "taking-off place."   Though I value your friendship, I shall not enslave your sprit nor bind you so closely to me that you miss the wealth of other friendships.

I owe you thoughtful consideration.  I will not steal your time when you are evidently busy, just because I happen to have some free time to kill.

I owe you my help in time of special need - my hand, my ear, my voice.   I owe you patience with what seems to be your slowness or even stupidity. I owe you Golden Rule imagination in all things.

I owe it to you not to push you down in order to lift myself up. Rather, I owe you advancement to the limit of my ability.  I owe it to you to see you forge ahead of me without any reaction of envy of jealousy - even to give you a push forward.

I owe you a good example, a Christian testimony.   I owe you the gospel of Christ to the limit that I possess
it.  I owe it to you to prove its power to the full in my life, that God may challenge and encourage you by the sight of what He has done in me.

All this I owe you and much more   I owe it to you not to fall behind in my payments for this. IOU. And only by God's grace, I won't.

(Adapted from B.Munro)

Signs of My Times....

   A sign of the cubical wall in the Clinic read: "I'm lost! I've gone to look for myself. If I return before I get back, please have me wait."

   Chuckling at how many holidays I've experienced that state of mind, I mused abut the past adult years of adult holday preparation and experiences. Which of these activities really focused on the true meaning and helped us experience the joy of Christmas  Holy days? What brings more meaning, more joy and fulfillment? I concluded that many of the traditions, preparations, activities had become "out of  focus". Though most of them were good and perhaps even necessary ... why do we end up exhausted, irrritable, even deressed? Could it be misplaced priorities?

   Another quote from the cubical wall:  "God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind, I will never die."  Humorous, but also a mirror reflecting a distortion of the real celebration of Christmas?

   Todays news had a boxin the corner: "24 days until Christmas". Only 24 days to prepare your heart for the Christ child's coming. Will be ready? What will hep me to truly prepare?

   Our souls need Christmas. We need to be reminded that God sent His Son to show us the way to life everlasting? We need this time for rededications and rejoycing. We might even need to declare a "quiet Day".
No TV, conversations, or music. Solitude. Rest. Contemplation. Spend time with the Lord. Read his Word. Then strive to take a little of that quiet back into our routine.

Perhaps the key to truly experiencing Christmas is to remind ourselves that God gives us  His Child every year ... and that he sent his Son that we might have a relationship with Jesus. Have we forgotten that relationships have potential to truly satisfy and enrich?  The heart of the holidays is relationships. Of course parties and gift exchanges build relationships and we grow in sharing joy with those we love. But if we give of ourselves of outside needs, our gift expresses  our love for the Christ Child. It is as if we are handing it to the Lord. If we volunteer to help others with a gift of service and caring, it shifts  our focus from ouselves and often causes the recipient to reflect deeper spiritually ... feel the presence of Jesus.

   I wonder if we should make an effort each day to do something for our earthly family that Jesus might  have done for his: Help with a difficult chore; rub an aching back; give a hug instead of a lecture; pray for missionaries who can't be home for Christmas; Send a card to people who are shut in; befriend  stranger; Smile at everyone; Turn your thoughts and words to praise; List things that bring you joy; Keep a journal of of those wonderful moments that send your heart soaring  and your  mind turning to the godness and majesty of the Lord; During Advent keep a record of you reflections, prayers, thoughts, spiritual longings, and hopes for what Christ will accomplish in and through your life this year. The entries need be only a few words of genuine expression from the heart. Ask the Lord to help move you beyond the hustle.

   I long for you to join me in welcoming God's Son with fresh reverence this year. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Serandipity...

   The timing couldn't have been worse. She knocked on our door early one Advent Sunday morning. We were hurrying around to get dressed for services. We'd not seen her before.  She was alone,  obviously ill at ease  as she handed me a note. Someone at a facility in the ares had dropped her off  hours early. The other residents had familly  or friends to take them in for the holiday.

   She stood like a frightened bird, poised for flight. My resentment at the intrusion melted away as I invited her in. Her gratitude and simple joy at being accepted shamed me. She eagerly settled into a chair, smoothed her tangled hair and her to-large skirt. She happily held the magazine I gave her to keep her busy while I finished dressing. Then she studied the magazine with such joy .... and it was upside down.

   At worship she was like my shadow. It was obvious she was totally ignorant of  church etiquette. She watched me closely and mimiced my every move. During the message she opened her shabby purse and took out two treasured  hard candies. As she popped one in her mouth, she quickly extended the other to my lips, which I automatically opened.  When Bill posed a question in the message, she answered it audibly and enthusiastically. Her eye's never wavered from him. It was as though he was speaking only to her and she responded with laughter or tears as it move her.

   She was like a magnet for everyone's eyes and heart that Advent season. She took in everthing and reveled in it. Through her eyes we saw it all fresh and new. The Advent wreath and candle, the carols and the awesomeness of prayer. What a joy to sing and pray! What a privilege to be in the house of the Lord! How marvelous to be treated with kindness, to be hovered over with love. She awoke in us the privileges we often had taken for granted.

   She was Christmas for us that year. The coming of Christ so unexpected ... an intrusion really ...  but bringing such joy!

   Our prayer for all of us this Christmas is: Come,  Lord Jesus. Come to wrap us in your love so that we may love others in your name. Amen