December 17, 2013

John  14:1 - Do not let your heart be troubled... My day was lived in snapshots today.   Do not let your heart be troubled was its theme. 

Snap shot 1- Ran out to get lunch today... The mall, near work... Quick in/out...
Except, yup, it's... Christmas. Ok,  so I will park at the end and walk... Pulling down the lane - "she" walks out in front of me-instead of moving to the left or to the right, she walks... All.the.way.down... The center! Do not let your heart be troubled.... Do not honk! Ok... I park, moving on.

Snap shot 2 - I have my lunch, I am leaving aforementioned parking lot and three spaces to the left of me, a woman is backing out... So am I. Except that she hits she shopping cart, the one she carelessly left on the side of her car and sends it backing out with us. She looks at me, I look at her... For a moment I feel like she expects me to go fetch! Do not let your heart be troubled.

Snap shot 3 - What made me think going to the mall after work with my son was a good idea tonight? He needed a gift for his sister and sissy had to have the penguin with the gigantic eyes. So, off we went. Walking through the parking lot, through the store, out into the mall... All the while dodging people who don't look down to see that I have the hand of a small person.... That don't look you in the eyes... that are too busy with the To-do lists swirling in their heads. I know, mine is too... So many people, my heart pounds... Get the penguin... Do not let your heart be troubled...

Snap shot 4 - In the store we return to happy, joyfully searching out said penguin with the gigantic eyes only --- I.Cant.Find.IT. We search the store, packed with people, literally tripping over my son... Let your heart not be troubled... I find the sales girl... Do you have the penguin, with the gigantic eyes... Sure, she says but first, I have to do one thing....

Snap shot 5 - "One thing" turns out to be a shoplifter, maybe 12 or13... With her friend. I hear, "dad can't come here". "Am I going to be arrested...." "Minors can't be arrested... Will I go to juvy?" Really? Do you want to? Was that excitement I heard or fear.... Lets go with fear. Let your heart not be troubled.... Security came, police came... Dad couldn't come. My heart pounds for her - why... Penguin was bought.

Walking out, through the crowds... I want to go home. Too many people. Too much stuff... Too much much of everything no body really needs... Including me...

Why is my heart troubled? I want to live the change I want to see. I want to live upside down so this right side up world asks why. I want this season of Christmas to matter, for Jesus to matter, amongst all this other stuff.

It's a privilege to see the broken-ness, the craziness so that after a snap shot of a  day I can come home...
 
I can open my Bible and read John 14:1; John 14:27 and John  3:16.

Thank you God for your words...

December 9, 2013

Mommy friends… I just wanted share with you something that stood out to me this morning in my quiet time reading the bible.  I wanted to read the birth story, it was on my heart this morning and I was drawn to these particular passages below.  I’m in awe of Mary… I can’t even imagine being committed to someone and then have an Angel appear to me and say – guess what, and God wants it this way.  WOW… the faith that would take.   But then… reading this… all about the Shepherds and they are amazed, in awe, waiting, searching… listening to the Angel themselves… proclaiming…. but do you see what Mary does? 

Mary treasures these things and ponders them in her heart… what a mother!  Some days I want to shout from the rooftops, what amazing children I have.  Some days, I want to hang them from the rooftops… I wonder if Mary ever felt like that with perfect little boy Jesus?  But, going back… she has this son, the savior of the world --- that certainly outweighs whatever art project my kids bring home to put on the fridge or learning to tie their shoes or whatever amazing thing I think they’ve done… so this Son, this Savior, this child that would grow to be a man, preach, heal, raise the dead, calm raging seas, Hang – on the cross for our sins… She treasures up all these things, these stories of Emmanuel and ponders them in her heart.  What an amazing Mother!  

Then I realized; I am an amazing mother, because I ponder, I worry, I pray quietly, I store up quietly in my heart for them… about who mine will be, how they will serve God, the big and little things they will do… I’ve been blessed to become a mother – just like Mary, not to the Savior of the world… but to his children.  I am humbled today, blessed today by these thoughts.

I have an amazing mother too… my friends, you are amazing mothers… sit and ponder that in your hearts today…

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was laying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.