Are we in the RIGHT line...the one to see Jesus?

My parents never took me to see Santa Claus (I always thought he was rather silly anyway, to be honest) yet this story touched a special cord in my heart. Inspired by a young child's innocent question...amid all the Christmas and holiday rush, and when dozen of kids are lining up to see the big red man with white beard...we are reminded by a child of who we should really be looking for.

So enjoy as you watch this brief Youtube:

Where's the Line to see Jesus

Obviously Christmas has passed now, but as you rush and hurry through the business of this coming new year...ask yourself... "Am I waiting in the wrong lines? Rather than doing this or fretting about that, should I be seeking Jesus?"

Obviously, there are no waiting lines for Jesus...all we have to do is COME...and it's as if there's not another soul in the whole world! Wow!! No waiting line to see Jesus...

My quiet Holiday in Ohio...

Well, as I implied before...Christmas this year was rather quiet and laid back for me. I flew out of Arkansas on Dec 24th, just before a big storm and blizzard hit the Central midwest region. It was so bad in Oklahoma, in fact, that they closed the airport, highways and Interstate. Thankfully I missed all that excitement. However, when I got to Chicago, everything was in a hub-bub! Traffic was being delayed, flights cancelled....people were getting bumped. Initially I was hoping I'd get bumped too....because then maybe I could get a free airline voucher. (Last year I got TWO of them!!) But no such luck...my flight was as scheduled...and only a few minutes late in departing for Dayton, OH. Later as I was watching the news, I realized that God was actually looking out for me, for bad weather was predicted to hit Chicago later that night. I didn't need to be stuck in Chicago!

It was good to be with my sister Sunny and her husband Tim again. Tim is a Internal Medicine resident at Kettering, so he was on call. So we spent our Christmas eve having supper with him at the hospital in the doctor's lounge. (Wow - they treat the doctor's good! I had no clue!) They even had a beautiful tree set up in the lounge...as pictured here. That was cool since we didn't have our own tree this year. When Tim had to go back to work, Sunny and I came home and talked and listened to Christmas music. We wished more of our family (Hollands & Arakawa's) could have been with us...but we were thankful that at least we could be together!

Christmas day we slept in, had a late breakfast, and then began cooking for Christmas dinner. Sunny is quite the little "home-maker." I'm soooo proud of her!! Tim came home from the hospital and then slept for awhile as he'd been up all night answering the frantic calls of "agency nurses." (I can only laugh!)

Christmas dinner began about 6:30pm. Sunny and Tim had invited a couple friends over. It was small, quiet and nice. Sunny had prepared the American traditional: turkey roast (vegetarian of course), green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, rolls, stuffing, cranberry relish....and I helped her make her first apple pie. It was all scrumptious...and we had enough left-overs to invite everyone back for Sabbath lunch the next day.

Christmas evening, after our company left, we opened a couple gifts. Tim's parents had sent them a beautiful personalized calender with his mom's beautiful photography. Wow...we ooohhed and ahhhed over that for awhile. Then Mom and Dad Holland had sent Sunny a cool recipe book (which now I'm gonna have to get) and Tim some home-made wheat-sticks. (These unfortunately were too good for us to allow him to eat all by himself!) They had sent me a sweat shirt from my favorite Botanical Gardens in OKC. Then Sunny and Tim gave me a new heart.....just what I've been praying for! (Actually...it's a silicon heart-shaped baking dish. But it was something I'd been looking for for a couple years...so that was exciting!)

The big moment of the evening was when Tim gave Sunny a Vita-Mix!!! He'd told Sunny not to get anything, because they weren't gonna do gifts this year. (I guess he knew he was getting his own gift as well as Sunny's!) Needless to say, Sunny was pretty excited. (The picture below is of the gag-gift Tim gave her to start with. It was a box of Vita-Mix "spatula's"...the real blender was TOO BIG to wrap...but it was funny, because Sunny saw "Vita-Mix" written on the box, and she knew a "Vita-mix" was around somewhere. She's like, "So WHERE is the rest of my gift???????" We were all laughing...) So, as to be expected, all our meals since then have been made using the new Vita-mix!! :-)

And so my Holiday here in Ohio has gone...nothing fancy or too dramatic...(besides the "Vita-mix" entrance!) Just balanced and restful! Just quiet and simple. Time to talk and share, cook, rest, spend time with God, read...watch a few cute "Youtubes" and enjoy the gentle falling snow, which finally reached us yesterday.

And to be honest, this was just what I needed. As I've been contemplating life...and my life from the last year, I've realized the hazardousness of my natural tendencies to live on the edge of my endurance and capabilities. I don't know if it's my type "A" personality that doesn't know how to stop, if it's the urgency of the times in which we live...or just the fact that I like to be involved in everything that comes along. The fact is...it's been too busy of a year, and I'm tired!!

Of course, I know that our lives here on this earth aren't meant to be a relaxing vacation. God has called us to a life of active service for Him. But as I read Mark 3:14, I'm reminded again that all those deeds, all that "doing for God," all those commitments, all those acts of service - even though they may be good...they are fruitless unless we have FIRST taken time to really "be still" and be with Him! This balance we must have in order to not just survive, but THRIVE!!

Recently some quotes I read really convicted me afresh of times in which we live, how the enemy is constantly working to control and distract our lives (anything to keep us from God) and yet how our only safety is our continual "abiding in Him."

“An intensity such as never before is taking possession of the world. In amusement, in moneymaking, in the contest for power, in the very struggle for existence, there is a terrible force that engrosses body and mind and soul. In the midst of this maddening rush, God is speaking. He bids us come apart and commune with Him. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Ps 46:10

"We are to love God with all our hearts, and if we have an eye single to His glory we shall eat, drink, and clothe ourselves with reference to His divine will. Every one who has a realizing sense of what it means to be a Christian will purify himself from everything that weakens and defiles. All the habits of his life will be brought into harmony with the requirements of the Word of truth, and he will not only believe, but will work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, while submitting to the molding of the Holy Spirit."

Wow!! So as I prepare to leave this little haven of peace and take on the next "deeds of service" for Him (assisting with our yearly GYC , and helping run our ARMe booth), I am again refreshed and reminded what being a Christian is all about. This Christmas wasn't all big and full of family fanfare, like some have been. No tree, no home-made popcorn strings, no big parties or games. I didn't even send anyone cards or gifts, or get to put together a "giving Christmas" for those in need, like in years past. But I guess God had something more important in mind for me this year.

This year He gave me some time out...and He gave me a "new heart" and some quality time with Him. And that's exactly what this girl needed!

So what is Christmas really suppose to be about???

The following quote and story really inspired me...and reminded me of the fun we had last year with our Advent HOPE Christmas party, raising money for orphans and the needy over seas. Unfortunately this year I haven't had time to do much of anything for anyone, not even my family, let alone the needy. However, I am reminded, "What I do isn't really that important! For truly CHRIST is the REAL GIFT of the season!" He's given to us so we can give to others...but that gift may not always be "tangible." The gift He has given us, we cannot begin to comprehend or repay!!

Nevertheless, here's some inspiring thoughts on "giving" and how this commercialized holiday might could be more profitably spent:

"Let your Christmas tree be dedicated to God, and let its boughs be laden with offerings for Christ. Do not give as though it were a task, doling out your donations with a niggardly hand. Good works are no drudgery. In giving to us his Son, God has poured out to us all Heaven in one gift. Let us with an overflowing heart, with gratitude and joy because of Christ's matchless love, bring him our offerings. Teach your children by your own example the blessedness of doing for Christ. Train them to go on errands of love for him, and in all their gifts to remember the gracious Giver. If there are any who are in need of food or comfortable clothing, they should be remembered; we are not to neglect Christ in the person of his saints. But let us be constantly seeking to make God and his cause first in our thoughts and plans.

Many hardly, know as yet what self-denial is, or what it is to suffer for the truth's sake; but none will enter Heaven without making a sacrifice. Yet self-denial will not make us joyless; it will not cast a shadow upon our holidays. It is not what we have, not the abundance of the things of this life, that will make us happy. Our happiness depends upon the relation we sustain to God. An approving conscience, a contented spirit, sweet communion with Jesus, will make us the happiest beings in the world." {ST, December 8, 1887 par. 18}

A Christmas Story

It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas---oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it... overspending...the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma---the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else. Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike.

The inspiration came in an unusual way. Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat. Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them."

Mike loved kids-all kids-and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition---one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on. The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there.

You see, we lost Mike last year. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more. Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

May we all remember Christ, and "give" in a Christ-like manner. After all, he is the reason for the season, and the true "Christmas spirit" this year and always.

Merry Christmas Friends!!! And remember...we shouldn't just be giving at Christmas...Giving should be our WAY of LIFE...all year long!!!

His Strength is Perfect...

With only a few more days at home, I've been rushing to help my mom finish some big cleaning projects, trying to get some Christmas gifts finished, preparing for the "Generation of Youth for Christ" conference, and packing for my return to Oregon. Whew...I can't believe my time at home is almost over, and I must return to life in the fast lane. (Not that I ever completely left it!) Anyway, the break away from work and the craziness of my life has been a blessing.

As I woke up this morning, I lay in bed for a bit just thinking about life and talking to God. I was up til 2:30 this morning working on a project, and so after only a few hours of sleep, I guess it's only natural that I didn't feel like getting up. But when the sun comes up, my brain wakes up...so here I was at 6:30am wide awake, with a body that didn't want to move!

After some time with God, I turned on my iPod...and this song came on. It's one of my all time favorites, but I thought it was very fitting for where I am today. I don't feel very strong right now...and as I listened, the tears just poured down my cheeks! Thankfully I don't have to be strong. His strength truly is PERFECT...it's just too bad that many of us wait to claim it until we've reached the end of our own resources! :-) For truly, it's been there all along...what a blessing!

"His Strength is Perfect"

I can do all things, through Christ who gives me strength

But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me.

No great success to show, no glory on my own.

Yet in my weakness He is there, to let me know...

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.

He'll carry us when we can't carry on.

Raised in His power, the weak become strong.

His strength is perfect...His strength is perfect!

We can only know, the power that He holds,

When we truly see how deep our weakness goes.

His strength in us begins, where ours comes to an end

He hears our humble cry and proves again.

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.

He'll carry us when we can't carry on.

Raised in His power, the weak become strong.

His strength is perfect...His strength is perfect!

"God is my STRENGTH and POWER: and He maketh my way PERFECT!" II Sam 22:33

Humbled by my baby brother...

Yesterday....I was truly humbled by my brother!

We'd all gone together to this Bible Study where a number of our friends meet regularly. And even though it wasn't like church, everyone always looked nice and well kept. But this particular day, one of the teenage guys came in wearing old dirty tattered jeans, and and a grimy shirt that looked like he'd just come in from working in the barn. I don't know this kid real well, to be honest. I know that his family struggles financially, but the rest of the members of his family were wearing appropriate clean clothing, and I've seen him in better clothes before. So in my mind, I was thinking, "So why wasn't HE?" It kinda bugged me. I mean, I know this isn't church or anything, but this is Bible Study, and this is a time when we all get together to meet our God, and to pray and fellowship and spend some deep time in God's word...why couldn't this teenager have just a little more respect????

All the while I was standing there thinking critical thoughts in my heart, my little brother Daniel (who actually isn't soooo little anymore - he's like 6'2'') came up and starting talking with this guy. They were just visiting about life, and Daniel was making him feel warm and welcomed. I'm not really into teenage boys conversations, so I walked away to find another conversation.

However, a little while later, I noticed this guy disappear, and a few minutes after he came back wearing a nice clean set of dress clothes. He looked fresh and clean and definitely much more in line for a Bible study. And I was thinking, "Wow!!! So he did bring clean clothes after all. He must just not have had time to change before he came in. Well, good for him!"

Incidentally, my brother had also changed. He was now wearing his overalls. They are brand new, so look nice, but I was thinking in my head, "What? Why did Daniel change?? I guess he must have wanted to show-off his new overalls or something..." but there were people all around, so I just kept my thoughts to myself. It didn't dawn on me why the significance of the switch, nor did I realize that the clothes this troubled teen was now wearing looked strikingly similar to what Daniel had been wearing...

Later on, as we were driving away, my mom gave Daniel a hug.

"That was sooooo unselfish of you to think of giving Ben, your nice dress clothes! I'm proud of you!" she affirmed. "They looked like they fit about perfect too!"

Now I was aghast...

"WHAT???? YOU gave that guy your clothes??" I asked in amazement????? "I had no idea???" Daniel just smiled. "Yep, and he gave the family $200 to help with expenses too!" my mom added. (Insert note: my brother isn't making much of any kind of pay-check right now, so his money is limited too! Yet, nothing seems to stop his generous heart!)

"Wow...." I continued in amazement. "I had no clue. I just thought Ben had some other clothes he hadn't had time to change into. And actually, it was because of YOU!!! I am sooo amazed!!! No wonder you changed into your overalls Daniel? I was wondering why you did that when you already looked soooo nice in your dress clothes!!!"

I sat back in silence...

Here the whole time I'd been thinking critical thoughts in my heart about this poor boy. He surely wasn't ready for any Bible study. And my little brother Daniel had just marched into the scene, seen the need, and done something about it....even if it meant giving the shirt of his own back. I was truly chastised. In fact, I think it's pretty obvious...I was the one that really wasn't ready for Bible study that day. "God forgive me! I have been humbled and reminded once again...what matters most is not the outside, but the heart!"

Next time, I may not give the poor teenage boy my clothes (I don't think he would wear them anyway) but I will seek to do what I can, and I will be more careful about my critical heart towards others.

Thanks Daniel, for the important lesson!

We can Trust Him...

"But He knoweth the way that I take...when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold..." Job 23:10

I've been singing this scripture song a lot recently...and am reminded of God's faithfulness, even when we cannot see His plan, even when we cannot understand what He is doing, and even when our journey includes pain.

God is faithful....He knows what He is doing...We can trust Him!!!!!!!

The following are some quotes that I've found especially uplifting recently. I hope they will be the same for you...

Our Heavenly father requires no more nor less than He has given us the ability to do. He lays upon His servants no burdens that they are not able to bear. All that He claims from us, we through divine grace can render. COL 363

God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as coworkers with Him. Not Enoch, who was translated to heaven, not Elijah, who ascended in a chariot of fire, was greater or more honored than John the Baptist, who perished alone in the dungeon. "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" (Phil. 1:29). And of all the gifts that Heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honor. CC 278

Ouch....really?? Ok, God...so even when nothing makes sense...help me (all of us) to count it but JOY that we are called upon to endure pain for YOU!!!

"Come unto me, all ye weary and heavy laden; give Me your load; trust Me to do the work that it is impossible for the human agent to do." Let us trust Him. Worry is blind and cannot discern the future. But Jesus sees the end from the beginning, and in every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Abiding in Christ, we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. AG 113

And at last....one of my very favorites....

Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet. MH 481

Truly He does make ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL....In His time!!!! Ecl 3:11

So my dear friends....if there is some burden upon your heart, some care, some sorrow....some trial. Know that our God is faithful...and all things are in His hand. And most importantly...we can trust HIM!!!!

Thanksgiving Thoughts...to LEAF you smiling!

Yep, I took this photo...many moons ago!

As the leaves of Autumn continue to fall, and THANKSGIVING has come once again, I am reminded of all I have to be thankful for.

As is our family tradition, after a scrumptious healthy "vegetarian" lunch (the Turkey's are happy here), we went around the circle and shared some of the things we are especially thankful for this year. Of course, we are only given a couple minutes to expound upon it all (and I could share much longer than that). Sooooo, I thought I'd take time to share a little more here on my blog. Hopefully this will bring and "Leaf you" with some smiles...

The following are some of the things I am most thankful to God for from this past year 2009! (In random order, not order of importance...)

• God's WORD (actually this IS in order of importance!!!) is one of the gifts I am most thankful for this year. I am thankful for the guidance, the direction, the encouragement, and the inspiration that I am constantly finding within its pages. "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart." Jer 15:16 I'm thankful that we still have freedom to freely read these words and share them...I know that freedom will not last much longer.
• I'm thankful for the golden yellows and pinks of the early morning sunrise across our lake. And I'm reminded that it's because of the dust and atmospheric debris that we have such beautiful radiant colors. (It's a little more technical than that...but that's the gist!) And so it is in our own lives, the pain and sorrows and irritations can, when given to God, be used to make a beautiful picture of His love and mercy to be shared with all the world. "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10
• I'm thankful for my parents and brothers, and their love for me. I've lived away from home basically ever since I was 15, and yet every time I come back to visit or stay a little while, I am reminded again of what a great home I grew up in. I'll never forget sitting in daddy's lap, as an early teen, with 3 babies on top of me... all squirming and squiggling...and singing... "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam!" What great memories!! Now we all gather in our living room...my dad with the same "Happy Songs for Boys and Girls" books, my brother Daniel with his guitar, me at another guitar or at the piano, my mom with flute, and Homer with his grin...and we all sing away...just like old times...well, almost...ha ha!
• I'm thankful for the fragrance of flowers... I'm also thankful for the gift of "Forgiveness"...for it is "the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that crushed it." And this fragrance we have great need of in this sin filled broken world.
• I am thankful for "salt." Daddy made some apple pies today, and forgot to put in the salt...and the moment we tasted them, we knew something important was missing!!! Only 1/2 teaspoon...but that little lack made a BIG difference. Reminds me of how we are to be the "salt of the earth" (Matt 5:13) and add the "seasoning of Heaven" to all our interactions. If Christ is not at work in our hearts, then we will be like "salt without savour" and we will be just like those apple pies... "Man, something just ain't right here! Something is missing..." :-(
• I'm thankful for the kindness of strangers. This spring I spent several months on a travel nurse contract in a lonely town in TX, and during this time was blessed immeasurably by a church family that I had never met before. If only we all could be as kind to the strangers within our midst...
• I'm thankful for my girl-friends...the best friends that share my life and my heart!! Whether it's talking late into the night during a sleep over (yep, we still have those), or talking on the phone across the miles...I am soooo blessed to have such a great group of girl-friends. (Thanks Val, Season, Vanessa, Sunny, Sue, Heather, Becca, Rita, Cara, Joy, Mary and others!)
• I'm thankful for the warmth of a home-built fire...especially as I realize that there are many in our world who don't have such a luxury, let alone, a home to enjoy it in.
• I'm thankful for my new Fami-LEE...for the unique perspectives they have added to my life, for the ways they have encouraged and challenged me to grow in the Lord, and for the privilege of being "GoMo" (Auntie) to little TaeHo and HeeSunny. (God is in the business of "last-minute" encounters and "miracle moments." And we've had a few of those already.) Wonder how many more of such God-ordained encounters are waiting ahead for me...
• I'm thankful for old-fashion hand-written letters and cards that we still get from time to time in our mailbox. These are rare, but when they come, they are treasured and read over and over again. For some reason, e-mail and Internet communications just can't come close in value...or specialness.
• I'm thankful for the love and affection of my many little kiddos in Bangladesh. Even though it had been a year since I visited last, when I visited the Orphanage this past September, they all came running to meet me as if the Queen of England had come to visit. (Come to think of it, the Queen of England probably wouldn't have gotten such a warm welcome!)
• I'm thankful for the Hollands...and their continued contributions to my life. We've made a lot of great memories over the last 17+ years...and this year, we made some more...moving Tim and Sunny to Ohio...and waltzing through the streets of Phoenix in the scorching heat. "What would I do without you guys??? I love you sooooo much!!!"
• I'm thankful for music...and the ability to praise God in song. Right now my brother is playing his guitar and singing his heart out. I know that God is looking down with approval and love...
• I'm thankful for LIGHT and TRUTH. Light dispels the darkness, and the truth sets us free. "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." Jn 12:46 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32
• I am thankful for ARME...and the passion of our team...as we seek to work together to help equip people how to REALLY STUDY the BIBLE for themselves!!! We had our first powerful conference this past summer, and look forward to several more this next year...
• I'm thankful for the "Set-Apart Life Discipleship Series" by Eric Ludy that has been one of the most spiritually impacting series of talks I have ever heard. I continue to be challenged by these messages and share them with as many friends as possible...
• I'm thankful for Pictures and Words...they say "A picture is worth a thousand words" so...between my pictures and my words...there have been a few hundred thousand I've shared just from this year alone!! I pray continually that both...my words and pictures...may be to the glory and honor of God!
• I'm thankful for MEMORIES...and especially those of Thanksgiving day over the years. But they haven't all been easy. Twelve years ago, on this very day, a good friend (Debbie Fox) died after a two year struggle with colon cancer. She was 25. Even though we all knew she was finally at peace, it was heartbreaking. Thanksgiving has never been quite the same since...and there's not a Thanksgiving that goes by that I don't remember her. Yet I thank God for the blessing and inspiration she was in my life, even thru her pain.
• I'm thankful for KEYS...the keys that allow me to lock and unlock my car door (especially when I am in California - ha), the "Keys of trust" that others give me...the key to their hearts (wow - what a treasure), the "Keys to truth" that God gives us in His Word (the ultimate gift)...and the list could go on. Keys are such privileged gifts to own...maybe I'll have to expound upon this further in another blog! :-)
• I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit...and for being privileged to often feel it's sweet wind upon my face. It's not something you can see, but you see its effects...in the gentle rustle of the leaves on the trees or the hearts close by. You see its subduing effects upon the lives around you, and you feel it softening your own heart. What a special gift... this unseen miracle that you cannot touch.
• Most of all...I'm thankful for the gift of LOVE...the love of my collective family, the love of my friends, and most importantly, the love of my God...who loved me soooooooo much that He sent His only Son to die for my sins!!! I'm told that, even if I'd been the only one that sinned, He would have still died...just for me! I will never cease to be amazed!!!!!

I'm sure I could go on and on...but for now...these are a few of my most favorite things, valued blessings, and gifts from God that I am most thankful for from this past year!!!!

We are encouraged:

"At these [holiday] seasons God's grace is brought before us in a special manner. We are bidden not only to recall the manifold blessings of the year, the rich gifts which Providence has so bounteously bestowed, but above all to remember the priceless gift of God's dear Son." ST, December 8, 1887

"Talk faith, live faith, cultivate love to God [and others]; evidence to the world all that Jesus is to you. Magnify His holy name. Tell of His goodness; talk of His mercy, and tell of His power." Our High Calling, chapter 14

I hope this post will "Leaf you smiling" and that you too, will take time to THANK GOD for all the blessings He has given YOU!

Steps to Christ...

Picture taken by teammate Eli Kim, during our recent trip to Bangladesh Sept '09

"To come near to Christ is to come near to one another..."

But how are we to do this?? Reading on...

"The secret of true unity in the church and family is not diplomacy, not management, not a superhuman effort to overcome difficulties, though there will be much of this to do...but UNION with CHRIST. Picture a large circle, from the edge of which are many lines all running to the center. The nearer these lines approach the center, the nearer they are to one another. Thus it is in the Christian life. The closer we come to Christ, the nearer we shall be to one another." AH p179

Ahhhh....so THIS is the secret. How come we as churches and we as families seem to do everything but this??? It's all about better communication techniques, better understanding, better ways of loving (all important for sure)...but we miss the most important, and that is Christ. We must be more closely united with Christ!!!

Recently I've been reading through the book Steps to Christ again. What a beautiful book it is, with so much practical gospel and encouragement for us today.

So far I've only gotten through the first few chapters titled: God's love for man, The sinner's need of Christ, Repentance, and Confession, and it only gets better as you go. But even in these first few chapters, there is so much convicting truth.

Let me share a few quotes that have really encouraged me, or helped me share with others more effectively. They are powerful...

• "God is love" is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green, all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God, and to His desire to make His children happy. pg 10
• The father loves us, not because of the great propitiation (death of His Son), but He provided the propitiation because He loves us... pg 13 [Wow!]
• Jesus did not suppress one word of truth, but He uttered it always in love...pg 12
• It is impossible for us of ourselves to escape from the pit of sin in which we have sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them...There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. The power is Christ...pg 18
• Christ is the source of every right impulse. He is the only one that can implant in the heart enmity against sin. Every desire for truth and purity, even conviction of our own sinfulness is an evidence that His spirit is moving upon our hearts. pg 26
• If you see your sinfulness, do not wait to make yourself better. How many there are who think they are not good enough to come to Christ. Do you expect to become better through your own efforts?? We must come to Christ [now] and just as we are... pg 31 (I am reminded of "But God commendeth His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8)
• Beware of procrastination. Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins, and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. Do not make the faults of others an excuse for your own neglect of duty. The Lord has not given us an erring human pattern. [No...we can look only to] the spotless Son of God as our example...pg 32
• Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome, will overcome us, and work out our destruction. pg 33
• As you see the enormity of sin, as you see yourself as you really are, do not give up in despair. It was sinners that Christ came to save...Christ died that we might be forgiven. The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf. Those to whom He has forgiven most will stand nearest to His throne and praise Him for His great love and infinite sacrifice. [Yes] it is when we most fully comprehend the love of God that we best realize the sinfulness of [our] sin. pg 35

Wow... "Lord help me!" is all I can say, for my sins are great.

"Search me oh God and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23,24

But I can praise Him too...for He hath made a way!

"For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of GOD is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom 6:23

My Life is like a Tapestry...

My life is like a weaving
between my God and me.
I do not choose the colors
He works steadily.

Sometimes He weaves sorrow
and I in foolish pride
forget He sees the upper,
and I the underside.

Not till the loom is silent
and the shuttle cease to fly
will God unroll the canvas
and explain the reason why

The dark threads are as needful
in the skillful weaver's hand
as the threads of gold and silver
in the pattern He has planned

He knows, He loves, He cares;

Nothing this truth can dim.

He gives the very best to those

Who leave the choice to Him!

Love letters...

Usually...when you think of "love letters" you think of boyfriend girlfriend interaction, or even husband and wife. But as I have learned, it doesn't always have to be that way. In fact, some of the most beautiful "love letters" I believe, can be between family members (brothers/sisters or parents/child), close friends...and even between you and God.

I could expound upon all of the above...[family/friends/God] for I have been blessed with soooo many beautiful "love letters" from each of these groups over the years. But right now, I want to expound upon that of FAMILY...

From my earliest years I remember my dad writing love letters to my mom. Because of my dad's forestry work, which took him away from us for months at a time, he and mom learned how to communicate and keep their love alive and vibrant...even across the miles. He would send her post-cards of where he was working, write her letters of love and encouragement and have someone hide them where she would find them. He'd press her flowers in his cards, or cut out something special to send her. I especially remember the time he picked her a bouquet of flowers, dried them, and wrapped them up in an empty "plastic water jug" so they wouldn't get crushed...then mailed them home to her. (As I remember, they were an interesting site to behold when they finally arrived...but none the less...the gesture of love spoke volumes to my mom's heart!) Many of these remembrances only had small snatches of news, or this and that...but they always had words of love and encouragement...words reminding her that SHE was the best!!

But dad's love letters didn't stop with mom...He wrote them to both my grandmas too...and even to me. Always encouraging, always affirming and always pointing to Christ.

Well...the years went by, and I grew up...but during my growing up years, mom and dad added two more members to our family...two little boys. Now these boys were many years younger than I...and while I loved them dearly...they couldn't really relate to where I was. They were too young. They were just my "baby brothers." But time went on...and slowly these little boys became "little men"...and as they began to read and write, daddy taught them the same habits he had been practicing for years. Each week, when they were away, he would have them write letters to all of us girls back home...to mom, to their grandmas, and to me...wherever I happened to be in the world at the time. I still remember some of those first letters, and how special they were.

Slowly my brothers and I connected more and more...slowly our friendship grew. When Homer was 13...I was struggling with finances in my own young-adult world and had come to work with my dad for a bit. Homer made $1,000 that spring working with us, then to my shock, he turned around and gave the money to me... to help with my college and bills. I was humbled to tears. Daniel did the same... and as the boys got older, I felt them become more and more protective and caring towards me. Constantly watching out for me... building and affirming me, writing me letters when they were away... and sharing their hearts and lives.

We are all adults now...my brothers in their early twenties (that makes me "how old"? Ummm...we wont calculate), but as they have gotten older, we have gone from being siblings to best friends. And this has become the habit of their lives now...for they have continued to write their "love letters" to their mom, their grandma's...and to their big Sis (that's me) wherever I've been around the world.

This fall I've taken some time out to come home...and once again, have enjoyed the time to connect and share...more on a daily basis. And I've realized afresh, how much of their love I have taken for granted over the years. I was there when my brothers took their first baby steps...over 20 years ago...now I get to watch them take the big steps into man-hood. I get to be here by their side through their struggles, through their pain, and through their joys. And even still, I benefit from their protective tenderness and love.

Just this last week my brother Daniel went with my mom on a business trip to TN. And what did I find sweetly tucked inside my computer after he left??...but a sweet little "love note." It wasn't really different than any of the others...just as sweet, just as loving, just as affirming...yet...somehow it made me stop and think in a new way...about the power of our words, the power of our love, the power of encouragement. It made me stop and think of the many "love letters" that God has given me over the years.

Sometimes I am tempted to complain...sometimes I am tempted to cry...sometimes as a "single" I feel alone. But then God sweetly tenderly reminds me...with my family's "love letters" and with His "love letters" in His Word. I am not alone...I am very loved.

Wow!!! What a privilege...what a joy. How did I get to be soooo blessed??

Before I end this posting...I have to share a different kind of "love letter" that has profoundly impacted my life. If it weren't for this "love letter" there would be no others...It goes like this:

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Reprinted with permission from: www.fathersloveletter.com

Leaves of Autumn

Once again I am back in the Ozarks to enjoy fall in all it's glory...and what a beautiful season it has been. Bright orange and red leaves, beautiful waterfalls, refreshing sunshine, sacred fellowship, and for good measure, lots of fresh juicy apples which we've been turning into apple-sauce. It truly doesn't get much better than that...

However with fall, there comes a bit of sadness too...for after the leaves have displayed their glory and splendor, they must fall to the ground leaving the the tree branches bare and unsightly. I hate it when all the leaves fall off...makes my heart broken, and yearning for spring when new life will spring forth and appear.

But as I ponder the cycle of the season's and God's plan in our lives, I realize that even though we relish the beauty of Spring and Summer...there would be no spring and summer if some leaves did not fall in the autumn. For as they die and nourish the ground, new life can spring forth. And it is only after the long hard winter that the true beauty of the Spring can truly be seen.

As I've been enjoying the last few beautiful days of fall, I've also been reminded in a new way, that even as the leaves fall off and die, there is a spiritual lesson true for me. I must die daily, yielding myself, my heart and my desires, my will and my way, and be buried in death (death to self and to all that gets in the way of the spiritual life that God is seeking to build)...all this must happen before I can truly live and enjoy the treasures of Spring.

I am reminded of the verses in John 12:24-25 which say:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."

So while it saddens me to see the leaves fall, I know it is in God's best plan and will, and that because of this time of death, new life is sure to spring forth!

"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it?" Rom 8:24,25