AGAINST THE WIND...

I love a windy day.  

I love the sound of the wind.  

I love watching the trees bend and strain.  

I love the feel of wind on my face.  

I’ve sat in the woods alone on a windy night filled with awe.  

Wind, to me, is a special gift.  

BUT, ever drop a receipt or an important piece of paper in the wind??  THE CHASE IS ON!!  Chase, stomp….  chase, stomp…. chase, stomp.   Got the visual??  Just when you think you caught it, you reach down to grab it and swoosh, another gust of wind comes and it flutters out of reach once again.  

A couple weeks ago (December 16^th to be exact),  I woke up with a pretty intense thought that I needed to read Ecclesiastes.   Now you have to understand that this is ODD for me.  I’m working on reading my Bible more regularly, but admittedly it hadn’t been as much a part of my life as I wish it had been.   So for me to wake up thinking about Ecclesiastes… well, let’s just say it caught my attention.   It wouldn’t have been so odd if I had woke up thinking about reading the Christmas story or something like that…. but Ecclesiastes??  Had to be a fluke.  I responded to the thought with “Ecclesiastes??  REALLY???  Hhhmmm… He must mean Ephesians” (a friend of mine had mentioned a couple weeks prior that she had read  Galations and Ephesians).  Well, the “prompting” actually responded back!!  I heard “No… I said Ecclesiastes”. 

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been struggling with some feelings of unsettledness in my life.  Stirrings I’m trying to pay attention to and listen to.  Since I was pretty sure there wouldn’t be a crystal ball or leather bound book entitled “Sandy’s guide to her life” under the Christmas tree, I have been praying often for God to put people, situations and conversations in my path to help show me His will.  So when you wake up hearing an inner voice say you need to read Ecclesiastes… well then, YOU READ ECCLESIASTES.  I had no idea what I would find, until I started reading.   Once again, our God amazed me.

What I found was King Solomon lamenting over the futility of life.  Each chapter repeatedly went through the things people were chasing in life WAY BACK THEN… power, intellect, pleasure, work, money… and how it is all meaningless.  How it is all: empty.  How it is all:

STRIVING AGAINST THE WIND

Gee… it struck me as a real downer.  But reading a little deeper and using the study guide notes in my Bible I got the real meaning.  All of these things people chased back then are the same things we can chase today.   Isn’t that amazing??  Chase, stomp…. chase, stomp… chase, stomp.   Reach out to grab it and true happiness, satisfaction, fulfillment, flutters away once again.   HOWEVER, Solomon’s message wasn’t one of despair.  The point of Ecclesiastes was that all the things in this world and life that we chase are meaningless WITHOUT GOD.  The point is that there is “a time for everything”… but it has to be God’s timing.    The point is that it is GOD alone we need to chase… and He wants to be caught. 

SO there I sat. 

All the things I fret about, strive after, chase. 

All the things I look to, to fill the empty places inside me. 

All the timing issues I struggle with. 

All these things were laid out before me in this book I was prompted to read. 

On a simple Friday morning in December.

A message for ME... from the Maker of the universe.

And the message I heard was loud and clear:  

“Just walk with ME, Sandy”

Human instinct kicks in and I right away start wondering what that means.  What does that look like??  What should I do?? What shouldn't I do?? What about this?? What about that??  And the most beautiful thing happened.  Again, that same simple message came:

"Just walk with ME, Sandy"

I look to the year ahead with anticipation.  I have a lot of the standard resolutions going through my head:  eat healthier, exercise daily, lose weight, slow down, simplify.  But I KNOW that while all these things are good things, important things, things of value when done in the right context… the most important resolution I can make is to WALK WITH GOD daily.  It is the ONLY resolution that will calm the unsettledness I feel inside.   It is the ONLY resolution that will lead to… LIFE.   The LIFE He wants to show me.  Everything else when done without HIM is just striving against the wind.

I’m guardedly excited about this resolution.  I wonder where the walk will lead??  Will it be smooth?? Or rocky and hilly??  I don't know, but I'm strappin' on my tennies and I'm ready to go.  

Have fun with your own resolutions.  Challenge yourself with them.  But keep them in their place.  I encourage you to make a daily walk with God what you TRULY chase in 2012.

CHASE… STOMP…. CATCH!!!! 

 Thank you, God… I love you too.   

Merry Christmas!!!

For unto YOU is born this day.... 

YOUR savior....

  

Who is Christ YOUR Lord.  

Hallelujah!!!  

DAY 1 - What's In A Name??

Isaiah 9:6  "And He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace".

DAY 1:
Ask yourself if you truly KNOW HIM by these names.
If you've claimed Him by these names.
What other names is He to you??
Tell Him.
Take time to silently praise Him with all the names that describe who He is to YOU... personally.

DAY 2 - Quiet PLEASE!!!

Things seem so noisy at this point in the year to me... especially these last couple days before Christmas.  Traffic is at an all time high with road rage lingering just below the surface.  Stop in the mall and it's a mob scene.  Clerks are tired.  People are tired.  Did I remember this?? How could I have forgotten that??  Bring another appetizer?? Sure... love to.  Perky Christmas music blaring above it all.

Noise.
Internal and external noise.
I don't always do well with noise.
I prefer peace.

Silent Night.... Holy Night... All is calm... All is bright...

Our Bible stories have always painted Christ's birth as such a peaceful event.  Smiling baby lying on a bed of clean straw... radiant beams glowing about.

Do YOU think it was like that?? Ever ponder that scenario??

I remember when I was 9 months pregnant.  Wow.  Sore.  Tired of luggin' that belly around.  Swollen.  I can't even imagine ANYONE telling me I had to sit on a donkey for how many miles??? and for what... legal paperwork???  Then finally get to my destination and go from place to place looking for a room only to have Joseph come back and say over and over again "Sorry, honey... no room".

Okay, finally we found one room.  A stable out back.  Ever seen one??  Not like in the story books.  Basically it's a rock cave.  Bat poo hanging from the ceiling.  Damp.  Unfathomable stench.  Sure, Mary... let's have the baby here.  But where to lay him??  Oh, right here in this carved out chunk of rock the animals have been slobbering all over.  That'll have to do.  Hey you, Mr. Cow over there... keep it down, will ya!!

WHAT??

Silent Night... Holy Night... All is calm.... 

Do YOU think that sounds like a calm situation??  I wasn't there, so I certainly don't claim to know.  But let me just say I-Think-NOT!!!  To me, that sounds like a whole lotta NOISE!!

I find it beautiful.  Our Saviour wasn't born in a pristine setting with servants to keep everything quiet and orderly.  Nope.  The Prince of Peace was born into NOISE!!!  I love it.  I thank Him for it.  Do you see the beauty in that??      

DAY 2:  Pray with me.  "Thank you, Jesus.  Because YOU were born in the midst of a noisy world... you can bring peace to MY noisy world.  Come into it."

 

  

DAY 3 - Oh the Wonders of Wrapping

Quick wrapping idea:  plain wrapping and plain bags can be embellished with a silk poinsetta.  1/2 price at Hobby Lobby now also!!

Picture plain brown kraft paper with a white and gold poinsetta and raffia for an organic yet elegant look...

White boxes stacked and secured with a red ribbon and red poinsetta on the top for a festive traditional look...

Bright lime green with red combo for something more funky and modern.

And for the true nature lover, use brown kraft paper with raffia and add some very last minute evergreen, twigs and berries.

In this picture, it was all glitz and glam in a black/red combo.

Effort in presentation = making the receiver feel extra special.

Have fun with it!!

DAY 4 - PRESENTS & PRESENCE

I will shamelessly admit.... I LOVE presents.  Even though I've reached a point in my life where I certainly have everything I need and then some, I STILL am a kid at heart about presents.  I love looking at them, shaking them, pinching them and have been told I am annoyingly good at guessing them.

Today was a great day.  I got to spend one-on-one time with a few people who mean the absolute WORLD to me.  Two such people included a dear friend and my sister and yes, the visits included... you guessed it... PRESENTS!!  What fun!!  As I was having fun unwrapping the wonderful things these people had picked out just for me, it struck my heart how much more their PRESENCE meant to me than the PRESENTS.  Their presence in my life is... a GIFT... in and of itself.   

It's the same with my Jesus.  He has blessed me with so many good things, but His presence in this world saved my SOUL.  His presence in my heart saved my LIFE.   His presence... period... is the greatest gift I will ever receive.

DAY 4:  If you're following Christmas tradition by exchanging PRESENTS with those you love... take the time to let them know how much their PRESENCE means in your life.

DAY 5 - NIGHT

As I watched a few beautiful snow flakes gently fall from the sky, I felt my spirit needed something quiet and reflective tonight.  And what could be better than an utterly amazing rendition of O Holy Night!!! Wanted to share it with you.  So turn down the lights... find a quiet place... and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFxG6-WSnI&feature=player_detailpage

Are you anticipating that night too??