This Christmas Eve . . .
Really, Christmas is . . .
Christmas is for kids –
innocently believing in a Santa Claus. Believing that someone cares SO much that he wants to bring you a gift.
Things I’ve learned in the last week . . .
Things I’ve learned in the last week or so.
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1) Perils arise, but God is still God.
He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
He loves,
He cares,
He comforts,
and He heals.
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2) People care.
They pray;
they bring food;
they write notes;
they send gifts;
they call;
they send money;
they give hugs.
Sometimes I’m surprised to experience this care.
Then I realize again that I don’t know it all.
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3) Pain is real, no matter what.
Someone may think your problem is not that big, but it’s big to you!
So it’s big to God.
I’ve learned to recognize the intensity of other’s problems.
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4) Many people have much greater burdens than I do.
Some have the Lord to help them through;
some don’t.
I want to be the hands and feet of Christ to both–my hands extended in love and in prayer and praise, my feet running to meet their needs.
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5) Being a mother is joyful.
It is also painful.
It involves entrusting your child (and grandchild) to the Lord God. At Christmas, I am reminded how a young, innocent, virgin mother began learning to do just that.
This Christmas, I am observing my beautiful daughter entrusting – day by day – moment by moment.
I am thankful for motherhood and nanahood and a God in whom I trust.
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6) Christmas is one of the saddest times to suffer and endure.
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7) Christmas is one of the greatest times to remember why I suffer and endure. And to remember who suffered and endured for me, in my place.
(Look for my upcoming posting: Things I’ve learned about Christmas . . .)
Christmas is joy!
Joy to the world! The Lord has come!
When I was a little girl,
Christmas was fun! Sleigh bells rang in the dark. Santa’s sleigh tracks were found in the middle of the yard. Early Christmas morning, we three kids woke early, wrapped ourselves in warm bathrobes, and quietly stepped down the big stairway to the living room where we were welcomed by the brightly lit tree enveloped with big, cone-shaped electric bulbs of red, blue, green, orange, and white. Sleepy Mommy and Daddy met us by the tree and then made our day so special! The true meaning of Christmas was imbedded in each fun tradition.
Christmas was fun! And Christmas was joy!
When I was the young mother of little children,
Christmas was fun! Santa ate the cookies and drank the milk the children had set out. On Christmas Eve, Daddy read the Christmas story from his Bible. Matt, Kristen, and Amber slept in their warm flannels and fleece, on the floor, their heads on pillows under the tree lights. They never heard Santa place the Detroit Lions football helmet, Cabbage Patch dolls, 4-wheeler Big Foot, or Care Bears under the tree, just inches from their sweet, sleeping bodies. One Christmas, when Daddy was out of work and the money was scarce, he made a 4-wheeler track for Matt and a horse stable for the girls.
Christmas was fun! And Christmas was joy!
After the children were grown,
Christmas was not as much fun any more. And Christmas was not filled with as much joy.
Family gatherings, once a vital part of the season, now had empty spots, once held by special grandpas, grandmas, aunts, or uncles.
Songs and carols, once heard on the old, blonde 78-rpm player or later on the cassette tape, now brought a lump to my throat and an emptiness to my heart.
Now Christmas was only as fun as I made it for the brief time the children came home. And Christmas was joy only when I forced myself to find joy during those times.
But today,nearing the end of the most difficult year of my life, I am reminded through my devotions that Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord always!
(Philippians 4:4)
He prayed for the Colossians to be strengthened with all might, according to God’s glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness!
(Colossians 1:11)
Paul, a man who had suffered terribly, knew the link between joy and strength. We are strengthened with all might and joyfulness.
I need to be strengthened. And I want joy! The new covenant (testament) continues the same promise as the old covenant (testament) — the joy of the Lord is our strength!
(Nehemiah 8:10)
So this Christmas season, I will find the joy that the Lord promises,
and I will let it strengthen me!
I will find joy in remembering my Daddy and Mama and the legacy they left me.
I will find joy in the arms of my faithful husband.
I will find joy in my grown children who love and honor God.
I will find joy in eleven beautiful grandchildren–one wrapped in the healing hands of God and one still in his mama’s protective care, awaiting his March delivery.
And I will find joy in a God who loves me and has granted me unmerited grace, increasing faith, and abundant hope through this year.
I will sing, “Joy to the world!”
And I’ll find that joy when I remember that “The Lord is come!”
I will “receive” my “King!”
I will “prepare Him room” in my heart.
And I will fill that room with the joy He promises in His Word!
“Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her King!
Let every heart ~~ prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and hea~ven and hea~ven and nature sing!”
Sing with joy and be strengthened!
He will yet deliver Luke . . .
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
2 Cor. 1:10-11
Indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves,
but in God . . . 2 Cor. 1:9
And we do trust in God.
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole wide world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got little tiny Luke in His hands,
He’s got the Mommy and the Daddy in His hands,
He’s got all the Greene children in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
And how safe is that!! To be in the hands of God, the Father–to rest in the unmerited, undeserved favor of God! Kristen and Josh are resting in the unmerited, undeserved favor of God! Our entire family is resting in the unmerited, undeserved favor of God!
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Cor. 1:20
Will you speak the “Amen” with us? Will you agree in Luke’s healing? To the glory of God. Then we will join to give thanks . . . for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
I take Luke to Jesus.
Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place his hands on them and pray for them . . . Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. Matthew 19:13,14
I want to take Luke to Jesus. For healing. I want the hands of Jesus on my Luke.
Oh, if I could just touch the hem of his garment~~
if I could only go to Him for healing~~
if I could simply say, “Just say the word, Lord, and my grandson will be healed”~~
But, you see, I can!
I have more power now than those followers had who walked with Jesus. Before He went to the Father, Jesus said, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me . . . I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:11-14
Lord, Jesus, bring glory to the Father through the healing of our little Luke.
Our prayers are powerful! All-empowered with the Spirit of God. Taken to the Father by the very one who sits at the Father’s right hand – our Savior, the Lord Jesus.
I ask in your name.
And His name is powerful! It’s the name above all names! It’s the only name by which this healing comes!
I have faith in you.
We pray over him.
We trust God for his healing.
God is mending the gaps in his heart.
God is closing the duct.
God is opening the vessels.
And so I take Luke to Jesus. For healing. And the hands of Jesus are on my Luke.
Luke ~~ Bringer of Light
Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name . . . And now the Lord says–he who formed me in the womb to be his servant . . . for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength–“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant . . . I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 49:1-6
We’ve waited and trusted. In hope and anticipation. Looking for the miracle. Trusting in the miracle. Seeing the miracle. Of healing. Of growth. And of birth.
And now he’s here! Our little(est) baby boy!
His name means bringer of light. Luke Ryan Greene has entered our lives and with him comes the light. The light of life! The light of the future!
This little baby brings light to this Nana!
He is a promise of the faithfulness of God. He is the essence of the continuing heritage God has given our family. He is a reminder of the redeeming nature of an awesome, merciful God who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light!
Little Luke Ryan Greene brings light to my life and to my soul!
She is my Ruth–my Lynette
She wasn’t from Moab. She was from Michigan.
I loved her first – because he loved her.
I loved her next – because she is precious.
She is a giver. She is compassionate. She is talented. She is creative. She can make something beautiful out of a little bit of nothing. And that’s what she’s done in my life. She takes my nothing and makes something beautiful. When I feel like I’m Mara, she reminds me that God has blessed – that God has worked miracles – that we can trust Him.
And she does these things for me.
She is my Ruth — my lovely daughter-in-law, Lynette.
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. Ruth 1:16-18
. . . to have a daughter like my Kristen
She taught me about true faith.
I saw it in her life.
I heard it in her prayers.
Her baby was sick.
I was overcome with worry.
She trusted.
I was frightened.
She believed.
I spoke words of fear.
She spoke the Word.
When is it? That your daughter grows past you in her relationship with the Lord? That you begin to lean upon her–for strength–to lean upon Him?
It is a wonderful thing–to have a daughter like that–a daughter like my Kristen!
All your [daughters] will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children’s peace . . . This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Isaiah 54:13,17b
Thankful for a Future Hope!
Thanksgiving! Turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie! Sounds wonderful! Our family usually gathers around the table, and before asking the blessing, one by one, we tell what we are thankful for. But this year was different. We didn’t gather. One family went to Decker, Michigan ; one family went to Richland, Michigan; and one family was separated by . . . well, if you have been reading my posts, you already know.
So on this Thanksgiving, Ron and I didn’t feel like sitting around the table.
But we are still thankful!
We are thankful that our children and their spouses love and honor God.
We are thankful for our nine grandchildren and for the two baby boys on the way.
We are thankful that God continues to be our refuge through our most difficult year ever.
We are thankful that we have hope and a future.
And we are thankful that next year we will once again sit around the table, and before asking the blessing, will all tell what we are thankful for.
Further Reading: Jeremiah 29: 10-14