Is Blogging Dead?

Is blogging dead? Only you know the answer to that question, as it relates to my blog.  Some blogs flourish and grow, others dwindle. I have some ideas to spruce up my blog in 2012. However, I need your help.  My blog's goal is pretty broad, to share how God influence's my every day normal (and not so normal) life in the hope that you will notice God in your every day life too.

What would you like to see on my blog that would keep you engaged and coming back on a regular basis?  What changes could I make that would make you encourage your friends to read my blog?  What other blogs do you read and why?

I'd love to hear what you think. If you are not comfortable leaving your answer in a comment, please email me at chattykelly@comcast.net

Thanks!

Christmas Bells

Christmas is "the most wonderful time of the year." Yet, for so many it brings heartache. I can't help but think about the new reality for so many people at this Christmas.  A family whose young son is paralyzed after a diving accident, so thankful to be home for the Christmas, but to a new reality.  Families who have lost children and wait longingly to be reunited with them in heaven.  Families out of work, families fighting illness, families with loved ones at war.

Last year after Christmas I was wondering where God was during all of this.  I read this from the Jesus Calling Devotional...a devotional written as if Jesus were talking to you.

"As this year draws to a close, receive my peace. This is still your deepest need, and I , your Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your neediness.  my abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match. I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own. I created you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use. I want you to be filled with my very being, permeated through and through with Peace."

And I heard this beautiful song, below, by Casting Crowns, based on the Henry Wadworth Longfellow song of the same title.  "God is not dead, nor does he sleep." God is with us, God is for us, God is in us.

There is pain.  But there is peace in knowing Jesus.  May you know the Peace of Jesus at Christmas and forever.

Merry Christmas!

As you go on your way may Christ go with you. May he go before you to show you the way; May he go behind you to encourage you; Beside you to befriend you; Above you to watch over you; Within you to give you peace.

 Merry Christmas!

 

Christmas is about Presents

"What did you get for Christmas?" No doubt, that question will be asked a lot in the next few weeks. Let's face it, Christmas is about the presents, right?

No doubt, my family loves gift giving! We sponsored a young man through social services and bought his Christmas gifts, as we have for the past several years. We send gifts to children through our church mission, and make donations through our school. And of course we give and receive gifts from each other. We love presents!

But the truth is, many folks think Christmas is JUST about the presents. And that isn't true. Christmas is about Jesus. We do love to give gifts. But the gifts are to draw our attention to the gift of eternal life we received through Jesus coming to earth as a baby on the first Christmas, growing up, dying on the cross, taking our sins with him, rising up from the dead and conquering death for us all.

Presents are what the wise men brought to young Jesus to honor him. Gifts are not a bad thing. But when you think Christmas is only about the presents you get confused. Christmas is about Jesus, and the fact that he came to earth, and gave us His presence. And through the Holy Spirit we can always have His presence with us. Christmas really is about presence!

Advent - Waiting

The season of Advent began on Sunday, (Nov 27). Advent is defined by the arrival of something that was awaited, something we were waiting for. The world was waiting for a Savior who arrived on Christmas, and we Christians are waiting now for his second coming.

Waiting…what does that word mean to you? Sometimes it can be nerve-wracking; in a small way - like waiting in line in the grocery store when you're in a hurry, or in a big way - like waiting for that phone call with the test results. Sometimes it can be exciting like waiting for your vacation or birthday. The Bible says we should be ready, waiting for Jesus to come again. What exactly does that mean - - waiting?

Dictionary.com offers several different definitions to the word wait. Which definition expresses how you are WAITING for Jesus to return? The first definition is “to remain inactive until something expected happens.” Like waiting for a bus. So are you inactive, just living your life the way you want, until Jesus comes?

Another definition is “to remain neglected for a time,” like a matter that can wait. Are you neglecting Jesus, not giving a thought to him or his second coming?

The third definition is “to look forward to eagerly.” That is a great definition of the attitude we should have as we wait for Christ.

But, if you dig deeper, you’ll find some archaic or ancient definitions of the word wait. One is “to be in readiness for”…we are to be ready for the return of Christ. Do you think you’re ready? If you knew Jesus was returning tomorrow, what would you do today? Why aren’t you doing it?

Finally comes the definition “attend upon, as a sign of respect.” We should be attentive to Jesus. How? By reading his word (the Bible), praying, and following his will as a sign of our respect. That is the real meaning of waiting for Jesus to come again. So which definition of wait will you use?

And how will it define you?

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return…. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not
expect him." Luke 12:35-36a, 40

It's the Holiday Season!

With the whoop-de-do, and hickory dock...are you ready for the holidays? The holidays are a time of great joy, although for some they are a time of stress, or even sadness.  I feel blessed that the holidays do not bring me any sadness, but only joy. However, even in the joy I do feel stressed.

Shopping, wrapping, baking, and decorating are all things I enjoy! But it can get overwhelming when coupled with all of the day-to-day things like laundry, grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning.  Several years ago I made a decision. So I could fully focus on my family and the "reason for the season" I took the month of December off from blogging.  It was a great time of relaxation and joy for me.

At the time I took the blog break, I had almost 100 daily readers and averaged 25+ comments a day.  However my blog never recovered from that break. Now on average I have about 35 daily readers and get a comment or two on occasion.  Do I regret my decision to take the holiday season off?  Well, honestly, a little.

Yet, I knew I did was best for me personally, as well as my family.  A wise person once said, "writing may be your gift, but your family is your ministry."  My family is my ministry. And so I always try to put them first.  In doing so, I am honoring God who gave me both the gift of writing, and the bigger gift of my family.

So, if you notice the blog posts coming less frequently during over the next month, don't be surprised.  I'm honoring God and my family, and taking a well earned rest.  After all, it's the holiday season!  So whoop-de-do!

The "Joy" of Church

"Church should bring you joy...not suck it out of you."

I had to laugh at the above quote, on a church sign no less! As I drove past, I kept laughing. What a funny quote.  And, is "suck" a church word?  Cause we don't use that word at our church. (*smile*) As I continued pondering, I realized that while it's a nice thought that church should bring you joy, and mine certainly does, I don't want to attend a church that only brings me joy.

I want a church that challenges me, convicts me and pushes me to grow...sometimes even when I don't want to!  In the book of John, chapter 6, Jesus preaches some hard teaching.  It says many of his disciples left him that day.

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?"    From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.  “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”   John 6:60-61, 66-68

Today, so many of us want a "feel good" message and we certainly don't want a church that is going to point out our sin and challenge us to change.  However, Jesus' preaching offended many, and he was willing to lose disciples over it.  But those closest to him realized that only he had the words of eternal life.  

So, I'm thankful for my church, which is willing to preach the hard lessons, and while it might not bring me joy on every Sunday, the end result is eternal life.  And that brings true joy.

Reflection Question:  Would you rather attend a church that shares an easy message each Sunday, or a church that challenges you (encouragingly) to grow?