He Knows If You've Been Bad or Good...

That Santa Claus; I don't know about him. You see, he is just like me. He takes note of whether you are bad or good (according to what scale?). If you are bad, you get coal and ashes and soot. If you are good, you get wonderful gifts under your tree.

I, too, judge people on my scale whether they are bad or good. My scale doesn't include soot or gifts, but the good people earn favor and the bad, well, I just don't want to be around them. Even if they're just having a bad day.

But my Savior, Jesus, I love him so much. See, he really does see me when I'm sleeping, and know when I'm awake. He knows if I've been bad or good (and friends, we've all been bad according to his scale - his own perfect life). But he doesn't give me coal.

No, Jesus offers me the gift of eternal life. I don't have to be "good" to earn my gift. The fact is, I could never be good enough to earn it. But Jesus loves me anyway. He has this wonderful gift for me, and all I have to do is believe. I have faith that he is who he says he is (God's Son) and that he died to pay the price for my sins.

I love Jesus so much, that I do try to be good. But like my 4 year old, all the trying in the world still amounts to some bad behavior sometimes. I'm so thankful that my God isn't like Santa Claus. His gift comes even when I'm bad, as long as I believe.

Romans 5:8 -- But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Psalm 33:13-15 -- From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

Mark 10:18 -- {Jesus said} "No one is good—except God alone."

Thankful Thursday - 12/18

Five things I am thankful for this week:

1. I'm done Christmas shopping! Hooray!

2. Bloggy friend - Greg sent me the cutest Christmas stuff. Really made my day. (and the girls love 'em too!) Thanks Greg!

3. Encouragement in my writing journey. I signed a contract to write 7 devotions for pay this week. God keeps telling me to keep writing. I really think I've found my gift, and I am so thankful.

4. My Christmas cards finally went out! At long last! That always feels like a huge undertaking. But I got them out. If you don't get one from me, I'm sure it just got lost in the mail. *grin*

5. Jesus' Birthday is in 7 days! I'm so thankful that Jesus was born, so that he could know every thing I experience on this earth, and understand my feelings. He died for me (and you!), so that we can be with him eternally. I'm just so so thankful for that.

So that's my five things this week. How about you? Join Truth 4 the Journey's Thankful Thursday by clicking the Thankful Thursday button, or you can just leave me a comment.
I'm always THANKFUL for comments!!

It's the Most Overwhelming Time of the Year

Christmas can be a time of frantic frenzy for many. We dash around to find the perfect gifts, perfect wrapping paper, perfect outfit, perfect decor, perfect perfectness. When our house doesn't look like the magazine, or our cookies burn, or our wrapping looks like the kids wrapped it, we become depressed.

This comes back to a heart issue. Are you trying to impress or refresh those who come to your home during the holidays? Because I know my kids don't care if the the tree looks like Martha Stewart's or Charlie Brown's. They don't care if I have beautiful perfect cookies, or slice and bake, as long as they get to add the sprinkles. They don't care if the wrapping is perfect, they just want to open the gift.

I can honestly say I have been set free of worldly expectations for Christmas. I set my expectations of what makes Christmas wonderful for me and my family. I don't put candles in my windows. Even though it's a Virginia tradition, it isn't important to me. I do bake lots of cookies, because I love baking, and my kids love it. But they don't have to be fancy, as a matter of fact, we prefer it if they're not. We're just going to eat them anyway!

All of the commercial trappings of Christmas set a worldly view of things. This Christmas I invite you to let it go. I'm sure Mary would have liked for Jesus to have been born in a nice home with her family and friends there to celebrate. Instead she got a stable with stinky shepherds there.

Jesus called for those who are weary to follow him, his load was light. If your load is too heavy at Christmas, perhaps you are carrying the wrong load? Let go of worldly expectations today, and instead do what will make Christmas enjoyable for you & your family. Even if that doesn't go as planned, remember Mary. Even in a stable, even without her family but with the lowly shepherds, she treasured these things.

May you treasure your Christmas this year, regardless of whether is it House Beautiful or Stable Simple.

Luke 2:16 - 19 -- So they {the shepherds} hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Colossians 3:2 -- Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Matthew 11:28-30 -- {Jesus said} "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Advent - Waiting

"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

Waiting…what does that word mean to you? Sometimes it can be nerve-wracking, like waiting in line in the grocery store when you're in a hurry, or 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?

Dear Lord, most of us don’t like to wait. But how often do we even give a thought to the fact that we are supposed to be waiting for your return to earth? Help change our focus, so that we can be ready and waiting when you return. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Originally published NHPC Advent Devotional - 1997, Kelly Combs, aka Chatty Kelly



Check out my other blog at Chatty Kelly's Kids Say. It publishes every Monday.

Seven Christmas Memories

Hi - This is a meme going on over at Greg's General Store, and I thought it would be fun to play along and share seven Christmas memories.

1. Every year at Christmas we would all line up in birth order from youngest (that put me 2nd) to run down the stairs and open our presents. My dad always went down first to "make sure Santa came." He would then yell up "Okay he came, you can come down now." I never realized until after I was an adult, he was turning the Christmas tree on so that when we came down it would be sparkling.

2. Every year my dad would take us kids (4 of us) in the car to see the Christmas lights. He loved it! But now that we kids are all grown, my dad still takes each of us, with our own kids, to go look at all the Christmas lights with him. He still loves it.

3. One year I asked for a Barbie Styling Head for Christmas. On Christmas morning my younger sister opened...you guessed it...a Barbie Styling Head. My parents love to tell the story of the look on my face. I still had one wrapped in my stack, I just didn't know they'd gotten her one too.

4. One Christmas I was sure the fellow I was dating was going to give me a ring. We'd been together a long while. After opening all my gifts, I did a good job of hiding my disappointment. No ring. Then he said "I do have one more gift. It's out in the car; I didn't have a chance to wrap it." "That's okay!" I responded (Why wrap a velvet box, right?) I don't remember what the last gift was...maybe a pair of gloves or a scarf or something. But I vividly remember the disappointment. Within the next few months I realized he wasn't serious about the relationship, so I told him I was going to start dating other people and he said that was fine. I started dating another fellow who was really quite wonderful. Within in a couple months, the first boyfriend asked me to marry him. I said no (too little, too late). I now happen to be married to the other fellow, 12 years and counting. Merry Christmas to me!

5. Every year for Christmas my kids get to open 1 gift on Christmas eve. It always just happens to be new PJs. They look so cute in the pictures on Christmas morning in their new PJs.

6. My dad always makes the holiday dinners, including candied yams. One year at Thanksgiving I made a new recipe, Sweet Potato Casserole. Everyone loved it and asked me to bring it for Christmas. I think my dad was miffed that everyone liked the casserole more than his yams. So he always asks me "Are you going to bring that marshmallow thing again this year?" The funny thing is my Casserole doesn't have marshmallows on it and never has. Last year, I put one miniature marshmallow in the middle of it as a joke, since he always says I am bringing that casserole with the marshmallows.

7. My favorite Christmas memory. My husband and I wanted to have children right away in our marriage, but it didn't happen right away. After 2 years, I was very disappointed. The week between Christmas '98 and New Years I found out I was expecting our oldest daughter. That was the best Christmas present I've ever gotten.

**

I have to say it was SO HARD thinking up 7 memories! So you can share you favorite memory in the comments, or join the meme, or just have yourself a merry little Christmas!

Thankful Thursday - 12/11

Today is my husband's birthday! Happy Birthday John! So for today's version of Thankful Thursday, I am going to list 5 things for which I am thankful about my husband.

1. He esteems me. We were at a party recently and the couples were playing a strange game where you say who you would "be with" if you could be with anyone (celebrity). All the guys were listing different women and when they asked my husband, he said I'm the only person he wants to be with. He was "boo'ed" by the other guys, but I am so thankful for a husband who esteems me.

2. He supports my writing. When I mentioned attending "She Speaks" he gave a huge YES and supported me 100%. He knows this is something important to me.

3. He is generous. My husband is never stingy. While we have had times of want and times of plenty in our marriage, his desire is to give me everything I need, and many things I want. I am truly blessed this way.

4. He attends church with me and shares my beliefs. I am so thankful to have a supportive husband in this most important area of my life.

5. His love language is acts of service. While this is not my love language, I am thankful that I have learned to recognize it is how he shows love. So when he fills my car with gas every week for me, or takes our daughter to school (or picks her up) so I don't have to, I know he is showing love. Do you know your husband's love language? (You can take the quiz to determine yours, or have your husband take it to determine his).

So I am thankful today for my husband, on his birthday!

I Don't Get It

Have you ever received a gift and thought "Why would they buy me this?" Maybe you just don't get it.

I remember one year my sister, My ADHD Me, gave me a fridge magnet with the recipe for Pina Coladas on it. I remember thinking "huh?" I'm not much of a drinker, and I never mix drinks. After my less than enthusiastic thank you, she asked "Don't you get it?" Obviously I didn't. It was a joke. A few weeks prior my other sister, ET, had emailed us with Thanksgiving dinner at her house, asking "What do you like to drink?" Some how her wording made a song come into my head, (imagine that). I had responded in jest "I like pina coladas...and getting caught in the rain." Obviously now the magnet made perfect sense to me!

The ancient Jews were told that a King was coming. They were anxiously waiting for this "king of the Jews" to rule. They had great plans and dreams of what his rule would bring. So when Jesus came and didn't want war, but peace, they didn't understand how he was going to "save" them. They wanted to be saved from Roman rule. They didn't understand he was coming to save them from themselves, their sin.

Even John the Baptist, the baby who had lept for joy in his mother's womb when Mary entered the room with Jesus in her womb; John, the man who baptized Jesus and saw the sky open and hear the voice of God acknowledge his son; John sent his disciples to ask "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" (Matt 11:3)

John didn't get it. He was in prison. Where was the new king? John was sent to prophesy about Jesus coming, to prepare the way, and yet he was still confused enough to ask "Are you the one?"

Even as believers it's hard to understand God, especially during tough times. Just like my sister had to explain the magnet to me, the truth is explained to us in the Bible. If you want to understand suffering, read Job. If you want to be able to praise God in good times and bad, read Psalms. If you want to learn more about applying your faith in your life, read James. Just read something.

If you're not spending time in the Word daily, I encourage you to do so while you can. Otherwise, you just might not get it.

Luke 8:10 -- He said, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories. But even with stories some of them aren't going to get it: Their eyes are open but don't see a thing, Their ears are open but don't hear a thing." (The Message)

John 12:36 -- Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn't get it, still wouldn't trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right: God, who believed what we preached? Who recognized God's arm, outstretched and ready to act? First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't—again, just as Isaiah said: Their eyes are blinded, their hearts are hardened, So that they wouldn't see with their eyes and perceive with their hearts, And turn to me, God, so I could heal them. (The Message)