Joy in January

This holiday season has been a difficult one for me - for several reasons. But the bottom line is that it has seemed rather bland and flat. Well, I've been bland and flat in my spirit.

I have been moved by music and I still marvel at the story of Jesus coming to earth as a baby. I have heard children talk about the story and give me new insights. I've heard 3-year-olds tell me about the angels and the shepherds: "Glory to God!" "Don't be afraid of me!"

And I've also seen accusations and mistreatment and hurt and confusion. I've had sadness at things that have happened this past year in our family. And the truth is that we live in a world where sin is active and thriving.

Last week I was reminded again to look for the joy in each day and each situation. God brings joy, deep abiding joy. So for the month of January, I am going to seek joy each day. I'll post here daily what joy I find.

To God be the glory! Joy to the world! His Son has come!



(A final note: My idea for this is based on a friend's commitment to post thankfulness each day. I am grateful for her giving spirit and for the journey that it will lead me on.)

Living Forward, Understanding Backward

When November 3 came around, I thought about what I was doing on that date last year, following an ambulance and waiting at the hospital. Now memories--past posts--pop up on Facebook related to the times in the hospital and Cindy's recovery. I cannot help but reflect over the past year and where we are now.

This journey with God is lived forward but understood backward.

Looking back we see the twists and turns, we see the helping hands, we see how one thing led to another thing. For us, I see that it would have been extremely difficult for me to be available for Cindy this past year if I had a 8-to-5 job...and near impossible if I was teaching in a school classroom. Our journey that started several years ago prepared us for this past year. I'm able to work from home easily; Cindy has been able to get back to her work with limited mobility; scheduling 100s of appointments was easier with a flexible schedule.

Looking back I can understand more about the road we've traveled. There are, of course, things I don't fully get yet and may not this side of eternity. But I see God's hand at work in our past travels.

But we must live forward, anticipating what is coming next. The past lies behind us and can inform us. But the future is where we are moving and we can step boldly into it knowing that our Sovereign God is there, leading and directing.

So what does that mean for us?
--God is sovereign. He is in control.
--We can trust God even if things seem difficult or out of control.
--God's ways are often beyond our understanding. (He is God; I am not.)
--What is contrary to what "we want" may be the better thing for us.

Do I understand all that has happened in the last year? No. But I trust the one who does know.

We know that all things work together for good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

What Are You Really Seeking?

A familiar story in the Bible is Jesus feeding a crowd with only a small amount of food. A large crowd had gathered to listen to Jesus' teaching. The day had grown long and meal time approached. Jesus asked His disciples how they were going to feed all the people. They located one small boy with a small amount of food. Jesus thanked God and broke the bread and fish to distribute it. The food filled 5,000 men plus women and children. With leftovers! (John 6:1-13)

We tell this story to children and teach it among adults. It's an important story about God's provision and Jesus' power. But do we remember the "rest of the story"? (Sorry, Paul Harvey.) In John 6:15, we read that Jesus withdrew into the mountains because the people were going to force Him to be the king. Okay, we know that God's plan for Jesus was different than becoming an earthly king...but there is something else going on here. Further in the chapter, we discover what.

The crowd discovered that Jesus and His disciples are gone. They searched for Jesus and eventually found Him. Jesus responded to their questions: "You are looking for me because I fed you. You should be looking for that which satisfies eternally."

Jesus and the people discussed more about this--bread for now verses bread for eternity. Jesus told them: "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again." (John 6:35) Jesus teaches them more about who He is and what He is doing. The result? Many of the followers could not accept what He said and deserted Him. (John 6:60) Jesus was not really what they were seeking.

We've been seeking things since we began this journey. And, recent events have led us to seek other things. But we've learned that most of all, we need to be seeking Jesus and that which will bring God's glory.

Listening to the radio the other day, I heard the song "More Than Anything" by Natalie Grant. (Apparently God continues to direct our radio station to play what I need to hear at a certain time. I hope the other listeners don't mind all the songs that I need!) Natalie Grant sings these words:

Help me want the Healer, More than the healing
Help me want the Savior, More than the saving
Help me want the Giver, More than the giving
Oh help me want You Jesus, More than anything

Too often I think I want the answer, the healing, the gift more than I want Jesus. The crowd wanted the bread (earthly sustenance) more than the Bread (eternal life). Throughout all our journey - and especially in recent days - God has continued to show me that I need to be pursuing Him. Not a particular path or a particular trait or a particular knowledge. But Him.

May we want Him, seek Him, more than anything else.

A New Year

from Steal Like an Artist Calendar

It's a new year. A time when we often think about changes or new attitudes and habits. A few years ago I read about choosing one word for a yearly focus. I've been doing that for the past few years. I do have a word this year, one that sort of just became my word without a lot of pondering and praying. But that's not what I want to write about right now.

I sometimes choose goals for the year. Last year I read a lot about choosing goals for the year and then setting quarterly goals within the year to move toward completing your goals. I did that last year - setting goals, that is. I didn't meet them but I did progress on some things that I wanted to do.  I at least thought about them regularly as I read them and worked toward hitting my quarter marks. And I also knew when I made decisions that led to things other than those goals. (Which made me wonder if I really wanted to accomplish those things in 2017.) I set more goals for this year. Some the same as last year (or variations of them) and some completely different. But goals are not what I'm thinking about or what I want to be my total focus this year.

In the past I have sometimes chosen a Bible verse to be my focus for the year. Not every year but I've done that a few times. Sometimes a verse appears after I choose a word for the year or grows to be a focus after the first weeks of the year. This year, actually even before January started, I began thinking about a verse. It was a familiar verse. It was a timely verse, timely for me and my life. I turned to it and read it. I thought about it and repeated it. I wrote it down in various places. It came to mind at various times throughout the days and weeks.

So I decided to make this verse the focus on my year. The verse is Matthew 11:28. "Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

I feel weary and burdened. Some of that is related to the past couple of months and what has been happening with our family. Cindy's illness made me also feel weary and burdened. (I can only imagine how it makes her feel.) Lots of burdens have piled up in my mind as a result of it. I also feel burdened because my work has piled up a little - due to distraction and to difficulty just getting motivated. I feel burdened when I see my spiritual immaturity and lack of faith, when I doubt and when I choose myself over my Lord. I feel weary and burdened because of so many things.

This year I want to come to Jesus. When those burdens weigh down my mind and heart, I want to come to Him. When I feel weary and unable to take another step, I want to come to Him. I want His rest, His comfort. I want Him.

I pray that this year I learn to rest in Jesus. I hope to be thankful when I feel burdened because it will remind me that Jesus is there, waiting for me to come to Him. And I pray that you can rest in Jesus, too.