WORST CELEBRATIONS - Goalkeeper celebrates too early in penalty!!!!

My husband came home talking about the soccer goalie who celebrated his victory too early. I had to see it for myself.

The poor guy.

He successfully blocked the goal, got up, faced the audience hitting his chest for applause, not realizing the ball had bounced off of his body only to roll slowly, slowly into the goal. Impossible!

If he had only stayed alert. Eye on the ball, not the audience.

If only.

I am reminded of times, few thank goodness, when I didn't focus on my surroundings. I rmember I had studied for a test so diligently. I got the test and breezed through it in no time.

I wondered why no one else was turning in tests. Why were they still struggling so long after my completed masterpiece?

The next day, my heart sank as I realized I had not heard the note about the EXTRA 50-point question added on the board.

I know how the goalie felt.

God warns us as well in our spiritual lives to be diligent, not to take His Word for granted. He encourages us to hide His Words in our hearts to prepare for times of surprises in life, times of disappointments, times of waiting.

Today, I woke up early, unable to sleep. The sun was not up. My husband's sleep-apnea machine droned softly accompanied by my daughter's soft snoring in the other room.

I made a cup of coffee and sat down with God. After reading His Word, my heart was ready for the day.

How about you? Where's your focus today? Is your eye on the ball?

It is nice to think of others joining me as we start each day of what is left of 2010and begin each day in 2011 in the quiet of our homes, before anyone else awakes, sipping our coffee and reading His Word.

For His glory as we wait for a new year...

The Day After...

Well, it came.
It went.

It is now the day AFTER Christmas.

How are you feeling about it?

Some of you are "pooped" as one of my friends put it.
Others may be relieved after juggling financial and time constraints.

Me? I get depressed.

I mean since Thanksgiving I have enjoyed putting up the lights and dragging out the decorations I have not seen for a year.

I treasure each ornament's significance as I place it on the tree. Most ornaments on my tree are from the Johnston City Methodist Church Women's Society. I remember standing in a long line in November with my mother. I was twenty-two; she was in her early 50's. (So old, I had thought back then.) I humored her by getting up early to compete for purchasing hand-stitched ornaments from a local church.

"Believe me, some day you'll thank me for this, Gretchen," my mother had reassured me several times as I shivered in line whining like a spoiled child.

Now as I prepare to take down the faded, red-felt ornaments, I know how right she was. What memories they provide for me now. Memories of my mother always watching out for my future. Preparing me in some way. Preparing me for the day I decorate Christmas without her in my life.

I also put away the Christmas CD's. Music I love to hear over and over now goes into storage for another 12 months. "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "I'm Dreaming of White Christmas," (and yes, we had one this year!), "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire..." Oh, and the DVD's of old Christmas movies must be put away as well: "It Happened on 5th Avenue," "White Christmas," "Christmas in Connecticut," "The Bishop's Wife..."

I clear away the clutter of Christmas on the mantel, on the piano, on the stairway rails, around the door, on the bushes. I make decisions like, "Do I pitch the miniature lights that always seem to go out when I plug them in and have to buy new ones each year? or hold out for hope once again that they haven't expired in their use?"

I also swear each year to be more organized in my storage of Christmas items. I love seeing those Christmas organizers for ornaments and wreaths.

Yet, I know I will simply wrap tissue paper around most things or worse, sheets and garbage bags and pile plastic bins back in the basement as I do each year. My only guarantee is that I will label each bin this year so I know where each fake greenery will go next year.

Yes, it is the day AFTER Christmas.

What looms ahead are the bleak months of January, February, March. Even spring holds not much hope for me as I begin a battle with pollen, something that hit me at the ripe old age of 35! (No amounts of zyrtec, claritin, singular or inhalers seem to abate that problem. I must wait until June to breath freely again.)

Did I mention I get depressed the day AFTER Christmas? Can you tell?
Sarcasm is not pretty either is it?

One small comment though on Christmas afternoon has given me hope. I am clinging to it even as I write.

The comment came from a women in her 80's. She called to wish me Merry Christmas and said the most remarkable thing.

She said this was her best Christmas ever!

She never missed a beat. She did not know how that statement impacted me, has continued to linger with me.

You see, she is a widow. She has experienced much sadness in her life. She lost her daughter just as her daughter graduated from college and was starting her life in her career. She lost her husband a few years ago as well. Then last month, on Thanksgiving, she had a heart attack.

"This was the best Christmas I think I have ever had." That is what she said. How could that be?

This Christmas I have been haunted by images of the past. Images of my own mother sitting on my couch Christmas Eve suffering from yet another TIA or stroke. Images of her grief after losing her husband of over 60 years. Images of my father as I held his hand over two years ago as the breath of life left him. I keep thinking, this is what the future holds for each of us: loneliness, disease, death.

Yes, I get depressed as I take down the Christmas decorations and wonder what life will hold for me the next time Christmas comes around in 2011. Will I be alone? Will I be healthy? Will I have lost yet another person close in my heart? Will we be alright financially? Will the sadness ever leave me?

Yes, it is the day AFTER Christmas. I warned you. I get depressed about it.

Yet, there are her words. "...the best Christmas I have ever had..." How could she be so happy? She is in pain from her health issues; she lives essentially in one room of her house to save on heating bills; she must struggle with the memories of her husband and daughter's death; she has lost life-long friends as she ages....

She answered the questions I have without me asking her. Before hanging up the phone to retire for the night, she said, "I just love Christmas because it is Jesus' birth. Without that we wouldn't have the hope of heaven and seeing our loved ones again."

The hope of heaven. Life eternal. Seeing loved ones.

Taking down the Christmas decorations isn't the end. It isn't the beginning either. It is simply a part of an eternal pattern. I will be celebrating Jesus' birthday forever somewhere.

I pray, like the woman on the phone, I can say each year, "THIS was the best Christmas ever!" no matter what comes my way because I am truly celebrating Jesus in my life.

So...
Happy day AFTER Christmas, Dear Readers.

Digital Christmas Story

Digital Christmas Story
The above clip cleverly shares the Christmas story from a modern social network view. I hope you enjoy this little addition for today's devotional.

Merry Christmas!

NAME THAT STAR!

You have seen the offers haven't you? For Christmas, you can send in money to name a star for someone you love.

I admit, as silly as it sounds, it has been tempting. I mean there is that desire in all of us to be immortalized, remembered beyond our temporary time on earth... or at least in me.

Yet, it is too late. Today, I heard a minister share how all the stars have already been named for Jesus. Scripture after scripture revealed how creation including the billions of stars was made for our Lord and how the billions and billions (forgive me, Carl) of stars were already named upon creation.

So, I am going to save my money and focus on the fact that I have an immortal soul. In fact I am as C.S. Lewis said a soul with a body. I was born as an eternal being.
Thanks to the creator of the universe, I can continue to live with Him.

As I approach Christmas, I am reminded by the shining star, the one God had place over His son's birth, the one that led wise men and shepherds to the place of worship. I wonder what God named that star, don't you?

Some day we will know. In the meantime, join me, won't you, as I look to the heavens tonight in amazement and gratitude that the Creator of that should care for us.

For His Glory...

Snow Day!

Well, it happened.

To my 9-yr. old's delight, school was finally cancelled due to inclement weather. Really, instead of snow, it was ice.

Either way, she is happy.

Now you would think she would sleep in.

Nooooooo. At the time I usually am dragging her out of bed, she jumps up excitedly to watch television and play with her toys.

When I asked her why she didn't stay in bed and take advantage of the day off of school, she said, "Mom, I'm just so excited! I don't want to waste the day!"

She really reflects how most of us are about things out of the ordinary that take us by surprise.

A snow day. A holiday. A friend's visit or phone call. A kind word. A selfless gesture.

I wonder how often I have been someone's snow day this year? How often have I been the unexpected kindness someone needed that day?

How about you? Join me, in being someone's "snow day" surprise today, won't you?

For His glory....
Gretchen

Good News!

It seems like it has been a long time.

I am sure God shakes His head at my terrible memory because I know He has acted on my behalf many times during the past three years.

Yet...

I still feel like I have received many "no's" during that time to my prayer request.

This fall I shared with you how after losing my dad and then my mother within the past 2 years, I heard the terrible news of my sweet sister-in-law's liver cancer.

Many of us were devastated.

And we have been praying.

Praying, praying, praying.

Praying for healing. Praying for understanding. Praying for her strength. Praying for doctors to have wisdom.

Praying.

Yesterday afternoon, God gave us a glimpse of His power and mercy. Her CT Scan came back indicating the numerous tumors in her stomach cavity were gone! The one remaining tumor on her liver had shrunk 50%!

Amazing!

She is half way through treatments. She has a long way to go, but God gave her encouragement yesterday.

He gave each of us hope.

Throughout it all, He has given us His love.

Join with me, won't you, in a prayer of thanksgiving as well as a continued prayer for healing for Tabby Jack?

And for those of you waiting for healing, let me know. I will pray for you, too.

God's love is with you as you wait.

I pray for your good news to come soon.

Betty White

How did this happen? I mean really! Suddenly she is everywhere!
The last time I saw Betty White was on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW which of course really dates me.

And no, I did not watch THE GOLDEN GIRLS, but I know she was on there, too.

For years, I did not think about her or see her. Now, if I watch an award show, I know Betty White will be there cracking jokes that are meant to shock people, and they usually do. Her dry wit and her self deprecating sense of humor endears her to her audience. Whether it is a guest appearance on a sitcom, award show, or even a candy-bar commercial, Betty White is suddently the "hot" star.

But how did this happen?

My theory is that she just waited it out.

She had a pretty long dry spell of no popularity, no work.
So she waited and kept going.

Even with all of this popularity and attention though, "this, too, shall pass."

It is just a part of life.

I am writing this to reassure myself and others who are in a dry season of life, a waiting period for answers.

I look at the Bible and am reminded of many people, flawed people, like Betty White who waited a long time for things to change. People wanting children. People wanting healing. People needing daily bread. People needing a Savior.

God came through every single time.

But it doesn't mean they didn't wait.

So be encouraged.

If Betty White can do it...

well, then so can YOU and I.

Blessings on you as you wait.