Merry Christmas

 

May we seek Him in this new year with the determination of the wise men so long ago.

I pray that you are blessed this Christmas with the joy and peace that comes from knowing the One for whom we celebrate.

Merry Christmas!

Elizabeth

 

Glimpses of Mary

Have you ever taken time to think about Mary and what that first Christmas was like for her?  She was young.  I mean, she was v-e-r-y young, probably 12 - 15 years old.  I didn't even let my daughter date at that age, much less get married and give birth to the Savior of the world!  What a brave and unusually wise young woman she was.

Scripture tells us in Luke chapter 2 that as all the wondrous events happened, she kept them in her heart as treasures and pondered them.  Now, how many teen age girls do you know that keep things to themselves?  For that matter, how many women do you know that can keep from telling magnificent news to at least somebody.   

I think we can learn something from Mary.   There is wisdom in her actions.  Be quiet, wait, and watch to see what God is doing.  I have to wonder how many things I've botched by opening my mouth too soon.   Perhaps if I drink more tea it will keep my mouth busy long enough for God to work in spite of me. 
----learning to speak less and wait expectantly more.

"Wait for the Lord,  be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord."  Psalm 27:14

~Elizabeth

Learning to Focus

I apologize for my long absence.  Life has been rolling along rather quickly.  I've thought of you often but the thoughts didn't reach my keyboard.

Journal entry during this study

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Over the summer I've been participating in a study of Proverbs 31.  As the book has moved chapter by chapter into every area of our lives, the continual theme has been to be more focused.  Focused in schedule, focused in possessions, focused in choices, focused in nutrition, and focused in the direction of our days, weeks, and even years. 


This study prompted a lot of thought about how we have a tendency to just run through our weeks doing what we've always done and doing what everyone else is doing.  We live in such a fast paced culture and it is easy to get so busy we fail to even realize we aren't focused.   Well, at least I do.   Do I really even look to see what is around me, to see how my days are filled, to see the others around me and how they are feeling?

Being more focused means taking time for small things that are enriching

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I am determined to become more focused and less cluttered in my environment as well as my thoughts.  This will take some effort and some time but I believe the benefits will be worth the time.   How about you?  Won't you join me?

 Psalm 90:12  "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Kenya working on his Daytimer list for today

Rivers of Grace

Have you ever tried journaling your prayers?  What about doodling your prayers?  Well, that's kind of what it means to art journal your prayers.  Its kind of an artsy form of doodling that incorporates the wordy part of journaling.  Sound like fun?  Or does it sound like nonsense?  Well, it actually is very therapeutic and meditative.  The art part of the journaling process allows for time to pray and even think through what you may have studied that day.  

Here is an art journal page I did using notes I took from one of my husband's sermons.  (See, I really do listen)  

This is not a quick process.  It takes time -if done during your daily prayer time, it can take several days.  Hurrying would ruin the whole process.  I find it to be an enriching experience to my prayer and Bible study.    

 

Doors and Gates of Opportunity

"When one door of happiness closes another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened before us."   -Helen Keller

This quote always reminds me of a saying left over from the Poet's days growing up on a farm.  When someone looks surprised and unsure of what to think or say, the phrase is "They looked like a calf looking at a new gate".

What gates or doors are you so surprised to see or what closed doors are you so distracted by that you are missing some great opportunities right in front of you?

I Love You Lord

Be sure and turn off the blog background music at the bottom of the page before watching this video. Chanda has a way of making us laugh and then bringing in her profound point. This Easter themed story is a funny and deep video that ends with a beautiful song of worship. I hope you enjoy it.

Not Guilty Any More

Before clicking on the arrow to listen to this song, be sure and scroll down to the bottom and turn off the background music of this blog.  

And in the words of this song lie the very essence of Easter. 

What Makes A Hand Beautiful?

The Poet says my hands have character.  That's his way of nicely saying they aren't exactly perfect.  My knuckles are knobby, my fingers are crooked and short, and my nails are paper thin  And although they are not as young as they used to be, it is not age that has done this.  My hands have always looked this way.  Its funny that it never occurred to me to question how my hands looked.  I'm pretty sure that was because my hands looked just like my older brother Bill's hands.  And I was  convinced that everything about him was completely cool.

One day well into adulthood I received a comment about my hands.  The young mother of one of my students was telling me how she worried about her nails and whether or not they were pretty enough for her husband.  She talked herself into quite a stew as we stood there and then suddenly she exclaimed, "Oh!  But look at your hands!  Maybe it doesn't matter after all."  I looked down at my hands.  I had just finished several children's art classes in a row.  There were my knobby crooked fingers in need of lotion and sprinkled with the various colors of paint that we'd been using that day.

I spent the next few days wondering whether I should do something about my hands.  Of course, I could not straighten them but maybe I should have my nails done.  Hmmmmm.  And how many hours would it be then before those costly nails had children's paint on them?  Then I began to realize that I could not have "pretty" hands because of the time they spent in paint and glue.  The idea of hands and their role began to roll around in my mind for weeks.  How challenging life is for those who do not have use of their hands at all.  And how much we should take advantage of the hands we have.

Scripture says "How beautiful on the mountain are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace and bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"  Isaiah 52:7    Surely the same can be said for hands.  Beautiful are the hands that hold another's to ward off fear.  Beautiful are the hands that bring food to the hungry.  Beautiful are the hands that reach out to hug and to bring strength.  Beautiful are the hands that are raised to celebrate.  And beautiful are the hands that reach out bringing another to the One whose hands were pierced in love for us.

Altered Prayer Journals

Some of us are getting ready to start a new Bible study this coming week.  So in anticipation last week, a group of us got together and created our own prayer journals.  I lead the group and we created mixed media collages to embellish our prayer journals.  We created, we laughed, and we had fun.  I was quite proud of what these novice collage artists created.  Here are some pictures of journals made that night.