Christmas is coming...

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat... (ok maybe not). But one thing is for sure, Christmas is coming. My vacation has officially started and I am finally getting in the gear... and the spirit. The last few weeks have been pretty stressful and busy and I'm sad to say I haven't spent enough time with God. Lately I've been thinking about the Christmas story, and how this overly familiar story can show me something new. Well, I started thinking about believing and the song "Believe" by Josh Groban came to mind. If you just believe... This song from the Christmas movie, Polar Express, is talking about believing in Santa. As Christians, we believe in something greater (yes, greater than that man in the red suit). God came down to earth as the son Jesus. How more exciting is this! Well, here's the problem: This happened about 2 thousand years ago. Do we still believe? For some this may be walking on dangerous territory, but I think its important to think about and study. Do you really believe that Jesus was born, because of a divine plan to save the sinful people of the world? Do you really believe that we need salvation? Hard questions, I know. Probably pretty scary. In Polar Express, there was a tiny bell that was from Santa's sleigh. Only those who believed in Santa, could hear the ringing. So on Christmas Day, the 2 kids could hear the bell, but the parents just thought is was broken. Here's the neat distinction between that belief and a Christian's belief: We don't grow out of it. At the end of Polar Express the boy mentions that he never stopped being able to hear the bell. He had an encounter with Santa, and he never stopped believing. Have you had an encounter with God? Can you hear the bell of belief?

Cordyceps and God's Beauty

Since Genesis chapter three, sin has moved forcefully throughout the world. When we think of the hold that sin has taken, we think in terms of our own human nature. It is obvious that Satan has taken people captive through various means (such as addictions, lust, cheating, etc.). Yet there are other ways Satan has tried to ruin God's creation.

Take, for instance, the disease of the cordyceps in the following video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8

It is an attack on nature, an attempt to destroy the beauty that God has made and, ultimately, to pull us humans away from Him. Without going in-depth on the subject, can you see how and why Satan would do this? We see destruction and pain and wonder where, and if, there is a loving God. How could He allow for such things? Satan takes advantage of this confusion and doubt, and takes whatever measures he can to push us along the road of unbelief.

But this is where God's beauty shines through. He takes the brokenness of the world, of nature and of humanity, and uses it for His glory. Did you catch the end of the video? There is a positive effect on the jungle's diversity through the deadly cordyceps. They help regulate populations so no individual species grows out of control. It's a check-and-balance sort of system.

Can you see it? God created a masterpiece: the jungle. Upon the introduction of sin to the world, Satan took advantage of the 'control' he was given and pushed for a deadly fungus, the cordyceps, to rummage through the jungle and destroy as much as it could. But God hasn't let that be the end; rather, He is using it for good within the ecosystem.

Little findings such as this prove God's control and divinity. Not only that, but His love. He loves His creation and, thus, takes care of it. Of us. If He takes care of the insects of the earth, how much more will He take care of His children? (Matthew 6:25-34)

About to Fall

Isn't everyone pretending they're alright
Isn't everyone about to fall
Isn't everyone playing beautiful tonight
Isn't everyone about to fall
We're all playing beautiful
But we're about to fall


True, isn't it? This song, About to Fall by The Wrecking, played over and over in my head last Tuesday night.

I was sitting on a stool in my church's sanctuary, along with six others. We had gotten together that night to merely worship our Father; to lift praise up to Him and bring focus to Him. Our pastor was among us, and he started off by asking each of us how we got to the point where we could worship--and do so in pure love. The responses amazed me.

Each one there shared a story about their faith. Some talked about growing up in the church but recently making decisions for Christ while others shared the pain they'd gone through apart from the church. Some had been involved in the church but had pushed God away, unable to see past their pain to the loving God waiting for them. But each person, myself included, had something in common: Struggles. Pain. Questions. Among the things shared were depression, anxiety, lying, cheating, and tears.

It really got me thinking. How many people do I talk to every day that are harboring their fears, their pains, their struggles? How many people have avoided facing these things? And what really struck me was that everyone is about to fall. Satan has so distorted this world, and he seeks to harm us in any- and every way. He desires our ruin, especially the ruin of us Christians.

Thankfully, in John 16:33, Jesus gives us encouragement and comfort:

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

We all are indeed about to fall. We all need a Savior, Someone to rescue us. We all need the love of our Father, that we may experience that love and then in turn love others.

His Kids

Our Sunday school classroom was relatively peaceful yesterday morning, being as we only had a few 4-6 year-olds running around playing with baby dolls. The lesson was about baby Moses being taken and cared for by Pharaoh's daughter, and each child was to pretend to take care of a doll upon entrance to the classroom. One little girl and I were wrapping her doll in a blanket, and the others were either pushing theirs in a stroller, "burping" it, or giving it a bottle.
All of a sudden, I heard wheezing and sobbing from the open door behind me. I turned to see one of the 2-3 year-old aids with a little boy next to her, almost choking between sobs and sucking on his hand (quite literally his whole hand). The poor girl didn't know what to do, so she had brought him to his sister's room in hopes that he'd calm down.
"Can he stay in here with you?" she asked. "I think he misses his parents..."
"Absolutely," I replied.
The little guy, whom I will call Joey, shuffled in and stood by the other teacher's side. The aid left the room, and the other teacher in our classroom tried to help Joey relax.
First, she tried talking to him. When he wouldn't respond, she brought over a snack and offered it to him. He merely looked at it and continued wheezing and sobbing--with his hand in his mouth. The woman told him to sit down and he looked at her, petrified. Finally she lost patience and looked frustratedly up at me.
"Will you please go take him to [the Children's Ministry Director]? I can't take it anymore."
I picked the little girl up off of my lap and set her on the chair beside me. "I'll be back," I reassured her before walking over to where Joey was standing. I wasn't about to take him to the Director, since that would mortify him and he'd freak out even more, but I decided we would take a walk around the church and see what happened.
"Alright, come here buddy," I said as I scooped him up and set him on my hip. "Let's go for a walk."
We walked around the first floor of my church, admiring the murals on the walls and pointing out each animal we could find. The first few minutes he spent wheezing, but after we found some animals he calmed down a little bit. A few minutes after that he was still trembling and sucking on his hand, but the tears had stopped streaming down his face and he was looking around at the walls. We kept walking until I thought he was ready to go back to the classroom, and then I explained to him that we were going to watch a video later in class and learn about a "really special and famous baby." He liked that idea.
When we arrived back at the classroom, the other teacher was showing the kids pictures in a book about the fact that God is with us no matter where we go. I looked around the room to see a few more faces than where there when I left. The kids were having fun taking turns naming places where God was with them; "The ocean!" Underwater!" Fishing!" When I eat!" "At church!"
Soon it was time to go down the hall to the Media Room, where we would watch a video and sing songs. We got all the way through the video before one girl, Hannah, had to go to the bathroom. Since I still had Joey attached to me, I whispered in his ear and asked him if he'd want to stay with the class or come with Hannah and me to the bathroom. He opted for the latter.
The bathroom, much to the kids' delight and the teachers' dismay, has foamy white soap that looks great just about everywhere. Hannah pumped a mountain of soap onto her little hands and rubbed them together. "Look! I'm really white! Oh, I just love this stuff!" Joey was giggling now, watching her having so much fun with the soap. He kept mumbling things, but I couldn't understand him since his hand was still lodged in his mouth. I asked if he wanted to wash his own hands, hoping he'd say yes since it was obviously an enjoyable activity and his hand was covered in saliva. He said no.
Hannah returned to the soap dispenser and created another mountain. "Come on, Hannah. We need to get back to the room now or we're going to miss the songs!" I told her. She just smiled and kept playing with the foam. We finally did get out of there, and returned in time to learn the song.
Joey mumbled something in his already quiet-now-quieter voice. I asked him to take his hand out of his mouth, and he obeyed and announced he'd like to get down off my hip and participate in the song. I set him down and watched as he stood by the wall for a couple minutes. After the first song, though, he started doing the motions along with the rest of the kids. As it turns out, he did a wonderful job the rest of the morning and (as far as I know) didn't shed a tear again.

I wonder what God sees when He looks at us. How often He picks us up and walks us around to comfort us in our times of need! How often He shows us things to brighten our day! He knows we, His children, need Him as our Father. He sees the whole picture--He knows that things aren't as unconquerable as they may seem to us. He's willing to take a walk with us, to talk to us and comfort us no matter what's going on.
The time I am blessed to spend with the kids each Sunday shows me more and more about Him and His love. He is our Father and we are His children, and He has gone the greatest length for us. What a great God we serve!

What Love

Here's a question: Have you ever heard of Orange Hawkweed? How about Meadowsweet? Daisy Fleabane? Probably not. Neither had I until today, when I did some research.

This past weekend, I ventured to northern New Hampshire and took a walk along a moderately quiet dirt road in the country. All along the road were bushes and vines, flowers and trees. I picked some of the flowers to admire them... And wow, were they gorgeous. Each flower was delicate and fragile, yet so intricately designed and amazing. The Hawkweed popped out of the grass with its vibrant orange coloring, while the Meadowsweet graced the bushes with its tiny white petals and ready-to-open buds. The spiky Daisy Fleabane added a different style to the terrain.

Each of these flowers put me in absolute awe of God's creation. Yes, I've walked by plenty of flowers in my lifetime. And yes, occasionally I have stopped to admire them or pluck them for a vase. But studying these flowers made me wonder... How many parts of my Father's creation have I merely passed by? How many of the gifts He made for me have I failed to thank Him for, or even acknowledge?

It is so incredible to think about the fact that He made each part of nature--every gust of wind, every blade of grass, every flower petal--for me. For you. If you or I had been the only human created, He still would have made the masterpiece we call Earth. And what love is that!

To Say or To Do?

Have you ever thought of doing the Word? You know, instead of saying it. There is, in fact, a difference.

I was reading the other day in the book Growing Slowly Wise by David Roper. He quoted a passage from an incredible man, James. In his book, James writes that we are to "not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive [ourselves]. Do what it says" (James 1:22). THroughout this first chapter, James informs Christians that we are to take note of the Scriptures and live by them (James 1:22-25).

"James is concerned here," Roper writes, "with our tendency to approach the Bible as an object of intellectual curiosity--to study it assiduously, to talk about it incessantly, but to do nothing with the data we collect....We believe the Word, but we do not think in terms of repentance, faith, and obedience." Yet as we allow ourselves to view the Word in this way, we gradually but surely become numb to its teachings. God seems more distant.

We can say the Gospel and the story of King David and the incredible flood. We can say that the Ten Commandments are crucial parts of life and that faith like a mustard seed is precious. But what do we do? When God provides examples of the consequences that follow lying, do we heed them? When He tells us to be still and listen, do we shut the door and await His voice?

It is so important for us to take His Word seriously and abide by it. To see it as a living Book, one that we can--and should--learn from. Think about it. Consider actually doing the Word. You won't regret obeying God's commands!

My Special Place

My favorite place to be is in the quiet of God's creation, soaking up the wonders of nature, away from the busyness of "life". Sometimes I wish I could stay there forever. God is constantly knocking on my heart waiting patiently for me to listen. When I open the door or "unplug" myself from everything distracting, God begins to teach me. He shows me His never ending love, His wonder. This is my getaway, my special place with God. The crazy thing is it's all around me and God never leaves but it's me who needs to take the time to listen. When I do, God lifts my heart, I'm overcome with wonder. This is the most amazing experience! Take the time to listen, be still, be quiet. "Be still and know I am God." -Psalm 46:10a

As an outdoorsy person it's no surprise that I am super excited about a week long backpacking/hiking trip I'm taking soon. But am I excited? Being out in nature with plenty of time to think and listen to God makes me overwhelmed with the amount that God will teach me during a week of pure listening. Sometimes I wonder what more can God teach me. Plenty! I like to be independent and I have a hard time with trusting. So on a previous hike it was no surprise that multiple times God reminded that I need to trust Him. One instance, a flooded river created a problem of crossing as the trail showed. One of the adults crossed first and stood on one of the rocks in the middle. He held out his hand for each of us to grab as we jumped across. I looked down at the raging river that I was to jump over with a 30lb backpack on my back. My heart started beating and I began to doubt that I could make it. I could hear God telling me, "Trust me! I won't let you fall. I love you, you just need to trust me." I took that leap of faith and safely crossed. After safely making it to the other river bank, I looked back and saw the distance I jumped. It seemed so small. How could such a small distance cause so much fear? When everything around you tells you it is impossible, take that leap of faith and trust God. TRUST! God, our Heavenly Father has his hand there, if we keep our eyes on him he won't let us fall.

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." - Matthew 14: 28-33