For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given… – Isaiah 9:6
I don’t remember what it was that I was wishing for that Christmas. I was ten and was very much into riding my bicycle and nurturing my four pet chickens. In fact, I had combined those two interests by teaching Peter, one of my smaller chickens, to cling to my bicycle handlebars as I rode through the neighborhood in the small mining town where I grew up. I loved climbing the giant mimosa tree in the backyard, was good at jumping rope and had won the Polk County hula hoop championship that summer. I’m certain that my request to Santa that year was for some outside-oriented toy or device. But what he delivered was something quite different – a lined and zippered cover for my violin case.
When my sister Ann and I hurried down the stairs in the dark that Christmas morning to look under the branches of the beautiful white pine that my daddy and I had cut down far out in the Tennessee woods, we both were anticipating the fulfilment of our wishes. I remember the redolent aroma of the fresh tree, simply decorated with one string of multi-colored lights and handmade garlands we had carefully strung of popcorn and cranberries. The tree had a wonderful, magical quality about it – an aura of mystery and promise.
Ann’s eyes lit up when she saw the shiny necklace and lovely dress carefully laid out for her. My eyes searched for something bright, something promising outdoor fun. When I spotted the violin case cover, I can still remember the initial sense of disappointment and almost confusion.
The year before, I had begged my mother to let me take violin lessons. This was a desire I had held for several years after discovering a violin in the house where my beloved grandfather had lived in north Georgia. Although he died when I was just six, we had spent enough time and love together that he had become my hero. I wanted to be just like him. He was a lawyer, a bigger than life personality in his community, but a humble man with a kind and loving heart. When we walked together from his house to his office on Main Street, he greeted every person we met with great kindness and respect. I learned to look at people through his eyes, and as an adult I came to realize that he viewed everyone, no matter their background, race or status in life, as a child of God. I have always wanted to be like him, then and now. He ate mustard on his hot dog. I hated mustard but I wanted mustard on mine and grew into loving that taste. He had played violin. I wanted to play violin.
At the time of this Christmas, for the previous year my mother had made violin lessons a reality for me at great effort and expense, for we had to travel sixty miles every other week over winding mountain roads to Chattanooga for those lessons. I loved the lessons and the world of classical music that was opening up for me. I worked hard and practiced every morning before school.
So, when my eyes lit on the violin case cover, I saw the love and encouragement inherent in the wonderful, unexpected gift. I remembered my history with my grandfather. I let go my childish disappointment of not receiving what I had expected from Santa. The legacy of that gift has remained with me through all the years of my life and has continued to fill me with gratitude for the love of family, the opportunities that were given to me through that love, but most of all for the gift from my grandfather of learning to see all people as children of God.
God of love and promise, in our humility and awe we thank you for the best gift ever given to mankind, your son Jesus. Help all people grow in their acceptance of your gift and in love for each other. Amen.
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them … for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. – Isaiah 11:6, 9
The orchestra members prepare for the concert in a cacophony of tuning instruments. Patrons entering the hall rustle, finding seats, crawling over others in rows too narrow, settling coats and purses, chattering with excitement. Suddenly the lights go down; the discordant sounds of trumpet, oboe, cello and cymbals cease; violin bows are raised; the conductor’s baton is held high. There is stunned expectancy in the concert hall with all awaiting the sonorous harmonies to finally begin.
That moment is like Advent – the breathless moment of waiting in anticipation of a gift of amazing beauty.
In today’s climate, more than ever, we long for a world that knows peace throughout all countries, acceptance throughout all cultures, wholeness for all people and for the earth itself. Instead we are bombarded hourly by images of war and suffering and devastation of all sorts. How has the world become such a place of madness, a cauldron of greed and inhumanity? We just want to see, to hope for, a resolution of all that is so wrong, of all that is so much against God’s will and plan for humankind.
The early arrival of dusk now and the darkness of the winter sky, for me, bring a sense of tranquility and prompt a longing for simple peace. This is Advent! In this time of waiting once again for the birth of our Messiah, we have the opportunity to sit in quiet hopefulness, to dream of a world filled with light and love. We are waiting for the conductor’s baton to fall and the glorious gift to arrive. Come, sweet Jesus, come!
God of all creation and author of all gifts, as we await the birth of Jesus once more in this beautiful season of Advent, we pray for our world, your world. In these tumultuous times help us focus on the promise that the birth of Jesus brings and give unending thanks to you for this ultimate gift. Amen
There is a contemporary gospel song that I tend to laugh at because it is not necessarily true.
“Well, I’ve been lied on, cheated, talked about, mistreated, I’ve been used, scorned, talked about sore as bone. I’ve been up, down, almost to the ground. But as long as I got King Jesus, long as I got King Jesus, long, long, long as I got. I don’t need nobody else.” (Long as I Got King Jesus – Vickie Winans)
Yes we got King Jesus but aren’t we also the hands and feet of Jesus? Therefore we need each other.
I don’t like asking for help. It’s not a natural instinct for me but I enjoy helping others. I know that people are busy and I don’t want to be an unnecessary burden on anyone. Yet there have been many times when I had no choice but to ask for help.
When I joined St. John’s God blessed me with a true church family. My Sunday school class is called the Seekers. I can share anything with them. When Devin started middle school I was working at Wildwood Elementary School; I needed help picking him up from school. Fran Anderson and Buffie Grayson were super grannies who started picking Devin up from school and dropping him off at Wildwood. There’s no way I could have made it through those years without them. Yes I got King Jesus but I also need somebody else.
When Kevin went to Southeastern University I didn’t know how I was going to find the money to get the things he needed for his dorm room. No worries, auntie Daphne Grady had it covered because she bought his comforter, sheets and other goodies. I didn’t even have to ask her because she knew he needed them. Yes I got King Jesus but I also need somebody else.
God doesn’t want us to go alone. I know this is true because of the countless times he’s sent family both blood and church to go with me. You already know that I’m a breast cancer survivor not once but twice. Each time I’ve needed someone to go with me for a biopsy or surgery. Jane Rassi, my mom Mary, my sisters Ann, Thelma and Charlesetta were with me. Oh I must not forget Pastor Lane and Pastor Deidre prayed with me right before my surgery. Yes I got King Jesus but I also need someone else.
We don’t have to go alone, we have King Jesus and we also have each other. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. “When the world keeps spinning and the sun keeps shining: all we really need is just you and me. Keep on dreaming, keep on living all it’s gonna take is just you and me. This is love, this is life, all we really need is just you and me.” (When I’m With You – The Katinas)
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. – 1 John 2:24
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23
Advent is an invitation for each of us to begin again. What will we be starting again? On what do we need to have a re-do ? We begin our Christian year with Advent, which symbolizes the expectant waiting of the nativity of Christ at Christmas and also the return of Christ at the second coming of Christ. We are celebrating love, hope, joy, and peace.
Most of us have had a tremendous number of new beginnings. When we are born we are mostly helpless beings who depend on the goodness of our parents to feed and clothe and take care of our needs. We had a new beginning when we no longer got Mother’s milk but started eating solid food. Another new beginning in our world was when we started being able to move around and explore our surroundings. After a while our world got bigger when we started walking and running. There was a new beginning when we had to go to daycare or to school. For some this was a traumatic beginning and for others it was a delightful exercise in being independent.
As adults we had the beginning of a new marriage and having to live with someone who was not like our previous family members. We had to learn to combine traditions for holidays and find our new traditions. Do we celebrate Christmas on Dec. 24 or Dec. 25 or is it that the only time we can really have a Christmas celebration is on Thanksgiving Day when everyone can come? We had to learn that our own parents were not going to bail us out anymore when we used up all of our money. We had to make our money last and learn not to spend what we did not have. If we had not done so previously, we had to have the new beginning of being an adult. Adulting is hard!!
Then another new beginning was when we found that sleep was indeed a precious commodity when we had that baby who did not know daylight from dark and had to be taken care of 24 hours a day. While the baby was having new beginnings, we were learning that things had to be planned, and baby sitters were not available on a moment’s notice. No more last-minute trips to the movies or the beach.
As the years passed we had new beginnings when that baby started to school, graduated from school, and went away to join the military or go to college for more new beginnings. By now some of us were beginning to think about retiring from a lifetime of working outside the home. What am I going to do all day long? I have always worked.
Then comes the beginning of becoming a caregiver for an aging parent or a child who has returned home with disabilities. I do not know how to take care of anyone. I am not trained for any of this. How can I begin again?
By now we might think that there can be no new beginnings because we have experienced them all. Then comes the new beginning of looking forward to seeing your mate again in heaven. This beginning can be a truly awful experience or it can be so joyful because your mate is with God and is no longer in pain.
How many beginnings have we had in our lives? In reality each new day is a beginning. We can put away our past and know that our sins are forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. God is the King of second chances and new beginnings if we accept that gift that was given so long ago. There is no limit to new beginnings and as long as we live with the faith that we have heard from the beginning and know that each new day is a gift of a new beginning, we will have many new adventures with the Lord who made each day new. Great is HIS Faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see. Pardon for sin and a peace that endures. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. As He has been, He forever wilt be.
Excerpts from Great is Thy Faithfulness Hymn by Thomas O. Chisolm
Lord help me to look at each new beginning with hope, and give me peace in each new adventure with you. AMEN
In the summer of 2020, when my mother was sick, I prayed every day for God to heal her. I prayed, my family prayed, and people from church prayed but in the end, she still passed away. After her death, I found myself wondering if part of it was my fault. I remembered the verses in the Bible of Jesus performing miracles and healing the sick or bringing the dead back to life, and all they needed to do was to have faith. So I blamed myself for not having enough faith. I blamed myself for thinking “What if she dies?” “What if she never recovers?” I blamed myself for letting those thoughts slip in, and by doing that, ruining her healing. But the thing is, I really believed she was going to get better. So then I asked myself “What’s the point of having faith if in the end she still died?” “What is faith? Why does it matter?” and “If we are never guaranteed an outcome, what is the point of believing so strongly and letting ourselves be so vulnerable?”
So what is faith? Is faith even real? We usually use our senses as proof that something is real. We believe something exists because we can see, smell, hear, taste, or touch it. But faith is not something evident to our senses – not always, anyway. There are accounts of more tangible encounters with the Holy Spirit in scripture and in testimonies of people’s personal experiences. The Pentecost story is such a scripture. John Wesley’s “strange warming” of his heart during a worship revival is an example of personal testimony to the ways in which humans can, at times, experience God in a more physical way. For most of us, though, faith is something to practice without seeing, hearing, tasting, or touching.
Because of that, faith can sometimes feel senseless and unreasonable. Having faith feels like believing in a fairytale that promises everything will work out exactly how we want it to. However, life is not perfect, we experience hardships, and things don’t always end up how we plan. This does not discredit faith. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The chapter goes on to name different ways our ancestors had faith. From Noah and the ark to Abraham offering Isaac up as a sacrifice, these people believed in God even when it was tough. They left their homes and families, gave up their worldly possessions, and allowed themselves to be ridiculed by others all because they had an “assurance of things hoped for.” They had faith in the future and believed good things would come.
I know we have all been told this, but I am saying it again: God has a plan for our lives. And all those people believed in his plan. Later in Hebrews 11 it says “They all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.” These people all understood that God’s plan is much bigger than us. They knew his love for us does not stop at the bounds of our time on Earth, but instead extends to all eternity. Because of this, even in their suffering, all these people in the Bible continued to put their faith in God. They let themselves be vulnerable in faith because they knew he is all-knowing and wants what is best for us. Christ calls us to follow in their steps and walk with him.
However, faith is not an easy thing to have. It is extremely difficult to put our trust in God, especially when it feels like nothing is going right in our lives. But with constant connection and devotion to God, trusting in him becomes an easier thing to do. When we build a relationship with God, he becomes someone we can trust. He becomes the first entity we can turn to when things get hard. Sometimes it might be difficult to try to build a relationship with God. It might feel like our prayers are falling on deaf ears and there is no use in going to church. It may be easy for us to get wrapped up in our lives and forget that God is in charge. Because of this, God shows himself to us in many ways. Sometimes, we can experience God through our friends, family, and others in our lives. Whenever someone is still able to smile even in tough times. We see Him in the promise of a rainbow after a storm. And even in the simple moments in life when it feels like everything is just right. Those moments are when the Holy Spirit is moving. Not only that, God gives us people to keep us on track in our faith with Him. Those people could be our friends, family members, or mentors. You might have some of those in your life already. These people are part of our faith community and can help us grow in our faith.
Having a faith community to support us is important. That is evident by the Pentecost scripture. Acts chapter 2, verse 44 tells us that the people the disciples were able to minister to through Pentecost “lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.” Belonging to a faith community allows us to strengthen our faith together. When we get with other believers, we can share our stories of God’s work in our lives. With those, we can teach and motivate one another.
While we can support one another through our faith communities, faith is not something that is passed from a parent, a pastor, or a friend. It is not inherited or gifted. Faith should be evidence of a person’s unique, personal relationship with God. It should be cultivated from personal hours spent reading our Bibles, and one-on-one conversations with God through prayer. Like Noah and Isaac, and others long dead, we each need to let ourselves be vulnerable in God’s hands. We will all have our personal trials and tribulations. Times in our lives where it’s a struggle to keep going. And while the people around us can help us get through those times, it is the personal relationship we have built with God that will ultimately carry us through.
So, when my mother died was there something wrong with my faith? Did I not have enough faith? Was I not open and vulnerable enough? I don’t think so. I think, like all humans, I am limited in my view of the world. Time exists mostly in the present and there is no way for me to determine my future. But God is all-seeing and all-knowing and he has good plans for our lives. I realize now that even after my mother’s death, I was still able to have faith.
Romans 8:28 tells us that “All things work together to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” I took that message to heart, and I had faith that life would be okay. Even now, I continue to have faith that life will be okay. Instead of dwelling on the loss, my family and I decided to turn our eyes to the positive side of things. Our mother was now in heaven! While it is true that she never got some of the achievements and celebrations she wanted here on earth, she got the one thing she spent her whole life fighting for. She got to join her Creator in heaven and that is a bigger gift than anything anyone here could have given her.
God has good plans for our lives and, believe it or not, He didn’t create us for suffering. Jeremiah 29:11 even tells us: “I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Trusting in God may seem hard but if you make sure to build a constant and consistent relationship with him, relying on Him becomes easier and easier. The more we practice our faith, the more natural it comes. One of the best ways to practice our faith is through prayer – just as the apostles engaged in spirit-filled prayer on the first Pentecost. Because of this, I’d like to close my message today with a time of prayer…
Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on us. Refresh and deepen our faith. Renew our hearts, minds, and spirits, so that we may serve You with joy. Amen.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
When I decided several years ago to enjoy traveling to many parts of the world, I never envisioned myself injured and alone in a foreign country. Since making my bucket list of exciting destinations, I had traveled often with my college roommate Lollie. Finding Lollie again was almost a miracle in itself. After losing touch through years of career building and raising families, we reconnected serendipitously when we discovered our grandsons playing on the same baseball team in Lutcher. Our friendship blossomed again quickly and we became committed travelers and adventurers.
Our inaugural trip was to Iceland. What an amazing trip! We had a grand time even though the sun did not shine for the whole eight days and we didn’t see the Northern Lights. In January 2019, we planned a 52 Grand soiree combining three different tours from New Zealand and Australia, to Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia to Cambodia and Viet Nam. When we arrived home in February 2020, everything was shut down by COVID. All our family and friends had been concerned about the virus affecting us, but we had been entirely unaware of the issue. From there we were committed to continue checking off many fascinating, budget-friendly trips from our bucket list.
Low on that list was an African safari, primarily because of the potentially huge expense. But Lollie and I landed that dream trip after connecting several times with new friends and fellow travelers, Mark and Robin from Florida. They had secured a reservation on an affordable safari adventure. Lollie and I joined the expedition when the travel company put the trip on sale and drastically lowered the cost that matched the budget we had agreed on for any trip. So suddenly I was blessed with three incredible travel companions: Mark is a kind, strong and supportive man, Robin is a retired emergency trauma nurse and Lollie a retired traveling nurse. In hindsight I see two miracles lining up, surely the hand of God at work: reconnecting with Lollie in such a serendipitous way and finding wonderful new friends in Mark and Robin to enjoy travels with.
And so our adventure began. Lollie and I connected with Robin and Mark at the Newark airport and we flew to Capetown, South Africa. Our safari adventure was fabulous! We couldn’t believe the excitement and beauty of that trip: seeing so many wild animals up close, amazingly beautiful sunsets, river cruises in the company of hippos and our wonderful accommodations with mosquito net-draped beds. In the resort, there were even multiple stairs and porches that enabled us to view a watering hole next to the property. The entire group of travelers melded into a close-knit family. Mark, whom we all began calling “Mawk” in imitation of Robin’s Bostonian accent, was always looking out for all ‘the girls’ and encouraging others to do the same. His kindness and concern for others were heartwarming and at the core of the goodwill among the group. In fact, Lollie and I wanted to celebrate the many kindnesses that had occurred throughout the safari and decided to recognize them by awarding special bookmarks made as “Mawk Awards.” At dinner the night before the trip ended, we announced each award with the ringing of a bell and an explanation of the reason for the award to each individual. Great fun, laughter and goodwill! A wonderful farewell celebration!
That evening, after our Mawk Awards gala, I went to take a shower before going to bed. The next morning would be our departure. I was extremely disappointed to find the shower in our outstandingly fine accommodations deliver only a dribble of water and decided to let Lollie know. As I was getting out of the shower, I realized I would have to cross the room to reach my towel. In my typical ‘let’s get things done quickly’ (the ‘G’ in my name stands for ‘go!’), I stepped out and lunged with my right foot to grab the towel. My foot slipped; I grabbed the shower door which shattered and exploded broken glass all over the bathroom as I fell onto my right hip with great force.
At that moment, I realized that my hip was compromised. I whispered a prayer, “O God, please let me be able to get on that plane tomorrow.”
Lollie heard my cries and immediately went to find Mark for help. Everything happened very quickly. Mark was there immediately but upset that I was naked. Lollie threw a towel over me. I held onto Mark’s neck so he could drag me through the glass and out of the bathroom. Lollie called 911. Two very kind and very young medics, Anita and Eddie, arrived with a “papoose board,” like a very short stretcher. As the medics were trying to positon me on the board, Robin screamed “stop!” She saw that my leg was hanging off the board and could lead to major injury or worse unless it was stabilized. Robin and Lollie worked with cuticle scissors to rip a sheet into strips that could tie me onto the board. After I was secured on the board, the two kid medics carried me down three flights of outside stairs. Anita’s braids were flopping in my face the entire trek, and I was afraid she wasn’t strong enough to hold me, but she did!
The trek to the hospital in Botswana was rough as the ‘ambulance’ was simply a pick-up truck. The clinic was a concrete box-shaped building. There was no X-ray but the doctor was able to ascertain that my hip was broken. The clinic was not equipped for such a major injury, so it was necessary for me to be flown to Johannesburg.
So it was back to the hotel. I was so grateful that our room was on the first floor. When searching for a way to fly to the hospital in Johannesburg, we learned that it would require an up-front payment of $10,000. Lollie’s efforts to set up a Venmo account on the internet was picked up as a possible scam and shut down. When my friends and family saw that account on the internet, they were afraid that we had been kidnapped and were being held for cash ransom. Finally, with the help from Charles our safari guide, the hotel agreed to advance Lollie the money from her debit card. Even with the money in hand, however, it was a three-day wait until a plane was available.
Finally arriving at the hospital in Johannesburg, the news wasn’t good: if I underwent a hip replacement, it would necessitate a six-week stay there before I could travel again. The doctor suggested a temporary rod to stabilize the hip for travel home.
As I was moved into a ward set up for six patients, Lollie made arrangements for my 23-year-old granddaughter Isabelle to make the seventeen-hour flight to South Africa. Because kidnapping foreign young women was a real threat in this country, she also hired a driver to ferry Isabelle from the hotel to the hospital and back each day. Isabelle was a Godsend! She was allowed to visit only twice a day and then for only two hours each time. This amazing young woman worked constantly to try to arrange all my releases and the locals would miss her appointments. She was determined and persistent and ultimately successful! And then, dear Lollie had to fly home because her diabetic medications had run out. This was a new thing for Lollie because she had never been in a foreign country by herself and then had to fly home alone. I was just surrounded by amazing people!
When Lollie left, everything seemed much more challenging for me. The ward was crowded. The six beds were only about six feet apart. The six of us shared a single bathroom. The attendants were not compassionate and came only occasionally when one of us rang the bell. I came to understand that because of the poverty, job security was very important to the workers. Their pay is about $7 U.S. dollars per week. They had to do only their own job: the food person could not help with water, the blanket person could not help with cleaning, the bathers were only bathers, etc. Each employee had a specific job and was afraid of losing that job to someone else. Every day my food and sponge bath items were left on a table just out of my reach. I tried to stay optimistic. I smiled constantly. The other patients commented on how I could smile so far from home. The six of us became a cohesive group even though we were from different parts of the world. A silent Muslim woman with an elevated broken ankle lay in her bed silently counting or praying some wooden beads. A Zulu woman sang and danced her native tunes. I truly became fond of and took comfort from the other patients. But in truth, I was terrified.
In my terror and pain, I prayed. And I began to hear in my head the beautiful words and music of my favorite hymn:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace.
One day my attention was pulled to a reflected light in one corner of the ward. The light emanated from the single high window in the room and was there every morning. Somehow the image it made looked like the sign language figure for ‘I love you.’ That reflection became my guardian angel as each day of the two-week stay dragged on. And I quietly sang my song over and over. These two things helped calm me and reassure me that God was with me and watching out for me. As the paperwork for my release was held up day after day, I worked with a wonderful physical therapist, Nehemiah, who was a Christian. Our conversations were comforting. We talked about the love God has for all people and Nehemiah’s own desire to better the lives of his people.
When the release papers were finally completed, a wonderful nurse named Brock accompanied me on my flight home. Breathing the air in America was like tasting freedom and life itself. Returning home to Baton Rouge to await an eventual hip replacement surgery, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of prayers and good wishes from my neighbors and my wonderful St. John’s community. And when I hear that lovely song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, I inevitably weep as I am reminded of the stream of miracles that occurred during my injury and hospital stay. I remain ever grateful for both dear friends and strangers along the way who helped me overcome such a huge challenge in my life.
God of all creation, I will be forever filled with gratitude to have experienced your loving care in my time of dire need. Thank you for the succession of miracles, both great and small, in the form of caring friends, kind strangers and a beautiful song that showed me the way out of fear by simple trust in your son Jesus. Amen.
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1
The sun was just appearing, still below the tree tops but illuminating the clear sky with that first pure white light. A breeze, gentle and unusually cool for a Louisiana August morning, rustled leaves of the drought-weary trees, offering a foretaste of a much longed-for autumn.
The state of Florida was reeling this morning through the onslaught of Hurricane Idalia. My heart was hurting as I prayed for the safety of the residents. Suddenly a lovely vee shape of ducks flew overhead, beautifully silhouetted against the brightening sky. My heart thrilled as the sight lifted my spirits to stand enthralled at nature’s beauty.
A few great egrets flew at the same height, the same direction. As I stood transfixed, group after group of ducks, ibises, and geese flew overhead, many in formations, some individually, while multiple singular egrets and herons joined the exodus. Were these birds moving toward the west in response to the hurricane-generated breezes? Were they fleeing perceived danger?
As I watched the almost unending parade of apparent avian refugees, I broke into tears over the troubles our neighbors were experiencing in Florida and beyond, over the fires raging in our state and others, over the disasters my fellow human beings were suffering worldwide.
Why is it that beauty and joy are so often accompanied by hardship and grief? All I could do was give thanks for all the good in the world, grieve over all the troubles and remember that our God is good all the time.
God of all creation, we trust in your everlasting love and care as we face the challenges in this world. Quiet our fears and still our hearts so that we may hear your voice in the wind, the fire, and the call of the birds. Amen.
Let the little children come to me . . . — Luke 18:16
There are few sounds as joyful and smile-inducing as the laughter of children. Or babies! Isn’t it mindboggling that an infant is born with a natural gift of laughter? To hear a baby laugh is, to me, a stop-in-your-tracks moment of realizing how our great and gentle God wants to instill in us unbounded joy.
I am privileged to spend a couple of hours a week with the children of the Charlie Thomas Head Start in the Gardere area. With autoharp or fiddle in hand, I join these three and four year-olds in their familiar favorite songs. They smile and wiggle and clap and then compete in requesting the next song. They love the familiar songs but are very willing to learn the new songs that I sometimes compose to accompany the theme of a storybook we have read. The sillier the lyrics, the more they enjoy the songs. And, believe me, I can write some silly songs like “I’ve Got Tiny Little Teeth in my Mouth,” “Don’t Eat Your Friends” and “No Pigs Allowed.”
One of my favorite songs to sing with the children is the standard “Old Macdonald Had a Farm.” The kids yell out which animal to imitate from verse to verse, but then I demand a turn and suggest that Macdonald has an unusual animal on his farm like a tiger or dinosaur. Sometimes we have to pause to figure out what a platypus or unicorn might sound like, but the song goes rocking on. Some days I suggest that a wolf should be part of the farm menagerie. Squeals accompany the suggestion but the children enthusiastically join in howling. We howl at all pitches, at every tempo, in concert, in disharmony and at great length until we fall out in laughter.
Predictably the teachers are pretty much disgusted at the melee in the classroom. But watching the children enjoy the freedom and release and utter joy of howling brings tears to my eyes. Pure joy, pure fun. That is when I know that I am howling with angels, these precious creations of our amazing God.
Father, you have given us so many beautiful gifts. Thank you especially for children, for the blessing that each child brings to the earth. Thank you for the gifts of laughter and song and fun. Through these special blessings and the ultimate gift of your son, we surely realize that your desire for us is to live life with purpose and joy. Thank you, dear Father! Amen.
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the desert and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise in the islands. — Isaiah 42:10-12
Sometimes I allow myself to think I’m getting old. For one thing, the arthritis in my fingers is making fiddle playing progressively more difficult. And I hate driving at night now. But coming through the mystery and beauty of the Advent season, my spirit is always nourished and enlivened by the true Spirit, and somehow I feel young and energized and hopeful once again.
And in that newborn state of mind, I seek joy and solace in the beauty of the natural world. It is there that I have always found my source of inspiration and spiritual enlivening, simply looking at the diversity of God’s creation and being attentive to its intricate and imaginative beauty.
For reasons I don’t thoroughly understand, this past year saw a change in the natural world in the places I frequent. Most concerning to me was the obvious absence of the spring peepers, tiny frogs that begin their clicking song right after Christmas and continue only through the month of January. For me these tiny unseen creatures herald the coming of the new year. In January 2022, they were totally absent. I searched the wet places they usually call home and found none. Their absence worried me for the whole surrounding environment, for the disappearance of amphibians is a sign of degradation of habitat, water and air quality. There also was a noticeable rarity of the larger woodpeckers – the red-bellied and the pileated- in spite of abundantly productive woodpecker habitat.
But this year, still in its infancy, has shown the promise of recovery. On New Year’s Day, the spring peepers began their song once more. I startled my dog and several nearby walkers when I heard their unmistakable sound and shouted ‘halleluiah.’ It made me feel like the world as we know it is coming back after the horrors and turmoil of the pandemic.
As I clear the cold-burned vines from my fence and trellises, I am once again reminded of the resiliency of life when I encounter a tiny baby tree frog that almost startles my senses with his electrifyingly green hue. And once again, I praise God for His greatness, His unending imaginative creativity and for all His beloved creatures, large and small.
Prayer:God of all creation, help us be attentive to all the beauty and blessings you have given us. Let us live in mindfulness and gratitude every day. We are humbled by your great love and mercy. Amen.
As a new year begins, I wanted to share my reflection on my very first “star word.” When I received it last year, I immediately went home and taped it to my tv stand. I literally see it every morning while sitting on my couch and every time I watch television, which, sadly, is a lot. 🙂
My star word for 2022 was “cheer.” As a journalist, I won’t bury the lead as to what I’ve come up with. Cheer is an action word. Yes, it’s something we feel but it’s not in the same category as happy or joy. Those, in my opinion are “feeling” words. Sure, we can “spread joy” or make someone “feel happy” but I think we need to first “feel” those words to turn them into action. Cheer is a choice. It’s a decision. I believe the Bible verses that contain cheer and its derivatives prove this to be true.
Google tells me cheer pops up a lot in the Bible. Here are a few examples:
2 Corinthians 9:7 Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.
Job 9:27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up’.
Mathew 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying ‘Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.’
Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones
Giving freely, not complaining or letting fear overtake us, and changing our perspective are all “choices” that begin with “choosing” to be cheerful. It just might even be the first step in faking it until making it. Translation matters, but cheer is the word that is used and I think that is a deliberate choice.
So how does all this fit into my own life? Well, it’s made me examine my interactions with my students (and others). My profession places me in the direct path of being a “cheerleader” for my students and their work. Every day I am in a position to make, or break, spirits. I’ve thought a lot about this responsibility and why God put me–someone who has always cared too much about what people think–in this position. Am I giving them what they need or is it what I need to get off my chest? Am I truly encouraging them at all times to be their best or am I dismissive when my time and patience are short? Living with this word has helped me realize how much more I can say and do to encourage and genuinely “cheer” others. These meditations have helped reshape my teaching style in a way I hope is more compassionate.
Incorporating cheer and cheerfulness in my communication style with others is one thing, but I must consider the relationship I have with myself. How can I become more cheerful hearted? Every morning, that little star reminds me to cheer up and remember that Jesus not only loves me, he forgives me. I don’t always believe that but I’m working on it. It reminds me that God is my greatest cheerleader even when I can’t understand how he possibly could be. That’s when I need to choose to be cheerful and/or take the necessary steps to get there. I must take the “action” to accept His love, forgiveness and encouragement.
I believe this word was meant for me, and I cheerfully accept the lessons it has taught me and will continue to teach me.
