2022--an Excellent Year to Plant Flowers

I read this cartoon on Facebook yesterday, one person saying to another, "Aren't you terrified of what 2022 could be like? Everything is so messed up!"

The other person responds, "I think it will bring flowers."

A startled first person: "Yes? Why?"

"Because," says the second person, who is stooped over a pile of dirt in which he is planting bulbs, "I'm planting flowers!"

Kelly's Death--Her Day of Joy!

Jonathan told me the news this morning as I came out to the livingroom--Kelly, an acquaintance from church, had died last night, leaving behind a grieving husband, Bill.

 

Jonathan and I just held each other, our hearts thinking of Bill and wondering when it will be our turn...

 

But something I remembered about Kelly was how when she had found out about her cancer coming back at already stage 4, she didn't start moping around. She had a "Day of Joy" for the ladies of the church!

 That was really new to me. I had never experienced anybody celebrating a day of joy after hearing really "bad" news and knowing you might die very soon. 

 

Apparently it was not totally bad news to Kelly. She had a hope that most people don't have!

Her "Day of Joy" was a witness in itself. Kelly decided not to mope and weep, but rejoice and share joy with other ladies. All I can say is Wow!

So Kelly invited all the ladies in the whole church to come have a day of fun hair fixings and manicures!

Now with me being from a very conservative background of modesty and simplicity, I didn't figure I'd be the best person to attend the fun day of hairdo's and manicures, although I wouldn't have minded if one of the ladies could have introduced me to a new updo for my long hair! If I hadn't been busy or possibly away, I really did think of going just to get together for that "day of joy" since Kelly wasn't going to be here to have days of joy 

very much longer. 

 My background, training, and understanding of Scripture is different, but I felt like Kelly was an incredible witness of her faith in Christ by simply being joyful and loving others and opening her home to other ladies even when her life was unraveling and falling apart. 

Instead of hiding away in sorrow and bitterness, she opened her home to her friends. 

I have unpainted fingernails and a simple hair up-do, but Kelly's joy in the middle of her fun "Day of Joy" is a huge witness to me.

My Reformed Presbyterian friend has taught a conservative Wesleyan Methodist lady a beautiful lesson in joy.

 Today is her real Day of Joy!

I pray that I may also keep trusting only in Christ, not in any works of which to boast, not in my unpainted fingernails and lack of jewelry, 

not in any simplicity, modesty, economy, or good works,

 or even in my obedience to the Bible or in points of doctrine that I may think are so right,

but only in the finished work of Christ, Who shed His blood so that death would lose its sting!

It's a New Year--"Let Go of What Was"

This little devotional thought that was shared by our friend and widow Kristin Bump, who had lost her husband two and a half years ago, meant a lot to me last night. 

"Let go of what was.

Let go of what could have been.

Let go of what never came about.

Let go of regret.

Let go of shame.

Let go of sins forgiven.

Let go of hurt.

Let go of offense.

Let go of not being able to do it.

Let go of not doing enough or being enough.

Let go of roads not taken.

Let go of what you cannot change.

Let go and let God give you a new song.

             LisaAppelo.com

 

 

 

Christmas Eggs--When Your Heart Is Overwhelmed

When I just needed to get away for a little bit of quiet during Christmas time, 

just needed a place where I could go to stop trying to process burying a mother-in-law and helping a grieving father-in-law and cleaning up behind all the busy goings-on, 

I would slip out to the chicken coop.

 

Now I know that chicken coops aren't the place most people go to find peace and unwind a bit. 

They might go to the mall or the park or out on a quiet walk or to the gym to work out.

Me? I head to the chicken coop. 

There's just something about peeking into all the nest boxes and discovering a couple eggs here and several there.

And of course, there are always the empty boxes, too.

But in the end, I have a whole basket of eggs! 

Lord, thank You for Your little creatures and the gifts they give us when we are needing something to remind us that the world is still going 'round even if we are missing a loved one.

The hens are still in the coop, giving us the gift of eggs every single day.

And yes, I know they have a pecking order.

Some of those poor chickens have been pretty pecked and are missing feathers.

But they seem to know where they belong on the perches or in the corners of the pen when night comes. 

There they are, feathers all fluffed, ready to keep warm through the night while processing more eggs to lay in the morning!

 

I haven't any eggs to lay like the hens,

and I have no feathers to fluff and I can't even begin to keep hold of a perch in the chicken coop!

But Lord, "when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I!"

Something solid, unchanging, and peaceful. 

Lead me, Lord, to Your side!

Putting Away Christmas--and Where Are My Affections?

This year I was more reluctant than usual to "put away Christmas."

There had been so many sad things in the last couple months, and the warm, cozy lights and decorations of Christmas were something I just couldn't bear to put away on New Year's Eve or New Years Day as I used to do.

 It wasn't hurting anything to leave the Christmas tree up a little longer. 

Even if it looked a little scraggly and minus all kinds of ribbons, garland, and tinsel. 

(Our children say if we are going to have a tree, we are going to have a tree, and not cover it up with all sorts of jizz jazz. SO, they hang ornaments and string about 4 strings of colored lights, and that is that.

But at night when the children are gone to their rooms and I am walking with my prayer time in the dimness of evening with the firelight and Christmas lights the only ones burning,

that is when I can't bear to take the lights and decorations down.  

So it helps when I am checking Hannah's grammar and I see the following sentence, "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth."

I am so thankful that my children have Christian curriculum for their school work. 

Sometimes I am blessed myself as the teacher, going over their work...  

...as I was today. "Where are my affections?" I reminded myself, as I thought about my lack of gumption to put away the Christmas things. 

Rose had come down sick yesterday and was huddled, sleeping by the Christmas tree while I taught school. 

Yes, my affections are not in Christmas--its trees, lights, cards or even Christ-centered decor.

My affections have been set on things above, not on things on the earth. Putting away a wall hanging that says "Joy" on it does not put away joy. Taking the lights off the Christmas tree does not extinguish the Light of the World. Hauling the greens and branches out doesn't make our peace disappear. 

Remind me, Lord, that You are the One I set my affections on. Remind me that my heavenly home is where I am laying up my treasures.  Remind me that when the festivities are over, You are my joy, my light, and my treasure!

A New Year's Confession--I Am Not the Christ

There are times I am tempted to envy our dogs.

They have this wonderful privilege of napping any time they feel like it.

Just curl up in the middle of the day and go to sleep. 

While we wash dishes, milk the goat, strain the milk, mop the floor, feed the dogs, cook meals, package books to send, listen to people's tales of woe, wish delivery men a good day, and a dozen other things.

I got through a very busy Christmas season, complete with a haircutting day for Jonathan's dad, the burial of his mother, another trip with Jonathan to town on New Years Day to take lunch in to Jonathan's father, 

 

(where we heard this robin in a nearby tree singing while Jonathan swept the snow off his dad's driveway),

saying goodbye to my oldest daughter, and being part of a family conference about some important things.

Today I kind of came unraveled.
I was on the tipping point emotionally, and it didn't take much to spill over.  

And then news came that an acquaintance was about to leave this world, due to stage 4 cancer,

and I went to some corner and cried.

I wish I could fix everybody's problems but I can't. 

I am not Christ.

I've been reading in John, and it takes me about three or four days just to get through one chapter. 

One day what struck me was John's confession about Jesus and about himself. 

His confession stated this: "I am not the Christ." 

 John was sent to prepare a way for Christ; he was Christ's forerunner; he pointed to Christ.

But he was not Christ. 

When he confessed something in that situation, John didn't say who he was, but who he was not.

That was his confession.
"John confessed, and denied not, but confessed saying, 'I am not the Christ.'"

Besides saying "Jesus Christ is Lord," it is a good and healthy thing to recognize that we are not Christ, and we are not Lord. 

We are not even little Christs. 

We absolutely have limitations; we can't do or be everything that everybody needs at any given time.

Sometimes we come unraveled.

So instead of making a New Years resolution about doing or being some grand thing, I need to remember this year what and who I am not.

I am not the Christ. 

 I am a simple, very weak human being who happens to be a woman on top of that. 

And I cannot fix things for everyone. Jesus didn't even do that. When He was on this earth He could only be in one place at one time.

What makes me think I can tend my family's needs, and mine, and my husband's and everybody else's as if I am God--

when, in fact I am not?

So this year, much as I would like to be powerful and mighty and all-wise and perfect--

I have to admit that I am not.

I have to confess that I have severe limitations and have to set up boundaries.

Because, simply put,

I am not the Christ.

Musical Daughter Leaves a Quiet Vacancy Behind

Our Christmas season had its sadness, but it was also very happy, and it was busy but very fulfilling. We came up on the last day of Crystal being home and realized we only had one more evening with her. so we made sure we just spent family time--including getting at least one picture of me and all my sweet daughters!

The children had spent hours several different days, cleaning up fallen trees and brush from places where the storm had blown trees over.

Crystal was blessed to help on a couple of those days and earn enough money to pay for the fuel for her trip home for Christmas! 

 The kids and Jonathan brought home logs for the mill and some for firewood. 

 

Here is one load!

The last night Crystal was home, I asked her to play a song or two on the piano. When she is home there is always music!

Whether piano arrangements or CDs playing or just the music of her laughter!

Sam decided to help out the music, as well as Hannah.

Sam thought some extra high notes would sound nice!! 

However, he decided to run away from the camera!

Ho, ho, ho, too late, Sam!

I love the different arrangements Crystal tries out. 

But then she had to pack to leave, and some of us helped her carry her stuff upstairs to be ready to load in the morning. 

I managed to get up in time to help her load her car, and then moms try not to show all their emotions as they hug their firstborn daughter goodbye again and pretend to be okay.