Comfort, comfort my people...

As the year draws to a close I have been feeling a little restless. This morning I happened to read Isaiah chapter 40, and somehow, I feel peace again. I believe I am going to make this my inspirational chapter for 2010. I can't think of a better way to conclude my 2009 blog posts than with Scripture, so I thought I'd share it here with you.

¹ Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.

² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.

³ A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.

⁴ Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.

⁵ And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

⁶ A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

⁷ The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.

⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever."

⁹ You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"

¹⁰ See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.

¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

¹² Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?

¹³ Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?

¹⁴ Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?

¹⁵ Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

¹⁶ Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.

¹⁷ Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.

¹⁸ To whom, then, will you compare God?
What image will you compare him to?

¹⁹ As for an idol, a craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.

²⁰ A man too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not topple.

²¹ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

²² He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

²³ He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

²⁴ No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

²⁵ "To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

²⁶ Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

²⁷ Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?

²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! God bless you in 2010!

I Heard the Bells...the Story Behind the Song

As I was reading my Advent Devotional this morning, my heart was touched by the story behind the song "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." The song was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas Day, 1863. He wrote it out of heartache and anger.

In 1861, His wife died in a tragic accident. Her gown caught fire one night and she died the next morning. Longfellow was also badly burned in effort to put out the flames. That same year the Civil War broke out. Two years later, his 16 year old son that had run away to join the Civil Army was severely injured in the war and sent home.

Here is the poem that he wrote in his despair:

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound the carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn, the households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

You can see how the sorrow and gloom of the war and the loss of his wife lingers in stanzas two, three, and four.

But he didn't stop there. Catching an eternal perspective and the real message of Christmas and Christ Himself, he wrote two more stanzas:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Maybe you too, are mourning this Christmas as Longfellow did many years ago. Perhaps you may have a son or daughter in the military that is absent from you, or someone close to you that you have recently lost. Or maybe you just need to feel the peace that comes from celebrating Christ's birth. Whatever your situation, I pray that you will capture the true meaning of Christmas, and hear the bells ringing in your heart "peace on earth, good will to men."

Merry Christmas From our Household to Yours!

My friend recently created this card for us and I thought it was perfect to share here. Thanks, A!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

Emmanuel, God With Us

For the past 5 weeks our church as been doing a series called "Moments with the Master." It has been all about moments in scripture where different people had life changing encounters with Jesus. We started with the scene of Jesus on the cross, and worked backward to today, the Birth of Jesus. Each week everyone was handed a circle as we walked into the sanctuary, and each week we wrote on them our own moments with the Master and posted them up on the wall.

Today, we were shown how God can take all of our hardships, our prayers, and our brokenness, and turn them into something beautiful. During the message, all of our post-its were transformed into something marvelous. The giant murals were finished and we sang the worship song "God With Us" by Mercy Me. I took a picture, but it hardly captures the moment. Look closely. Can you see the picture of Jesus on one wall, and the star on the other?

Matthew 1:22-23 "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

'Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.'"

God be with you and bless you this Christmas and in the upcoming year.
~Melissa

A Christmas Surprise

When Rachel asked us to share a Christmas memory this morning over at Home Sanctuary, my mind began spinning with tales of Christmas' past. First I thought of marching through the woods to find the perfect Christmas tree as a child. Years of opening one present on Christmas on Christmas Eve and the anticipation of a stocking filled with little treasures brought a smile to my face. Then there were the Christmas dinners! Oh, we never had a very fancy spread, but you could always count on a full house. Our doors were always open to employees from our store that didn't have anywhere else to go. Never let it be said that there weren't enough seats around our table.

Yes, I have many fond Christmas memories. There is one though, that my thoughts landed on this morning that is very dear to my heart. It was nine years ago, and we were spending Christmas at my in-laws. I had been married to my loving husband for six years by then. It was no secret that we were trying to get pregnant with our first baby at the time, but with much difficulty. In fact, we'd been trying for almost four years with no results. With the support and prayers of family and friends and the help of doctors, we held out hope that one day we would become parents.

I love spending Christmas with my DH's family. They open one gift at a time so that everyone can share in the excitement. We didn't have much money that year, but we did have one gift that we put under the tree for his parents. It was one simple envelope. We were sure to place it way at the back, hidden under all the other gifts and it was marked "Open Me Last."

When my Mother in Law finally held the envelope in her hands, she questioned the mystery of it all. We told her that it was a Christmas surprise. You could feel the suspense in the room and all eyes were on her as she opened it.

In the card was a photo and a note. The note went something like this:

"Dear Mom and Doug, in 7 months you will be a Nana and Papa! We're having a baby!"

The photo was a copy of my first ultrasound. Tears began to roll down my Mother in Law's cheeks as we announced that we were finally pregnant. It was a Christmas miracle and the best gift that year. God had answered our prayers.

RL is 8 years old now, and she has three brothers and a sister! To hear the entire story of my journey into motherhood, you can read this post.

Thanks for letting me share my Christmas memory here. I look forward to reading some of yours also.

May God bless you as we reflect on the story of His birth this Christmas Season.

Siesta Scripture Memory 12.15.09 "Light"

I thought that as long as I was posting about lighting candles, (see below) I would also post my last memory verse for the year. If you do not know what I am talking about, then you can read about it here. I joined with thousands of other "Siestas" back in January to memorize 24 Bible verses in 12 months. What a great year it's been! God has really shed some light on His Word for me in 2009, and I look forward to what He has to teach me in 2010. That said, my final verse is John 8:12:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

May His light shine on you this season and always,
~Melissa~

A Small Thing Lit Up

Today's Small Thing over at Home Sanctuary was to light some candles. One of my decorations that I bring out every year around this time is my Partylite Snow Globes. I don't think they make them anymore, but they sure are pretty. They hold a tealight on top, play music, and have a motor in them that makes the snow blow. A couple of my motors don't work any more, but they are still beautiful. Rachel asked to see a picture.

Here they are, all lit up. You'd be amazed how hard it was to get a good picture. I had to actually turn my flash off to keep it from reflecting off the glass.

I lit up other candles all over the house too, and it sure did smell nice. Thanks, Rachel, for another great Small Thing! :)

Are You SnowMiser, or HeatMiser?

I'm determined not to get grumpy about snow this year. Normally I'm more like the HeatMiser, but this afternoon, I took Rachel's advice over at Home Sanctuary, and "Captured a Moment." (Or two or three...) I'll let the pictures do the talking.

When I don't know what to pray, I sing...

Take My Life - Francis R. Havergal

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

"Show Me Your Glory"

Have you ever woke up with a great song running through your head? I LOVE it when that happens. Then I know it's going to be a really good day! The song playing in the background is the one that was on my heart this morning. I just know that it's because God has really got me thinking about His Glory and how I won't fully know the greatness of it until I see Him in Heaven one day.

In Exodus 33:18 Moses encountered God and said "Now show me your glory." I've been asking God to do the same for me this week in His Word, and here is some of what I've found.

1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Psalm 63:2
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 96:8
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.

Luke 2:14
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

These are just a few examples He's shown me.

Hang on to your coffee and scroll down for more about how I got "back on track" this week when God showed me a glimpse of His glory.

Siesta Scripture Memory 12.1.09 "GLORY"

Well, I'm a day late, but better late than never. Yesterday Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary challenged us to pick something in our lives that we needed to "get back on track." My decision was an easy one. Lately, I have been lacking in regular devotion time with the Lord. It's a variety of things that I let stand in my way, really. I got off track on my "read through the Bible in a year" plan a couple of months ago and felt defeated. I wasn't able to fit the Fall Bible Study at Church into my schedule, so that was disappointing. Family, home, holidays...the list goes on and on. In the process of living, I forgot to tap into my Lifeline, Jesus. It's time to remedy that.

This time of year, I get a daily advent devotional in my in-box, in preparation to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. The scripture readings and devotional topics vary, but they all focus on one thing. Jesus Christ, Son of God. Yesterday the topic was "Glory." Here's what the authors had to say about finding glory in Christmas:

For one thing, you find glory throughout the biblical account of what happened at Christmas. Mary gave God glory in response to the news that she would bear the Savior of the world (Luke 1:46). When the angels announced to the shepherds that Jesus had been born, they sang out, "Glory to God in highest heaven" (Luke 2:14). And when the apostle John wrote about Jesus, he said, "And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son" (John 1:14).

Glory. It's just one of the many traits of the Father. And we can see it in His Son, Jesus. That brings me to my memory verse for the first half of December, John 1:14. I like the New Living Translation best.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

May you recognize His glory in your life today and always,
~Melissa~