December 8

Enjoying your family is not always about the occasion. Sometimes the activity turns out to be less than what the boasting implied. If you are determined, you will find good within the disappointment. Family gatherings, a parade in our case, can stink! All those memories from the past come flooding back causing anxiety, or what my daughter calls PTSD. We may have joked as the various floats passed by, but there was real drama and hurt in those memories, things so painful that you want to shove them back into the past where they belong. Some memories can be cleaned up by changing our minds path and by looking at the good things that came from the harsh reality, but there are other memories that cannot be sanitized. In those cases, you have to appreciate that Jesus was with you, even in the most vile circumstances, and He experienced what you experienced; He’s the only one who can get you through it. As we watched those floats pass us by, we created new memories, more pleasant than the old. God is a good Father, and knows just what we need to get through another day.

"God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land."  Psalms 68:6 If you are dealing with past hurt, get your Bible out, and read this chapter, it might help.

December 7

The flesh is alive and well! I got a little vindictive when things didn’t go my way, and turned on a little southern girl justice. I guess I can be a spoiled little brat and revert back to my childhood by holding my breath in anger. Our God in His goodness, decided that I didn’t need a spanking for my poor behavior, and let me off the hook. We have such a loving Father; even though what I meant to do was to hurt someone’s feelings, He turned it into a positive thing. I still didn’t get my way, but because of God’s goodness, and because He didn’t want anyone seeing my bad side, that person didn’t even notice my mischievous behavior. What’s more, I had asked Him to handle the situation, and when He did what was best for me, I got mad! The point of this is, God works all things out for the good of those who love Him. Just know that He’s got your back, and you don’t need to get your cockles up and lash out in a tizzy! You’re covered! Thank goodness that we don’t always get the punishment we deserve.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28

December 6

As a Realtor, I’m trying to help my friend find a home, and we’ve looked at nearly everything that comes on the market in her price range, some on-site and other via photos. The photos help us eliminate the bad ones with the most undesirable qualities. Most homeowners that are eager to sell, will do whatever they need to do to get the best price, but some, no matter what their agent tells them, they don’t make changes. If a home looks unkempt, has clutter, dirty carpet, and shocking paint colors, they will not get a good offer. So here’s the good news, we are all like the unkempt house that no one wants, but Jesus wants you, dirty carpet, shocking paint, and all! What’s more is, He pays full price! He goes in and completely remodels you, making your value soar! My point is, never underestimate your worth, to Jesus, you are the most precious.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, Titus 3:4-6

December 5

What if we stopped posting the outrage, would it cease to exist? What if we no longer gave an ear to the ridiculous, and stopped spreading the demented behavior we see, would people decide to move on because no one is watching? I have to wonder, because the people around me don’t usually act or even think like you might see in the daily news or postings on social media. Occasionally unruly actions are seen, or a far reaching opinion is voiced in real life, but for the most part, they are kept in check, and society never sees or hears those insane thoughts or actions. We are the ones fueling the behavior! Believe me, in time, and without help, the unfruitful works of darkness will be exposed for all to see. I’m not saying for you to stick your head in the sand, just stop re-posting stupidity and let it die with you. It’s no wonder people need anxiety medication!

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

December 4

During this holiday season, we get such a mix of feelings. On one hand, we have celebrations where family and friends gather and enjoy the festivities and the company of one another; on the other hand, you have the reminders of those whom you’ve lost throughout the years. Some reminders will bring a smile, but others are fresh, and the pain can still be felt. As a kid, I was excited because of the gifts, but as I grew older, it became more about the people. This season, don’t get too caught up in the hustle to buy gifts, remember that it’s about God’s unimaginable love for us that gives us a reason to celebrate. His love is so big that He wanted to walk among us in the flesh, and then give us a way into the everlasting. If you call yourself a Christian, but haven’t made a whole-hearted commitment to Him, won’t you decide today to turn your face towards Him and honor Him with your life? Life is too short to waste it on things that don’t matter.

"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;"  Isaiah 55:6 "For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's."  Romans 14:8

December 3

Our neighborhood had a type of progression party; there were four stops, with the last one being dessert. The table was filled with many delicacies that were too much for the eyes to behold. After we had gotten our sugar overload, some of us decided that it was time to retire to our own homes and began heading out the door. One of the neighbors had gotten too full and couldn’t hold another bite of food, so she decided to take her treat home with her, and wrapped it in a napkin. The hostess, in her curiosity, asked what she had decided to take; when she showed her, she was overjoyed to find out that it was a cookie that she had baked herself. Her delight was expressed in such a way that it made me think of how delighted God must be when we choose correctly; to do the right things, to follow His precepts, to be kind and loving to one another, and especially when we decide to follow Jesus. Choose this day whom you will serve, and bring joy to the Lord!

"Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  Luke 15:10

December 2

There are a lot of things you have to do to prepare for a party. First of all, I get crazy about cleaning, lets just say, you could lick my baseboards right now! Then, there is the task of preparing the food. This is where things got a little crazy. I found this recipe for jalapeños poppers. It was a seemingly easy recipe with only three ingredients. I’m not sure if God intended for us to eat jalapeños, I think they might be poisonous! I say this because, I was just going about my usual routine like I would when cleaning any pepper, but as I started cleaning out the seeds, I decided that I should breathe as I usually do. That’s when everything changed. You would have thought that someone has just shot me with pepper spray! I started coughing, my nose started running, my eyes began tearing up! I had to move away from the combat zone! Then my daughter Christina decided that she could handle it and took over. So now we are both crying, snotting, coughing, and laughing! The poppers were a hit, and the party was a blast, but next time I make them, I will be sure to dawn the proper attire; mask, eye gear, and maybe a respirator!

"All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast."  Proverbs 15:15