Christmas Season is over..now I must blog!

The Christmas season is over so I must get back to real life, which of course includes blogging. There have been so many things that I have thought would be a great blog post, but of course I have quickly forgotten all of them.

We had a wonderful Christmas! For quite a few years I have really dreaded the holiday season, but I have seen a shift in my attitude. The main shift has been a conscious decision not to worry about what should be and instead being content with what is. It is a constant decision and not one that comes easy! Funny how that seems to be!

The Star

Psalm 19:1-2-"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge."

We watched The Star of Bethlehem movie last night at church. I am again amazed at the wonder of God. For those who have not seen it, there is man that has made it his mission to explain the Star of Bethlehem. What impacted me was that God set the stars in motion at the beginning of creation with the thought of Christ's birth and resurrection. He set the stars in the sky to ring out the birth of His son before he even created man. And He also set into motion the heavens to mourn his death.

My God has created all things to proclaim His glory. And it is when we deviate from that plan that there is pain and suffering. But those who are called by His name and bear His Spirit in our very being can no more ignore His glory than change the course of the stars in the sky. We and all of creation bear the very fingerprint of God and we have only to open our eyes and see His majesty! My God is more, so much more than I could ever dream or imagine. I wish I had the words to express the greatness of Him!

The Tie that Binds!

(This post came out of my group of beautiful ladies that pray on Tuesday nights. They encouraged me through a minor thing, but gave me inspiration to write this. We have cried and laughed a BUNCH these past four years. Sharing in each others joys and sharing each others pain. You give me wings and strength and courage and I thank you!)gcmsd

There have been many people who share their stories with Robbie and I over these past few years and we are amazed at the amount of pain that people carry with them through life. There is a common thread through many of these people. Many say the same thing, or a variation of the same sentiment, "I thought I was alone in the pain." "Everyone else seems to have it all together." "I am the only one who feels this way." And it has occurred to me that we all walk around with these burdens thinking we are isolated, but yet everyone we come into contact with has another burden, it may not be identical to the one you are carrying, but it still produces the same byproduct... pain.

How clever of the enemy, if he can convince us that we are "the only one", then we are vulnerable to his attacks. And our goal becomes only to keep it a secret, and we will do anything to protect the image of "all-togetherness" for the sake of being "just like everyone else." What a ruse, a scam, a mirage? What ever you call it, it is a lie!

What if the very thing the enemy meant to make us weak is the very thing that makes us strong? What if the common thread became "I understand your pain because I have pain as well? It is the human condition to know pain. And it is the tie that binds us all. If we come together sharing each others burdens we know we are not alone and that gives us strength.

So I will ask the question again, What if the very thing the enemy meant to make us weak is the very thing that makes us strong?

(Please post a comment because I feel like I am talking to myself here! Kind of like being all alone!! :)