I Need a Little Christmas Cheer

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Well, at least in my little condo! I spent the last three days dragging out boxes marked with “Christmas” from my “completely packed to the ceiling” second bedroom closet. It is always an emotional process for me. As I take out each ornament, special Christmas decoration, or come across a family picture taken in front of the Christmas tree, I am reminded of Christmases gone by. I remember the eggnog that my Granddaddy made each Christmas, that we kids were never allowed more than one cup! Then my mind flashes to my twelfth Christmas Day when my Granddaddy went home to heaven. When I hear the Christmas songs I remember my first Christmas as a mom, rocking my precious son, singing “Silent Night!” as tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. My thoughts go back to driving hours in a loaded down minivan as our little family of four made its way to Grandma’s house. I remember all the Christmas Eve’s putting together toys and filling stockings with all the little trinkets that seemed perfect at the time. Now as an empty nester I sometimes long for those Christmases with young children and the excitement that abounded as they anticipated the giving and receiving gifts, the holiday candies, and the fun times with family and friends gathering together.

As I sit surrounded by the sweet and the bittersweet memories of Christmases past I realize that only one remains, year after year. Jesus. You see, the ornaments show their wear and tear of the many times they hung upon a limb and the names on the stockings have faded with the years, but the Hope of Christmas remains. Jesus. I am tempted to be melancholy with my reflections of Christmas- thinking only of what we no longer have or who no longer lives among us. But, Jesus lives. I long for a fresh Christmas memory this year - one that will stand out years from now. Jesus. I am setting my mind, my affections, and my longings on Jesus this year. Looking to Him to satisfy my need for Christmas cheer. My last decoration to put on display today was the baby Jesus surrounded by Joseph, Mary, a shepherd boy and three kings. It should have been the first.

Help! I am Caught in My Lesson and I Can’t Get Out

As a Bible teacher I have come to expect God to work out lessons in my own life before I teach them. However this past Sunday it seemed as if I was living the lesson in the midst of teaching it.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning as I walked to church with my lesson and visual in tow. I felt good about what I had prepared to teach that morning and was looking forward to using the illustrations God had provided for me. My topic would be the power of words. That week as I studied I was hyper-aware of the words that came flying out of my mouth. I spent some time confessing, refocusing, and renewing my thoughts and my mouth. I felt that my words were being sanctified slowly but surely!

While walking through the hall toward my classroom I met up with a dear friend who had worked with me years before in a ministry of our church. She stopped me and said that she just had to tell me how much I had meant to the people involved in that ministry. She said, “At the event this week people kept coming up to me and telling me how they missed you and how you had been such an influence in their lives.” I was truly humbled and said, “Thank you that is so sweet of you to say.” She took my arm and said, “No, seriously, I mean it, these people truly were influenced by what you did for them.” Wow! I was extremely thankful for her words and commented that she had just given me another illustration for my lesson that morning. I walked a little taller as I entered my classroom that morning.

I had studied and researched all week the power of our words. The Lord had given me an illustration to bring home the truth of how powerful our words can be. I purchased a brick from Lowe’s on Saturday, along with a crown. I will get to the crown later. The main thought concerning words was: Words are like bricks. They can break or they can build. I passed around the brick and asked several to hold it and described it. They all mentioned that the brick was heavy. At that observation I asked, “Would you consider throwing that brick at me?” They each replied, “No!” For which I was very thankful! We then discussed how words we use to people’s faces and behind their backs are sometimes like throwing bricks at them rather than building them up with encouraging words.

I placed crowns in the middle of each round table where the ladies were sitting. We discussed that what fills the heart comes out of the mouth. Luke 6:45 Therefore we needed to take care of our hearts and be serious about the words we used in conversation. I asked them, “Who is the king/queen of their conversations?” If Christ is truly ruling your heart then allow Him to rule your conversation. Colossians 3:17 We should be able to say, “In Jesus name,” before everything that comes out of our mouths. I have a friend who frequently uses that phrase and it dawned on me that I have never heard any unwholesome words come from her mouth. Amazing! We also talked about how we enter into conversations in order to win, one-up someone, or promote ourselves rather than to show an interest in the person we are talking with or to lift up Christ through our words.

Time was running out and so we quickly read through the rest of the handout I had given them. I ran over our allotted time by 5 minutes and the people who attend the class following mine were more than ready to come in. I prayed a very quick prayer and dismissed the class.

As I was gathering my visuals, notes and Bible I was approached by a “not-so-happy,” let alone, joyous, Christian woman. She began throwing bricks at me. “Can you not finish at 10:30?” “I am so sorry,” I confessed. “Well, I have only 5 minutes now to prepare to sing before our class!” “I am so sorry. Will you please forgive me?” I begged. “Can you not be out of here by 10:30?” is all the reply she gave my request. Again, I pleaded with her, “I am sorry. I will try and do better next time.” “Well I now only have 5 minutes to prepare!” she insisted. If I had had a white flag, I would have waved it furiously over my head at this point, in surrender. Instead, I simply offered one last “I am sorry, there is nothing more I can say,” and walked away like a scorned puppy dog with my tail between my legs.

Bricks break. Bricks build. Words had built me up on my way into class that day and words had broken my joy as I walked out. The rest of that day I couldn’t get those words out of my head and my heart. They were still there when I woke up the next morning.

I have spent the last few days filling my mind with scripture and praying through that “Sunday conversation.” The bricks had left me with the bruises of guilt and shame. I forced myself to think on those things that were true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Philippians 4:8 True: I had gone past my allotted time in teaching my class on Sunday. Noble: I had willingly volunteered to teach my class the best I knew how. Right: The lady was right in asking me if I could be out at 10:30. Pure: My motives were pure. Lovely: My friend had shared lovely words with me prior to class. Admirable: I confessed my wrongdoing and asked for forgiveness. Excellent: God’s word was taught and it is perfect! Praiseworthy: God always is at work! Lesson learned! I will do my best to finish my lessons on time and intentionally give words of grace no matter what type of brick was thrown my way.