A New Beginning

So, 2008 has come and nearly gone. A new year will soon begin.

A new year is a time of new beginnings, a time to re-evaluate your life and set "resolutions," if you’re into that. In spiritual terms, it’s a time to listen to the Holy Spirit tell you what areas of your life He needs to do some work in.

So what do I need to do differently?

I definitely need to get healthier, primarily by eating healthier, but taking care of myself in other ways too. After all, I’m not getting any younger.

I need to spend less time on the computer. It’s become an obsession. I may start just blogging only when I have something useful to say, like a normal person. Several people have complained that they have a hard time keeping up with me anyway, and some days I just write something for the sake of posting it. So maybe I’ll spare you on those days. I definitely need to spend less time on Facebook. It’s fun and a good way to keep up with people, but it needs a limit.

I also need to control my tongue better. I have gotten way too lax about saying what I think (but not in love), being judgmental of others and otherwise running off at the mouth in ways that are not pretty. I am prayerfully going to try to be better at this in the coming year. This involves a heart check as well, ". . . for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34).

Over the holidays especially, I feel like my life has gotten out of control, but it’s time to rein myself in, quit blaming the holidays and get serious.

I wish all of you, my readers, a very happy 2009!

Top 10 Things I Did In 2008 That I Had Never Done Before

1. Learned to shoot a rifle
2. Bought a laptop computer
3. Went to Brown County State Park in Nashville, Indiana
4. Led Community Bible Study, first as an adult Core group leader, then as a children’s leader
5. Started blogging
6. Went to see the Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn Center, twice
7. Joined Facebook and connected with lots of old friends
8. Voted for a presidential ticket that included a woman
9. Paid more than $4/gallon for gasoline
10. Bought clothes at Goodwill

A Scary Christmas Gift

This is what Don got me for Christmas this year.

I wanted one. Well, sort of. Unfortunately, I think our world is becoming such a place that I may need one. I hope I’m wrong.

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I’m a little scared of it, but I guess that’s healthy. My dad and Don both asked me if I would be able to pull the trigger if I was in a situation where I needed to. I think I could, but I wouldn’t know for sure unless it happened. And I hope it never does. I’m certainly not anxious to take a life, but if someone was threatening my life or that of someone I loved, I suppose I could if I had to.

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I’ve been reading the safety manual, and we’re planning to go to the firing range soon and learn to use it. I learned to shoot a rifle pretty easily, so I have a fair amount of confidence that I can learn to shoot this too. Hopefully target practice is all I will ever get to do with it. It’s one gift I don’t want to need.

Joseph

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 2:13-15

By now he was getting used to these dreams, and he knew that when the angel came he meant business. They had to go to Egypt. How he longed to see his home in Nazareth again, and now he had to take his wife and little child and go to this foreign land.

But the angel had told them that they must do it, that Herod wanted to kill Jesus, and he knew he had to do everything he could to protect this child, the Son of God, who he and Mary had been appointed to raise.

At least they had the gifts the wise men had brought, if they needed money on their trip. He woke Mary, who picked up the sleeping child, and they were well on their way before morning came.

Ashley Cleveland

Last night Don and I went to the club 3rd and Lindsley, located at, you guessed it, 3rd & Lindsley, downtown. Ashley Cleveland was playing. There is very little music that Don and I both like, but Ashley Cleveland fits the bill, so we try to see her whenever we can when she is playing locally.
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Her music is mostly rock-style with Christian lyrics. My favorite CD of hers, "Men and Angels Say," is old hymns that she has recorded in her own style.

Her gritty voice is very unique and intriguing. You can hear a sample of it on her website. One of her trademarks is playing on colorful guitars (purple, green, etc.). She has a great sense of humor too. Her husband, Kenny Greenberg (hard to see but on the far left in the picture above), plays guitar for her and is also full of antics onstage.
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Don went up afterward and had her autograph a CD of hers that he brought in. She was very friendly to him and all of her other fans. Even though I’m not big into nightclubs, it was a fun evening for both of us.

Did You Know?

"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" Matthew 13:55-56

Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. Luke 2:41-42, 46-47

Mary and Joseph had at least six other children besides Jesus.

The Bible doesn’t tell us anything about Jesus after Mary and Joseph got back to Nazareth until He was thirty years old, except for one incident when He was twelve.

Jesus was probably born in the autumn between 4 and 7 BC. Though a (human) mistake was made in making the calendar, the whole calendar for the world is based on the time elapsed since His birth. We are now living in AD, Anno Domini, meaning "the year of our Lord."

December 25 is the date of the pagan celebration Saturnalia, dedicated to the god Saturn. In AD 354 a pope named Liberus declared it a celebration of the birthday of Christ to divert the Romans from their pagan revelry.

The Bible doesn't mandate or even mention an annual celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Christmas wasn’t a federal holiday in the United States until 1870.

Merry Christmas

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

My prayer today is that if you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, this Christmas you would allow God to give you this, His greatest Gift of all.

Merry Christmas, Friends.

Wise Men

The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. Psalm 72:10

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." . . . After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Very little is really known about these men. Most of what we profess to know about them comes through tradition, not the Bible.

We don’t know that there were three of them – only that they brought three gifts. Tradition tells us that there were three and their names were Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.

They were also called Magi. This word has the same root as the word "magic." They may have been astrologers or magicians, or their great wisdom about scientific matters may have led others to believe they were magic.

They didn’t visit the baby Jesus on the night He was born. It may have been months or even years later, as they came from afar.

These men must have known something of the prophecy of the Messiah. Somehow they knew that this was an extremely important event, worth a very lengthy and costly trip.

Why would wealthy men, of such high standing that they could stop and ask the king for directions, pay such a visit to a poor, unknown family from Nazareth? It hardly seems logical, but then, there isn’t much about the story of Jesus’ birth that is logical. They came on faith, the same way we must come to Jesus. Won’t you come to worship Him too?

The Little Drummer Boy

This is a song I hadn’t thought much about before, but a couple of weeks ago in church, a man sang it and spoke about how it had meant a lot to him during this Christmas season. He said that he often feels inadequate, like he has nothing to offer. This song reminded him that none of us really has anything that is a worthy gift to God, but He wants us to offer Him what we have to give, and He will honor it. This gave the song a whole new meaning for me, as well as reminding me that God wants me to use the gifts He has given me, no matter how small they may seem to me, for His glory.

Orange Balls

I make these nearly every Christmas, and often people ask me for the recipe. They’re pretty simple, and very tasty!

The recipe comes from this cookbook, published by Southern Living.

Orange Balls

1 (12-oz.) pkg. vanilla wafers
1 (16-oz.) pkg. powdered sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (6-oz.) can concentrated frozen orange juice, thawed and undiluted
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Crush vanilla wafers to make fine crumbs. Add sugar, butter and orange juice concentrate, mixing well. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in pecans (or coconut). Chill until firm. Yield: 6 dozen.

Note: I usually just put the vanilla wafers in my food processor to crush them and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix them in there. This is something of a strain on my food processor, so if you don’t have a good, powerful one, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.

Hanukkah

Then came the Feast of Dedication [Hanukkah] at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." John 10:22-24

I used to think that Hanukkah was the Jews’ answer to Christmas, a time for them to give presents because they didn’t celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Actually, the origins of Hanukkah predate the origins of Christmas by about 200 years, and it is mentioned in the Bible in connection with Jesus. In fact, He Himself celebrated Hanukkah in the actual temple where this miracle occurred. The events which it commemorates took place between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament.

Around 167 BC the Syrian-Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes took over the Jerusalem temple for pagan worship. Things that were sacred to the Jews were destroyed and defiled. This went on for several years until finally there was a revolt led by Judas Macabee which reclaimed the temple, despite overwhelming odds. When the temple was reclaimed and rededicated to God, there was only found enough clean oil to keep the temple light burning for one day, but miraculously the lamp burned for eight days, until more oil could be acquired.

Today, Jewish families celebrate this event by placing eight candles in a menorah, plus one extra to light the others. The candles are lit, one each night, until the eighth night, when all the candles are lit.

During this time of celebration prayers are said, songs are sung, special foods are eaten and gifts are exchanged.

A Cause for Celebration

Tomorrow, December 21, is a day I have been looking forward to. True, it is the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year, but it is also when the days stop getting shorter and start getting longer again. One of the hardest parts for me about winter is the short days, but at least now, I can have hope. We’ll be adding less than a minute at each end of the day here in Nashville, but before long we will begin to notice the change. Then in March we’ll go on Daylight Savings Time, and life will be good.

Favorite Christmas Songs

One thing that I really do enjoy about the Christmas season is the music. I would have to say my all-time favorite Christmas song is probably O Holy Night. Not that I can sing it, but I like to listen to it. I also like Joy to the World, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Silent Night, as well as the more contemporary, Mary, Did You Know?

On the secular side, Amy Grant’s Tennessee Christmas, Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas Canon, and We Need a Little Christmas all float my boat.

As for instrumentals, I enjoy the Ukrainian Carol of the Bells.

There are many others. I think part of the joy of Christmas music is that it is only heard for a month or so each year. I don’t like to hear it before Thanksgiving or after New Year’s, but in the midst of the season, the music that goes along with it brings me joy. What are your favorites?

Anna

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38

She, like Simeon, was very old. She had been a widow for many years, but after her husband had died, rather than remarrying, she had chosen to dedicate her life to God, to live in the temple, to worship God always.

She too knew the prophecy of the coming Messiah. Could this be Him, over there in the arms of Simeon? She drew nearer to them, as quickly as her aged legs would carry her. As she beheld the tiny baby, she knew He was the One. She listened to Simeon’s words and was filled with indescribable joy. She thanked God for letting her be a part of this glorious event. Then, with a renewed energy she hadn’t felt in years, she went about telling everyone of the wonder she had beheld.

We too are a part of this wonderful occasion. We celebrate the gift of God’s Son at Christmas, who was born to bring us salvation. Isn’t that worth telling everyone you meet?

Family Christmas Celebration

Our family celebrated Christmas together at my house on Monday night because my brother and his family will be going out of town for Christmas, and this was the only time we could get everyone together. There were 10 of us: both of my parents, Don and me, and my brother, sister-in-law and their 4 kids.
We usually get together for breakfast, so in order to keep tradition we had our Christmas breakfast that we have had for years: sausage casserole, chocolate cinnamon roll-type things that my mom makes, and fruit salad.

My nieces did a ballet dance to "Away in a Manger" that my sister-in-law taught them. My mom made their costumes. They did a great job!
My nephew Gabriel modeled new football pajamas that my mom made for him.

Money has been tight this year for many of us this year, but we exchanged small gifts and focused more on each other than on gifts, which is the way it should be anyway. I think everyone had a really good time. I know I did.

Simeon

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." Luke 2:25-35

Many regarded him as a strange old man. “Senile” or “odd” they whispered to one another and tried not to stare at him as he passed. He said things they didn’t understand. He just wasn’t like everybody else.

He spent a lot of time in the temple. A good place for him, perhaps. He wouldn’t bother them as long as he was in there, wouldn’t tell people his funny stories about a coming Messiah.

But Simeon wasn’t bothered by what people thought about him or his stories, for he knew the stories were true. In fact, God had promised him that he would see the Messiah in his lifetime, so he knew it had to be soon.

And so it was. He knew when he saw the young couple coming into the temple that day. The infant they carried was the long-awaited One who would save Israel and even the Gentiles.

They allowed him to hold the child. He was filled with the Holy Spirit as he peered into the baby’s tiny face. Now he could die in peace. God had fulfilled His promise.

Canadian Brass

Don and I went to a concert last week at the Nashville Symphony with special guests, the Canadian Brass.

I had never heard of this brass quintet, but apparently they have been around a long time, since 1970 in fact. Two of the original members are still a part of it.

Their music is mostly classical, though the concert we saw included some jazz and Christmas music. Their program was also interspersed with quirky humor and a couple of magic tricks. They have traveled the world and even played a command performance for Queen Elizabeth (who told them afterward that a "command performance" meant they didn’t get paid).

Here is a video of them playing the Pachelbel Canon, which they didn’t play last week, but is a piece I really like.

Shepherds

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:8-15

They were the outcasts of society, dirty, lowly men whom no one wanted the company of. As they were tending their flocks on this autumn night, they experienced the shock of their lives. And it wasn’t just their lowly estate that made it such a shock – it would have been an odd occurrence for anyone, for suddenly, in the middle of the night, the field became brighter than day. It was when they saw the angel, though, that their fear overwhelmed them. They must really be in trouble now!

But the angel told them not to be afraid. He had good news. A baby had been born. And not just any baby, but One who would be a Savior to everyone, even them! Hadn’t they once heard about a promised Messiah? Then there were lots of angels. This must be big news! They rushed off in the direction the angels had pointed them.

And then they saw Him. He was an ordinary baby, and yet He wasn’t. There was something different about Him. As they returned to their fields, they knew life would never be the same. They had seen the face of God.

Did Someone Say Snow?

In Nashville? Before Christmas? Well, not much, but we did get some. A rare occurrence, no doubt.
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This is Nash’s third winter, and he has never seen a serious snow. Dasha, who is in her eleventh winter, got to see an eight-inch one a few years ago, which she could barely get around in!
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The county schools around here were all closed on Friday, though as you can see, there was little, if any, on the roads. That’s just what they do around here. The kids don’t mind. Neither do the teachers. The snow was all gone by noon, as is often the case here.
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Though I really don’t like winter much, a little snow is kind of exciting, as long as I don’t have to drive in it. I wouldn’t mind if we had one big one that just shut down the whole town, after everyone got home safely. We usually get one every few years, so maybe we are due for one.

Bethlehem

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Micah 5:2

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. Luke 2:1-4

It was a small, unimportant town. Its only claim to fame was that it was the "City of David," and it was some sixty-five miles from where Joseph and Mary made their home in Nazareth.

But now they were required to journey there – not exactly great timing for Mary who, by this time, was getting close to the end of her pregnancy, and a long distance to travel, especially on foot.

Were Joseph and Mary aware of Micah’s prophecy, made over seven hundred years earlier? Possibly, but regardless, they weren’t going to Bethlehem by choice, but by law. After all, they were of the "house and line of David."

Isn’t it amazing that God had revealed so long ago that little Bethlehem would be the place? He had a plan, and it was unfolding.

Beware

I confess. I’m not very good at keeping my checkbook. Not terrible, mind you -- I haven’t written a bad check in years -- but not great either.

My usual procedure when I use my debit card is to stuff the receipt in my checkbook and then periodically go through and write them all down. Then I call the bank, make sure their balance is at least roughly comparable to mine, and check what checks/debits have cleared.

Occasionally there will be a charge from the bank that I don’t have recorded. If it’s just a small charge, I usually just assume it’s a receipt that got misplaced and let it go.

I was going through this procedure this week, and there was a charge for $4.95 that I had no record of. This caught my eye because I rarely put an amount this small on my debit card. Plus, it sounded familiar. I scanned my check register and noticed that I had the same charge one month earlier. I got out my paper statement, and it said the charge was from Juno.

I used Juno as my Internet/e-mail service for about seven years. They took the $9.95/month charge out of my checking account. Their service was satisfactory, but alas, dial-up Internet has become all but obsolete, and Juno doesn’t offer DSL, so several months ago we made the switch to AT&T.

At that point I called and cancelled my service with Juno. I remember talking to a man there who, after I cancelled the service, told me about Juno Speedband, which I could have as a backup service, in case my DSL service ever went down. He told me he would give me a month free, and I said that was fine. I am positive that I did not knowingly agree to pay for this service at any time.

After I saw my bank statement, I looked up my Juno account online. They had been charging me for 3 months. The first month was $6+ because they charged me for some extra days. I was FURIOUS. I decided to wait until after work to call them so I could calm down a little bit.

When I finally called them and began to explain the problem, the lady began a well-rehearsed speech about how I really needed this service, in case my DSL ever failed, and it would fail. It was obvious that she was accustomed to these types of calls. She was talking so fast I could hardly understand what she was saying, but I finally interrupted her and told her that I did not want this service, and what was more, I had not authorized them to take money from my checking account, and that I considered this to be stealing! She said they would end my service that very day.

I told her that wasn’t enough. I wanted my money refunded that they had already taken out. She said she wasn’t authorized to do that. I told her to find someone who was. She put me on hold. She came back and told me they would refund me $9.90 for 2 months. I told her they still owed me another $6+. She said they could only refund for up to 2 months because they didn’t know what transpired in the conversation between me and the man I talked to when I cancelled my service. She said they would send me an e-mail confirming this agreement. "Thank you for using Juno. Please consider us for your future needs." Click.

That was Monday. I finally got the e-mail yesterday, but I haven’t yet received a refund. I still have hope that they will at least do what they said they would do, and at that point I am going to call my bank and tell them not to allow any future transactions from Juno.

Thankfully this was not a huge amount of money, but the fact that they took money out my account without my permission makes me furious! So my warning to you is, if you have any charges on your checking account that you can’t account for, check them out. It would be nice if we could trust people and companies to behave ethically, but unfortunately, we can’t in this day and age. We have to protect ourselves.

Jesus

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Our Lord has many different names given in the Bible. "Jesus" was the name given to Him by his earthly parents, at the angel’s instruction. It was the name everyone knew Him by. How appropriate that He should have a name that means "Jehovah (God) saves," for this is precisely what He came to do.

Before He came, there was no hope for our sinful world. No one met the standard of perfection that God required for us to enter Heaven, so He made a way for us, a substitute form of righteousness. He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Now through Him we may have eternal life if we will only acknowledge our sinful state and accept Him as our Savior. What better way to celebrate Christmas this year than to accept God’s wonderful gift as your own?

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Don and I got our Christmas tree this weekend. This is our fourth Christmas as a married couple, so we’ve kind of developed a few traditions. We get our tree at Lowe’s, and Dasha goes with us. (Nash will probably never get to go to Lowe’s because of his tendency to lift his leg and leave his mark on every new thing he encounters.) We bring the tree home and set it up in the corner of the living room. We turn on Christmas music, and Don puts the lights on it, and then we get out our ornaments. We both have moms who have always made sure we were well-supplied with Christmas ornaments, so we collectively have a lot of them. We’ve kept them stored separately, which helps us remember whose are whose, plus we have acquired a few together since getting married. As we decorate the tree, we review memories attached to certain ornaments.
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I have several favorites. One is a "Tennessee" ball that my parents gave me about 20 years ago. It’s part of a collector series of all 50 states, but I only have Tennessee.
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This is another of my favorites. It was given to me several years ago by one of the kids in a Sunday School class I taught. It closes up and looks like a Bible, but opens to reveal a scripture and a mini nativity scene.
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I got this one at an ornament exchange party. It hooks into the string of lights and lights up, changing colors periodically.
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Don’s favorite is his "naked skiing Santa." He’s had it since he was a little kid. I’m not sure why he likes it so much; it’s kind of obnoxious. Maybe that’s his reason. But I indulge him by letting him place it in a prominent place on the tree. Whatever.
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I also have a special tree skirt that my mom made for me. She made my brother one too. It has pictures representing each of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" that she cross-stitched. I know it took her many, many hours to make. A tag she put on the underside says "1991."
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Hauling in a live tree and decorating it, only to un-decorate it, take it down and haul it away a few weeks later, leaving massive amounts of needles in its path before, during and after, really is a lot of trouble if you think about it, but it’s one of those things that I enjoy about Christmas, even though it has little if any spiritual significance. It’s pretty, it makes for good memories, and it sure does make my house smell good.

Joseph

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

He couldn’t believe it. Mary, his betrothed, had just told him that she was pregnant, and her growing figure supported her story. But it couldn’t possibly be true. It certainly wasn’t his child, and surely Mary . . . she seemed like such a righteous woman.

Well, he would just have to do the honorable thing and break off their engagement. Then Mary could go and marry whoever the father of the child was.

But he loved her so . . .

When he was finally able to sleep that night he had a dream, a very vivid dream. In the dream he saw an angel. Hadn’t Mary said something about an angel? But the angel was talking to him now, telling him to go ahead and marry Mary – she hadn’t been unfaithful to him. She was carrying the Son of God.

When he awakened he wasn’t sure if it was all true, but his next visit with Mary reassured him. He was to be the "step-father" of the long-awaited Messiah.

Beautiful Feet

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’" Isaiah 52:7
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When my nephew Gabriel was about to arrive, I began to pray about a verse to choose for him. This one kept coming to mind, but I pushed it aside because it seemed like an odd verse to pray for someone. One morning sitting in church a few days before his birth, it came to me again very strongly. I resolved to go home and look it up. A few minutes later, when that very verse was read in the service, I knew this was the verse I was to pray for Gabriel. It was confirmed again a few days later when I found out his name means "messenger."
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With the verses I pray for my nieces, I can speculate about how God will use them in their lives, but with this one, I have no idea. At age three, Gabriel is a fairly outspoken little boy, so perhaps I could envision him proclaiming God’s good news from the mountaintops. It will be exciting to see what wonderful plan God has in store for these little feet.

Mary

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Matthew 1:18-25

She was just a kid, probably 13 or 14, as this was the customary age for girls of her time to be engaged. Soon she would be marrying Joseph, a righteous man whom her parents approved of.

She was alone in her home one day, perhaps cleaning or fixing dinner for her family. Suddenly the room grew bright. She turned around to see what was happening and gasped – there before her stood a figure like nothing she had ever seen. An angel?

The angel’s words, while quite odd, were reassuring. She had found favor with God. But then – she would have a child? Now?? How could she have a child? She wasn’t even married!

What would Joseph say? Her parents? This could cause quite a scandal. Pregnant and not married! Who would believe her when she tried to explain?

But Mary agreed to this task. God had a plan for her, and He would take care of her.

Jewelry Sale

As promised, I am posting pictures of some of my handmade jewelry that I am selling. Contact me if you would like more info. Most earrings are $3-5; bracelets $4-10, and necklaces $10 –25.


I have some Christmas jewelry, though not as much as last year.
These beads are handmade using polymer clay.
Some items are sets, and others are just individual pieces.
Miscellaneous bracelets and earrings.

If you would like to come to my sale, contact me for more info.

Iowa City Floods

Iowa City, where Don’s parents live, was the site of some major flooding over the summer, caused by torrential rains which made the Iowa River rise way above its banks.

We saw some of the devastation when we were there Thanksgiving. Thankfully, though the water rose into his parents' yard, it didn’t come into their house. They provided a boat for their neighbors to row to their homes and salvage some of their possessions. Many houses in the neighborhood adjacent to theirs are still uninhabitable.

Many businesses there closed down for good. This disaster made a huge impact on this small college town.

In the Beginning

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. Genesis 3:15

What better place to start than the beginning? God made a perfect earth. He made the land and water, plants and animals, and the sun, moon and stars. Then God finished it off with His finest works of all – man and woman, made in His own image. Perfect people living in a perfect place. They could do anything they wanted to, except for one thing. God specifically told them not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Doesn’t sound too hard, does it?

But Adam and Eve blew it. And their world couldn’t be perfect anymore. When they heard God coming, they hid because they were ashamed of themselves.

Would we have done the same thing if we had been Adam and Eve? Likely. God offers us many choices, and we often make bad ones. Every person since Adam and Eve has been born in sin, separated from God.

But even as God punished Adam and Eve for their disobedience, He made a promise. An offspring would be born of the woman. Satan would strike at His heel (crucify Him), but He would crush Satan’s head (through His resurrection).

That person is Jesus Christ. God sent Him to earth to bear the punishment for our sins so that we could once again have communion with God and eternal life in Heaven. What a reason to celebrate!

Random Thoughts

Well, the Christmas season is officially here. I am trying to make the best of it by focusing on the birth of Jesus. I wrote a booklet several years ago called "Devotions for December" which I self-published for family and friends, and I am going to be including some of those devotions over the next few weeks. I’ll do those in a green font.

Even though I’m trying to have a good attitude, I’m still going to leave my "Grinch’s Countdown" on my blog. Hopefully it won’t be too big a downer for those of you who really love the Christmas season. Anyway, I’m proud of the way I bluffed my way through the html language to get that picture of the grinch on there.

I may be exploiting the commercialism of Christmas, but I’m planning to have a sale of my handmade jewelry coming up soon. If you are interested, e-mail me, and I’ll give you the details. Prices start at $3 for earrings. I’ll post some pictures later this week.

Thanksgiving Travels

Don and I had a nice time visiting his family in Iowa at Thanksgiving. Because his car is a stick shift and I’m not too comfortable driving one, he drove most of the way, and I was able to enjoy the beautiful scenery:

Illinois cornfields

Iowa cornfields

On the way back we came a different way and were able to see some new sites:

Indiana cornfields

We took Dasha with us. She got to enjoy a few samples of Thanksgiving dinner.

Don got in a some outdoor games with his twin brother and his nephews.

We had a good visit, ate way too much, and by the end of the 12-hour drive back were very thankful to be home!

Wholeheartedly

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

Abbie, age 4, is my third niece, and the verse I chose for her seemed to fit her at an early age. Full of joy and personality, she does pretty much everything she does with all of her heart. She loves coming to church and Bible study and was memorizing and spouting off Bible verses almost as soon as she could talk. She goes around the house singing songs of praise to God.

I pray that this joyful spirit will go with her throughout her life, and that her love for God will grow as she does. I hope she will always have a heart for Him and a hunger for His word. God has given her many gifts, and I look forward to seeing how He will use them in her life.

P.S. Click here to see a cute video clip of Abbie.

Things I am Thankful For

For many in our society Thanksgiving has become little more than a kickoff for the Christmas season, but I truly enjoy it for what it should be: an opportunity to gather together with family and/or friends without all the pressures that Christmas brings and also to think about what we are thankful for.

God has blessed me in so many ways. It is hard to narrow them down to a paragraph, but for the sake of blogging, I’ll try. I am thankful for my family, including my husband. I am thankful to live in a country where I have the freedom to worship God, and for the opportunities I have to do that. I have the desire to do this since God forgave my sins and saved me through Jesus’ death on the cross, another gift I am immeasurably thankful for. I am healthy. I have a wonderful group of friends, a roof over my head, food on my table, clothes on my back, a car to drive, and pets to love. I am not without anything I need, and have a lot of other "stuff" that I just want. God has been so good to me, and I am glad that Thanksgiving is an opportunity to acknowledge that.

I am going to be taking a few days off from blog-writing to spend the holiday with family. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’ll be back soon!

A Little Project

I saw someone do this on Facebook and thought it might be kind of fun:

1. Grab the book nearest you.
2. Turn to page 56.
3. Type the 5th full sentence
4. Tell us the name of the book.

Leave your results as a comment. It will be interesting to see what everyone comes up with.

Here’s mine: "It’s still early yet," he said, wanting to offer hope.
From The Longing, by Beverly Lewis

Setting an Example

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." I Timothy 4:12

Last Sunday I blogged about choosing a verse to pray for each of my nieces and my nephew. Hannah, age 6, is my second niece.

Though the middle of 3 sisters (followed by a little brother), Hannah is very much her own self. She is quiet, but she will often surprise me with a great flood of knowledge, particularly about God and His word.

She is very artistic and creative and has a love for God and all of His creatures. Her heart is pure and her faith is deep. At a very young age she revealed to her parents, matter-of-factly, that she had asked Jesus into her heart while she was laying in bed one night.

I can see God working in her life through this verse, as she is already setting an example for all of us in many ways. I believe she will continue to do this as she grows in wisdom and stature, and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for her.

Southern Pralines

This is probably my all-time favorite cookbook. Published in 1987, I’m pretty sure it’s out of print now. It is chock-full of good, down-home southern recipes. Calorie counting is not a factor in most of them.

The first time I visited my in-laws, who live in Iowa, I wanted to take something that was a taste of the South, so I chose "Southern Pralines" from this cookbook. They loved them and have asked me to make them every year, so I’m revving up to make them this week.

These are not for the faint of heart. Extremely sweet and rich . . . they are delicious! They’re not too difficult to make, but you do have to follow the directions pretty closely.

Southern Pralines

2 cups sugar
2 cups pecan halves
¾ cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/8 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda

Combine all ingredients except baking soda in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until sugar dissolves. Cover and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes to wash down sugar crystals from sides of pan. Uncover and cook to soft ball stage (235°), stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in soda. Beat with a wooden spoon just until mixture begins to thicken. Working rapidly, drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased wax paper. Let stand until firm. Yield: 1½ to 2 dozen.

The Evil Media

Don and I watched a Nova special on PBS this week about the Old Testament. We were excited that Nova would cover such a topic, but after we had watched it for a little while, we realized that our joy was futile. They were basically on a quest to convince people that the Bible wasn’t true. It was when they said that the Israelites were really Canaanites, not a separate people as the Bible clearly states, because their pots they used were similar to those used by the Canaanites, that I had had enough and quit watching it. Don lasted a little longer, but he too gave up before it was over.

It makes me mad that the media can say whatever they want to, and people will believe them. They can make up lies about anything and speak them as if they were the truth. PBS, the "educational" channel, is especially bad, for example, about talking about evolution as if it were an established fact.

On Wednesday morning in Bible study we were studying Sodom and Gomorrah and talking about how the media today glorifies sin, i.e. homosexuality, the specific sin the Bible most clearly cites as what was going on in Sodom before God destroyed them. On Wednesday night I was watching a show I like, Bones. We don’t usually get to watch it because of worship team practice at church, but practice got cancelled, so we watched it. In that episode one of the best-liked and most respected characters, Angela, announced matter-of-factly and shamelessly that she is a lesbian. There was no real sense of shock from any of the other characters.

As I have said before, I don’t hate homosexuals as people, but the Bible clearly says homosexuality is wrong. I believe God will judge our society for treating it as if it weren’t.

This is why I almost never watch TV. I can’t control the things they say, but I don’t have to watch it. Why, as Christians, do we allow the values of Hollywood into our homes to pollute our minds and those of our families? There may be a few good things on there, but basically every time I watch it, I am shocked and disappointed.

I think the media is responsible for a good deal of the moral corruption that is prevalent in America today. If we would just turn off the TV, stop watching movies, reading gossip magazines, and giving the media power over us, I think we would all be much better off.

The First Thanksgiving

We all know the story of the Pilgrims coming to the "New World" on the Mayflower and celebrating the first Thanksgiving, but do we know the whole story? I did a little research (and got some info from my history-expert husband) to find out what really happened.

It began in England when Henry VIII, who reigned from 1509-1547, named himself the head of the Church of England, independent from the Roman Catholic Church. Many people were unhappy about this, including a group called "Puritans," who sought to reform the Church of England. They believed a church should be under Christ, not any king or queen and also wanted to purify it by adopting simpler modes of worship. One group of Puritans was called Separatists because they believed in separation from the established church.

When King James assumed the throne in 1603, he vowed to make everyone conform to the Church of England or he would drive them out of the land. This was actually the same King James who ordered the Bible translation we now have.

One group of Separatists from the village of Scrooby escaped to Holland after being denied permission to move by King James, so they could worship as they pleased there. Life in Holland as foreigners was difficult, and they worried that their children were assimilating into the culture there. They decided they wanted to go to a place that was relatively uninhabited and try to begin a life there.

About thirty-five of the Scrooby Separatists went on this voyage to the New World, and for financial reasons, they joined forces with some people from England, for a total of around 102 people. Some of those from England wanted to go for religious freedom ("saints") and others for other reasons ("strangers"). The Mayflower Compact was written as an agreed-upon form of government for these groups. The voyage across the ocean on the Mayflower took two months, and they arrived in America in December 1620.

Obviously, this was not the best time of year to begin a life in an uninhabited place, so the first few months were very hard. Nearly half of them died. In the spring of the following year they met up with two English-speaking Indians, Samoset and Squanto, who taught them how to grow corn and catch fish. They also grew barley and pumpkins and killed turkey and deer for food. That fall, they had a great feast to celebrate their survival and give thanks to God.

There were to be more hard times ahead, but these pilgrims persevered and were joined by thousands of others over the next several years. Their governor, William Bradford, documented much of the history that he lived. Among his writings is this quote: "Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by his hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are, and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise."

In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday in November (later changed to the fourth Thursday) should be set aside as "a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." While we are eating our turkey and dressing this year, let us remember the courage of those who came here for the sake of their faith and thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us.

How Pets Improve Your Health

I went for many years without pets (other than hamsters). I was frequently lonely and often afraid at night. Then I got my dog Dasha. She turned my life upside down.
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When you have a pet, especially if you don’t have children, you are fulfilled in having something to take care of, something that needs and depends on you. They build your self-esteem when they joyfully greet you at the door every time you come home and treat you as if you hung the moon. When you sit down to watch TV, you have someone who will curl up in your lap. In the case of dogs, you have a built-in burglar alarm. They bring laughter to your home with their antics. (Our dog Nash is especially full of them.)
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Dasha was a big factor in helping me lose a lot of weight several years ago, and keep it off for the most part, because she needed to be walked every day. I have gotten to know a lot of my neighbors through my dogs too. When people see you walking a dog, most naturally assume you’re a nice person and feel free to start up a conversation with you.
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Studies have shown that pets decrease blood pressure and cholesterol and have other physical health benefits, and I have no trouble believing this.
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Getting a pet is a responsibility not to be taken lightly, but I believe the benefits of owning one far outweigh the disadvantages. I don’t think you should get one if you aren’t prepared to care for it properly, but if you can find room in your home and your heart for one, I think a pet would bring a joy to your life.

A Month of Craziness

We’re about to enter into the crazy season. From Thanksgiving ‘til New Years, the world goes insane. My December calendar is already almost full. Plus I have to shop to buy presents that nobody really needs anyway.

Why do I have to do all this? Because I live in America. I have been trying for years to find a way to avoid it all.

It’s not that I completely hate it, but it just seems to me that if we are going to have a celebration of Jesus’ birth, then that’s what we ought to do. Why does it have to be accompanied by so much stress? It’s very unlikely December 25 is actually Jesus’ birthday anyway. The holiday actually has pagan roots. More on that in a future blog.

If I had my way, I would go to church on Christmas Eve and then spend a cozy Christmas day with my family, maybe exchanging small, heartfelt gifts. We would rejoice together in the Savior God sent into the world. Then life would go on (though I think the celebration of Jesus should last all year).

But I feel like I would be considered a "grinch" if I handled Christmas this way, if I didn’t go to any of the parties I was invited to or didn’t give gifts to the people who gave them to me. It’s not that I don’t enjoy parties; I just wish they didn’t all have to be in December. And it’s not that I don’t like to give presents; I just like to do it when I have a good reason or desire to, not just because it’s Christmas.

And why do we have to eat so much? As most anyone who struggles with their weight will tell you, this is by far the most difficult time of the year to control your food intake.

Sorry to be such a stick in the mud. What are your thoughts? Do you love every minute of it, or if not, how do you handle it all?

Top 10 Websites Where I Can Waste A Lot of Time

Just in case you have too much time on your hands like I do (NOT!), here are some things to keep you busy. Most of these sites can be useful in the right context, but I find I can easily get consumed with them and spend entirely too much time on them.

1. http://www.youtube.com/ (Watch videos of almost anything in the world.)
2. http://www.facebook.com/ (I have found a good percentage of everybody I have known in every phase of my life on here. You must set up an account (free) to use this.)
3. http://www.allrecipes.com/ (Find almost any recipe you could ever want.)
4. http://www.amazon.com/ (Order almost anything you can dream of at very reasonable prices.)
5. http://www.rhapsody.com/ (Listen to all your favorite music (free in limited quantities).)
6. http://hobsvtxie01.nashville.org/Default.asp?br=exp&vr=6 (If you like to snoop, you can find out the value of anybody’s house in Davidson County. If you don’t live in Nashville, your city probably has an equivalent site.)
7. http://www.ebay.com/ (If it’s not on Amazon, it’s almost certainly here, or you may be able to get an even better deal on it here.)
8. http://www.biblegateway.com/ (Find any scripture by reference or key word. More Bible translations than you probably knew existed, including a number of foreign languages.)
9. http://www.wikipedia.org/ (An up-to-the-minute encyclopedia that covers just about every topic in the universe.)
10. http://www.maps.google.com/ (Another good site for snoopers (which is a nice word for "stalkers"). Click on "Satellite" to get an aerial view of anybody’s neighborhood, or zoom in to see their house.)

Growing in Grace

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." II Peter 3:18

I picked a Bible verse to pray each of my nieces and my nephew when they were born and have prayed it for them regularly throughout their lives. I didn’t pick Grace’s verse for any particular reason; I just thought it was a good verse to pray for a child, and since it contained her name, it was all the more appropriate.

She is seven now, and I love seeing God answering my prayer in her life. As I have mentioned before, I am teaching her and Hannah in a Bible study class, and seeing Grace soak up the Scriptures and grow in her love for Christ is such a joy to me. She often has her hand raised to answer questions and asks good questions when she doesn’t know.

I look forward to seeing how God is going to continue to use this verse in Grace’s life as she grows into her teen years and adulthood. He is faithful, and I know He has great things in store for her!

Christmas Card Etiquette, From My Perspective

Even though it’s only mid-November, I’m already hearing people talk about sending out Christmas cards. I was talking to my sister-in-law, Melissa, yesterday about whether we’re going to send them out at all this year. Christmas is such a crazy time which I really don’t like very much anyway (more on that later), and cards are just one more thing to stress about.

In some ways they’re good. It’s a way to keep in touch with people that you may not be in touch with the rest of the year, although you kind of have to wonder about the quality of those relationships if all they consist of is a once-a-year Christmas card. I think it’s acceptable to send them every other year. That way, you get a little less stress one year out of every two.

There are several different options for sending Christmas cards.

The Newsletter. I have done this a number of times, and for the most part my recipients seem to enjoy them. At least they tell me they do. I have heard comments through the years (not directed at me) making fun of those "boring" newsletters, but I don’t think they have to be boring. I always enjoy them most if they are not too long (1 side of 1 page is good), contain interesting highlights and not too many details. Pictures are always a nice touch too, especially if you have kids.

The Photo Card. These can be made very cheaply at Wal-Mart. Just have someone take a family photo, choose your "frame," and they’ll fix you right up. I like receiving these, and it’s even acceptable not to add a personal note. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

The Plain Card. No matter how elaborate a design you pick, these are not overly exciting unless they at least have a personal note added. I guess it’s a gesture to let people know you’re thinking of them if you just send a signed one, but not a very heartfelt one. I would maybe send one of these to business acquaintances and others who aren’t personal friends or family.

So, there you have it: my opinion. I think I’ve decided I’m not going to send out cards this year, so if you don’t get one from me, please don’t take it personally. Check back later, and I’ll wish you a Merry Christmas via my blog.

Percy Priest Lake

I love learning about history from people who have lived it. I was recently talking to a friend in her 60’s who has lived in Nashville all her life, and she told me something that surprised me: Percy Priest Lake hasn’t always been there. Maybe this is something that everybody else knew, but I didn’t. It is a man-made lake that grew out of the Stone’s River when the Percy Priest Dam was built between 1963 and 1968. I did a little research of my own and found out the lake covers 14,200 acres in Davidson, Wilson and Rutherford Counties.

Many families had to give up their homes and land so it could be created. Roads that used to go from one place to another were completely covered. I had noticed that Old Hickory Blvd. in Hermitage dead-ends right into the lake. (It would be much easier for me to visit my brother or my mom if it wasn’t there.) There was once a town called Old Jefferson that is now completely submerged. There were a number of cemeteries in the area that had to be moved before the lake was made.

So what was the point? Apparently there had been a lot of flooding in the area anyway, so they decided to put it to good use. The dam helps generate electricity used by local residents. The lake also provides for boating, swimming, fishing, beaches and other water activities.

J. Percy Priest, for whom it is named, was a Tennesseean who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1940-1956. He really had nothing to do with the creation of the lake, but the name was chosen in his honor shortly after he died.

Thanks, Ms. Barbara, for your info!

This picture is from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Digital Visual Library.