Is it Clothes or the Heart that Makes the Man?

I saw these “ancient" photos and how stylish and dressed-to-the-nines we were back then. I remembered Mark Twain’s quote: “Clothes make the man! Naked people have little or no influence on society.” I had to laugh at that thought and visual! This first photo is my Mom and her best friends, my mother and father-in-law in their Sunday best. Check out those hats and gloves! That was the church apparel style 50+ years ago. The next photo was of us 30 years ago, in our backyard -- all dressed up for church in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. That's what we did "back in the day"! We were on purpose to dress our best. I learned that as a little girl in the "Jackie Kennedy" era, when we wore the pillbox hats, gloves and frills. I remember my Mom saying that we dress up for church because we're going to be in the presence of our King and we want to give Him our best.

Though I personally still carry that mindset even today as a product of my upbringing, I've come to understand that just being in church and praising and thanking God is what is most important. And, clothes DON'T make the man. What makes a man is a heart after God. I'm just thrilled when I see anyone worshipping God with me in their vast array of clothing styles -- from athletic wear, ripped jeans and shorts to suits, ties, and dressy dresses. And, bless my Mama's heart -- she meant well in saying "we're going to be in the presence of our King", but today I'd remind her...our KING lives IN us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) -- and Who is inside us -- is what matters.

I’m not going to be that little old lady that is whining about the good old days when we did things this way or that way. This is the good new days and God wants us to COME as we are: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

Where I'm going with this post is of far more value and worth than our outward appearance. God isn't looking for the perfect ensemble or the latest fashion statement. God is looking for those who desire to be His fully devoted followers. The question is "How much time do we spend working on our hearts -- the part that matters most to God?" "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." I Samuel 17:31

That scripture was God’s explanation to the prophet Samuel of how God could pick a little kid (David) over impressive looking warriors. In this case, God had chosen a young man who didn’t look like he measured up or was even qualified for the job. In David's case, and in our case, God is looking for those who trust Him with their whole hearts and who live with the desire to keep their hearts pure and pliable. So, today, let’s represent Him in the way we act and look by "dressing up" our hearts. After all, the KING is right here....right NOW in our hearts!

Is it NESTING Time or BUY NOW and DO MORE Time?

Oh my! The holiday ads, promotions, and marketing campaigns are amped up. Every day, the message is "buy now for best bargains", 50% off today only, deal of the day! BUY -- BUY -- BUY!! There are banners outside stores, ads coming in the mail and tons of them coming through on social media. It takes great willpower to NOT be drawn in. After all, it's only 20 more days until Christmas! And, believe you me -- I was one caught up in the frenzy for many years. The pain was real!

Something happened to me this year. I’ve turned over some new leaves. At this age and stage of my life, I get to do that. My father-in-law was the one who closed out our family Christmas’ present exchanges with his grand finale of handing out his envelopes which had a little money in them for each one of the family members. This was a big milestone year for me and I think it merited me making some changes. Since Dad has been long gone for about 20 years now, I’ve decided to carry on where he left off and this year, my family will receive envelopes with a few dollars in them with a love letter from me to them.

I can’t begin to explain the weight that has been lifted off my shoulders. You'll know that relief one day. No need for mall or online shopping! Oh, sweet Baby Jesus! I can celebrate the gift of You so care-free because of my newfound freedom! What a relief it is. I am sure not desiring to dampen your Christmas spirit by my new-way-of-thinking. This is my time to change, but oh that I might have discovered this freedom before now.

I also cut back on my usual “decorating every room in the house” to putting out just enough that the Christmas spirit is alive and well in my home – especially with my old family photos of Papa reading the Christmas story to the grandchildren and my children’s visits to see Santa. I didn’t even put out all of my Christmas churches or villages! I haven’t been tempted by Pinterest or emails that beckoned me to get started with craft items and buy more decorations. I’m passing up any reasoning that I need to do more to make this season more and just right.

Instead of my usual Christmas frenzy, I'm "nesting". This is the awesome season of Advent and finding a "nesting" place to ponder the beauty of Christ and His coming as a baby and His return to take us away to glory takes precedence over the hustle and bustle of the season. Don't we really want to push the MUTE button to separate ourselves from the crowds and busyness to enter into God’s stillness by taking some R&R (rest and relaxation) time to go find HIM in the secret place?

I'm a realist and I know we often don't have much choice but to stay on hyper-mode. Somewhere, however, there must be a quiet little "nesting" spot that we can find to pause for some silence when we can. It may mean we have to turn down the TV or the radio or shut off the computer because of the constant temptation to buy more, do more and be more. Hearing God’s voice in the midst of all the hubbub isn’t always easy, but when we place a high priority on practicing God’s presence, we just might find more strength, energy, and enthusiasm for all those things we must do. Maybe it’s as simple as reading a short devotion or simply whispering His name in prayer. Maybe we should start nesting like a Mama Bird who is preparing for the arrival of her babies, to sit and wait and breathe in peace and quiet and exhale the worries, the stress, the fears, and concerns. I promise. God is quite aware of all that's on our plates. He totally gets us, but all the while, He's over in a quiet "nesting" spot just waiting for us to cozy up to Him for refreshing and restoration.

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

That Police Officer DEPRIVED Me of my Sleep

: To keep something away from someone. Those who live in poverty are kept from having enough food or shelter. Plants experiencing water deprivation will shrivel up and die. If a teenager is grounded, their parents might impose video game or cell phone deprivation. And if someone has trouble sleeping, they are sleep DEPRIVED.

I had only a very few hours of sleep, when I had to get up early for my drive to Tulsa again. Sis and I are still working on the Estate Sale for Mom and with our busy schedules, we've had to carve out time almost every other week to get it all wrapped up. We're getting closer each time I make my trek there again. Wednesday morning, I headed out early after those very few hours of sleep and by the time I hit the Indian Nation Turnpike I could hardly keep my eyes open. In fact, I did have moments where I nodded and caught myself. I slapped my face, chewed gum -- all to keep me awake. There are no rest areas on that stretch of the turnpike so I was pleased when the turnpike ended and I saw a motel and thought I'd just drive around to the back of it and stop to shut my eyes for just a few minutes. That few minutes turned into 20 minutes and it would have been longer, but the tapping at my car window by a police officer woke me and startled me.

I did my best to regain composure because I must have looked like I was on a stiff drink or drugs because he was eyeing my car in the front and back to see if I had anything in it to prove it. He said, "Ma'am, are you okay? We received a call from the motel owners and they said they saw a woman slumped over in her car." I replied: "Oh, I'm fine. I was so sleepy on that stretch of the turnpike and nowhere to pull off to rest, that I just had to shut my eyes for a few minutes at the first place I saw." By then I was WIDE AWAKE! I asked him to thank the motel owners for letting me take a snooze, and I was on my way.

I realized that I MUST get a good night's sleep before I head out on these road trips. Sleep DEPRIVATION could lead to real trouble in so many ways. It was a WAKE UP call for me for sure.

As I was typing my post for today, I thought about the word DEPRIVATION -- particularly as it applied to my sleeping habits, but I also thought about how we DEPRIVE ourselves from being physically and spiritually healthy. We deprive ourselves of water which is our main source of life. If we continue to deprive ourselves of getting the H2O we need, it can have severe repercussions on our health. Not getting enough water can result in fatigue and lack of blood flow to our tissues. Not getting enough physical activity and exercise will deprive us of good health and normal organ function.

In the same way, when we DEPRIVE ourselves of the refreshment of a close, abiding relationship with our Heavenly Father, we'll become spiritually sluggish, weak in faith and poor in spirit. Like the officer who gave me a WAKE UP knock on my car door yesterday, God is knocking on our heart's door and announcing -- drink up of this water that I give you and you'll never be DEPRIVED of water again." His love is FREE for the taking. We are never DEPRIVED of His peace, joy, hope and overflowing blessings. Those gifts are ours for the taking.

"Happy are those who listen to Me, watching for me daily at my gates." (Proverbs 8:34)

"Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28:

It's NESTING Time or is it BUY NOW and DO MORE Time?

Day 338 of Photo Inspirations -- It's NESTING Time or is it BUY NOW and DO MORE Time?
Oh my -- the holiday ads, promotions and marketing campaigns are amped up.   Everyday, the message is "buy now for best bargains", 50% off today only, deal of the day.  BUY -- BUY -- BUY!! There are banners outside stores, ads coming in the mail and tons of them coming through on social media.  It takes great willpower to NOT be drawn in.  After all, it's only 21 more days until Christmas!

On Thanksgiving Day, (my first photo inspiration for today), folks were camped out at our Best Buy since early hours, to get their "must have" merchandise when the store would open up for Black Friday sales.  It was so cold and raining out that day.  We pulled up beside a couple of guys and asked "What is it that you're waiting for?"  They responded "A  $450 TV for $150!"  I guess, for them, it was worth the wait to save $300.  And, I'll admit, yesterday, I was drawn into Michaels to save 50% (that day only) on an item I wanted.  Peer pressure -- rather, buying pressure.

Then there's the chatting on Facebook and Pinterest about really awesome decorations and craft items for Christmas -- so, once again, our reasoning is we need to do more to make this season just right.

Isn't there something we can do to stop the deafening sounds that separate  us from what this season is all about?

This is the most awesome season of Advent where tranquility is so needed -- to find that "nesting" place where we're awaiting the birth -- the coming of our Lord.  Don't we really want to push the MUTE button to separate ourselves from the crowds and busyness to enter into His stillness by taking some R&R (rest and relaxation) time to go find HIM in the secret place?

I'm a realist and I know we often don't have much choice but to stay on hyper-mode, but somewhere there must be a quiet little "nesting" spot we can find so we can pause for some silence when we can. It may mean we have to turn down the TV or the radio so we can hear God's still small voice.  It may be we practice God's presence even if it's just to read a short devotion or simply to whisper His name in a prayer.  Advent is about preparing for the Christ Child to arrive.  Maybe that means, like a Mama Bird preparing for the arrival of her babies, to sit and wait and breathe in peace and quiet and exhale the worries, the stress, the fears and concerns.  I promise, God is quite aware of all that's on our plates.  He totally gets us, but all the while....He's over in a quiet "nesting" spot just waiting for us to cozy up to Him for refreshing and restoration.

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28