It’s Potato Salad and Chocolate Cake Time

That sounds like a crazy combination, doesn’t it? But in my day – in the South – if those words are said together, it means that somebody passed away. That's just what we do. When there’s a funeral, there’s always a dinner that’s provided for the family. Or, the dinner is taken to the home before the funeral. That’s what caring and loving family-to-family is all about. Maybe you haven’t ever experienced that. May I suggest that you move South or you start a tradition now that carries Christ’s love with hands and feet to those around about you.

Today is the third day of Lent. It's the time when we prepare our hearts and minds for Easter. It's a time of intentional laser focus on Jesus. Often we hear the word "Lent" and we think "lint" -- those little fibers that get on our clothes from other fabrics. We use a sticky lint remover tool to get it off. Lent means sort of the same thing -- taking the time to "come clean" -- to rid ourselves of the funk and junk that has settled in our hearts. It's remembering the sacrifice of love that causes us to want to have hearts "swept clean" for Christ’s place of residence in us.

During this time people fast and abstain from things that seem to have control over their lives, and it's also, rather than restraining ourselves, it's the "get ready, get set and go" time when we give to others...very purposefully. Random acts of kindness, being generous, etc. It's all about a heart change -- from the "It's all about me" to the "It's all about YOU, God!"

Lent is a time to remember, to recall, and to renew our love and commitment to God. We spend a lot of time remembering the love God had for us in giving us His one and only SON. We remember the love He demonstrated by coming to this earth, becoming one of us, living a life of servitude. Then He was willing to die, be buried, and rise from the grave to life to draw us to Himself. Lent is about being attracted to Him WHO is attracted to us on a daily basis. What if, rather than it being about what can I do for me -- that it's "What can I do to show Christ's giving nature and heart to others?.

God is OUR Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness. What if we became "little" Jesuses and we intentionally became the way-maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in their darkness to others. We can. We can offer help with child care, bring someone potato salad and chocolate cake, help a neighbor or a friend by just being with them. Maybe, instead of giving up some food or technology this Lent, we could spend time focusing our thoughts and hearts on Christ and loving, really loving His kids. Maybe this Easter will be a real resurrection to celebrate -- the resurrection from our OLD selves to our NEW selves in Him.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I." (Isaiah 58)

The Day After is Boxing Day!

December 26th is not only a day for Santas everywhere to catch their breath, but, I remember when we lived in Canada -- we celebrated Boxing Day! Though it lends to the fact that empty boxes from the gifts and presents are trashed and unwanted gifts are returned to stores, it came from a British origin that is traced back to 1833 when lords of manors and aristocrats distributed “Christmas boxes” filled with gifts, money and leftovers from Christmas dinner to their household servants and employees. They had been required to work on December 25th and were recognized for their good service throughout the year. It is also said that Boxing Day's name came from the charity boxes that were placed in churches during the Advent season for the collection of monetary donations to be distributed to the poor on December 26th. It is also the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr and and known for his acts of charity. (Ireland celebrates December 26th as St. Stephen’s Day.) So there you go -- now you know! You're welcome!

But we've taken Boxing Day to a whole new level in our family this year. Our birthday celebration for Jesus was literally amidst boxes and it will carry on in a ginormous way today. We are literally boxing boxes, loading them up and getting them to their new place. Today is the last day in the beautiful home where so many lives have been touched, healed, restored and have come into the family of God. So many precious memories here, but have no fear -- we expect even greater blessings coming in their new season.

We didn’t forget that yesterday was Jesus’ Birthday – so, as with another little tradition to savor, I made a lasagna for the “moving team”, but, most importantly, made my chocolate cake! We sang “Happy Birthday to Jesus “ and partied to “Boxes we have raised so high – sweetly towering to the sky!”

I would be remiss to end this blog with Boxing Day "talk", because while we'll soon be boxing away our Christmas decorations that include the manger scenes and Holy Family figurines -- we will never be able to box away God's great love for us. For some, seeing Jesus as a baby in a manger and "boxing" Him away for another year is as close as they want to get. Perhaps the grown-up Jesus seems too far removed from their every day life. If we keep Jesus at arm’s length, we’ll never get to know and love Him for Who He truly is. If we don’t get to know Him, we won’t love Him. If we want to move faith from our heads to our hearts, we must fall in love with the REAL -- alive and well -- Jesus.

To fall in love with Jesus, it must be more than a once-a-year way, but deeply -- everyday. That kind of knowledge takes time and persistence, just like any good relationship. Jesus invites us to abide in His love — rest, stay, tarry — not rush past it. In John 15:9, He said, “‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.’”

How do we get to that kind of love? There are so many reasons to love Jesus. He is real, and He loves us so much. For us to experience that love, we need to really know Him. As we stand at the front door of the Wallace’s new home, and as we stand at the door of a new year, won’t you join me in seeking to know Him more? That’s my Priority #1 for the new year!

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

God Gave Us YOU, Larry Wallace!

Friday morning, I took Larry his requested "Granny's Chocolate Cake" for his birthday -- well, it's her recipe, but now I get to take the glory for having perfected it! LOL!

Since I'm going to be out of the country on his birthday, June 9th, and since we're a family that one day of celebration for the birthday guy or girl just isn't enough, I'm starting out this birthday week with telling you about this man who not only changed my mind about "jocks", but changed my mind about the perfect man for my daughter, so much so that I wanted to share with those of you who are praying for THE PERFECT ONE for your sons and daughters. It starts with praying, trusting God and then giving ​Him full reins to be the ​Master ​Designer and Orchestrator of what He knows already to be the "perfect match made in heaven".

Twenty-one years ago, the perfect man for our daughter, in my mind, was a man devoted to full time ministry, because, after all, she had vowed to be the next "Mother Teresa" who was all about making a difference in this world and going to the world to share God's good news. At that time, Larry was a true jock. He had been recruited and played for 4 years for Texas A&M's championship football team. Then he became a body builder and was working towards becoming Mr. Oklahoma. He was, no doubt, a beautiful speciman of a man. What I saw on the outside was FINE, but this guy, in my books, was all brawn and not what I had envisioned for my girl. ​ I had about four guys who I had deemed to be in the running for Mr. Staci! LOL! Thank you, God, for saying "NO" to those prayers.
​
Right here is where the story in 1 Samuel 16 is a great parallel. ​ ​God had told Samuel to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be the king that would succeed Saul. All of his sons were paraded before Samuel, and Samuel thought that surely Eliab was the chosen one because he saw something in the tall and stately presence of the eldest born of Jesse which reminded the old man of the splendid attributes of Saul. Eliab seemed to Samuel, in all respects, a fit successor to the great warrior whom the Lord rejected. But the Lord said to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” That's when Samuel asked Jesse "Are these all of your sons?" And we all remember that there was one more -- an athletic, strong, kind, tenderhearted and "heart after God's own heart", ruddy warrior, and beautiful son who was a shepherd, David.

And, here is my departure from that story to this man, Larry Wallace, who, indeed was God's chosen one for my Staci, the exact opposite in nature to hers, but the perfect match for her strong will, drive and determination. Now this "perfect match couple" both desire, more than anything, to make a difference in this world....and they both are driven to do so everyday. When we were going around the dinner table and telling him what he meant to us on Friday night at his first birthday celebration so far, Staci said, "You complete me!" And that is so true. That is why I gave him these words in his birthday card:

"These pictures show the fun-loving, enthusiastic, competitive, yet peaceful, calm, strong, and PATIENT qualities that makes you -- YOU! Really, really, really -- you are one in a million, which shows God must love this family ginormously to single you out for US!! Those are just a few of the many reasons to thank God for the gift of you to this world, but, even greater reasons for thanksgiving -- for me, that God blessed me with having you as my son. What an indescribable love God had for me, Staci, Payton, Alexia and all who know you -- to bless us with YOU! I’m so glad it’s your birthday, because we get to honor and celebrate the mainstay, the pillar of strength, the man of God, the incredible leader, role model, father, husband, son and friend that you are to so many! Happy Birthday, my wonderful son, Larry. I love you so much and thank God for giving us -- YOU!
Mom XOXOXO

I LOVE Chocolate!

I have a confession to make. I LOVE chocolate so much so, that I should be a member of Chocoholics Anonymous (if there is such a group)!

One of my earliest kid memories was my Mom's chocolate gravy, and after Sunday night church, my Dad taking me to the little store next door for a Chocolate Soldier drink, And, how well I remember the ice cream trucks coming through the neighborhood and getting my chocolate fudgesicle. So I blame this addiction on my parents. LOL! That was just the beginning. From there, it was chocolate cake, chocolate candy, chocolate pie, chocolate brownies, chocolate malts .....you can see how someone could become a connoisseur of chocolate, and I am.

Say "chocolate" and my eyes still light up--for you see, I've never outgrown the delight of indulging in creamy, dark or light, crunchy or nutty chocolate! My mouth is watering even as I type this post. Okay, I know you're saying "I know somewhere in here Donna has a devotional for us!" And I do!!

The Psalmist David wrote in Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" And in Psalm 34:8 he wrote, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." And in Psalm

37:4 He says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you desires of your heart."

So I ask myself, and I ask you, "Do our eyes light up in delight when we hear God's Words, like they light up when we hear "chocolate" or another favorite food or treat? Do we savor God's Word, when we share that morsel of delight with someone else? Or has our "sweet tooth" for God's Word and His love for us become a hum-drum routine love affair--the chocolate's melted, the wonder's gone, de-light has gone out?"

Oh, that we would fall in love anew today with God and His Word -- delight in His presence and rejoice in His love. Let's delight in God and His Word so much that we light up someone's world today, as we share a smile, a hug, a prayer, a gift, a word of encouragement --and yes, some CHOCOLATE too!