Let’s Sing a Brand New Song

The old familiar Christmas carols are still echoing in my heart, but I know something new is on its way. Psalm 96:1 says “Sing to the Lord a new song.” That new song is made possible by the Incarnation of Jesus. A new song to the One Who became God in the flesh and Who makes all things new. A new song that revels in the Father’s love for us. A new song that makes our hearts leap with joy at the promise of the good news!

A new day -- a new year is almost here! We can start singing a new song and close the door to the old “My Love done me wrong” songs and the "Woe is me" songs. Our LOVE for God and His LOVE for us puts a new song of joy, hope, and peace in our hearts. It's an "Everything's gonna be alright" song!

What if we were given a gift on January 1st and the Giver said – “What you do today – how you love, how you express gratitude and hope and express joy in the middle of your circumstances, will set the tone for 2020. TODAY sets the precedent for a year of singing joy-filled, faith-filled, and overcoming-filled songs – but not just songs – living lives of each day being set for victory,”

I'm already practicing for 2020 today. I'm singing a new song, flowing from the relationship I have with God. You can sing a new song, too! Let’s join the angels in singing “Glory to God in the highest,” because we see signs of His glory everywhere we go (Luke 2:14). Let’s imitate Mary as we sing and magnify the Lord and rejoice in God our Savior. Let’s sing of the joy of knowing we have been redeemed by a loving God. Let’s sing even when we make mistakes because forgiveness and grace awaits us.

But let's not sing just because God has made us happy. Let's sing because it makes Him happy too! Sing a song that proclaims the wonders He has done. Sing a song that declares who you know Him to be. Our Father rejoices when we praise Him, not because He craves our attention, but because He knows how praise lifts our spirit, strengthens us against temptation, and fills us with a desire to share His good news.

And if you don’t like to sing, speaking it out is just as good. And here's another way to ensure 2020 looks different from any other year. Start spending time with God, and right now is a good time to start. A new start is in itself a new song.

“Lord, put a new song in my heart today. Stir your Spirit in me, and teach me to sing to you!”

The Twelve Days of Christmas – MERRY CHRISTMAS!

TToday is December 30th – which means it’s the 6th day of Christmas. A few days ago, upon my return home from Austin, I said in my post that I was going to start taking down my Christmas décor the next day. The inspiration came when my Austin Family were heading out of town for several days and they wanted to come home to a back-to-normal atmosphere. It would feel great for them not to face the de-Christmasing of their home upon return. We pitched in and succeeded!

That was my plan, too, until my BFF, Sheila Michie, commented on my post "Enjoy all 12 days of Christmas -- today's only the 4th day!" I checked out what she said, and it was true!! We’re still in the 12 Days of Christmas!! I quickly posted a retraction that I was holding off to savor in the flavors and favors of Christmas until the end of the 12 days. Here is the result of my research:

The "12 Days of Christmas" are the 12 days between Christmas Day, December 25th, the birth of Jesus, and January 6th, Epiphany -- the day Christians celebrate the arrival of the Magi (Wise Men) and the revelation of Christ as the Light of the world.

During the 15th to 18th centuries in England, it was a crime to be Catholic and they were prohibited from any practice of their faith by law -- private or public. Anyone caught with religious books or writings would be severely punished -- imprisonment, hanging or a beheaded. The song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” was written during that time of religious persecution. It was a kind of secret summary and memory tool of the principles of Christian beliefs that could be sung in public without fear of arrest.

In the song, the "true love" mentioned doesn't refer to an earthly lover. It refers to the "True Love" of God the Father, the greatest Giver. The “me” who receives the gift refers to all believers in Christ. Christ is presented as a mother partridge who fakes injury to lure predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me..." Matthew 23:37.

Each line in the song is a code word for a religious truth:

1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus.

2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.

3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.

4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.

5. The five gold rings recall the Hebrew Torah (Law), or the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.

6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.

7. The seven swans a-swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight Beatitudes.

9. The nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.

10. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.

11. Eleven pipers piping represent the eleven faithful Apostles.

12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed.

The Twelve Days of Christmas give us a reason to celebrate and exchange gifts. This old-fashioned approach to gift-giving eventually gave way to today's practice of exchanging gifts on Christmas Day.

So, I'm back to breathing in the "Oh Holy Night" of Christmas for a few more days. I'll bask in the 12 Days of Christmas – savoring the atmosphere as long as I can. I've resisted the urge to run out to the After-Christmas sales. As a matter of fact, the cold weather beckons the fireplace to be blazing, wearing the cozy attire and staying inside to experience THE Presence of Emmanuel -- God with us. I'm having a loving affair with the Lover in the song, and the Partridge in the Pear Tree. I'm journaling, reading, and embracing the moments, while preparing for a new year of serving, loving and giving. I pray that you, too, are experiencing Christmas peace and joy a few more days.

In the words of Paul Harvey…..”and now you know the REST of the STORY!" You’re welcome!

God's Unique and Diverse Creation

I live in a unique community where every home is different from the others. The exteriors are unique: brick, stone, or stucco, different paint colors, and lots of variations of floor plans. It's not a "cookie-cutter" community where the homes are the same. Our landscaping, with various flowers, trees, bushes, plants and rock formations are different. It's one of the reasons why we love living here.

Those of us who live here are also very different. Some still work full time, part time, or are retired. There are singles and marrieds. We come from various walks of life: attorneys, doctors, farmers, nurses, teachers, engineers, and everything in between. It's great hearing about our diversities that we all bring to our community family table.

God, in His brilliant creative genius gave this world such beauty in diversity. He started it all at creation. Imagine a garden, filled with flowers, but every flower was the same color, same leaves, same fragrance. Just sameness. Wouldn't that just be monotonous? But God created this world, AND mankind, that included you and me, with such splendid and spectacular diversity.

This time of year, we witness the most beautiful gardens that are blossoming with richness of diversity. Bright yellows, reds, deep purples and blues. In the same way, His kids, you and me, exemplify the beauty of diversity. We are male and female, tall and short, full bodied and slim bodied, dark skin and light skin. God's kids are so beautifully diverse.

The amazing truth, no matter what we look like, is that we are all equally important. We need the quiet janitor who cleans the bathrooms and sweeps the floor as much as we need the leader on the stage who speaks with wisdom. We need the outgoing and confident leader as much as need the quiet introvert.

Most of all, we need each other. We need the encouragers, the givers, the servers, the teachers, those who will take charge and lead and we need those who are so willing to be followers and to be led. Just think how wonderful this world would be if we all just understood God's unique love for His creation -- diverse, yet all so loved. Maybe we should start recognizing each other as equally and uniquely important and loved by Father God. As for you and me? He wants us NOT to be different from Him. He wants us to BE LIKE HIM -- spreading His love to the rest of the family.

"What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it–we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are.” – 1 John 3:1

EXCEL in 2016

 Home sweet home after 22 days in Texas and Washington over the Christmas holidays.  Precious times away, and excited now to EXCEL in 2016.  

Those incredible 22 days were topped off, yesterday, when many of our Unstoppable Summit attendees went to Elevate Life Church to worship and praise God together.  And to hear a message by Pastor Keith Craft entitled "EXCEL" only provided the icing on the delicious "cake" we'd experienced all weekend at the summit.  In 2 Corinthians 8:1-11, the Apostle Paul was speaking about the folks in the Macedonian churches and in verse 2 said " In the midst of very SEVERE TRIALS, they had OVERFLOWING JOY and their EXTREME POVERTY welled up in RICH GENEROSITY."  Did you get that?  They were experiencing severe trials, but had overflowing joy.  They lived in extreme poverty but were richly generous.

And, then in verse 7, he encourages the Corinthians by saying "Since you EXCEL in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also EXCEL in this grace of giving."  WOW -- did those words ever pack a punch!  God is impressed when we have overflowing joy in the middle of trials and He's even more impressed when we're generous during times of lack.  Pastor Keith said, "EXCEL means to soar -- surpass limitations".  I reached up and grabbed that word as I heard this message.  I desire to soar, surpass limitations and, as Paul mentioned, "EXCEL in everything" -- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and above all, in the grace of giving this year.

Giving comes in so many forms:  a hug, a smile, an encouraging word, a compliment, time, treasure, and a host of other ways to EXCEL in the grace of giving.   I'm going to be "in the moment" and "on the lookout" for ways to EXCEL by being an extravagant GIVER this year.

"Powered by Relationships" has been our tag line for over three years now -- and as I think about the power we receive in our relationship with God, as well as His beautiful people like those who joined us in the summit this weekend, I expect EXCELLING to be the norm.    I loved being able to share my heart with these precious people yesterday afternoon, and they shared their love and heart right back to me.  We were EXCELLING.   Indeed we had an empowerment weekend that surely fueled us for a beautiful and blessed year to come -- a year of continual EXCELLING.  Let's EXCEL together as we truly become extravagant GIVERS this year!

Your Greatest ASK; His Greatest YES

Wednesday of Holy Week: The disciples must have been awestruck when Jesus said, "One of YOU will betray me." Except for Judas, the eleven must have each thought, "Not me! I would never betray, deny or leave you." But as we all know, their loyalty to Jesus was short-lived.

And that scene is one that impacted me the most when I saw the movie, "Son of God" a few weeks ago. As I watched the amazing actor who played Jesus in the movie -- I was reminded how great Jesus loved and defended the one that was the underdog, the one that failed, the one that sinned, the one who denied Him and lied about Him. That was a movie that told MY story ~ and YOUR story! It is a TRUE story. That story is not about religion, it is about Jesus ~ His unconditional love and forgiveness. In spite of our disloyalty to Him, He is so quick to forgive, when we are ready for HIM ~ to give Him our lives just as they are ~ our past, our present and our future! May we realize this incredible love that He has for us right now ~ today! Jesus loves you ~ just as you are. He sees your "heart!" I promise you, He will take special notice of you ~ He can "make all things new" for you. Just ask Him! It will be the greatest ASK, and the greatest "YES", you will EVER receive. After all, HE is the greatest GIVER!!
#SonOfGod