Thanksgiving? Advent? Christmas? Bah Humbug!!

I’m still in the thanks-giving and gratitude-living afterglow. BTW, I’ve loved seeing your Thanksgiving family photos. Beautiful families. Incredible displays of tables set with perfection. But, you may be one saying “Pleassse, no more Thanksgiving talk! No more cozy family photos.” I know not everyone can join the thanks-giving bandwagon!

You may be one not-so-invested in the holidays when it seems everyone else gets their holly-jolly-selves on! They're cheerful, happy, all caught up in their blessing moods while you are in the middle of bailing water out of your boat. You’re holding your breath that one more thing doesn’t capsize your boat and you go under. You may be one who dreads this time of the year as it holds so many memories past and you’re so very lonely. Or it is the season that reminds you that you don’t have very much or nothing at all to buy gifts for others – though you’re a “giver” and it breaks your heart that you can’t give.

I know not everyone is able to get into the “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” singing, dancing and ringing jingle bells or dreaming of a white Christmas. Your hope has been lost from the heaviness of the weight you are carrying. I know that because I know what those weights look and feel like. I’ve been there. Even as I type this blog today, I’m thinking of some dear family members and friends who are carrying, what seem to be, enormous weights of hopelessness.

Here comes the lessons we learn again from Paul the Apostle who had the right to tell us what gratitude and hope looks like because he sure knew heavy weights. He said: “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Hope does not disappoint us, because God poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.” Romans 5:2-5

We can be thankful, even in hardship, because our future is based on God’s love, not on our present situation. We may experience temporary hardships but they all came TO PASS. The phrase “it came to pass” occurs again and again in the Old Testament. “It came to pass” describes events in history and even our own experiences. “It came to pass” reminds us that these tough times are soon over; they come, but they "come to pass." We may not always realize it, but it is always true. I know this scripture is true – I lived it. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) Some of those nights were long, long nights, but they came to pass and they did pass. Wounds heal. Heartbreak mends. Tears cease. A new day dawns. A new sunrise dispels the darkness. Despair loses its hold. Grief is replaced with hope. It came to pass.

Being positive and faith-filled takes discipline. Can I hear a big “AMEN”? We can do this. Gratitude is in us. Let’s not waste this season with worry. Let’s not live in regret. Let’s not miss out on THIS day that He made with you and me in mind. Because this day – came to pass. We’ll never get this day back. And this Advent and Christmas will never come again. This is our opportunity to look up with hope and expectation that something good is about to happen. As we embrace the journey of a young, courageous girl and a supportive, noble man to the town of Bethlehem, may we too, take a journey of faith and hope that “Joy to the World” and joy to you and me dispels the darkness around us and the brightness of the Star of Bethlehem brightens our own little world with hope and joy. Isn’t it worth the effort to take the journey that might change everything?

“This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

A Spilled Cup of Coffee Brings Hope for the Holidays

This blog and photo comes from the analogy of a cup spilling because someone bumped into the holder of the cup. I've heard it twice in the last month. Maybe you have, too! Frankly, I was getting ready to roll my eyes if I saw another social media post on it. And, here I am blogging about it today. Hold on! I have a great encouragement for you for the holidays!

"You are holding a cup of coffee and someone bumps into you, making you spill your coffee everywhere. Why did you spill the coffee? "Because someone bumped into me!!!" Wrong answer. You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup. Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea. Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.

The same thing goes with life. When life comes along and bumps you (which it will), whatever is inside you will come out. *So we have to ask ourselves... “What's in my cup?"* When life gets tough, what spills over? Anger, bitterness, harsh words and reactions? Or, joy, gratefulness, peace and humility? Life provides the cup, YOU choose how to fill it.

Great teaching story, and then last Monday night happened. My car was side-swiped. And, the way it happened, neither of us knew who was at fault. It was a "he says; she says". I had the right-of-way because he had the stop sign, but he pulled out as I made my turn. Now, we are both dealing with crazy $$ repair bills.

But, what came out of me? Not the normal caffeinated version of anxiety, stress, and worry. Peace flowed. Lips worshipped. Eyes stayed fixed on the promise-keeping Savior who was sovereign over my little storm. I want to savor this lesson and remember it. Let it live inside me for the rest of my life. Here's what I know about having a heart filled with Jesus. Make no mistake. I take no credit. It is all God. Nothing but the Spirit. Only Jesus. Here’s the truth worth savoring: a heart full of Jesus doesn’t get broken when it gets bumped.

My dear friends -- I don’t know what’s in your cup right now but if you’re any version of normal, there’s a lot of "stuff" -- you've been shaken with the winds and the waves caused by the storm in your life and if that's not the case, then quite possibly during the start of the holiday season -- there's the usual holiday stress. That’s the nature of the season.

Not only are the demands overwhelming, the ending of a year brings on reflection that points out all the ways this year didn’t measure up to our expectations. We’re going to be in close spaces with family members who maybe don’t agree and there still may be some unresolved issues lurking. For others, you might be missing loved ones who are no longer here.

It’s a recipe for a big ‘ole batch of hot-tempered, stressed-heart, cold-soul eggnog. And if we get bumped, what is going to come out? Can I invite you to fill your cup with Jesus? His words, His promises, His nature. Focus your eyes on the Savior Who loved you enough to leave heaven and endure earth so that you could one day leave earth and enjoy heaven. No doubt, you'll get bumped this holiday season. Count on it. Let what overflows reflect a heart full of Jesus. Not only will it steady your peace and keep you from sinking, it will testify to a Jesus who is STILL the answer to every storm and the reason for any season.