The Long Winters

I know a man who has been in a long-suffering trial for over a decade.  Although not a perfect man, he is a man who has loved and served our Lord since he was born. He openly demonstrates love for his family with tenderness and compassion, and fiercely tries to protect them from harm. He reaches out selflessly to the poor and needy, he works hard, and is rising successfully at his work in high esteem with those who work beside him.  And yet, he is in a bone-wearying, heart-gripping, ugly trial that seems to go from bad to worse. He is now crying out to our God, as David did in the Bible, “Where is your justice Lord? Please make your justice reign in this lifetime!  ‘Tear out, O Lord, the fangs of the Lions’! “

As the buds and blossoms begin to swell on the bushes and trees around us, as the creamy pink-tinged blossom of the hellebores begin to show themselves once more, God shows his majesty and ability to triumph through the cold, and create loveliness through-out the hard long winters of our lives. He is there.  He is constant.  And yet, and yet... sadly, winters can continue to be brutally on-going for some, even while beauty blooms along the way.

 

 

King David says in Psalm 62:11-12, “One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: that you O God, are strong, and that you O Lord are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.” King David cried out to our God in agony for Him to smite his enemies, but he continued to believe, to his very core, that God is strong, God is loving, and God is righteous.

For those of you who find themselves in a trial that takes you to your knees and keeps you there until you feel you cannot stand up again,  we serve a God who has been there. He has taken the willful, ugly sins of others onto himself, and as my friend Lois says, “Is offering a nail-pierced hand to you", to lift you up. There will be joy and new beginnings, there will be a lightness in your day once more, and yes, there is justice, even in this fallen world.

 

What a Difference a Day Makes

 

Christmas is over, the amaryllis bloomed on Christmas morning, and I’m still savoring the memories of my husband’s amazing smoked brisket with ten members of our family around the Christmas Eve dinner table.  This year was especially wonderful because our daughter Kirsten, son-in-law Kent, and our grandchildren, Greta (6) and Oliver (2), stayed overnight, which meant on Christmas morning we rewarded by two excited children peeking into their Christmas stockings and ripping open their presents with unrestrained glee, followed by their parents opening loving heartfelt gifts to each other.  Watching their Christmas morning unfold in our living room was so powerful and sacred to me, I found myself with tears streaming down my face at one point, because I felt in that moment, completely and overwhelming filled with unblemished peace.  Our wooden floor was soon entirely covered with toys, scraps of wrapping paper, torn boxes, and assorted ribbons all in utterly perfect chaos.  Later, we ate a satisfying breakfast feast of huevos rancheros, a much needed protein addition from all the Christmas cookies and candies.  God is good, and I feel loved up.

 

 Now it is a new year, and a usual I ponder why it feels so good to polish off one year and start another. Why does the first of January pack such a hope-filled punch when the night before was just another night? What a difference a day makes, but why? Certainly marketers know this is true - in January you will see the assorted plastic bin events begin as we apparently all jointly decide to organize our stuff and get rid of items we no longer need.  Diets begin afresh, and vendors for diet programs and gym membership draw us into their folds once more.

It would seem we all need, or at least crave the need, to draw a line in the sand and separate ourselves from our mistakes, sad events, or just our big ball of life, and break it down into a more manageable length of time: 12 months.  “That was last year”, we can tell ourselves. “This year will be different. This year I will be more mindful of the beauty in each day, be more disciplined, and be more thankful for my family and friends. This year my loved one won’t be sick or die. This year…this year will be better.”

As I look out into what 2015 will hold, I know of some simmering sadnesses that will be played out in some way, but I also know there will be warm, deep hugs from loved ones, jokes and smiles, and indescribable beauty, and as Psalms 33:5 says, “The Lord loves righteousness and justice, (and) the earth is full of his unfailing love.”

 

 

 

Hope

Christmas is upon us, and every piece of decoration and light we own is hanging on trees inside and out, or festooned around surfaces that were previously bare. Nativity scenes and snow covered villages speckle our home ready for little hands to play, and our Christmas tree has gifts nestled under its boughs with large name tags for young readers to identify their names so shaking and guessing contents can ensue.  I unfortunately had to decorate our tree twice this year as yet another tree falling incident occurred, breaking so many precious memories. And to be quite honest, and this might surprise people who know me, the tediousness of tree decorating has never been high on my list. Love the look, just don’t like the process.

It seems year after year our family’s Christmas’s have been a bit harder because a loved one has been very sick or has passed away.  This year is no exception as we are mourn the passing of my sister and her father just a few short months ago. Also, a dear couple I love are having serious marriage problems and their young children’s futures would seem to hold a much changed and saddened course.  Even my own church is bleeding with needs, the list goes on and my heart, and so many others, are torn in grief.

Enter hope. “The Message” Study Bible says in 1 Peter 1:3-5, “What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead we’ve been given a brand new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all, life healed and whole.”

“Life healed and whole”, sounds pretty wonderful to me! Because we were given hope in the form of a small child, Jesus, whose birth we celebrate this Christmas season, our entire world is offered the hope of new life, and peace beyond anything we could fathom. Now that is something to celebrate!