24: A New Year's Resolution, Starting...

rightthisminute!

twenty-four hours  = 1 day = a gift

If you know me at all, you know that "not good in math" is merely one of my personality atttributes.  Still, as someone with a Master's degree, I can tell you that I typically have the basics of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing down (with my calculator, at least).  So, I know that 24 hours yields (24 x 60) 1,440 minutes.  Going even farther down the path of destruction  math trail, I'll take away 6-8 hours, or 360-480 minutes for sleeping, and that leaves me with:  960-1,080 minutes in a day.  16-18 hours.  That's it.  And really, not even the entire 24 hours is promised to me.  But...for the sake of this blog post, let's say it is...

Been reading through old blog posts and resolutions, and taking some time to think and pray and hang with God, and I've stumbled upon my resolution for next year.  It won't be easy.  And, as a person averse to writing down goals, due to my fear of failure lest I be held accountable for them, I take a deep breath as I write this post. 

I resolve to be grateful for each day, and to spend my time on worthy things.  Hi, my name is Gretchen, and I'm boring. 

But, I'll take boring for $500, Alex.  Why?  Because I learned all too vividly this year, that time, specifically, 1,440 minutes each day, is all that I've been given.  One of my close friends grieves a daughter, who went back to Heaven shortly before her 8th birthday, and one friend grieves a husband, gone suddenly and very unexpectedly at age 60.  And...on Christmas, I learned that a family on my beloved Whidbey Island lost a daughter whilst on the way to Grandma's house for Christmas because a tree limb fell on their moving SUV. 

We never know. 

So...what makes something a worthy use of my time?  Well, there are some non-negotiables, of course.  Consistent quiet time to help number my days a'right.  More time spend cuddling, less time spent snarking.  More time spent loving my neighbor (whether next door, or on the off ramp).  Less time frittering away on the computer.  Don't I know the irony of the last sentence, given that I'm typing away at mine?  But still.  I think you get the picture. 

As with any new resolution, it'll take...TIME (again, ironic) to get used to living more purposefully.  And "worthy things" leaves a lot of wiggle room, I admit.  For example:  To work out, or to laze?  Guess what?  Sometimes lazing will be more worthy.  But not usually.  To minister or to muse?  It might seem that ministering (e.g. wife-ing, mothering, volunteering, whatever-ing) would take precedence, but musing (praying, reflecting, planning) is also important. Perhaps the upshot of this is that my mind is now focused on identifying times when I'm wasting the gift of time, and times when I'm using this precious gift wisely. 

Hoping and praying that in 2012, should I live to see the year unfold, that I can say it was time well and gratefully spent.

Blessings to you all. 

"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain

a heart of wisdom."  Psalm 90:12 (TNIV)





Blessed

I finished reading the Bible (in a year) yesterday morning.  That's great and all, but when I woke up this morning, ready to read/pray/love :) , I was a little off-kilter, because I had just finished reading it.  What to do?  So I took Packer's Knowing God book off the shelf and thought I'd read that.  But then...I knew I wanted to start my day with the Word of God, not just word of someone who knows about God.  Please understand:  I wanted the Packer book very much.  I have enjoyed digesting it.  However, God's words are God's, and Packer's words are Packer's.  There IS a difference. 

All that to say, I picked up the Bible again, and decided to read.  Since I had no real agenda, I started  with Proverbs 22, since it's the 22nd day of the month.  That particular chapter was filled with perfect reminders for this time of year, and always (e.g. feed the poor, be humble). After that, I landed on Psalm 22, which was about hope-filled suffering.  Then, still not satisfied (how humble of me, not being "satisfied" with Proverbs and Psalms), I thought I'd read Luke's Gospel, because, after all, it IS Christmas.

So, I started in.  I made it all the way to Luke 1:45 until I had to stop.  God landed me on this verse, and I could go no farther: 

"You are blessed because you believed the Lord would do what he said." Luke 1:45 (NLT)

This verse is a quote from Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptizer), telling Mary that because she believed unreservedly in God's plans for her, she would be the most blessed woman in the world. 

This morning, it was as if God, through Elizabeth, was speaking straight to me, His child.  "Gretchen, you are/will be blessed because you believe I will do what I say I will do.  It's nice that you read my Word, but don't be a consumer.  Be a believer.  Listen to what I'm saying, believe it.  Ponder it in your heart, like Mary did, so long ago.  Love me with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Believe I did what I said I did and will do what I said I'd do.  Believe I have great plans for you.  Believe I chose you.  Believe."

As with so many people, my life is messy, with lots of anxiety-provoking unknowns and too much of clutter.  I don't know why I'm surprised by this--after all, I do live in the world.  But, I believe each day is a precious gift and a precious opportunity to thank Him for blessing me because I believe He did what he said he would do.   

A Season of Miracles - 12 Blogs of Christmas

This morning, I was ousted from my "quiet time spot" (read:  comfy couch, with blankie, Bible, and view of lit Christmas tree) by my daughter and two of her close friends.  As it is officially winter Christmas break, she is taking full advantage of all sleep-over opportunities; and they had all conked out watching Nick at Nite.  As I am a creature of habit, I thought about waking them up and sending them up to her room, so I could enjoy a few moments with MY tree, reading MY Bible, on MY couch. How generous of me.  I've put the "I" in Christmas. 

Upon further reflection, I decided to let them sleep.  But the husband is sleeping, and so is the boy, so really, the computer room is the only available room.

What to do, what to do?

Well...I do love to write.  I also love Jesus.  Love Christmas.  And, since I happened on this idea from World Vision, I thought I would participate.  You're invited to join in, as well. 

We're invited to write about something which reflects the true meaning of Christmas.  The birth of Christ, His life among us, and His death on the cross to redeem us--they're all miracles.  When it comes down to it, Christmas, more than any time of year, reminds me of miracles. Miracles come in all shapes and sizes, from the coming of Christ child  to food and education given to a starving child. 

God used World Vision in our family's life to work miracles. 

We are a house "divided" in our family.  My daughter and I love Jesus, and my husband and son, though amazing and incredible, do not.  Yet, our ever faithful God has done one amazing work after another in our family.  Knowing my heart for Jesus, my husband made my Christmas extra-special by gifting my son, daughter, and me with the sponsorship of 3 children, through World Vision.  Last year, after we had opened our under-the-tree presents, he handed us each our sponsorship gifts, and told us that we needed to go to the World Vision website and pick out our sponsored children.  We now have pictures of F, B, and M on our refrigerator, and their faces in our hearts.  My husband asks about our sponsored children, loves to hear from them in their letters, and encourages us to send packages.

We are now in the process of adopting a child from Ethiopia.  As recently as last Christmas,  my husband and I wouldn't have had this "crazy" idea in our hearts, minds, or anywhere else! We are a busy family of four, both kids now teens.

I believe the sponsorship of our World Vision children has played a major role in softening all of our hearts towards "the least of these".  A miracle, indeed.

As we await news of a match with our miracle from Ethiopia, (mercy, it's a slow process!) I give thanks for our three sponsored children, and am humbled that our small financial gift eases the strain for their families and communities. I continue to pray that through these and other circumstances, my/His precious prodigals would come back to Him.  And I pray that each of our children--sponsored, adopted, and birth-children--would know how very much He loves them.  If you are interested in learning more about sponsoring a child or children from World Vision, please click HERE.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’   Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

Nostalgia, Newness, and the Old Testament

Warning:  You are about to read a post which may only make sense to its author.  Read at your own risk.

After many years of saying I was gonna do it.  I went ahead and finally did it.

I made my kids an Advent tree calendar. 

Here it is, not quite finished.

And...here it is, pockets filled with ornaments and Hershey's Kisses.  Note:  my daughter hangs the ornaments.  My son can only be bothered to eat the candy on his days (odds for him, evens for her).  Such is life. :-)

I hope my children love it.  I hope that I finish the second one, which I have partially cut out.  Given my follow through and the years it's taken to get this one complete--the kids  may just have to cut this one in half when they leave home for good.  But the thing is...I know I made it for myself because I love the one which was made for me, and I wanted to pass that feeling and tradition forward.

Here's the inspiration for the one I made:

Pretend you don't see all the junk on our landing pad/baker's rack.  I just hung this one up quickly, so that I could take a picture of it. 

My mom made this calendar for me, probably at least 40 years ago.  With careful hands, she sewed each sequin and bead onto tiny felt ornaments. My calendar has been through flooded basements, many moves, and the never gentle anxious fingers of a child, waiting to pin the next day's ornament on the tree.  The fingers of a child who was SOOO excited to get to the 24th, so Santa could come. 

I miss my mom.  Especially at this time of year. 

Quantum leap of thought:  I just finished reading the Old Testament today, in my second round through the Bible in a year.  I won't lie.  Sometimes, reading through the Old Testament is hard for me.  Mostly because I can't quite wrap my mind around all the dates and times and which prophet prophesied under which king.  History was never my strength. 

However, cuddled in my blankie and warm house, with warm coffee and candle burning, I.stand.amazed. at what I'm reading.  Hundreds of years before Jesus' birth, these folks were talking about Him.  They lived in a broken, mostly Godless culture, where only a remnant of faithful believers stood firm in the faith that the God who rescued their ancestors from Egypt would one day rescue them and make all things new, through His son, Jesus.  As I read, I'm struck by the parallels of Israel back in the day and our culture now.  And sometimes, I feel lonely and so very sad  because I know that only a few of us really believe that the same God who created the universe and rescued his people from Egypt is the same God who rules today.  This same God wants us, His children, to love and believe in Him, so that we will live with Him always. His grief at our denial of His existence and greatness is far greater than any grief I can imagine--so much deeper than that of a woman longing for a "good job" and one more hug from her mother. 

As I made and this little Advent calendar for my kids (filled with mistakes, and using store-bought ornaments because I was too impatient/inept to sew my own), I'm reminded that only God can make all things perfect and new.  Yes, He gives us passions and talents, and, I believe, a love of tradition, such as celebrating the Christmas season with Charlie Brown and Santa Claus.  Yet, I know that without belief in the one, true God, anything we do on this planet is so small.  So lacking.  So Santa vs. Jesus. 

While I sit in a moment of nostalgia, I pray that God to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith.  I pray that He will forgive the times when I'm looking back, and will help me strain towards the finish line.  And, I pray that He'll draw to Him all of the prodigals in my life, and in the world, making all things new in their hearts and minds. 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 (NIV)