Spreading the Spirit of Christmas...

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."  

-Buddy the Elf

As many of you know our church has been doing "Presence" projects for a few years now.  


It's a time of year when we intentionally go out into our communities to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  


Whether it's shoveling snow, providing socks and gloves for homeless shelters, or providing Christmas dinner and presents for a family in need...we've got lots of people serving God and loving others in the month of December.


Here's one story I just heard about and I felt like sharing it...mostly because lots of times we hear about a project a group put together but rarely do we hear what happened after the project is completed and it's completely anonymous (I have no idea who is involved in the story, I just have the facts.)  Sounds a little like when Jesus says, "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matt 6:3


Our front desk received a call from a gentleman in the Post Falls Community.  He said he was just visited by some people from our church.  


The group was out caroling, they handed him a tin full of homemade cookies, and our "Illuminate" flyer inviting him to one of our Christmas services.


The gentleman decided to call our church and let us know just how blessed he was by the act of kindness.


He proceeded to explain that he is a Christian, but does not attend our church.  He said the biggest blessing was to see Christians "living our their faith"...he said it's a rare thing to see.


He concluded the conversation by saying, "Even though I don't go to your church, that must be a real good church to go to."


I'm just encouraged by this story.  A small group of followers decided to use their gifts and abilities to bring God glory and spread the good news of Jesus.  And their gift of love touched another person.  


It's just one more way we're reaching the world for Jesus, one person at a time.


Merry Christmas LIFERS!

Some thoughts at Christmas...

It's Christmas time.  

It's the time of year when we remember that Jesus, God himself, gave up His rights and came to us as a baby.  He came humbled and pure, innocent and sweet, and ready to serve us.  

He came so that we could be reunited with Himself.

He came because we chose to walk away from Him.

He came to reunite us...He came to buy us back...He came to redeem us...He came because He loved us.

The classic Christmas carols are really speaking to me this year.  I've sung many of them my whole life...Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Angels We Have Heard on High...but I haven't paid as much attention to them as I have this year.

Extra money is very rare for us this year.  This will be the least expensive Christmas we've ever had in ten years of marriage.  And I'm thanking God daily for this gift.  

If I had the money I'd be out shopping, not sitting here with Him...thinking of the purpose of Christmas and singing Christmas carols of praise to Him.

The lyrics to "O Holy Night" are some of my absolute favorites:  

"Truly, He taught us to love one another,

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.

And in his name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, 

with all our hearts we praise His holy name."

What powerful words for a song.  And to think I've sung it my whole life and never really sat down and thought of what the words mean.  "His law is love and His gospel is peace.  Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.  And in his name all oppression shall cease."  

No more oppression with Jesus...He has taught us love and peace.  

He has thrown me a rope to rescue me, a rope that will not bind me in judgement and condemnation, but in love and righteousness...a rope that binds me to Him.

I thank God for the gift of His precious Son, His precious life and His precious blood this Christmas.

What are you thinking about this Christmas?  We'd love to hear from you.

Merry Christmas LIFERS. =)

Not in the crowd, but in the game...

"You must follow me." 

-Jesus, John 21

Well, I did it.  I finished reading Crazy Love.  Did you?

I sat and read the last couple of chapters all at once.  

What parts will sit with you long after you close the book?  

I'm thinking of the comments made by Aunt Clara.  Chan said they'd taken her to a play, and at intermission, they asked Aunt Clara if she was having a good time.  She said, "Oh honey, I really don't want to be here right now...I just don't know if this is where I want to be when Christ returns.  I'd rather be helping someone or on my knees praying.  I don't want Him to return and find me sitting in a theater." (p. 142)

I have no doubts Jesus will return...but I think I doubt I'll live to really see it.  Do you doubt it?  I think my actions show that I believe Jesus won't come back today...otherwise some of the things I do on a daily basis would probably look vastly different.

So, I've been thinking about something.  At the end of the book of John, the disciples have gone out fishing and haven't caught anything.  Jesus appears and before they're aware it is the Lord; Jesus asked them if they've caught anything.  They say no, and Jesus tells them exactly where to cast, and they bring in more fish than they can haul, then they realize it's Jesus on the shore.  When Peter realizes it's Jesus he jumps out of the boat and swims to Him.  The other disciples follow hauling in the fish, they sit and have a meal with Jesus.  

Later, Peter and Jesus are walking and Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?"  Each time Jesus asks, Peter responds with, "Yes Lord, you know I love you."  And Jesus responds back to Peter after each confession of love, "Feed my lambs," then "Tend my sheep," and finally, "Feed my sheep."  

Jesus explains how Peter will eventually die for God's glory, how he "will be led where he does not want to go"and Peter looks over at John and essentially says, "What about him?"

Jesus response is swift and true, "It is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?  You must follow me!"

This is one of my husband's absolute favorite passages in scripture.  We've had many talks over a warm fire and a cup of coffee about John 21.  

I love Jesus disciples, mostly because they are just like me, blockheads.  

Jesus showed them what to do for three years, and the moment He's gone, a bunch of His closest followers head right back to what they were doing before they met Jesus.  They are found fishing...and not catching anything, until Jesus shows up. 

Ever been there?  Had Jesus show up in your life, had Him show you how to do things, and then end up not really knowing how or what to do, so you go right back to what you did before Jesus arrived?  

So, Jesus helps out His guys, like He did oodles of times before.  He provides what they need and then has a chat.  He essentially says, "If you love me, go feed my lambs, care for my sheep...my precious ones that need guidance and love."  Peter gives an excuse as Jesus says, "you're going to go places you don't want to go," and asks about John..."what about that guy?"

Jesus says, "Don't worry about Him, that's up to me...You Follow Me!"

Ever said something like that to Jesus?  Has your prayer ever been, "Father, why me?  Why am I suffering, why is it so hard for me, what about the other people?"

I know I have.  And God's said the same thing to me that he said to Peter, "You Follow Me!"  

I think of Aunt Clara's statement again.  "I just don't know if this is where I want to be when Christ returns.  I'd rather be helping someone or on my knees praying.  I don't want Him to return and find me sitting in a theater."  It sounds like the disciples...but Jesus found them sitting in a boat.  Jesus helped them see that it was time to get out of the boat, go care for His sheep, and follow Him.  

What's it look like to get out of your boat, to stop fishing, to stop the mundane thing that you've always done, and go serve Jesus?  Stop sitting in the theater, stop watching from the crowd...go get in the game, and follow....go DO what He's asked you to do.

This one's sitting hard with me too...praying for all that read and that Jesus meets you where you need Him.

Love ya LIFERS.

H :)

Chasing Jesus and Loving the Least...

Chasing Jesus...do the sneakers just sit there?  Or do you pull them on your tired, weary, aging feet and chase Jesus?


I was hoping the LUKEWARM PEOPLE thing would fade.  But it's not.  It's still sitting with me.  As it should.


And now in Chapter 7 Chan starts talking about Jesus' comments to his disciples in Matthew 25.  Jesus is talking about the hungry, the thirsty, those needing clothes or sick or in prison, and he says, "whatever you did for the least of one of these brothers of mine, you did for me." 


I have a 90 year old grandmother (Grandma Jane).  My grandpa passed away a little over a year ago.  It was one of the hardest losses I've yet suffered in my life, and it's made me fiercely protective of my grandmother.  You have to understand I ADORE my Grandma Jane.  She is about the sweetest woman I've ever met (you're thinking of your grandma too...or someone who's been a grandma to you, aren't you?).  


Grandma Jane is funny and quirky and she sings about ducks paddling and fish swimming and shows me the old oak tree where Grandpa asked her to a dance for the first time.  She's one of my favorite people in this entire world.


So, as I'm out and about going about days that are crazy and crowded, my Grandma Jane pops into my mind frequently.
  
I'm standing in line in the grocery store and the person in front of me is taking forever to check out....I'm driving in a parking lot and someone cuts me off....I see a person begging on the side of the road...I put my Grandma Jane in place of the person and it makes it easier for me to extend grace and love to that individual.   


There's something about the thought of my sweet little Grandma in need, or struggling, or confused in some way that just helps me calm down, have the patience of Job; and I'm so much more willing to jump in and help, when I think that this individual, no matter how difficult they may be, could be Grandma Jane.  


Many times I treat people who are poor and desperate as I would treat my grandmother....what's bothering me, is that I'm seeing how I'm placing my grandmother in a place where Jesus should be.  


If Jesus says, "whatever you do for them, you do for me."  Chan takes it a step farther and says, that "He expects us to treat the poor and the desperate as if they were Christ Himself."


I'm doing that with my Grandma Jane....but I'm supposed to be doing it with Jesus.


I adore my Grandma Jane, but I love Jesus more.  Why do I place Grandma Jane in a spot where I should place Jesus?


It's fine for me to love my Grandma Jane as much as I do, but I also have to put Jesus in the right place and understand that His children are suffering, struggling, weary, poor in spirit, and starving for Him.  


I can put on the grubby old tennis shoes and chase after Jesus.  I can chase Him to the point where I'm free to love as He has designed me to, and maybe give my Grandma Jane a break from being the person I'm serving.  Put Jesus in the right place...and truly serve Him as He has asked me to do.  God gave me His best, I can give it to Him too...in every way.