Unwrapping

As I was wrapping my son-in-law's birthday gifts into homemade fabric bags, I started thinking about how much fun it is on both sides of the gift. Filling a bag with something fun or special absolutely makes my day. Unwrapping something that you can tell love and attention went into just for you is also one of life's true pleasures. Not only the gift, but the soul and spirit of the giving.

I started making tapestry bags for gifts a few years ago because the amount of trash thrown away in wrapping paper really bothered me. The tapestry bags, like green bags, can be used to give something to someone else, or just for stashing something special in a safe, identifiable place.

We are being unwrapped, as the chaff is burned away. The gift of purifying comes from the one who is our greatest desire.
God is not in yesterday or tomorrow...He is in the present. He is active and alive in your transformation. He will carry on to completion all that He has begun since forming you in your mother's womb.
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"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.

Malachi 3:1-3

Hallelujah Chorus

Last night, due to generous tickets from some friends, we got to experience Handel's Messiah at Bass Hall in Ft. Worth. It was a special treat for me because of a memory from high school...

I grew up in a small (around 200 people) town in western Nebraska. In high school I was part of a madrigal singing group of 8 members. My music teacher and Spanish teacher, who met at this K-12 one-building school as teachers, fell in love and began making marriage plans. They asked if the madrigal members might give up their Christmas Eve to sing the Hallelujah Chorus a capella at their wedding ceremony. We all agreed. It meant lots of extra practice, but the challenge was exhilarating.

On that Christmas Eve the church was filled with candles and red poinsettias. 'Gorgeous' was not a word close to describing it. The sanctuary was stunning! It was a transcendent, powerful experience to sing the piece with only 8 voices and no instruments. Every note is still there in my spirit, and the power of the words blesses me so every time I get to hear or sing it.

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Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!

I Think I Can...

Our two grandchildren are crazy about train rides. I am sure it helps that their grandfather works for a train company. We have taken them on three, and each trip has been fabulous fun. They were jazzed with the idea of tables on the TRE, and being able to share snacks facing each other. No car seats, and freedom to move about the train were other great features they talk about. It was such a gift to us to watch their anticipation and energy while calling for the train to come. Equally, they were captivated by the skylines as we entered our final stations in Ft. Worth and Dallas.

When they come over they want to watch the train movies we made from photographs. I am delighted that we get to have new adventures with them, and instill in them a faith and foundation of positive, God-centered, "I think I can" attitudes.

Perhaps you were read the story of 'The Little Engine That Could' when you were a child. I have seen a connection to its message and the Bible story about David going out to slay Goliath. He had an "I Think I Can" attitude. He didn't go out there all puffed up in his own strength, but did not let the size of the giant (or the size of the mountain in the case of the engine) stop him from going where God sends.

I have heard it said that courage is fear that said its prayers. I know my grandchildren will be living in a time where there will be a cost for courage, and steep hills for their human engines to climb. But God will give them the strength to stand for their convictions and go out to slay the giants with the help and strength of the Triune God. They were made for the time they were born to go forth, fortified with a holy empowerment of "I think I can, I think I can!" and great joy in their friendship and adventure with Jesus.

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So we say with confidence,

The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
Hebrews 13:6

Finishing Nails

I was reminded last night, as a doctor looked at some of my physical scars, about the emotional scars we also get through life. I dreamed a lot last night, and kept getting the recurring picture and idea of Finishing Nails. Often, God will give me a blog title through a dream. When I awoke I remembered the dreams and started listening to what God was trying to show me.

My father was an abusive man full of words and actions that stated, YOU CAN’T, YOU AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH, YOU SHOULD, YOU WON’T, not in ways of protection or training of a child, but the opposite. He was a condescending bully and not a safe man. I know some of the things of his own baggage that led him to such behavior and language. He is forgiven. If we start the judgment, where would we stop? We inevitably will end up back with Adam and Eve.
I remember the day my father told me, “Who do you think you are? You can’t go to college. Settle for …” . I can’t even remember what he told me to settle for, because all my heart heard was that I couldn’t or shouldn’t even aspire to go to college. Many of us have such scars from our earthly fathers, husbands, sisters, mothers, bosses, or somebody. Abuse is not gender specific by any means. However, neither were the FINISHING NAILS gender specific. Those nails and spiked lashes that Christ took were for ALL OF US.
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Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:28-30
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Jesus died victorious in what he came to do…fulfill the law for us…A FINISHED WORK. We can’t do anything to be worthy of it. He gave it freely, willfully, to all of us. He set us free. The shackles of ‘works’ prison are off. The burden of re-aligning ourselves with laws and performance has been taken away with the finishing nails of the cross. Our healing happened then. Jesus says, by his grace and mercy of finished work, YOU CAN, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT I CAME TO REDEEM YOU THROUGH MY DEATH. THE VEIL IS TORN AND YOU CAN GO BOLDLY TO THE THRONE. EVERY ONE OF YOU. None, not one, has to stop in the New Covenant, at any part of the temple.

He calls us ‘friend’ and promises that the Holy Spirit will make known to us what the Father made known to him. Our Helper, reminding us of the FINISHED WORK.

Darkness into Light

I just uploaded these images from tonight's sunset. I went to get the trash bin from the curb, and noticed that the sky which had been colorless and darkening only a few minutes before was now on fire. The sky can change so quickly, as can our circumstances. In all circumstances, give thanks. The sky may change in an instant.

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You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light. Ps. 18:28

He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. Ps. 18:30b