Let it Shine!

These beautiful lamps were down in Waxahachie, Texas. It is a beautiful place to visit during the holidays. The community glows from all the Christmas lights, decorations, and street lamps. It seemed like there was a wreath on every door, and a light in every window. It was as if they were all waiting for company...perhaps Santa. The Spirit of giving from warm hearts inside shined to those passing by. Cheer! Shine! Sing! Welcome! Hallelujah!

~~~~~~~~

When someone lights a lamp, does he put a box over it to shut out the light? Of course not! The light couldn't be seen or used. A lamp is placed on a stand to shine and be useful.
Mark 4:21

Firmament Fabrics

Isaiah 22 says that the Lord stretches out the heavens as a curtain. He spreads them out as a tent to dwell in..
~~~~

I found myself outside again at 3:30 to take cloud pictures. The skies have been spectacular all throughout the day lately. The rapidly changing weather systems have stirred them up into beautiful tapestries.

Often, I look at a pattern in the clouds and think that it would translate beautifully into a silk batik scarf, table runner, or magnificent curtains. I played with the color on these to encourage you to imagine the fine silks and wonder what you might make of them. God's creativity stirs our imagination.

~~~~~~~~~

The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship. Day and night they keep on telling about God. Without a sound or word, silent in the skies, their message reaches out to all the world. The sun lives in the heavens where God placed it and moves out across the skies as radiant as a bridegroom going forth from his chamber.
Psalm 19:1-5

Gift From God

Proverbs 23:26
Let your eyes delight in my ways.
~~~~~~

I can tell you two of the things that stop me in my tracks and make me refocus on God are sunrises and sunsets. Each one is like a delightful manifestation of God that invites you to give Him your heart. Each day gives an invitation to turn and return to Him. These skies are bookends to the gifts the day holds. They are DELIGHT FULL.

The sky was changing last night as I was delivering baskets to my neighbors. I would have missed the glorious gift of this sky had I not been out giving gifts to others. A gift may not always come back from the same place that you gave it. Keep giving them, anyway. One of my favorite things is to give a gift to someone that doesn't expect it, sometimes to a complete stranger. Try it...you will be blessed maybe more that the one who received the gift from you.

When the whole sky changes every few seconds, it is no less than a Gift From God. Expectancy of the holidays gets its proper perspective. The best gift came down from heaven to live amongst us. Love came down at Christmas.

The Cornerstone

These are both pieces hanging on my wall in my massage room. I like to put holy ideas in my workspace so that when I am
working I can meditate on the things of God.

The Nativity is one of the favorites that I have collected. The bottom piece is beautiful art work done by my son-in-law, Devon. Between the two the room is filled with the lifespan as man that Jesus gave us. Holy Child, to Lamb of God, to Savior, He is the Joy of every longing heart. Son of God in a lowly birth, grew up to the rejection and the cross. Yet, He lives now and forever the Messiah, Lord of Lords, Emmanuel, God with us!
~~~~~~~

He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.
John 1:11

Deer Envy

Okay, so right off the bat, I confess that this entry is going to be a bit different from my others. I am exposing a childlike side of myself that you may think is crazy. A few of my close friends know about it, but not a lot of other folks do. I get really strong personalities exuding from stuffed animals. I think God reveals things about the heart through what He shows me in the Spirit about these individual creations of fabric. The lessons are really about all our heart issues as human beings.

I found this sad little guy at the Goodwill store today while looking for a few baskets to fill up with goodies. The poor little stuffed toy seemed to want to be something other than a bear. He had a tiny hat of reindeer antlers on, and was posing, quite sadly, as something other than what he was created to be. Look at him...he is not smiling. He has sad eyes, but note his tender pink heart. I doubt that the cause for the antler headdress was a celebrating of winter or Christmas season. He must have come to the conclusion that it was better to be a deer than a bear. Somewhere along the way he was tossed out and ended up in the second hand store. He had developed deer envy.

Well, I love bears, so he was in the right place at the right time. My heart warmed as to a stray puppy, and I took him home. I hope his smile will come back, and he will rediscover the wonder of being a bear. He will delight in the things a bear can accomplish that a deer cannot. After all, he has yet to learn how to fish in rushing waters, or the great and awesome task of hibernating through the winter months, or climbing a tree. Deer can't do those things.

I guess my point is about how God creates all of us, and puts gifts differing in each one. Sometimes a friend will say to me, "Is there anything you can't do?" Oh my, let me make you a list! Keeping a spotless house is not one. Investment banking is not one. Anything that takes a LONG TIME is probably not on the list, either. Left brain and patience are not areas where my strengths abound. And frankly I hate the assignment of having to call people on the phone to try to get them to do something. But what is a task for me is a breeze for someone else who is gifted in that area. Why are we envious of each others gifts? Don't we know that God made us a Kingdom quilt, with need of all to work together to bring forth God's full glory?

Going up to strangers and talking to them about Jesus is my Colorado friend's gift. I am amazed to see her hand out baked goodies to strangers and pray for them. She is out there doing the love legwork of ministering to the whole community the love of Christ. I could sing to them about Him, or show them a photograph and tell the story of how God revealed himself in it. I am fitted by the Creator to minister through different giftings. I am a unique snowflake. Yes, a little flakey at times, but one of a kind.

~~~~~~~~~

Be imitators of God...as dearly loved children, and live a life of love...as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Eph. 5:1-2

~~~~~~~~~~

So God, show me how to be love to everyone I see through the unique ways you made me to serve the Body.