12/31/2016
Let The Son ShineI was sitting in my bedroom with the door locked, crying. Again. Sadly, I wasn't one of those moms that never allowed her kids to see their parents fight. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and tell my young self to "stop it". I would tell myself-"dry your tears and look up for a minute at your four children who are watching and listening" Marriage can be tough. There are those sweet times that I write about, but there are also some hard times. Some fighting. Some hurt. Some wrongs on both sides. Marriage isn't easy and life isn't easy. I'm thankful for a husband who forgives but is also willing to ask for forgiveness. This isn't always the case. People will hurt us. Friends and even loved ones will undeservedly hurt us, sometimes over and over. Our hearts can feel like they are breaking and as we sit crying and not understanding why, we have one of two choices. Stay there in that pain and justify our continued, righteous sadness or~ allow Jesus to shine from us. How often did I stay there? Too often. And even as I got older and went through heart aches and trials in my life, it seemed like it was still always about me~ "well God is allowing this to happen for MY good"~ when all along it was never about me, but all about Him. I was just focusing on Charisse too much to see it. Yes, God has a purpose in every trial we go through. Yes, He wants to teach us something through our trials, but we are only human. We feel pain and sadness. Our Savior understands that, and all along He is right there whispering to us~let me take that pain away and shine through you. Sometimes we don't think we can, because our human hearts feel it so deeply that we can't let it go. Just like my children were watching how I reacted, the world is also watching. I would go back in a heartbeat and react differently if I could now, but I can't. That doesn't mean I'm just going to throw in the towel. I will learn from my mistakes and realize now that every hurt, every bad thing that happens is intended for good. Not mine, but His. To show His glory so that others might come to know Him. Every day is a gift. A new beginning to start fresh. His mercy and compassion are new every morning. Today, as we end this year and begin a new one, let's determine not to stay in 2016. Let's open the windows of our hearts to God and even on our cloudiest, darkest days, let the Son, in all His glory, shine.
I was at the mall with my girls a few weeks ago. It was so busy that we could hardly get through the aisles in JCPenney. I loved every second of it. As Scrooge would say- I'm a "Christmas lunatic". The lady next to me was on the phone talking to her husband about a gift and her mom was next to her, chiming in and saying she could 'get it for him now or give him cash.' I thought about all the people out Christmas shopping and how gifts are such a huge deal this time of year. As I looked around at the throngs, my heart got heavy. Do they know about THE GIFT? In all the fun Christmas craziness, do I take the time to think about THE GIFT like I should? It reminded me of the story I posted yesterday (that I had shared two years ago) about my baby Jesus that had gone missing and it's still the same message today. Is Jesus the most important gift of all in your life, and in your home? Tomorrow morning millions of people will wake up to presents under their tree. Excitement and love will fill our homes and hearts. Let's not forget that feeling in our new year. Let's strive to remember that every day is a gift and continually seek Our Savior among the many presents He gives us that money can't buy. Merry Christmas and so much love to you all!!
12/17/2016
God's TeamI moved from a small country farm in Oxford to a subdivision with houses that seemed so close you could touch them, if you reached out your bathroom window. I loved the farm life. I did not love the city life. I was the little elementary girl that loved to play house and still enjoyed getting dolls as gifts. I was not athletic, but I didn't care. Until Jr High. My first day of gym class at a huge, city school with the teacher telling two very athletic boys to pick teams. Scrawny Charisse waited and waited and waited until I was one of the last ones picked. That was not a good feeling and it fueled my determination to try to be more athletic and tough. Forty years later and I'm still not athletic or tough (Don't even get me started on dodge ball). I still love "playing" house and I love taking care of babies. And that's ok, because that's how my God made me. Aren't you thankful that our Heavenly Father didn't look down from heaven that first Christmas morning and say~"I'm going to send my Son to be born in a manger and to die for people's sins, but only for the people I choose for my team." No, He looked down in love, SO MUCH LOVE, and said "I want the whole world on my team" Not only that, but He allows all of us, despite our shortcomings and failures, to choose to be on His team with Him. To choose to be on THE KING'S team! Knowing all that, why do we as ladies still pick teams? Why do we think it's ok to be loving and giving with some people, but only the ones we choose? Why do we think it's ok to talk down about each other with each other? To leave someone out, to shun or ridicule? Certainly that's not what Christ did. Every bitter thought, every evil deed and yet He loved us still. I know it isn't easy. I know there are people that hurt us, that wrong us and even people that are downright mean. But God loves them all just as much as He loves us and if we are honest we will see that we ourselves don't treat Christ the best. We have hurt Him and wronged Him, we have even been mean, and yet He loves us. So much, He chose to be born in a manger to die for us. This Christmas choose the love of Christ. Ask Him for the love of others that only He can give. The heart of our Savior should fuel our determination to spread the love of Christ this Christmas and every day of the New Year.
12/10/2016
A Kind Word From His WordI'm that girl that looks downright scary without makeup on. Anytime I have tried the more "natural" look, my husband innocently asks if I'm feeling sick. There have only been a handful of times that I have actually gone out in public without makeup. One was when my son had his seizure and another was when I had to have surgery a few years back. That day will always remind me of giving at Christmas. When I think back to the many gifts Mike has gotten me through the years, that Christmas stands out the most to me. It was 6:00am and we were walking into the hospital. Me, without any makeup, hoping we didn't run into anyone we knew and feeling very anxious. As we walked past the gift shop, I noticed the cutest Christmas sign. It caught my eye because it reminded me of my mom, who had recently passed away. The shop was not open yet and soon I was admitted for my up coming surgery. Back in my room several hours later, when I finally opened my eyes after the surgery, the first thing I saw was that little sign hanging on the bulletin board and it brought tears to my eyes. Mike was sitting right next to me, smiling, telling me he loved me and I was beautiful. I had to laugh when I finally looked in a mirror. Anesthesia is not kind to me and my eyes were swollen so badly I looked like I'd been in a boxing match. Not only did my sweet husband go back and get that sign for me, but in my following weeks of recovery as he took care of me, he sat with me and watched every single Hallmark Christmas movie ever made. And he never complained. His gift wasn't something fancy or expensive. His gift was his thoughtfulness, his kind words and his time. This world is filled with people who are hurting. A kind word, a thoughtful gesture, a minute of your time could mean the world to someone. Your co-worker, your neighbor, the cashier at the crazy, busy store during holiday shopping, these could all be people who feel like they have no hope. You could be the one to change that for them. Let's take a lesson from the One who gave us everything. Our Savior who always thinks we are lovely, despite our unloveliness. Our Savior who always has time for us, who always blesses us with a kind word from His Word, who gave Himself so that we could have the gift of eternal life in Heaven someday. This is the season of giving because of Him who gave us everything. Let's not rush through December~and right past every opportunity He gives us~to give of ourselves. It might just be the best gift someone will ever receive.
12/3/2016
Allow God To Be Your AuthorShy Charisse was up on the platform, about to play the piano for a huge conference with a good handful of some great preachers and a large auditorium that was full. Sweaty, shaky hands, red faced, telling myself~ "you can do this"~ the song leader waiting on my first notes, I play. I totally mess up the notes. I stop. The auditorium is quiet, everyone looking at me, and all I can say is "oops". Yes, I wanted to crawl right under that piano and hide. There have been times in my life where I haven't understood why God would put me in certain positions, but when I look back on my life, I feel like I'm reading the best novel ever written and I can't wait to read what comes next, because it's written by God. I started classical piano lessons when I was 4. My parents bought me a used baby grand when I was in the fourth grade and now that very piano sits in the auditorium of our little church in the thumb. I'm sure my parents never imagined that's where this piano would be one day, I know I didn't. But God knew. In one chapter, He wrote that an amazing church in Toledo would need my piano playing, even if it took me weeks to practice one hymn and many, many mess ups. He wrote in the next chapter that a little church in Caseville would not only need a piano player, but also a piano. And in the chapter I'm reading right now, my great Author wrote that my daughter would marry an extremely talented musician who would one day come and make that piano sound amazing. Not only that, but He also added that my equally talented nephew would also be living here to make use of my fourth grade present and together they would make our music ministry bless many (you can ask either young man to sing any note and without even hearing it on an instrument, they can!). Yes, My God knew all of that. I'm in awe of Him on a daily basis. His plan is always perfect. I'm sure He was smiling down on me that day when I uttered the word "oops" in front of so many, because He knew all along it wasn't a mistake. Even when I couldn't hit those notes, God was preparing two little boys to someday hit them perfectly for me, even without a piano. It's truly amazing how God put all the individual pieces into place for His glory. As we yield the uncertainties of our individual lives to God and His grace, He uses our lives to bless others in spite of our shortcomings. How do you read your life story? Is it a story of sadness, fear or loneliness? Are you dreading the next chapter or are you excited to see what comes next? If you allow God to be your Author, you won't be able to put that book down. You will see His hand in every word that's written and even when you don't know what the last chapter holds, you know it's going to be a best seller because God wrote it. And then~ you're going to want to share that story with the world.
|
© 2020 HOLDING HOPE