11/13/2018
The EnchantmentTHE ENCHANTMENT Some people (aka me) are Christmas lunatics. Some people are Christmas Scrooge’s and others are somewhere in between. So last January, being the lunatic I am, I decided that “Christmas” would be my word for the new year and promised to post something once a month that reminded us of the beautiful spirit of the season. It started out great. Everyone had the cozy Christmas feelings still lingering, but somewhere around April I realized that my post reach was pretty low. People didn’t want to read about a holiday that reminded them of cold and snow anymore. They were done and wanted to focus on warmth and sunshine and summer. And then, just like that, summer ended and the whole world decided it was time for Christmas again. Forget about the other holidays in between. Stores everywhere have their trees and decorations up and Hallmark has their playlist posted. Once again our minds start thinking ahead to the most wonderful time of year, and the excitement builds. Perhaps it’s because we want something beautiful to look for when the world grows dreary. When the trees become barren and the beautiful colors fade. Christmas holds that enchantment for us. And maybe deep inside, our human hearts are continually looking for the next thing that will make us happy. Always looking ahead of today. That vacation coming up. That long weekend. The warmer weather or sparkling snow. Birthdays or holidays or even retirement. But what if we stopped looking ahead? What if we just looked at today? What if we were able to open a Christmas gift every single day? Or give one? Psalm 118:24 Here’s the awesome thing. We can! If we will just open our eyes. If we will just stop focusing on the bad and open God’s gifts of ALL that is good, and my friend~ SO MUCH is good~we would realize that every day can be Christmas. Matthew 7:11. In turn, we can give some of that beautiful gift to others. A smile. An encouraging word. Your prayers. A hug. Love. John 15:12,17, John 13:34, Ephesians 1:16, Philippians 1:4, Colossians 1:3, 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Christmas is a blend of giving and loving. It’s happiness. It’s coziness. It’s forgiveness. It’s reconciliation. There’s a song in everyone’s heart and a smile on everyone’s lips. Even old Scrooge. But it’s so much more than that. It’s God. It’s all God. All of those things are God. It’s because of Him alone that we can have that joy unspeakable. 1 Peter 1:8 He is the ultimate gift. II Corinthians 9:15. Romans 5:16, Ephesians 2:8, 4:7, Romans 6:23 One we can be thankful for every single day. One we can share with the whole world. John 3:16,17 As you go to sleep tonight, pretend for a moment that tomorrow is Christmas. Remember the excitement you had when you were a child. Allow that child like wonder to wash over you as you look forward to the beautiful gifts God has for you to open. Look for them in every tiny moment. Every day. James 1:17 There’s a little bit of heaven everywhere. Let the enchantment of Christmas encompass your life, and share that gift with others. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
9/19/2018
Don’t Try To Fit Jesus Into A BoxDON’T TRY TO FIT JESUS INTO A BOX
I guess it’s a little obvious that I love to write. When Mike and I first started dating, I was constantly writing him letters and poems~ not so much now. The years have shown me that he’s definitely not a sappy “Hallmark card” kinda guy. But back then~ he would always respond with a love letter in return. We would talk about everything in our letters. His words expressed so much and our relationship matured because we got to know each other on a deeper level. Letter writing is a lost art. (But that’s a subject for another day😉) I can’t even imagine how I would have felt on our wedding day if he confessed that he never actually wrote a single letter to me, but instead had someone else put their thoughts and feelings into script. I’m sure I would question if he really loved me and how well I truly knew him. Today you can google just about any topic and find a devotional that goes along with it. There are thousands. Blogs and Facebook pages, books and plans. There’s a huge market for it, because people are searching. They want someone to tell them in 500 words or less how to get the most out of this life as a Christian. We want help in our marriages and with our children. We want to learn how to trust God more. We want someone to show us the correct way to go through heart ache, to be hospitable, to worship and to pray. We want our lives to feel good. We search for joy in our answers. We want a quick fix. But we don’t search for the answers ourselves. Why should we search when someone else can do that for us? Why should we beg to truly know God when someone else can tell us exactly how that’s done? So we get up early. We drink our coffee. We read a few verses and the devotion that correlates with it and we say~ “wow, that was exactly what I needed today”~ and that’s where it gets sad my friend. Our worship has turned into worshipping ourselves and what we need to make ourselves feel better~ and not about truly finding and knowing Jesus. Sadly, as I look at my own heart, there have been times that I could not say~ “If all I had was Jesus~ He would be enough.” I want that joy. I want good things for my marriage and my children. I want my problems to go away. I want my life to be easy and happy. What I fail to realize is that if I truly sought Jesus above all else, instead of praying for these other things with the wrong intentions~ I would understand that in Him alone~ I do have everything. Too often, my prayers do not reflect my love for Him. I can claim that they do, but if I am being honest~they reflect my love for myself. Jesus wants to answer our prayers. He wants us to have joy and happiness because He loves us, but He isn’t just a meal ticket, above all else~ He wants us to truly know Him. He is, and always should be our end goal. Don’t try to fit Jesus into a little devotional box that you check off for the day. Put down your phone or tablet, that devotional plan or inspiring book, and pick up His personal words to you. Allow HIS words to show you who He really is. Ask HIM to show you the answers. Let HIS beauty shine upon your life. Let HIS words alone open your eyes to the awe of Jesus~ the wonder, the power, the fear, the love, the mercy, the forgiveness, the peace~ that HE alone encompasses. I do believe God uses authors in a great way and for His glory. There will always be writers telling us how we ought to live. (Ironically, this is something I am doing even now) There is nothing new under the sun. But God’s words, His mercies~ They are new every morning. Don’t let someone else write your love story and be content with that. Write your own love story with Jesus by reading His love story to you. Your relationship with Him will mature and you will get to know Him on a deeper level. The more you read, the more you get to know Him, the more you will know how to respond to Him and how very much He loves you. No one else can take His place. No one else can take your place. God’s words are so much more than a Hallmark card or inspiring devotional. They are LIFE. How well do you truly know Him? Philippians 3:10, Psalms 119:125 Exodus 33:13, Philippians 3:8 Proverbs 4:20-22, Ecclesiastes 1:9
9/6/2018
I Once Was BlindI ONCE WAS BLIND
We were away from it all. No traffic, no street lights~ Only the moon and stars. Four little grandkids asleep for the night. We turn off the lights. Complete darkness surrounds me in this remote place. My eyes can not adjust~ the eyes that just witnessed their beautiful faces~ Before the darkness came. My heart cannot imagine living in darkness like this as a constant. Never seeing that beauty again. Or perhaps being born in darkness~ Never knowing the beauty of God’s creation all around me. Even now as I write I can picture it, because my eyes have seen it. The majesty of mountains and trees, rainbows and sunsets. The glory of oceans and sand, fields and flowers. The brilliance and beauty of the sun’s beams shouting out behind ominous thunderclouds. I cannot imagine never knowing color. Not even understanding what the word color means. Breathtaking hues of falling leaves that paint the world, pure whiteness dropping delicately from heaven, bright pinks and yellows, greens and purples that burst forth from the cold barren earth in spring, the crystal blue of oceans that meet and melt into the sky. Colors of God’s creation everywhere, except to the eyes that see only darkness. Except to the heart that has never known that beauty and therefore, cannot even imagine it. It is too hard for my mind to even comprehend. My heart becomes eternally grateful to God for the beauty He has allowed me to witness my entire life and sober at the thought of the awful reality some live with in such darkness. It moves me to tears as I think that once my heart was like that darkness~ Before Jesus. That blindness? That was my sin, your sin, and it was far worse than the dreadful reality of living in blackness and never knowing beauty. Far worse~ Until Jesus. My heart and eyes were opened to the beauty of His gift, His life. For Me. And that beauty shines upon my life daily~ Because of Jesus. As beautiful as God’s creation is to me, Jesus is far more beautiful. He is color to my fallen world, He is pure whiteness covering my darkness. He is new beginnings to a heart that was barren. He is incredible joy and brilliant beauty shouting forth through the ominous thunderclouds of life. Before Jesus. Until Jesus. Because of Jesus. My blindness is gone~ Because~ He is my light. “And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” Psalms 90:17 “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Psalms 29:2 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 “For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” Psalms 18:28 “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” Matthew 4:16 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1 Peter 2:9 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9:2
7/17/2018
All The World Was WaitingALL THE WORLD WAS WAITING I was sitting in the waiting room alone. The pager was on my lap and I began to wonder if its batteries were even working. I hadn’t heard a word in over 2 hours, going on 3. One of my children was in surgery. It wasn’t life threatening, but any type of surgery our children have, especially under anesthesia, can be scary to a mama. My phone battery had died, so all I could do was sit and watch and wait. I listened to all the different stories people were telling. Some small talk, some large tales, some praying. It was a rather loud waiting room but to me it seemed like a distant murmur. All I could think about was my child. I looked down at the pager again. Each time the door opened and a nurse came out my heart got anxious, but each time they weren’t there for me. Finally the Surgeon came out and told me he was finished. All was well. My heart was relieved. When our children have to endure pain, it is heart wrenching and when they have to endure something that is life threatening it’s almost unbearable. My human heart can not comprehend the unbearable and heart wrenching emotions of God my Father as His precious Son was tortured, then hung on a cross. To listen to the distant murmurings of a sinful world that watched and to wait in anguish for the words “It is finished” but instead to hear your precious child ask you- “if it’s ok, could you not allow me to go through this suffering?” Can you imagine your child asking this of you, and then having to turn your back on them? I can’t. As I looked around that waiting room, I know that I could not have allowed my child to die that day for even one of those people. But I’m not God. I couldn’t imagine the surgeon telling me my child was gone. But I’m not God. I can’t imagine the love my Heavenly Father had for a world that was waiting. A love that made Him think of everyone and turn His back on His Son. I’m not God, but I’m so thankful HE IS. Christ was there for me and when He spoke the grace filled words “It is finished” it was to the relief and redemption of the sinful hearts of all mankind. I can’t fathom that kind of love. I’m so thankful HE IS love. When I was able to finally see my child after surgery my heart was filled with joy and when God the Father was able to look at our sinful hearts through the love of His only begotten Son, it filled the entire world with joy. HE IS our joy. It is finished. It wasn’t the end that day those words were sproken, it was only the beginning. Three days later God’s precious Son rose again to live in the hearts of all humanity, if we only invite Him in. We don’t have to wait any longer. Three days later became the happiest day of all mankind. HE IS my Savior and HE IS alive! I am so thankful HE IS!
6/12/2018
This Place Called HomeWhen my kids were little, I used to have chore sheets for each of them. Every day after school they were required to do their specific chore and then mark it off the list. Some days would be good days. Happy moods. Willing hearts. Other days would be~ I. Hate. These. Stupid. Chores!Why can’t we just play outside with our friends and have fun?. At times I believe this is how many adults view God. They think that He is up in heaven with a list of rules they have to obey in order to get His approval. They’re afraid that if they choose God they will have to give up too much. They’re afraid they will miss out on all the fun. They look at church and the Bible as if it were one big chore list. But that’s not God. (1 Corinthians 2:9) There is nothing we could ever do to “earn” our way to heaven. (Ephesians 2:8-9) No rules we must to follow. No commandment we must keep. Church isn’t about rules. God isn’t about rules. He’s not up in heaven waiting to hit you over the head if you don’t mark off your daily chore. He doesn’t have a list of things He demands you give up before He will allow you into Heaven. (1 John 4:8) God is all about love and we desperately need to understand the extent of His love, (Psalm 103:12, Romans 8:38-39) and realize that if we could ever do enough good deeds, enough chores, if we could follow every single rule~ What was the point of His Son dying on the cross for us? God looks at us and He doesn’t see a chore list. He sees His Son and He loves us in spite of our sinful self. (Romans 5:8) All God wants is you. All He asks for is your heart. (Romans 10:9-10) My children had some very close friends growing up. “Best friends”. I truly loved all of them but that love didn’t even come close to the love I had for my own child. (Isaiah 49:15, 66:13) But God~ He loves us AS HE LOVES HIS OWN SON JESUS! (John 17:23) That’s PROFOUND!! It is mind blowing and hard for this mama to even comprehend. Oh my friend~ that’s what you’re missing out on. The love of a Father that would give His own Son for you! (John 1:11-12, 3:16, 4:10&14, 6:35, 1 John 4:9-10) And when we realize all that- we realize that church isn’t about rules. Its all about God the Father and His amazing, unending love for us. It’s Home. It’s a place where we can have child like peace and comfort in a messy world. Where we can be God’s child and rest in Him. My children are all adults now~ but there’s something special that happens when they come to visit. There are no chore lists, there are no rules. There is only love and fellowship with mom and dad. Child like comfort and security, love and rest in the place they once called Home. Won’t you come home today? (Deuteronomy 31:8, Exodus 33:14, Psalm 4:8, 23:4, 37:7, 62:1-2, 119:76, Philippians 4:7)
3/25/2018
Because He Loves YouBECAUSE HE LOVES YOU I married a man whose idea of a fun vacation was being in the middle of the woods in a pop up tent. My idea of a vacation was a nice hotel (on the beach, with a heated pool and room service). But hey, I fell hard for that handsome, rugged man so a few years later when he suggested we go camping, I said sure. I was OBVIOUSLY still in the dreamy stage. Jessica was just over a year and I was VERY pregnant with Andrea. We were camping in the middle of no where. This wasn’t a campground with restrooms, it was the woods with trees~ and the restroom was one of them. Trying to pee when you’re 8+ months pregnant, while leaning against a tree, is almost impossible. But I did it~ BECAUSE I LOVED HIM. When I think about that crazy camping experience and how hard I thought it was, my thoughts go to Mary~the mother of Jesus~who traveled thousands of miles on a donkey and gave birth in a manger. Because she loved HIM. Her Savior. And then, my heart takes me to her Savior~MY Savior. He left the immense majesty of heaven and all it’s glory for us~ BECAUSE HE LOVES US. He was born in a filthy cattle stall in Bethlehem~ BECAUSE HE LOVES US. He died a horrible death for me, for you, and He wants to be born in your heart~ BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU. Jimmy Pena put it beautifully. He wrote~ “Isn’t that what we want? For our hearts to be His Bethlehem? Born in us? When you and I walk into work or school or the gym... when we make dinner for the kids or visit a neighbor, we hold Him. We’re His Home on earth.” What better time than the week before Easter to be reminded of Christmas? So, my reminder to you for March is this~ Jesus our Savior, born for us. Don’t let a day go by this week, or this year, that you neglect to thank and praise Him for His amazing gift and for His home in your heart. BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU~ that beautiful, powerful name is the priceless, precious gift of Christmas that we should be thankful for every day of the year. ~~You didn’t want heaven without us, so Jesus you brought heaven down.~~
12/30/2017
God's Gift To YouI babysit my granddaughter Clara every weekday and the times that I have an appointment and can’t be home, my husband takes over the responsibility. I don’t look forward to what I will find when I return home. He thinks it’s clean, I usually think it’s a mess, and I know I’ll have a lot to do when I return. It must be a guy thing, bless his heart~ I’m very thankful he tries.
On this particular day both granddaughters were home and I was prepared to get at it again when I stepped inside, but when I walked in my eyes were immediately drawn to a very large present wrapped in bright blue snowman paper. On the top was written in bold black marker “To Charisse From Santa”. It appeared Santa had some help with the wrapping from a little 4 year old and 6 year old. It was completely out of place and didn’t match the neatly stacked, matching gifts placed perfectly under our tree, but it made me smile and I forgot about my apprehension over a messy home. The next day when Clara arrived she walked right up to that gift and said “we helped Grandpa wrap this. It’s a watch.” Yep. 😂 Well, I had wanted this particular watch for the past year and my husband got it without my knowing and hid it in a very large box to surprise me. I would’ve never known what it was, until Clara told me. Finding out didn’t ruin it for me. Even though I had seen a picture of the watch and read about it and even knew I would love it, I had not opened it and physically put it on and received it. This reminds me so much of God’s amazing Gift to us. There may be some of you who fear that God only sees the mess of your lives and could never love you or forgive you, but that’s not the case. Because His Son died on the cross, His Gift of a home in heaven is there waiting just for you~ with your name written in bold letters. He doesn’t look at any of the mess, He only sees His precious Gift and wants you to receive it. There may be others of you who know all about the Gift. You’ve read about it in the Bible or maybe even had someone tell you all about it, just like Clara. You've seen its amazing picture of grace on others lives but never really received it as your own. And then there are others who look at the Gift and feel as if it would be out of place in your lives, that it wouldn’t fit in and you completely miss the beauty that’s wrapped inside. You might even be tempted to push it aside and try not to think about it, or hide from it’s truth (just like I tried to hide the bright blue snowmen amidst my pretty Christmas wrappings). And so it sits, wrapped and waiting but never opened. When Christmas morning finally came I asked Clara if I could open the gift. The smile on her face was priceless. Friends, you will never know the joy that God’s Gift brings until you open your heart, ask Him to come in and receive His Gift as your own. Stories about it, pictures of it, apprehension over it~none of that matters until you receive it. Open Gods precious gift to you~ forgiveness through His Son for every sin we ever committed or ever will commit and then experience the true joy such a Gift can bring. There can be no better way to end this Christmas season and begin a new year and a new life. Jesus is God’s Gift to you. Your smile will be priceless. John 3:16
12/23/2017
The Very Best GiftThe very first time my daughter Jessica was placed in my arms was wonderful and scary and beautiful and emotional. I had no idea what I was doing. I had never babysat infants before, or really even been around one. I didn’t know I had to support her head because she couldn’t do it herself, or even that babies had a soft spot on those tiny heads. I didn’t know how to change diapers or swaddle her with her blanket. I didn’t know how to feed her. The only thing I did know was that I loved her more than life itself and in that moment when they placed that tiny, helpless, precious baby in my arms, my world changed for the better. My heart was full.
Because of those beautiful moments, I can’t help but think of my Savior. The Son of God who came for me in the form of such a helpless, humble, tiny little Being. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as a Baby, for me. What truer form of a humble Servant could there ever be? The perfect Son of God who needed His head supported, His diaper changed, His tiny body swaddled. Who needed someone to feed Him and rock Him and hold Him and sing lullabies to Him, all the while knowing He would die for us some day. There could be no truer picture of love. And when He came to live in my heart, He changed my world for the better. You might not know everything there is to know about church or the Bible. You might not know all the songs that are sung or the Bible stories told~ and that’s okay. The first and most important thing you need to know is that a little Baby was born that first Christmas Day for you, because He loved you more than life itself, and once you hold that Baby in your heart, your world will change for the better. Fill your heart this Christmas season with the love of that Baby Who was born for you. Who grew up and became a man Who would die for the sins of the world. For you. For me. There is no truer, more beautiful Gift you can ever receive. A humble Servant in the form of a Baby, a picture of Love for all mankind and THE GIFT, the VERY BEST GIFT the world was ever given. Merry Christmas my dear friends. ❤️❤️🎄 Romans 6:23
12/16/2017
That's What Christmas Is All AboutBecause my mom loved Christmas so much, the year after she passed away my family began the tradition of going to Frankenmuth together. We always choose a day close to the date she went home to Heaven. My husband and children, spouses and grandchildren, my brothers and dad~ all go to celebrate the start of the Christmas season and to remember my mom. We eat together and then walk around Bronners enjoying the beauty and magic of each decoration. I can guarantee that every year, without fail, my husband will question my sanity in choosing a date so close to Christmas. It is always completely chaotic at The Bavarian Inn and if it weren’t for our cell phones, we would surely lose each other in the crowds. This year was no exception and somehow in Bronners we all got separated. I suddenly found myself walking alone among the twinkling lights of their beautiful Christmas trees and wondering where everyone was. For a fleeting moment my thoughts sounded something like this... “my kids know this is my favorite time of year. Christmas. And it’s my birthday. And here I am, alone, with all these thoughts of missing my mom. Why aren’t they spending time with me?” But then I’d get a text or a snap chat or a picture and any negative thoughts were immediately pushed aside as love for my children overwhelmed my heart. I realized the logistics of the situation and my heart understood. When I look back on that moment, as a parent I can’t help but think of my Heavenly Father. We can get lost in the Christmas season, among the crowds and shopping, among the Christmas plays and parties, the cookie exchanges and present wrappings. At times we can feel our hearts become heavy with the busyness of it all and the forgetfulness of why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. And if it weren’t for our ability to call out to our Father, we would stay lost. I am so very thankful that my Heavenly Daddy understands all of this, and in the middle of the chaos He is not complaining about us neglecting thoughts of His Birthday. He knows that we haven’t forgotten His Son. He does not get angry that we aren’t spending endless amounts of time with Him each day~ because He loves us. Because He understands that we are only human~ because He became human for us. And just like my heart is overflowing when I get a loving text or picture from my own children, my Heavenly Father loves when He hears from us. We might not have hours to spend with Him each day but we do have tiny bits of time throughout each 24 Hour day that we can talk to Him, love on Him and listen for Him. And He understands. Tiny bits of time that twinkle like beautiful lights. Tiny pictures throughout each day that light up our hearts like the glow of our trees. Each one so small and yet~when they are all strung together give us incredible joy in the beholding. Each text and picture from our family day in Frankenmuth bring back beautiful memories of the meaning behind our time spent together, just like each tiny moment spent with the Savior will bring back memories of this beautiful season in our lives and remind us what Christmas is really all about.
Philippians 2:7
12/9/2017
A Picture Of The SaviorWe were on our way to get groceries the other day with three of our four grandchildren. The sky was absolutely beautiful with big fluffy white clouds set against a pink sky line. Out of the blue, 4 year old Ethan said- “If the clouds could reach down and touch the ground I would take them home and play with them and pretend they were snow.” Sometimes children can say something that just awes you. What a thought to ponder...”if the clouds could reach down and touch the ground”. Just a few weeks back when Clara’s daddy came to pick her up she looked up at the sky and in her cute little hoarse, 3 year old voice exclaimed-“I wish I had a ladder to climb up and lay in the clouds”. They both painted a precious picture in my heart with their sweet words. A picture that makes me smile each time I think about it. As adults we can get so skeptical and think-“How silly. The clouds can’t be played with, they can’t touch the ground and you certainly can’t climb a ladder to them”. Today I want to paint a picture in your heart, a picture of the Savior that will make you smile over and over again. As majestic as the clouds seem to us, the majesty of our Heavenly Father is beyond what even our adult minds can comprehend and yet in all His majestic greatness and power, He reached down and touched the ground and became a little baby for each one of us. He came to us, for us, because He loves us and any time we desire we can go to Him in all His majesty and rest in His presence. When we are adults we tend to try to fix or figure out everything on our own instead of having the heart of a child and realizing the awesomeness of going to God and resting in Him, like a ladder to the clouds. We forget in our busy lives that He reached down and touched the ground for us. This Christmas become a child again. Talk to Him, play with Him, laugh with Him, cry with Him and rest with Him in the sweet softness of His presence and each time you look up at a beautiful sky, be reminded of these words and allow your heart to smile in child like wonder.❤️
Matthew 11:28
11/11/2017
Whiter Than SnowIt was an unusually cold winter when the former pastor started renovations on our only bathroom. Until Mike was officially voted in, we were living with the pastor and his wife. Our kids were all very young, ranging from 3rd grade down to 2 year old Kathryn. We were excited to finally have a shower installed instead of just a tub, but the fact that we wouldn't have any water in the house for a week~ maybe longer~ was less than exciting. Waking 4 little kids up for school while it was still dark outside, bundling them up and carrying them over to the church through 2 feet of snow got old really fast. Not to mention 'middle of the night' trips due to a weak bladder from giving birth to said children. Add onto that washing hands, bathing in the church's kitchen sink, dirty dishes and diapers and this mom was exhausted. I can still picture it in my head like it was yesterday. The path through the snow that Mike had shoveled. The cold toilet seat in the middle of the night. The sleepy kids stumbling around trying to get their coats and boots on in the early morning hours. The times they thought it would be funny to stomp in the snow daddy had piled so neatly. Their little repentant hearts for messing up all daddy's hard work. The work involved just to get them clean and keep them clean so we didn't have to walk back over through the snow. And when I think about all of it, I can't help but think how very grateful I am that my path to heaven isn't something that I have to work at. It isn't a daily or even hourly chore, in fact there isn't a single good work that I could ever do to be clean enough on my own. Jesus shoveled that path for me when He died on the cross for my sins. He shoveled every past sin and every sin of my future out of the way and made my heart as white as snow. And then He spoke the words "It is finished". My debt was paid. I don't have to keep working on a pathway to heaven. With the simple prayer of a repentant heart, I only needed to accept His gift of the cross one time and a home in heaven became mine for eternity. Yes I still get dirty. Sin is always messy, but when I look ahead at my Savior He is smiling at me with open arms. On my path of life, my Heavenly Father doesn't see all my messy mistakes piled along side me. He only sees pure white snow.
Psalm 51:7
5/20/2017
I Remain Forever HisMy hair wasn't the only thing that changed with each pregnancy 😂~Each one of my pregnancies and each delivery were all completely different. I threw up constantly with Jessica and couldn't gain weight. The doctor actually advised eating lots of beef and milk shakes. Jessica's due date came and left and one evening my water just broke. No warning contractions. I sat on a pile of every bath towel we owned. It was like a pipe burst. I was just as sick with Andrea but when she was due I slept through most of my contractions and as my husband would say~"gave birth without a bullet to bite on". No pain meds whatsoever. I wasn't sick with Michael and when he was due, after many hours of contractions that were only 2 minutes apart, the contractions stopped completely. I was then induced, had an epidural and got to watch the entire birth with no pain. With Kathryn I gained the most weight and my doctor actually told me "YOU HAVE TO STOP EATING" 😂 I had a normal, fairly quick delivery and Kathryn was my fattest baby at 9lb 13oz. Each of us have been born into families that are probably all very different but one thing we all have in common is that as a baby in the womb, we didn't have to do a single thing to be born into our family, we just accepted the gift of life. My friend, it is exactly this way being born into God's family and becoming His child. We don't have to work for it, we don't have to be "good enough", we don't have to ask Him if we can be His child on a daily basis. When we just accept His gift of life we are immediately born into His family and forever His child. With God, you will always be Daddy's little girl. There isn't anything that can change this. Just like there were plenty of times I disobeyed my parents and probably even hurt them, there will be times that I disobey my Heavenly Father and probably hurt Him. But with the love that only a parent can give, He forgives me. Over and over He continually loves and continually forgives. And I remain forever His.
4/22/2017
Listen For His VoiceWithin minutes, the joy of a newborn baby girl was extinguished and fear entered our hearts. The nurses were wheeling my bed up to a room, chatting happily about my new baby and how sweet she was. Mike was standing next to me smiling proudly, when suddenly I knew something was wrong. Hemorrhaging had started. When I became unresponsive, Mike quickly realized something was wrong as well. The funny thing was, I could hear everything that was going on. I remember the nurses panicked voices as they called for the Doctor. I remember being rushed back down to surgery in a large, stainless steel room. I remember thinking that the joy of a new baby would quickly be stripped away from my husband, because I was going to die. In the midst of the panic, I also remember having a complete peace about dying because I knew when I woke up I would be in the arms of Jesus. I remember Mike's voice saying my name. Charisse. Charisse. That's what I woke up to when I came out of surgery. I recognized his voice even with my eyes still closed and it brought me a sense of comfort. Everything would be okay.
This week, as I recalled that moment in my life, I couldn't help but think of Mary in the Bible. So much had changed for her in 3 short days. Her Lord had been honored with cries of hosanna and joy flooded her heart with hope, but it was quickly stripped away when He was brutally beaten and crucified on the cross. She went to His tomb, but He was gone. For a moment she thought all hope was gone as well. She cried in torment to the gardener, pleading with Him for answers and then...she heard Him. Mary. Can you hear Him? Her eyes had been closed. She did not recognize who was standing right before her~until He spoke her name. Mary. Compassion, love, assurance all in one word. Mary. And then, all her fears were gone. When she heard His voice, she KNEW~and her joy returned as comfort flooded over her. This Easter, let us listen for His voice. He died a horrific death for us. He took our sins on Himself on the cross, He was crucified and laid in a tomb~but praise God He did not stay in that tomb. He arose and He wants us all to accept His beautiful gift of salvation. He is calling our names. Do you recognize His voice? Do you hear Him? Let His comfort and peace wash over you, even in the midst of a life that might seem hopeless. You might be tormented. You might feel like your joy has been stripped away and you have nothing left but sorrow. Don't give up hope. Jesus is calling your name. He wasn't just a simple carpenter. He wasn't the gardener. He IS my Savior, the Son of God. He has conquered death and has given me life everlasting. There is nothing in this world that can bring you the comfort that only He can give. Today, this Easter, listen for His voice. He is calling your name. Open your eyes and your heart and know~ everything will be okay.
4/8/2017
A Home In HeavenI'm a huge coffee drinker and can easily down an entire pot by myself, so one year while our family was on vacation in NC my husband bought me my own pot for our room. It stays at his grandparents home all year until we return again the following Spring. Every year I pack up the coffee pot and get nostalgic. It's only a coffee pot but it holds so many memories. It also holds on to the hope that I will see it again next year, along with my many loved ones. It waits patiently in grandma's attic, wondering who will return to the beach house next year and eager to hear the love filled laughter from all the other rooms. But for a year, it hears only silence. My husband's family members have been coming here in the Spring, since he was a baby. His sisters and brother, parents, aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and now our grandchildren too. We all stay together in one house, every year looking forward to "the beach". When we drive away at the end of our stay, tears are always shed. Sometimes an entire year will go by before we see each other again. I recently read a quote that said "Heaven is a little closer in a house by the sea." Heartache has hit us all during these years. We lost our cousin Alan, and then our precious Amy, Mike's youngest sister. We lost parents and grandparents and our hearts wept. And for a moment it seemed like our laughter turned to silence. But we return and along the way God has brought us new loved ones, new spouses, new cousins and sweet grandbabies who are now so precious to us. We laugh and we love, we have hearts bursting with joy, not just because we have each other, but more importantly because of our great Savior. He fills our hearts with laughter when others might have thought that laughter would never return. He fills our hearts with joy because we know that we will see our loved ones again, just like that old coffee pot. We might not see them at "the beach" house but we have a sure confidence that we will see them when we go home to heaven. That home will far surpass the most beautiful ocean front house there is, and the laughter and joy it's halls bring will last an eternity. An eternity with our loved ones. An eternity with Jesus. I will fill my heart with memories as I pack this coffee pot back up in its box and I will forever be thankful to my Father for sending His Son to die for me. Because of His amazing gift, I will close up that box and know in my heart that we will all be together again.
Grandchildren can be brutally honest. They don't mean what they say in a bad way. They're just stating the truth, as their little minds see it. For instance, the other day my granddaughter Ellie was sitting on my lap and matter of fact-ly stated "I love you so much grandma. You have hair in your nose. You need to clean that out". Boy, statements like that are such confidence boosters 😂 Or the time I was holding little Gabe and he was hugging me and smiling and his chubby little 1 year old hand kept reaching up and grabbing grandma's turkey neck. He just laughed and laughed. Grandma did not. You know what's so amazing though? The things that I think are so unattractive in myself as I get older hold no barring on the love my grandchildren feel toward me. They love me regardless. They love me in my pajamas, with no makeup and my hair thrown up in the messiest (not in a cool way) bun just as much as they love me on Sunday morning all dressed up for church. To think of what comfort this unconditional love brings is such a joy, but it cannot be compared to the comfort we can have knowing the true unconditional love Christ has for us. It doesn't matter how ugly you think your heart is. It doesn't matter how much you feel like you have blown it. It doesn't matter what happened in your past or what is happening right now in your present. At our very worst, when others around us see only the ugly nose hairs of our lives, Christ loves us still. Even as they are shaking their heads and muttering about how we need to clean ourselves up~God our Father, because of Christ's payment on the cross~sees only the beauty inside our hearts and He has compassion. We can continue to fail Him daily, but He will never leave us or forsake us. He will continually grab that turkey neck of trouble we find ourselves in and will whisper to our broken hearts~ "I will take care of that for you." And then, He will restore that brokenness with laughter. I can't imagine choosing to only come into my grand children's presence when I look "Sunday ready" because I know for a fact, I would never see them. Remind yourself of this, even if it's on a daily basis. Don't wait to come to God when you think you are good enough. Come to Him now, in all your brokenness, heart ache and hurt. Bring all your mistakes, all your pain, all the ugliness you might think your heart holds, and let His love wash over you. There is nothing in this world that can compare to the unconditional love of God our Father.
3/18/2017
The Ones That Need A ConstantThe summer before I turned 13 was full of new beginnings for me. It was a summer I will always remember. My parents got back together after a bad split. We moved from a farm with a lot of land, to a ranch in a subdivision in the city. I met my first "city" friend, Geralynn, who lived right next door and would become my best friend through my middle school years. I read and reread 'Are You There God? Its Me Margaret'. The cute boy who lived down the street became my first boyfriend. The uneasiness inside of attending a new, huge school at summer's end. I can remember it all. I can still feel the warmth of the sun as I laid in my back yard daydreaming about that cute boy down the street. I swam all day and then I laid in bed with windows open on those long summer nights, listening to the hum of cars and crickets, daydreaming some more. The most important thing about that summer though, was that it was a new beginning with God. A new heart because He now lived inside it. A new hope for a new life and a new Love, God's Love, that changed me forever. A young lady in the church my parents started attending had a burden for me. Miss Nancy took me under her wing. She prayed for me. She loved me. She picked me up every Monday night to go to Sunshine Girls Bible Club and she answered all my adolescent questions on the way home. She listened as I jabbered on and never gave up on me. She never treated me as if I were silly or unimportant.
One of the many, many benefits of living in the same town for over 20 years is that you get to see your children's childhood friends grow up and turn into amazing adults and parents, with families of their own. But there is also the sadness in seeing some who get into trouble. Who end up in jail and in the news, and it breaks your heart. You can remember them when they were so young and innocent and full of life, and your heart cries out for them. This places a burden on my heart even more to be there for the kids in our area. That little boy who can't sit still and gets in fights with the other kids. That little girl who always seems to be talking and causing some kind of drama with the other girls around her. The ones that make you think sometimes that you surely don't have any patience left. They need you. They need your love and they need your prayers. The quiet ones, with sadness in their eyes, that never say a word and the ones that drive you crazy, those are the ones that are desperately crying out for help. The ones that need a constant in their lives. The ones that need you to lift their name up to an awesome God who loves them more than anyone could ever love them. Don't give up on those kids. Don't watch the years take a toll on them and find yourself reading about them one day on social media. I'm so glad Miss Nancy never gave up on me. I'm so thankful that my teachers in Sunshine Girls, Miss Helen and Miss Jane, taught a bunch of silly, pre-teen, giggling, boy crazy girls all about God's love and forgiveness and the amazing gift of His Son. I will determine in my heart to continually pray for, by name, the kids that God brings into my life. Please don't ever forget, they are just children. Young and in need of so much love and so many prayers. We don't know what their home life might be like. We don't know the heart ache they might be going through. We can offer them a new beginning, hope and a Love that will never go away. One day they will look back, just like me, and remember. They will be so very thankful to God for you. And 10-15 years from now, when you scroll across their Facebook page, you will smile and be so thankful to God too.
3/4/2017
HospitalityI've been reading a study on hospitality and have a very sad confession. I am not hospitable. I'm more like a hermit. This is an area in my life that needs a lot of work. I enjoy having people over for an hour or two, but then I'm ready for them to leave so I can put on my pajamas and chill out. In fact, I wouldn't mind never leaving my house. Yep, like a hermit. I use my shyness as an excuse when in reality, God has all the power in the world to help me overcome this. Too often I choose to stay in my little bubble. Hospitality is mentioned often in the Bible. I just read a devotional about a family that had missionaries stay with them for a month and all I could think was " I could never do that" and immediately felt conviction. Especially when God brought to my mind those who did it for me. When Mike and I felt led to look for a church for him to pastor, my parents opened their home to us and we moved in with our 4 children for almost a year. From there we moved to Caseville with the pastor and his wife and lived in the upstairs of the parsonage for 6 months. In my small, selfish mind I always looked at these times as "my poor family~no home, our things packed away in garages for a year and a half, our family crammed in tiny rooms..." it was always me, me, me. I never opened my eyes to the hospitality of these precious people. Both had kids that were long gone. Happy to have their own schedules and the quietness of home to themselves. And then total chaos moved in. Two young people who were excited about the ministry and future ahead, constantly babbling about ideas, along with 4 children all under the age of 6. Noise and fingerprints and fights and sickness, not to mention toys everywhere. The fact of the matter is, if we have accepted Christ's wonderful gift of salvation~ our amazing Father has opened His magnificent home to us, for eternity. This house I live in is not really my home, it's just a rental for my time here on earth. God gives us opportunities to share with others the comfort, peace and love we feel when we think of home. What a beautiful picture of what our heavenly Father has done for us. True comfort, true peace, true love can only be found in His presence. The mortgage has been paid in full on the cross and a home in heaven can be ours forever. What a lesson to be learned. Today is a good day for me to start my real estate training and open my eyes to those who need that comfort, peace and love that a home can bring. Mine can be just the beginning.
1/21/2017
We Get To Talk To God's SonAmy was my best friend. Not just my sister in law, my best friend. Back when we didn't have cell phones and couldn't afford long distance phone calls, we emailed each other daily. Every night after the kids were asleep~the laundry and dishes all done and the house quiet, my thoughts to myself~I would get on our huge computer with dial up Internet and read Amy's email. It was our way of talking and sharing. Laughing and crying. Loving, and holding on to memories. The first night returning home from her funeral, after the kids were asleep and the house was quiet, I looked at that big, old, dial up computer and just cried. I cried and cried and cried. Even though Mike was there, a part of me felt all alone. I miss talking to Amy every single day. For some reason the other night~after the house was quiet and my thoughts were again my own~God showed me how busy my life had been and how I hadn't spent much time talking with Him, my best friend, like I should. He reminded my heart of how it felt when I could no longer talk to Amy and how much I missed it. And I realized how much He missed me. How can we get so caught up in our day to day activities that we miss out on talking to our best friend? But we do. We don't read His words. We don't talk or share. We don't laugh or cry or love. We just get busier and trudge on until pretty soon we feel all alone. Would I set my alarm at 5:30am just to have the chance to talk to Amy again? You better believe it. So why can't I with God? There is no reason. And the crazy thing is, when I do spend time talking to Him it feels like the weight of the world has been lifted and His joy and peace are always present. I can't talk to Amy anymore, but God has given me an amazing gift. Amy's son Tyler moved in with us this past year and I get to talk to him every day. He's so much a part of Amy. A day doesn't go by that I don't think of how proud she must be of him, and I'm so thankful. And I'm so thankful to God, my best friend, for giving me the gift of His Son, who died for me so that I can have that relationship with Him. He's always there to talk to. WE GET TO TALK TO GOD'S SON. Can we just wrap our minds around that? Once we do, our lives will change and we won't ever feel alone again.
I'm an insecure person. Maybe because I'm shy. Or, maybe I'm shy because I'm insecure 😂😂 I don't know. I'm super critical of myself and when I look in the mirror, I don't always like what I see. I would never fit in with this selfie generation. If you look at my kid's Facebook pages, you would think they didn't have a mom 😂 I avoid cameras like the plague. Why is it that even when I'm 51, I can still remember snide remarks made about my looks while I was growing up? I was feeling so sassy in the sixth grade with my new Dorothy Hamill haircut, until I got this comment~ "between your body and that haircut, you look just like a boy". I know so many women that have moments of insecurity just like I do, and yet when I see each one of you, I don't find any flaws, only beauty all around me. In all of you. What are the qualities in each of you that I find so beautiful? A sweet remark. A genuine smile. A warm hug. A shoulder to cry on. An "I'm praying for you" or "you are loved". All of you have a glow. A beauty that shines from deep within. Beauty that is there when the makeup is gone and the hair isn't fixed just right. Beauty that's there even when mascara is smeared over tears that were shed. The other day, as I was writing a friend, I was thinking about why we as women struggle with insecurities. It was a clear, sunny day and as I wrote, I looked outside and commented to her~ "the sun is shining and makes the snow look so beautiful". And God smiled. He said to my heart~ "Charisse, as long as the Son is shining, you are beautiful". God's Son is our source of beauty. When our Savior shines from us, and He is our everything~ that's what makes us beautiful. Those days when I haven't spent time with Him, when I'm grumbling and complaining about everything and everyone, my countenance can look like a thunder storm and when I see my reflection, I see ugly. But on those days where I lay at His feet and soak up His presence, His joy bursts from me and can't be contained. Just as the sun makes the snow sparkle with beauty, once He is invited into our hearts, they become white as snow and God's Son shining from within makes each of us sparkle as well. Spend time with Him today, soak up His presence. Shine with His beauty and the next time you look in the mirror, smile, sparkle and tell the devil he's gonna need some Son glasses.
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.
10/15/2016
He Loves Us Still· As most of you know by now, my husband had retinal detachment surgery done back in August. He just recently stopped wearing his eye patch, but his vision has not returned. Praise the Lord, he does have some vision, but it is very distorted. When his retina first detached, all he could see was blackness. Now as he looks at words, he can see the first and last letter but nothing in between. And here's a fun fact, when he looks at me, apparently I look like a funny Snap Chat or fun house mirror reflection. Before our souls are united with Christ, everything seems black. The Bible can seem so hard to understand. Prayer seems like we are talking to a wall. But then, our Saviour heals our hearts when He enters in and the blindness disappears. That doesn't mean that we automatically understand everything the Bible says or that prayer automatically becomes easy. It takes time. It can seem distorted and hard to understand. So, we go back to the Great Physician and ask for help. Mike's surgeon told him last Friday that it was time for the patch to come off. To work his eye muscles so that they can focus and hopefully in time, see a little clearer. That's what we need to do as christians. Take off the patch of "I don't understand", "I don't feel like God hears me", "this seems too hard", etc. and ask your Heavenly Father for help. Ask him to help your focus so that you can better understand his book of comfort, the Bible. It's simply God's love letter to us. Ask for help as you pray. Prayer is simply talking to God as a child talks to a father. We don't know how long it will take before Mike will be able to see clearly out of that eye. It might not ever happen, but that doesn't mean he's going to give up trying. Understanding the Bible may take a long time. Don't give up. I haven't. I learn something new every single day and God opens my eyes and helps me to focus. So...back to that fun house mirror effect. Am I happy that's how my husband sees me? With a huge body and tiny head? Nope~ gotta be honest~not. one. bit. But he loves me regardless, because he is seeing through eyes of love. We can see ourselves as failures, as worthless, as a complete fun house mess at times, but that's not what God sees because God is looking through the eyes of His Son who died for us. What He sees is love. When Mike tells me that I'm beautiful and that he loves me, I tease him now and respond, "you think that because you are blind in one eye and need glasses for the other". God is not blind though. He sees us just as we are and yet, He thinks we are beautiful and He loves us still.
I will never forget the moment my baby Jessica was placed in my arms. The overwhelming love I felt as tears rolled down my cheeks is indescribable. I will never forget my husband's words as his own tears fell~ "now I truly know how much my Heavenly Father loves me." God let our hearts see how much He loved us. I would give my life for my children. My love for them is fierce and if I am capable of that kind of love, the love of God is greater than our human hearts can imagine. When I was in the 6th grade my parents were having a lot of marital problems. One day my mom showed up at my school with all our belongings, picked up my brothers and I and we left my dad and our home without even a goodbye. Eventually my parents decided to try again and realized being in church would help. We began going to a non denominational church and it was here that I learned of God's amazing gift. I learned that I couldn't go to heaven when I died just by being good or by going to any specific church. I learned there was nothing I could do in my own strength to go to heaven because if there was, Christ would not have had to die on the cross for my sins. It was only because of Gods grace, mercy and love in sending His only Son to die for me. It was the greatest gift and it was mine to accept. I realized my sinful heart separated me from God but that all I needed to do was ask His forgiveness. God didn't want me to join a church or give more money or be a better person. He only wanted my repentant heart. I gave my heart to Him and I have not had one day that I have regretted it. More than any other words I could ever post to give comfort, hope or encouragement, these are the most important for you to know. God wants you to have a home in heaven someday. God wants you to receive His precious gift of salvation. If you never have, let today be that day and if you have already~whether it was yesterday or 39+ years ago like me~ don't ever forget that day you met Him, sing of His grace that's still amazing and shout like you've heard it for the first time. |
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