Believe!

"Good morning," the angel said. "You're beautiful with God's beauty."

(I question such kind words.)

"You're beautiful inside and out!"

I would have doubted this. Not Mary. She believed.

"God has a surprise for you," the angel said.

(I am wary of surprises.)

"You'll birth a son and call him Jesus. He will be great--

the Spirit-planted, holy Son of God."

I might have protested this. Not Mary. She believed.

"Nothing is impossible with God," the angel said.

(I generally challenge absolutes.)

"Even old Elizabeth will have a son--he's already on the way."

I might have scoffed at this. Not Mary.

"I'm ready. Let it be just as you say."

Then the angel left, and she believed.

Luke 1:45; John 6:28, 29

You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true! (Luke 1:45, The Message)

Lessons at Christmas

Wow, wasn't it just last week that I was saying "O my, just another month and it will be Christmas!"  Now here we are just 5 days away.  Where does the time go?

What strikes me though as I watch TV and listen to the news and to conversations around me is how many of us are in dire straights again this year.  You know that verse in Philipians 4 ...

• ¹² I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough.

I would love to tell you that I am so there, but I am so NOT there.  I have had times of plenty ...and then there are the past five or so years ... and I can tell you life was so much better when there was plenty!  I am still striving to be like Paul in verse 12 - but I'm not there yet.  I have not yet attained that goal! 

While the me on the outside goes merrily on my way through the holidays - the me inside is having a throw down!  It's not about how much I get - because I truly am fine with not getting anything, but I have not yet learned to be content not being able to give to others at this time of year.  Nothing makes me happier than to give to family and friends at this special time of year.  I love giving and seeing the delight in a Ukrainian child's eyes when he/she opens a gift or a needy parent receiving a gift of money that will put food on their table that was otherwise empty.  I love seeing the delight in my family's eyes when they open presents on Christmas Eve night (yes, we do the family thing on Christmas Eve).  I love baking and giving food presents to those who give me good service throughout the year.  I love delighting my coworkers with goodies and gifts that tell them I thought about them. Face it - I so love to give.  So now what????  What do I do now that I have nothing to give??  Yet another bad year in aviation means we are at the same old place where we've been for the past five years - it's Christmas again, and we have nothing to give with.  Ugh.  If I were a cat, I'd hack a furball right here in disgust. 

So ... I hope those who know (and love) me know how much I would love to give to them.  And when times get better and we're living richer - I will give again.  Until then I will give all that I have albeit ever so little and give of myself as much as I can.  And ... in the meantime, I will try really hard to learn this lesson - the same one Paul apparently had to learn.  See it here in The Message translation - boy does it hit home!

• Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

Until I have a chance to write again, I wish you a truly Merry Christmas (not Happy Holidays) and pray God blesses and keeps you and makes His face to shine on you in your goings and comings.

Merry Christmas with all my heart,
Lyne