Posted in Christian Service, Christmas, Life Inspiration

Tis the Season of What?

CHICK SEASON

It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that there is only 15 days until Christmas. A day in the city yesterday left my heart a little broken as I ran to and fro from store to store, plopped the next package in the car, ticked my list, put the car in gear and went to the next destination. It was almost like washing your hair… lather, rinse, repeat. I vaguely remember hearing a few carols in the stores, and when I did catch an honest to goodness carol of Christ, my heart would pitter pat and I would say, “Ahhhh, there’s Christmas…” then back to the list.

“Tis the season of what?” I asked myself this morning. In the glow of the Christmas tree I long to slow down and ponder the season. I am not as wise as Solomon who impressed God with his request for wisdom. God shakes His head at me on a regular basis, I’m pretty sure. If God, the Creator of all, came to me and said “Shari, ask what you will and I’ll grant it.” I would likely respond “Oh Father God, a cute pair of boots would do me fine!” And God would shake His head, and say to Solomon, “This is why she’s not in charge of her life.”

My Attention Deficit Disorder kicked in and my mind just went to the boot store… true story.

The season of what, Lord?

Ecclesiastes 3

The Season of Purpose

1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

It’s impossible for me to understand the purpose of hurting people. My Wednesday night youth group is filled with children who are in the midst of a “purpose” that causes me to want to beat people. This season of their life is something I never experienced as a child, and so it is that they’re in my world and God has made it my purpose to help them find theirs… even in some very icky situations. Every Season has a purpose and sometimes I am that purpose…

The Season of Preparation

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Even though we were prepared in the loss of my Mother-in-law this week, we still weren’t ready. We knew the day would come as it will to all of us, but the sudden realization that that person will no longer be with us, especially in such joyful times as Christmas is heartbreaking. But God did not allow death as a sorrow that could not be soothed for His children. A prepared heart, who has known Christ and gone to be with Him in Glory leaves behind a reminder that they are gone but just a little while, and that we need to prepare too, so that we’ll never suffer that separation again.

The Season of Pruning

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

God is clear that there are somethings that need not be in the lives of a child of God. Those things that tear us down, that loosen the foundations beneath our feet and cause us to fall need to go.  Pruning may kill a portion of a tree but the growth that occurs afterward leaves a healthier foundation. This may be a season of  pruning. I need to check my branches…

The Season of Propitiation

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

The purpose behind tears are not always clear. We cry when we laugh and when we mourn, when we’re   touched and when we’re angry. But they’re a soothing process in that it alerts others that something needs to be shared. Sorrow or celebration… friends help on both counts. Show yourself friendly…

The Season of Principles

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

If ever there is a time where Christian principles need to stand like stone pillars in society it’s now. Everyone waivers for every reason and give it no thought. The Word of God doesn’t waiver, nor should His people. Stand strong…

The Season of Privilege

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

We’re a blessed generation. We ignore scriptures that remind us that we’re to take care of the widows and orphans, we give to those we know, but to a stranger it will be conditional. Giving to the Salvation Army at the entrance of a store is relatively easy, stopping in traffic to hail down the man with the cardboard sign will have us asking “How far out of my way will it require me to go?” I throw so much food away at my house it’s ridiculous without ever asking, “Who could I share this meal with.” We’re too privileged… I’m too privileged…

The Season of Proclamation

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

There’s a time to sow… and there’s a time to hold your seed packet and let God do a little work to prepare the ground before we open our mouth. I pray this season I’m mindful to say what  God would have me say and that I’d be aware when  to say nothing. God, guard my tongue…

The Season of Peace

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

We’ll not see peace on earth until Jesus returns… that’s Bible. But we have Peace through Jesus Christ who gives it to all men liberally for the asking. We need to share that peace this Season…

What’s your season like? Mine’s a little more focused on God this morning thanks to Solomon’s Wisdom.

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Posted in Life Inspiration

There’s a New Season on the Horizon

Seasons are one of my favorite things to write about. Every season of the year stirs an excitement in my soul; the seasons of life not always so much. We arrived at the beach this week just as their season was changing. The tourist were dwindling down to a few; I could count 30-50 people at any given time on the beach directly in front of our hotel. The shops had marked down merchandise and many had even closed down. It was a perfect season for us because the cost was much less and the crowds were gone. We enjoyed an evening on the beach with just a few other people milling around taking in the last of the summer waves.

Genesis 1:14-15

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

And it was so…

The lights in Heaven that men are so curiously entertained by have not just beauty, but purpose and names.

Psalms 147 says He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.”

God asks of Job in 38:31-33 asks the questions…

“Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?”

Who but God can do those things? And if we believe that God can control the constellations, creation and seasons, can yet He not control the seasons of our lives?

They divide the darkness and light…

And thereby the beauty of the upper world blesses the world below. One advantage that we often take for granted in the country is star gazing. A clear West Virginia night sky is filled with countless stars that twinkle and dance across the Heavens for our entertainment. Just that little bit of twinkle can cause you in childlike splendor to break out in a rousing rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” The same way that just a little twinkle of light on a dark day in our life springs joy in the soul; a glimmer of hope is all it takes to cause sadness and heartache to flee.

They bring the change of seasons…

In creation and in life as one closes out a new one is on the horizon, it is inevitable. We cannot extend our favorite season nor can we extend our favorite times in life; each are designed with purpose to usher in the next. My season is about to change… my current job ends and I don’t know what the next season has in store. I prayerfully ask God for mercy and a quick end of this season of uncertainty, but it’s yet to come. He seldom rushes seasons…

Are you in a season of uncertainty? Perhaps you’re in a season of harsh winds and weather? I encourage you as I encourage myself, “Don’t lose heart Christian soldier… God’s got this.” Just as God created each star with purpose and named them every one so did He design you and I. There is a purpose in our season and a hope on the horizon that from this time God will spring forth a newness that will excite our soul.

Posted in Uncategorized

Game on!!! It’s Christmas Time

defense

 

Just a few days into the Christmas season and I can already feel it. That attack on me from within and without. Projects are vying for my time, my to do list has gotten longer than Santa’s naughty list, and over all life is way out of control. One more meeting, one more event, one more phone call, one more thing to do, to buy to say… ugh.

It takes its toll. Both physically and spiritually.

You may have noticed that I’ve not blogged for a few days. My uniform hadn’t arrived yet. I’m on the home team where I play offense, defense and sometimes I jump over or crawl under the fence, none of which are very graceful. All of that cute gibberish is for one purpose… to remind you and I both that this is the season we need to be even greater spiritually defended.

My battle hero that I often look at is David. He knew what it was like to be under siege on every level. In Psalm 5:11 he says “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”

Let us not allow Satan to steal our joy this season. Don’t think for two seconds that you can defend it, you may be good… but you’re not that good!

Believe

Be Loud

Be Happy

Believe that God has a plan in every Holiday event, mishap or success, believe there is purpose. He is Christmas control.

Be Loud! Make a joyful noise for the Lord at every opportunity; sing carols, sing praise, just sing! You’d be amazed at what a joy spring can fill your heart through a song. (Please pray for me as I sing this weekend at a recording session. Which is partially the reason my blog has been lacking… one of many irons in the fire) Overpower the world’s song with the song in your heart

Be Happy! I know it’s so easily said. But what also is easily done is to look around and see how blessed we are in comparison to so very many others across the earth.

I hope to be back on line in the morning with a little more in depth blog, but for now this is where I am at…

Too busy for my own good, too quiet for the world’s good, and my too lack luster for the Lord’s good, He deserves so much more!

DEFENSE PEOPLE! The Game’s on!

Posted in Uncategorized

Woohoo ~ Light the World!

I love social media for as many reasons as I hate social media. It’s true. For all the good it does, it also creates that much heartache. But as my good friend Dennis Legg says, “I can eat the fish, and throw away the bones.” There is such great truth in that statement. Facebook has exploded over the holiday weekend with Christmas tree and light posts from homes across the globe. I love it! So much so that I posted my own. But even greater than that are the posts about the light of my Lord.

Not until Heaven will we know the result of the seeds sown through social media. I know there are naysayers. Say on. I’ll even Amen you once in a while. But every time I see a scripture post, a word of encouragement, a cross or the many images with wonderful encouraging words I want to put up a score board and say, “That’s one more for Jesus!”

Through Social Media I have met some of the most wonderful “lights.” People in their own communities lighting the tree every day of the year, not just at Christmas. I know from the comments on their posts that their lights shine true. I’m not the only one that tunes in. Their testimony sparkles of glitter and gold and some days I want to create a fan page for them! But then I think that’s kind of creepy… and really they already have their fan page. It’s the pages in the Word of God that they share so liberally in a liberal world that doesn’t want it, but they got it anyway.

Isaiah 28:10

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Little by little we’ll light the world.

1 John 1:5-7

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Let your little light shine!