Christmas..."it's the most wonderful time of the year"! Right? That's what the song says. It's a time of celebration, of giving, of family, of traditions, of caroling... Yes, it truly is all of that - but what about those who are facing extremely difficult circumstances, for whom Christmas just seems to magnify the pain?
For instance, those who are grieving the death of a member of their family. I can't help but think of the Sproul family, who just days ago, suffered the loss of their mom/wife, to cancer. Or my friend Katie's family, who face their first Christmas without her. (I need to tell Katie's story sometime soon - I didn't know her for very long, but she made such an impact on my life. She's an incredible young woman...and I can't wait to see her again!)
For those who feel the absence of someone dearly loved, like a big, gaping hole in their heart...Christmas could become more of an ordeal, than a celebration.
There are many other things that can get in the way of the ever-elusive "perfect Christmas"...worry and stress over money problems, strained relationships, and of course, dealing with diseases - like PD, Alzheimer's, ALS, cancer, depression, anxiety, and so many more...
But when you look at the events of the first Christmas - the reason we celebrate today - the circumstances surrounding what happened were in no way "perfect". Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Mary knew this, and Joseph knew it (after an angel told him in no uncertain terms in a dream), and maybe just a few others (like Elizabeth), but to most people, Mary was a teenage, unwed mother.
The birth itself was hardly "ideal". She and Joseph were far away from home and family, there was no hospital, no doctor or midwife or even her mom, there was not an inn or a home to stay in. These two young people, who had not even consummated their marriage yet, went through labor and delivery all on their own...in a stable.
Oh, but the birth was very special - so very special! Because the Child was no ordinary human being. The Child was God, the Son - becoming flesh and blood, like us - to save us. In that dark night, as Mary endured the labor pains, and pushed with all her might, pushed through the pain, to give birth to this very special baby...everything changed.
Most of the world didn't have a clue of what a momentous event had just happened. Even those in Bethlehem just slept right through it. All except for a group of shepherds - God chose to share the good news with them - via His messengers, angels.
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
Those two little words, "for you" - they've had such an impact on me this year as I've read the Christmas story. I'm not sure I can really explain it...but when I think about what those words mean...there has been born for me a Savior...I get this warm, almost burning, awesome feeling deep in the center of my heart and soul - and it fills me with joy.
Christmas isn't about a "perfect" celebration here on earth - that's just not possible. Christmas is about a Savior who was born...for you...for me...for each and every one of us.
For the one who is grieving the death of someone dearly loved...a Savior has been born for you. He has come to conquer death and give us eternal life together with Him in God's kingdom.
For the one who is worried and stressed over money, or mistakes made...a Savior has been born for you. He has come to show us the Father's love, how He will take care of our every need, even our greatest need - forgiveness of our sins -and give us new life in His kingdom, beginning right now, here on earth.
For the one who has been hurt by others, or abused by someone in authority over them, or perhaps your heart is breaking over a child who has rejected you and is on a path of self-destruction...a Savior has been born for you. He has come to make you a part of His family, a child of God, adopted into God's kingdom, forever. He has come to forgive you of all your sin, and you in turn, can forgive others of their sins toward you. He has come to deliver you from anger and bitterness.
For the one who daily battles the degeneration of their body, mind, and/or emotions...a Savior has been born for you. He has come to save the eternal part of us - what is temporary will pass away, but He promises to hold onto that which is eternal, in fact, renew it every day, and one day, clothe that eternal "inner man" with a new body - that is imperishable.
Whatever the darkness is in your life, the good news of Christmas is that a Savior has been born...for you.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Good News ("Dreams", Part 2)
One more thing about the "vivid dreams" of PD (see previous post "Dreams") - I've often told my hubby that if I could write down these dreams, they would make great full-length movies. The nightmare would be along the lines of a Stephen King film...but it was far scarier than any movie I've ever seen. It was just evil. When I woke up, I was so relieved to finally "escape" the nightmare, but I was still afraid.
I reached for my Bible, started reading...and when I got to these familiar verses, that I've read and heard countless times before, they suddenly lit up my heart like the angels' sudden appearance to those shepherds out in the fields lit up the night sky:
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)
In the midst of my darkness and fear, the angel's announcement was good news of a great joy! With the memory of being trapped in a horrible place fresh on my mind, the angel's message that there had been born for me a Savior - and that this Savior was, in fact, Christ the Lord...mind boggling!
And it occurred to me, that we (humans) are, in many ways, living out that nightmare. We live in a world of darkness and evil, of grief and pain. There is no escaping it - just look at a newspaper, or turn on the tv for 5 minutes - it's right there. Murder, abuse, theft, hatred, lies, selfishness, deceit, etc... It goes on and on. Our family visited the Holocaust Museum last year - I'll never forget the shoes...so many shoes...shoes of those who had been thrown into the gas chambers. It was overwhelming - incredible what evil is in this world, and what man's inhumanity to man is capable of...slavery, Ku Klux Klan, the killing fields, ethnic cleansing, human trafficking, etc... And then there's poverty, natural disasters, and of course, illness and disease. There is so much suffering in this world.
Case in point, I have an uncle who is very special, and I've loved him as far back as I can remember. He's my mom's sister's husband, so he's not really related to me by blood - but that doesn't matter one bit. They've always lived far away from us, but we would often get together over the summer for vacations. The best one was when I was probably around 10 yo - we camped across the country and back - east coast to west coast and back again, hitting as many states as we could along the way. It was such an awesome trip.
I think what I associate most with Uncle Dick is laughter and joy. He's always ready with a zinger, or to laugh at one that was pointed his way. When I picture him in my mind, it's either with a smile on his face, or quietly reading with his pipe in his mouth. He's gentle, soft-spoken, so kind, and so much fun! He taught my sister and I this crazy piano duet that we'd take turns playing with him every time we got together. I knew Uncle Dick was smart, but not until I was much older did I realize how smart...he's a PhD, and although now retired, he was a professor of physiology at a major university, and specialized in some kind of research that I don't even know how to spell without looking it up.
And now, Uncle Dick has Alzheimer's - and it breaks my heart.
We live in a messed-up world. There is evil, there is darkness, there is suffering...because of sin. And we are locked in - we can't escape. There's nothing we can do about it.
That's why this is such good news:
"Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
Good news, indeed.
I reached for my Bible, started reading...and when I got to these familiar verses, that I've read and heard countless times before, they suddenly lit up my heart like the angels' sudden appearance to those shepherds out in the fields lit up the night sky:
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)
In the midst of my darkness and fear, the angel's announcement was good news of a great joy! With the memory of being trapped in a horrible place fresh on my mind, the angel's message that there had been born for me a Savior - and that this Savior was, in fact, Christ the Lord...mind boggling!
And it occurred to me, that we (humans) are, in many ways, living out that nightmare. We live in a world of darkness and evil, of grief and pain. There is no escaping it - just look at a newspaper, or turn on the tv for 5 minutes - it's right there. Murder, abuse, theft, hatred, lies, selfishness, deceit, etc... It goes on and on. Our family visited the Holocaust Museum last year - I'll never forget the shoes...so many shoes...shoes of those who had been thrown into the gas chambers. It was overwhelming - incredible what evil is in this world, and what man's inhumanity to man is capable of...slavery, Ku Klux Klan, the killing fields, ethnic cleansing, human trafficking, etc... And then there's poverty, natural disasters, and of course, illness and disease. There is so much suffering in this world.
Case in point, I have an uncle who is very special, and I've loved him as far back as I can remember. He's my mom's sister's husband, so he's not really related to me by blood - but that doesn't matter one bit. They've always lived far away from us, but we would often get together over the summer for vacations. The best one was when I was probably around 10 yo - we camped across the country and back - east coast to west coast and back again, hitting as many states as we could along the way. It was such an awesome trip.
I think what I associate most with Uncle Dick is laughter and joy. He's always ready with a zinger, or to laugh at one that was pointed his way. When I picture him in my mind, it's either with a smile on his face, or quietly reading with his pipe in his mouth. He's gentle, soft-spoken, so kind, and so much fun! He taught my sister and I this crazy piano duet that we'd take turns playing with him every time we got together. I knew Uncle Dick was smart, but not until I was much older did I realize how smart...he's a PhD, and although now retired, he was a professor of physiology at a major university, and specialized in some kind of research that I don't even know how to spell without looking it up.
And now, Uncle Dick has Alzheimer's - and it breaks my heart.
We live in a messed-up world. There is evil, there is darkness, there is suffering...because of sin. And we are locked in - we can't escape. There's nothing we can do about it.
That's why this is such good news:
"Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
Good news, indeed.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Dreams
I had an awful nightmare last night. I can still remember it vividly, even though I'm trying not to. It was one of those dreams where you're experiencing everything firsthand - not a spectator - it feels like real life. And I couldn't escape...I couldn't get out. I knew what was coming, and I could not get away. The fear and horror that filled that nightmare lasted a lot longer than the dream. I was so scared. I can still feel it - it lingers.
One of the symptoms of Parkinson's, or a symptom of the medications (I forget which at the moment and I'm too tired to look it up), is vivid dreams. Check. I've definitely got that one. It's amazing how creative the mind is. These dreams are weird, wild, and always vivid. What does that mean? For me, it means they feel so real, and I remember so much of them, that when I wake up - I don't leave the dreams behind me, lost somewhere in the subconscious of my mind. They wake up with me, still in the forefront of my mind. I'd like to just shake it off, like a wet, soapy dog after (or during!) a bath, but that doesn't work. The solution I've found - is to have a Bible right there, within hand's reach, so that I can grab it and start drinking in those words of truth...and it washes the "yuck" away. Reading a Psalm, reading about Jesus' life on this earth from a Gospel, reading about an Old Testament life or event, reading a letter from Paul to a New Testament church...my heart and mind are cleansed of the remnants of the dream, and turned to praise and thanksgiving, and filled with joy and peace.
And that is a perfect example of how God works all things for good. Those dreams push me, force me - to do something that is so incredibly beneficial to my life - and yet something that I am too stubborn or too undisciplined or too weak - to do on my own. God's Word is life-transforming! And those times of reading, in my bed, in the stillness of the early morning, or the stillness of the night when I can't sleep - have become the most precious times of all!
"My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
When I remember Thee on my bed,
I meditate on Thee in the night watches,
For Thou hast been my help,
And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to Thee;
Thy right hand upholds me."
(Psalm 63:5-8)
One of the symptoms of Parkinson's, or a symptom of the medications (I forget which at the moment and I'm too tired to look it up), is vivid dreams. Check. I've definitely got that one. It's amazing how creative the mind is. These dreams are weird, wild, and always vivid. What does that mean? For me, it means they feel so real, and I remember so much of them, that when I wake up - I don't leave the dreams behind me, lost somewhere in the subconscious of my mind. They wake up with me, still in the forefront of my mind. I'd like to just shake it off, like a wet, soapy dog after (or during!) a bath, but that doesn't work. The solution I've found - is to have a Bible right there, within hand's reach, so that I can grab it and start drinking in those words of truth...and it washes the "yuck" away. Reading a Psalm, reading about Jesus' life on this earth from a Gospel, reading about an Old Testament life or event, reading a letter from Paul to a New Testament church...my heart and mind are cleansed of the remnants of the dream, and turned to praise and thanksgiving, and filled with joy and peace.
And that is a perfect example of how God works all things for good. Those dreams push me, force me - to do something that is so incredibly beneficial to my life - and yet something that I am too stubborn or too undisciplined or too weak - to do on my own. God's Word is life-transforming! And those times of reading, in my bed, in the stillness of the early morning, or the stillness of the night when I can't sleep - have become the most precious times of all!
"My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
When I remember Thee on my bed,
I meditate on Thee in the night watches,
For Thou hast been my help,
And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to Thee;
Thy right hand upholds me."
(Psalm 63:5-8)
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