Rest Amidst the Chaos

Rest Amidst the Chaos

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you … and you will find rest for your souls…”

Matthew 11: 28-29

The weeks leading up to and including Christmas are usually a time of chaos for me. All the preparations associated with the holiday often leave me feeling exhausted and numb.

One Christmas in particular stands out for me as the Christmas I shut down. On Christmas Day, as my husband and son packed up the car with gifts for the two-hour drive to my in-laws, I dreaded the family visit. I couldn’t face a day of noise, disorder, laughing, squealing or squalling little ones, people bumping into each other, and sitting too close. I love my husband’s folks, and normally I look forward to a few hours of our large family gathered in Mom’s confined mobile home but that morning I wasn‘t up to it. I asked them both if they minded if I didn’t go with them. I explained. They were understanding. My son was concerned about what the family would think. “Just tell them your mother is acting a little weird today and wants to be alone,” I suggested as I kissed him good-bye.

After they left, I sat numbly for a few moments wondering how could I want to be alone on Christmas Day? Guilt quickly overwhelmed me.

I opened my Bible in hopes I could find some solace in God‘s Word. The comfort and reassurance in Jesus’ invitation quieted my mind and lightened my heart. After receiving the Word, I opened my journal and revealed the deep lamentations of my heart. The burden lifted.

I spent the rest of the day moving slowly in thoughtful contemplation, putting things away. I read a book. I took a nap. By the time Steve and Steven got home that evening, I was alive again!

This Advent Season, set aside some quiet time to be with God.

 

Prayer: Father, in You there is rest. Sometimes You call us to serve others, and sometimes You call us to be still. May we recognize when You call us away from the chaos! Amen.

 

Click here to view The Comforter by C. Michael Dudash

Of Sending Christmas Cards

Penny, another blogger here at AOL journals, has been sharing her Christmas memories, and I've been reading them. She's actually started a December Challenge to all J-Land journalers to add their traditions and memories. I thought about joining in when it first began in November, however, I haven't had time, what with all the other things I've been writing about.

Her latest entry hooked me, though, and now I'm going to respond. She mentioned a tradition that I have always honored in my home and family, but this year, it has fallen by the way side of life. Time is the culprit. My obligations have commandeered my time, and now it's down to the last few days, and I am prioritizing, and resenting that I have to give up one of my favorite activities at this time of year.

It has nothing to do with cost of postage, either, nor the cost of cards. When I consider that each card sent is really a gift, the cost is never too extravagant. Cards, in my opinion, are more than just a heavy card stock paper with words and pictures. When carefully chosen, when selecting one with the right words and the right image, the card becomes a special message from the heart.

Sending Christmas cards has always been at the top of my list of things to do. The entire process of sending cards takes great time. First, you have to buy them, and several years ago I discovered that beautiful, high quality cards with lovely messages inside could be had at more than half off the original price if you waited until after Christmas to buy them. Of course, you can't use them for this Christmas, but you save them and store them away until the next Christmas. In this way, I can buy the cards I would love to have for myself, and save money.

After you buy the cards, and you have stored them away, you wait until after Thanksgiving the next year. I like to set them out, look at them, reflect on the Christmas messages inside, then get out my address book. Since there is lots of writing to do, the easiest thing for me to do first is to address the envelopes and stamp them. Once I get that done, I make time to be still and quiet, and think about each person or family to whom I am  going to write a note. I seldom just scrawl my name at the end of a printed message, which is why sending Christmas cards takes so much time, and is more like a gift from the heart. I've always enjoyed this quiet time of reflection while writing letters and notes to family and friends I have not seen in years.

Even more than sending cards, I love receiving them. Which is probably why I love sending them because most people will send me a card after they get one from me. Some even send me one before I send one to them... that's really nice.

I love the cards so much, and since they are from family and friends, I save them from year to year. One of my personal favorite things to do at Christmas time is to bring out cards from Christmas' past. There are notes and letters and signatures of people who have left this world, and reading their words of hope, love, and joy, in their own handwriting, often brings tears to my eyes.

The first time I brought out the old cards to see what I had before I threw them out was when I found a card with a handwritten note from my memere Deslauriers. The front of the card looks like a tapestry showing the shepherds coming to Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus in a manger. Inside is a message from my memere, God bless her soul. It says, "From memere who loves youse all Big Steve, small steve". On the back I had written 1985 to remind me of the year she sent it. My memere didn't send many cards or letters in her time, so having this one piece of card with her writing, knowing that she handled it, wrote in it, lovingly placed it in an envelope, and sealed it, sending her love and blessings our way, is a treasure. I bring this treasure out every year, and add to it other treasures: the cards from my high school best friend, Debbie, before she died a few years ago from a brain tumor...  the cards from my youngest sister before she died from traumatic injuries received in a car accident in 1997, and cards from my husband's uncles and aunts who are no longer with us.

I have a particular fondness for cards depicting the Holy Nativity, the Wise Men traveling across the land with the bright Star as their guide; the shepherds adoring the Christ child, and the Madonna and Child images. These always are among the ones I save from year to year. I have over a hundred of them by now, and I attempt to display them in some way in my home. Sometimes I hang them on a wall, or from the fireplace, and one year I even set them into the Christmas tree as decorations. The entire tree was decorated with scenes from the Nativity in ornaments and cards.

This year, I have been robbed of the time to complete this activity. I have not bought the postage yet. I have the cards that I bought after Christmas last year, and they are beautiful, but I've not been granted any free time, except the time I've stolen to make these entries in the journal pages. I suppose I could give up journal writing for a few days to get the cards out.

If you don't hear from me for awhile, I'm probably sending cards!

I'm going to add a picture of my all time favorite Christmas card. I didn't receive it actually, I sent it, but I saved one for myself because the image was too powerful and touching. Don't have time to do it now, so come back later and it will be posted.

Of Going Alone

Read John 14:6-7; 16:12-13

Steven was not quite two years old the day he headed down our long driveway toward the road one fall afternoon. He knew his daddy was coming home from work, and I suppose he thought to meet him at the end of the driveway where it met the road.

We were living on Worm Ranch Road at the time. Steven had been playing in the yard while I worked, asking every now and then “Where daddy?“

“He’ll be home soon. Daddy’s at work,“ I told him more than once.

Soon, I noticed it was quiet, and my little boy had not asked me a question lately. He was nowhere in the yard, and instinct told me to look down the driveway. There he was, toddling away. I ran after him, he a good fifty feet ahead of me. I called his name. He stopped and turned toward my voice. When he saw me, he said “I go see daddy!” in a tone of innocent reassurance. Then, he confidently turned back to his mission, and continued walking.

In the meantime, I ran ever faster to stop him. There was another fifty feet or more before he would reach the road. Clearly he had no idea of the dangers that lay ahead as he set off on this little journey to the road. I shouted after him, this time I was much closer. He turned and said, more determinedly, “I go see daddy!” and started running away from me.

I called again, this time using all three of his given names, first, middle, and last, and the word “STOP!” There was no mistaking my intent when I would catch up to him. He stopped fast and began to cry.

When I did catch up to him, I picked him up and hugged him. I told him we would walk down to the road together to meet daddy, that he should never go alone again. I didn’t explain all the dangers of his attempt to go alone. He would not have understood.

Jesus told us that he would never leave us nor forsake us, and that through him we can be with the Father. There are no words or deeds that will help us get closer to our Father than that we accept what has already been given to us in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Attempting to live in this world alone, without our Lord and Savior, holds dangers we cannot begin to fathom.

During this season of Advent, allow time each day to listen for the words of the Holy Spirit. Read the Book daily, and pray. Don’t go it alone.

Prayer: Father, in joy we remember the birth of Jesus. In love we receive him, and with a quiet and humble heart we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us to what is true and right in all matters of the heart, mind, and soul. Thank you, Heavenly Father.

 

Click here to view a beautiful print by Ron DiCianni called Never Alone.

Asking Permission to Copy

Well, I had written Mr. Dudash for permission to use his image in my journal page, but after he explained his terms of use, I decided not to keep the image on my page.

I liked his art work, but after I looked at all his other paintings, beautiful as they all are, I saw that the one I had chosen for this mornings earlier entry was the only image that I wanted.

He would have given me blanket permission for pre-approved use of his works, that is, for a yearly fee of $25 I could use his work if I asked before using the work, and he would even send me higher quality images whenever they were available. I thought it would be an excellent deal if I would be using many of the images all through the year, but I doubt I will be using them that much.

I understand his need to protect his work. Copyright for his work is held jointly by himself and other companies, so it gets complicated trying to protect the copyright.

People all over the internet could get hold of it and modify it, copy it, print it, and do whatever to it. Although that was not my original intent, I really have no control over what happens to it once I put it out there, so I removed the image.

If you would like to see the image I had there, here is a link to Michael Dudash's He Shall Hear My Voice. And if you really like his work, here is his website link.

So, journalers, before using art work you find on the internet, you have to ask permission.

 But most of you already knew that!

Advent Devotionals

The two previous entries are Advent Devotionals I wrote for the occasion. I want to include additional devotionals, possibly every day until Christmas, but they are only possible if I give myself the time, or take the time, to be still. I know many people read devotionals, writings that are reflective and Christ-centered, often resulting after one reads scripture and experiences its meaning in real life, not necessarily in that order.

I am going to try to use illustrations for my devotionals, as I have done in the previous two. I am in the process of requesting permission to copy these images from artists' websites, and other sources. I don't want to infringe on anyone's rights. I really liked the walking Magi image in the December 17 entry. I had emailed the owner to request permission to use the graphic, and he responded in a very nice email explaining why he liked the image of the magi:

"I really like that Magi image because it depicts the Magi as powerful and NOT someone to be played around with!  Additionally, anyone who is actively seeking the Christ may properly be called a Magi.  The Magi know that Christ is within them (I am the light that lights all Men - Christ) and once found leads the way to the kingdom of heaven which is "within" also (The kingdom of heaven is within - Christ)."

astroarchaelogist, John Charles Webb, Jr.

I'm still waiting, however, for Mr. Dudash's permission to use the image of his print. If he says no, I'll have to remove it. Copyright laws rule!

Still, I think for the purpose of illustrating a journal page, it shouldn't be any different than when I cut out a calendar page or magazine page and pasting it into my paper journal pages, which is something I have done many times. I love keeping my favorite images in the journals where I can see them again and again, and reflect on the words I wrote, often inspired by the picture.

Waiting

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.”

Psalm 130:5

 

Waiting. It is something we do every day, every season, every year. I remember as a third grader waiting for Christmas, of promised surprises beneath the decorated tree in our living room. There was a longing that I could not describe during those last few days of school before the holidays began. The giddiness and joy of waiting for Christmas morning was often more than I could bear. Something really big was going to happen! Songs and stories of the three Wise Men traveling from afar to bring their gifts to baby Jesus lying in a manger mixed easily with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty, and Santa Claus, fueling my already vivid imagination. If you had asked me then what I was waiting for, I would have said, “The presents! I’m waiting to get some presents!”

I look back on those early childhood Christmases, and I know now what I was waiting for then. I thought it was Santa Claus, the presents, and getting what I wanted, but that wasn’t it.

Advent is a time of waiting. We wait with a hope in our hearts that peace is real and achievable in our world, in our cities, our neighborhoods, our families, and in our hearts. We look to the seasonal lights blinking and sparkling from amongst trees, buildings, and lamp-posts, decorating the streets and our homes, and we listen to the telling and singing of stories and songs in our churches and our families to rekindle that spark of truth. It is what, as children, we knew in our hearts: that something very special is about to happen, something wondrous and marvelous!

Advent is that. Waiting for that really big event, the coming of our Savior, Jesus, the Messiah. My soul waits for the Lord. Where I wait, I cannot stand. Where I wait, I cannot speak. It is not about the presents . . . it is about His Presence!

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in you we have hope, and that hope is in our hearts as we move through this time of busy-ness and activity to get everything done. We come to a place of quiet and stillness now, this moment of the day, to seek your word, that we may take the word with us into the world in which we live and work. We wait for the morning light, the One true Light, Redeemer, and King. Amen.

The Innkeeper, The Shepherds, and The Wise Men

The Wisdom of Seeking the Messiah

Graphics above copied from What Saith the Scripture, "And Wise Men Came Bearing Gifts" by Tom duBois is provided courtesy of Christ-Centered Art" ---New Window.

Read Luke 2:8-16 and Matthew 2:1,2, 9-11

Did you ever wonder how it came to be that the shepherds and the wise men were mentioned in the story of Jesus’ birth as the ones who were to notice and welcome his arrival? Why not the people of the town of Bethlehem? Why didn’t anyone there know of the grand event about to take place amidst their population? Why didn’t the innkeeper recognize them?

I mean, for a people who were waiting for the coming of the Messiah, and for a people who were devout and practiced in the Jewish faith, why didn’t they know when the event was to take place? Didn’t they see the same bright star that called the shepherds and guided the wise men? It was practically in their back yards! It was right over them!

I think the answer can be found in what the shepherds and the wise men were doing when the star’s bright light caught their attention.

Shepherds in the field, were tending their flocks on gently rolling hills under a vast spread of dark sky and points of light, when the angel of the Lord appeared to them and brought them the good news. They immediately went to Bethlehem to discover what had happened.

The wise men, stargazers who knew the paths of the stars in the sky, studied the unusual celestial display, and understood that something phenomenal had taken place in the world. They traveled to Jerusalem to worship the new king, but were redirected to Bethlehem, where they found him.

The shepherds and the wise men were doing the work they were accustomed to doing. They all had their eyes turned to the skies. Noticing the brilliant light, they followed it to its source, and there found the babe who would take away all the sins of the world. They worshipped him in the quiet of the night, and left him gifts.

We must be like the shepherds and the wise men. We must continue what we normally do, living our life in the way we have been called. Whether tending our sheep in the field or studying the universe, we must also keep our eyes on Jesus. Unless we are looking to him, we will not see his magnificent glory in our lives or in the lives of others.

Without Jesus, we are like the people in Bethlehem who didn’t know, turning away the unborn Christ child.

I am like the innkeeper. I wonder how many “unborn” Christians I have turned away because I did not recognize Jesus in their lives?

Prayer: Father, as we work through each day, help us to see the Christ in others. May we become better servants and light bearers. This Advent, may we in expectation of your glory welcome the stranger who comes into our life. Amen.

        

                                                                               Magi walkingted States of America