A December to Remember

 

As I end this difficult year, I want to contact my blog family and friends to wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  It has been a year filled with challenges, but as of now, we are still in good health and very thankful for it. It seems everyone is ready for 2020 to go away and for the promise of 2021. Maybe we are expecting too much, but it will be interesting to see what happens.

A new Christmas star will appear on December 21, 2020 in the southwestern sky in the hour after sunset.  The alignment of Jupiter and Saturn will create a very bright star that can be seen by the naked eye. It has been 800 years since this great conjunction has occurred and another 60 in 2080 before it happens again.  Perhaps this is God’s gift to us to encourage us after a long, tough year.

As the Covid-19 vaccines begin to arrive in hospitals, labs, and drug stores across the country, there is hope on the horizon for better days ahead. It has been nearly a year of lockdowns, masks, and social distancing. Here in Georgia, we have lived an almost normal life, but we are tired of the masks and other precautions we have had to take.  Covid shut down our business and we are still trying to decide what to do next.  I am enjoying the peace and quiet and not feeling so rushed to accomplish something.  Charles has days when he is looking for his next adventure.

Christmas will be relatively quiet at the Dixon house. My Christmas came early when we had family for Charles’ birthday and Thanksgiving.  Rose Davis, Stuart’s daughter, spent four weeks with us before returning to Texas.

Last Saturday, we had high tea and other local granddaughter Alexa Davis joined us for the party.  A good time was had by all. 

On Christmas Day, two sons will join us for lunch and phone calls will be made to family spread far and wide in Texas, North Carolina, and Toronto, Canada.  I hope that you will be able to spend some time—virtual or in person—with those you love and reflect on the reason for the season of Christmas. 

May God bless you during this holiday when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 (KJV) 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

 

Woulda, Coulda, Shouda

There’s something about the Christmas and New Year’s season that makes us nostalgic—remembering holidays from the past.  The passage of time also makes us reflect on our lives and how we have lived.  Researchers from Cornell University questioned hundreds of senior adults about their most common regrets in life. Caitlin McCormack summarized for espresso blog “Older People’s Most Common Regrets.”

Pixabay Photo

·        Quitting school

·        Not taking career risks

·        Working too much

·        Not pursuing dreams

·        Not eating healthier

·        Not having kids

·        Not pursuing dreams

·        Not saving enough money

·        Worrying too much

·        Cheating on a partner

None of these deal with one of the most important pursuits we need to face in life.  What is our destination after this earthly life is over and how are we preparing for it?  Reaching the end of this physical life and realizing we have no relationship with God and are totally unprepared for the end, is a sobering thought.  The Christmas season is the perfect time to examine our faith in Jesus Christ, and to determine to take necessary steps to grow spiritually.

94-year-old Ophelia White from Ruston, Louisiana realized that her faith was not rooted and grounded and she didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ. She was baptized and began a closer walk with God.  She regrets not pursuing this path earlier in life.

It's never too late to reconnect with a church, get a devotional book to read in the new year, call someone who is ill to cheer them up, pray for God’s direction, share your faith journey with a neighbor, or give generously to a charitable cause.  Be proactive in facing the future and trust God to give you the strength for the future..

 

Thank you for another year of reading my blog musings.  2020 will be my eighth year to write. As long as you keep reading, I want to keep writing. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from 

Two Late Bloomers.

Crossing the Divide

Seventy-nine years ago this week, the 1.5 mile Lincoln Tunnel under the Hudson River was opened to traffic. Creative engineers constructed a safe path for travel under previously unpassable waters. For the first time, cars could drive from New Jersey and end up in New York City.  

This bit of trivia caused me to reflect on other events we are experiencing here at the year’s end that mark a beginning and an ending and sometimes cause us to tunnel through to the other side.

 Most folks will agree that the national election of 2016 was one of the most divisive in recent memory. And many will also agree they are very thankful that the election is over. As our country moves forward under new leadership many policies will end and new ones will be put in place. There will still be rough and tumble politics, but the uncertainty of who will lead the country for the next four years has been put to rest. 

Did you notice that today we had one more minute of daylight than we did yesterday? The Winter Solstice was the divide between fall and winter and the shortest day of the year. Everyday has 24 hours, but from June to December in the northern hemisphere the daylight hours grow shorter and the nighttime hours longer. These days can be tough for those who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder. For all of us, longer hours of daylight will be a welcome relief signaling the arrival of spring.

Christmas marks the greatest divide in human history. God broke into history by sending Jesus into the world. No longer was God a distant creator but a flesh and blood Savior who bore the sins and hope of all mankind. The great divide between man and God was broken down. Light and love replaced death and darkness for all who put their faith in Him. May you find time this Christmas season to open your hearts to the light of God through his son, Jesus Christ.

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; 

on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”  Matthew 4:16

On New Year’s Eve we will cross the divide from 2016 to 2017. Out with the old and in with the new. For some it is a lonely time as they remember the loss of family members and friends during the past year. I’m always glad for a fresh start and a new beginning. I resolve to make the next year better than the last—only to find my expectations don’t quite measure up to reality. My prayer is not just for a Happy New Year, but for a healthy, hopeful, and holy 365 days for each one of you.

Thank you for following my blog. See you in 2017.

Let There Be Peace on Earth

Many Christmas songs call for “Peace on Earth.”  As much as we would like a peaceful world, it’s easy to feel helpless when we see so much war and turmoil all over our planet. Maybe we need to look within to find peace in our own lives before we can impact our world.

In 2015 my friend, Tanya Hall, and I collaborated in writing 28 Advent devotionals for our church members to use during the weeks leading to Christmas. We used a stanza from the beloved Christmas song O Holy Night for each devotional. I’m pleased to post one of Tanya’s devotions where she shares her thoughts on the true source of peace.

O Holy Night

“His law is love and His gospel is peace.”

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14

What does peace mean to you? Is it the absence of conflict?  Is it really possible to experience peace in the midst of great conflict? According to the Bible, the peace given by God transcends all understanding. In other words–it doesn’t make sense. But we know God loves to work in the impossible. Many years ago I struggled with a situation that I could not move past. I was stuck. For seven years my mind and emotions were tormented. I could not enjoy the present, because I was stuck in the past. God did a healing in me that only He could do. He gave me a peace that transcended my understanding. I knew it was from God because nothing else I tried worked. His peace wrapped around my mind and emotions until I could rest from the battle.

God’s peace doesn’t make sense to the world yet it’s the world’s greatest need. Everybody is looking for peace. We all seek peace on earth, but it’s only in God that true peace resides. HE IS PEACE. He longs to fill you with His peace which abides in spite of earthy conflict. It truly transcends ALL understanding. The peace the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus has yet to be realized. It didn’t make sense to the chaotic world of Jesus’ time and makes no sense to our world today.

If you are lacking true peace, turn to Him. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.

 Lord,You are my peace in this chaotic world. Amen.

Wise men and women still seek Him.  

It's Christmas Time

My friend, Tanya, and I were blessed to write an Advent devotional booklet for our fellow church members to help them prepare for the Christmas season. Each one of our devotions was based on a verse from the beloved Christmas song, O Holy Night. Below is one of the devotions I wrote to remind us to celebrate the real reason for the season, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

O Holy Night

“Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!”

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good

news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town

of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the

Lord.”  Luke 2:10-11

The Mercy Me song, I Can Only Imagine, was very popular on Christian and secular radio a few years back. The beautiful lyrics of that song help our human heart and eyes to visualize what it will be like to be in God’s presence before the King of Kings.

The shepherds of the Bible actually saw what that song portrays. The angels’ sudden appearance over the hills of Bethlehem lit up the sky with the glory of God. The shepherds of the Bible were ostracized and considered unclean by Jewish society. Their lot in life was to guard and care for dirty sheep in relative isolation. Yet, those lowly Jews were the first to receive the good news of Jesus birth and an introduction to the King of Kings. They overcame their fear and hurried to find Mary, Joseph, and the newborn Savior. They willingly fell to their knees in worship.

Become aware of those around you who are on the fringes of society. During the Christmas season think of one thing you can do to share the good news with them.

God, it is so easy to look past those who don’t look like me and who live in a different part of town. Open my eyes to ways I can share your love with them. Amen!

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog posts in 2015. I wish you 

and your family a blessed Christmas and a joyful New Year.

An Orange Grove Parable

Spiritual insight can come from many places this time of year. Mine came in early November when Charles and I were heading home from our Florida vacation. The billboard on I-75 displayed pictures of beautiful citrus fruit with the invitation to take the next exit and pick your own. We are always eager to try something different so we followed the signs to a weather worn barn with green fruit displayed in bins. I was really surprised not to see orange colored navels and tangerines, and yellow grapefruit. The proprietor assured us that the displayed fruit was ripe, and that it only turns orange or yellow when exposed to cold temperatures, or sprayed with ethylene gas. I was not convinced, so we grabbed a ten pound mesh bag to fill on our own. We were given a word of caution, “You can pick fruit from any tree in the orchard, except the ones wrapped in crime scene tape.” 

We trekked into the orchard to find the low hanging fruit. Sure enough most of it was green, but a few tangerines and oranges looked better than the others and gave way when we gave them a gentle tug. Then we saw them, orange trees wrapped in yellow crime scene tape and covered with orange fruit. Those trees must have been exposed to cold air or gassed in anticipation of being sent to market. Like a little kid, I couldn’t stay away from those trees. I wanted to fill up my mesh bag with that fruit. With the proprietor's warning ringing in my ears, I dutifully continued to pull green fruit, but kept looking at the forbidden orange fruit in the middle of the orchard. 
 
Back on the road, it hit me. The account in Genesis of the first sin possibly took place in a fruit orchard. We all know the story of how Adam and Eve were told by God they could eat of any tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. God warned Adam if you eat of the forbidden fruit, you will die. And we know the rest of the story. Eve listed to the serpent, ignored God’s warning, and ate of the forbidden tree—then gave the fruit to Adam. The first sin entered into the world and people have been dealing with their sinful nature ever since.

Over two thousand years ago, God took on the form of a human baby, and came into our world for one purpose—to die in our place as the perfect sacrifice for our sinful nature. We can be forgiven of our sins and receive eternal life if we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. That is the real reason for the Christmas season and something to celebrate all year long.

Have a blessed Christmas.