New years are so hopeful.  It’s a time when many of us think everything is possible; a time when we think this is the year we’re really going to lose weight, start eating better, do more exercise, etc.  And we really believe it . . .  for about three months. By then we realize the year might be new but we’re still the same, with the same old habits; the same old weaknesses. 

Well, this new year is going to be a little different.  Yes, I plan on going on a diet, eating better, doing more exercise, etc., but most of all I plan on spending more time with God, reading the Word, getting closer to the only One who can make me other than the “same old me”.  It’s in and through God that real change comes.  I sometimes forget that and think I can do it on my own, or rather that I should be able to do it on my own.

I love the Amy Grant song that talks about “being good is just a fable, I just can’t ‘cause I’m not able.”  And this year I think that’s where I’m going to start.  I’m going to acknowledge that I “can’t ‘cause I’m not able.”  I’m going to ask God for His strength to begin this new year, for His strength to do the things I should; to make the changes I need to make. After all, He’s the God of new beginnings; the God that makes all things new.  Now that’s change I can believe in!

Wishing you all a happy year of new beginnings!

Until next week,

Sylvia

Check this story out. It sounds incredible.

The powerful benevolent ruler of a vast kingdom was so grieved over the thought that he had to banish his disobedient subjects from his face forever, that he transformed himself, left the splendor of his mountain top palace and came to dwell in the crime ridden valley of those very subjects.  For years he walked among them, teaching them how to live, showing by example the meaning of love.  But most of his subjects never believed he was the great king everyone talked about.  Many made fun of him, others spoke evil against him, still others proclaimed him a fraud.  But he patiently endured it all because he had a plan, a plan so incredible that even his enemies were stunned.

The king’s domain was enormous, and included other subjects that dwelled in his mountain top kingdom, subjects far superior to those living in the crime riddled valley.  A king over such a kingdom could never rescind his decree or be perceived to show favoritism.  No.  Once he proclaimed something into law, it was cut in stone, and had to be satisfied.  The penalty for treason was death; a death so terrible it meant banishment forever into a realm of darkness far from his kingdom of light. And there was only one thing that could satisfy the great king’s justice—an innocent life had to be give up for the guilty. And so, he decided to pay the penalty himself.  In fact, that was his plan all along.  From the foundation of his kingdom, he had planned to lay down his life for the very ones who mocked him, called him names, considered him a fraud. That was the only reason he had transformed himself into a little baby, born in a manager, in an insignificant village, to a humble virgin. Who can explain a love so great?  Or a plan so wonderful and shocking all at the same time?

But it’s true. It happened when Jesus, the King of Kings, the Ruler of the Universe, the Creator of all things came to the crime filled streets of earth with the sole purpose of saving us from banishment to hell.  And it’s up to us what we do with it.  Will we ridicule Him? Speak evil against Him? Proclaim Him a fraud? Or accept what He has done and acknowledge he has paid for our crimes? Acknowledge that because He has, we have a place with Him forever in His great kingdom?

Wishing you the peace, and joy, and hope and promise of Christmas.

Until next week,

Sylvia

So many people have called my husband a “loveable Teddy Bear.” And he is. And this week, someone at work came up to him and in front of a group of people began telling him how kind, nice, thoughtful he was.  The person went on and on, and out of embarrassment my husband walked away.

The point is this, we seldom realize how much we affect others.  We think our lives are small, filled with ordinary jobs, laundry, cooking, cleaning, and a hundred other mundane chores.  We don’t live the large life of a Billy Graham, a man with a giant footprint. And because we believe this we think we can’t make a difference. Nothing is further from the truth.  Each of us will touch hundreds of people in our lifetime, and impact them for either good or bad. 

A friend of mine loves to sing.  But because someone told her long ago she couldn’t carry a tune, she claims she won’t even sing in the shower.  Karen Carpenter, the famous 70s singer, once read a newspaper article about her brother, Richard, where, in one small sentence, the reporter called her the chubby little sister.  From that day on being thin became an obsession, and she battled an eating disorder for years until it finally claimed her life. 

These are obvious negative impacts. But the reverse also holds true.  How many times has a kind word here, a smile there, lifted our spirits? How many times has just the right word stopped us from doing something stupid? Made us dare to follow our dream, or not quit at something? We may not leave a giant footprint, like Billy Graham, but we’re all going to leave our thumbprints on the people who cross our lives.  And the thing is, we’ll probably never know the far reaching impact we’ve had on them until we get to the other side of glory.

In this season of good will and cheer, it’s easy to want to go that extra mile to be kind to someone, to spend more time listening, to care more for others. And that’s a good thing.  But let’s not forget that when the tree is packed away and the tinsel taken down and stashed in the attic for another year, people are still going to need plenty of good will, and it’s up to us whether or not we make a positive imprint on their lives.

Until next week,

Sylvia

Christmas is in the air.  The lights, the music, the holiday rush make it an exciting time. I’ve spent hours shopping.  Even more hours decorating my house so it will look “magical” when the grandkids come.  Next to Easter, this is the most wonderful time of year for a Christian. I feel both joy and excitement as I get ready to participate in the biggest birthday party in the world.  Our God, our Savior, our King, our Friend came to earth as our Kinsman Redeemer over 2000 years ago, and millions are preparing to celebrate. 

I think of them now.  They are my brothers and sisters in Christ.  But I also think of the many who will go through the motions this season only because it’s “tradition,” and not a matter of the heart.  They celebrate because that’s how their parents did it, or because that’s what everyone else does, or because they don’t want their kids to miss out on the presents and fun. Their house will be decorated, too, their shopping done but there will be no room in the inn of their heart for the One who loves them, who gave Himself for them, who longs to whisper in their ear and call them, “friend.”

Tradition can be a fine thing, but it can’t warm the heart or strengthen resolve or heal a troubled mind.   There is only One who can do that, and He’s too much of a gentleman to barge in uninvited.  If ever there was a time when we needed to open that door and invite Him in, it is now.

I pray this season will be filled with good health and joy.  But most of all I pray that room will be made in the inn of your heart for the One whose birth we celebrate.

Until next week,

Sylvia

Thanksgiving has made most of us take inventory of all the things we have to be grateful for: freedom, family, friends, a roof over our heads, clothes, food, health, a job. The list is endless.  God has been good to us. We are a blessed nation.  And most of us God lovers are greatly blessed individually, as well. But what would happen if we lost some of these blessings?  Would we still be grateful?  Still have an attitude of gratitude? Still believe God loved us?

“Americans don’t know how to do poor.” That’s what one Peruvian woman said who grew up in an 8x10 dirt floor shack with ten others. I think for the most part she’s right. I spent some of Thanksgiving listening to people who have traveled to places where entire populations had little freedom, clothing, food, shelter, or health. We take so much for granted.  And we American Christians often take God for granted, too.  We equate prosperity with our reward from God.  Some even believe it’s their due.  We’ve come to think like the world thinks. If we perform well, do all the “right” things, then God will bless us. But what if the blessings don’t continue to come? Or are removed altogether?  Does that mean God no longer favors us? 

It’s true that often God’s judgment for sin comes in the form of hardship, depravation, suffering.  It’s not true that hardship, depravation and suffering always mean God’s judgment or disfavor. After all, since the Bible says it rains on the just and unjust alike, the reverse is true: drought (or a down-turn economy) can affect both the just and unjust. Sometimes God allows hard times to come our way even when we’re doing everything “right”. Why?  Because He loves us.  Because He wants to forge our character, to sandpaper those rough edges of ours, to train us, to bring us into a deeper place with Him. Think back.  Wasn’t it during those difficult times that you learned the most?  Grew the most as a person?

Some of us are facing tough times now. Many others will probably face them before too long.  A portion of these problems might be self inflicted. If they are we can learn from them as well. But others are inflicted upon us.  No matter what the case, we can learn and grow. And if we have an attitude of gratitude, if we trust God to see us through, we can end up on the other side better than when we began. 

As we near the end of a difficult 2009 and look forward to an uncertain 2010, let us keep our eyes on God, the One who is our refuge and strength in times of trouble.

Until next week,

Sylvia

I don’t particularly like shopping. My idea of it looks something like this: If I’m with friends I go to one store, make a quick purchase, then spend the next three hours in a coffee shop, talking. If I shop alone, I wear sneakers, bring a list and make like a marathon runner. So for someone like me, it’s essential I make my excursions pleasant, especially the big ones like Christmas shopping.

One of the ways I accomplish this is by making lists throughout the year. Listening to family and friends when they say things like, “Oh, I love that!” or “Someday I’m going to get this;” or “I really need that;” will give you ideas. Write them down. These things, plus stocking stuffers, can be picked up throughout the year, way in advance of the Christmas rush, thus trimming your list to a manageable size. Another tip: shop early. I try to get even those “last minute” items before Thanksgiving (though I haven’t quite managed it this year). I’ve good reasons for doing this. After Thanksgiving it is harder to get a salesclerk to help you; the lines are longer at the cash register; and many popular items are already picked-over or sold out.

Over the years I’ve learned that the two biggest stress factors in a holiday like Christmas is 1) time 2) money.  Spreading out your shopping time, as well as your expenditures, will make for a happier holiday season.  And isn’t that what we all want?  To really enjoy the holidays with family and friends?  Doing the above makes this possible for me. But most importantly, it gives me the stress-free time to reflect on Jesus. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season.

Until next week,

Sylvia

I’ve often heard people say when talking about a problem, “Oh, I’d never bother God with that, He has more important things to do.”  Well, nothing could be further from the truth.  True, the world is full of tribulation: wars, famine, financial collapse, you name it. And true, our problems most often don’t come near that level.  But what’s not true is that God doesn’t care about them, or that He’s too busy.

To prove my point I’ll share this.  A while back I lost one of my gold earrings, an ultrathin triangular piece, the size of a thumbnail.  It was the first pair of earrings my husband ever bought me so it was high in sentimental value, though moderate of cost, and I dearly wanted it back. So I prayed and asked God to help.  Three days later I found it on my front door step!  I had been going in and out of my house for days and never saw it.  But now it sat, stem up and in perfect condition, just as if someone had placed it there. I was overjoyed, and praised God for his kindness.  But because it was a pierced earring, I needed the back, that little lentil-size piece that holds the earring in the ear. Now I could have used any backing. After all, who looks behind your ears?  And if I never found it, it would be okay.  But . . . since I knew God could do anything, I asked Him to kindly help me find this, too. A few days later, while vacuuming my living room rug, a tiny gold object suddenly flipped into the air (obviously from the motion of the vacuum, and which the vacuum could easily have sucked up).  And yes, you guessed it! It was the back of my earring!

Now why did God even care about my earring? Such a trivial thing? Because I cared about it, and because He cares about me. And He cares about you, too. About the things that are important to you.  Nothing is too little or inconsequential for His notice. Remember, this is the God who knows the very number of the hairs on your head!  Don’t forget that when next you’re down or in need. God truly does love you.

Until next week,

Sylvia

Every year in November my married daughter begins baking the gazillion cookies that go into her 48 Christmas cookie boxes—the list continues to grow—which she gives to neighbors, friends, associates. Because of the sheer number of cookies she bakes, she only makes those that freeze well. She’s learned from experience that trying to bake this many around the time she’s ready to give out her boxes is a sure recipe for frazzled nerves. 

So this week she baked the second of the seven varieties she’s planning for the holidays, 18 dozen Puckle Warts (Pecan Fingers), and happily I was her “helper.” My job was to roll her dough into logs before she baked them.  It was a sweet time together, time we both carved out of busy schedules.  And it brought back memories of the days when I was the “baker” and she was the “helper.” She’s far surpassed me now, being more creative and daring in the baking department than I ever was. 

We laughed and talked and drank tea and sampled the “goods.” And I realized that just as when she was young and we did these kinds of things together and made sweet memories, so we continue to make them even now. And it made me realize once again, that most of the sweet memories in life are usually carved out of busy schedules.  Life doesn’t often hand us time for those special moments with those we love.  We must grab them, fight for them, set aside other things, perhaps even important things, in order to have them.

As we enter the busy holiday season it’s good to remember that memories will be made no matter what we do. But whether they will be fuzzy and dull, bitter, or sweet, is up to us.

By the way . . . if you have any favorite family Christmas cookie recipes you’d like to share, I’ll post them on my blog site during the Holidays. Your name will be entered in a drawing and after Christmas I’ll send the winner an autographed copy of one of my books. You can choose which one.

Until next week,

Sylvia  

Last week my grandchildren had their Fall Festival at school. The kids in the lower grades wore costumes and marched along the main thoroughfare. Then followed games, face painting, shows, multiple moon-walkers, and food.  My grandkids loved it. So did I.

But it was interesting on another level, especially if you’re a student of human nature—fallen human nature. Since this was not my first festival I knew what to expect. It happens every year.  First, dozens of kids wore masks with their costumes, which is a violation of the rules.  Secondly, big buckets filled with a gazillion little prizes were stationed by each game.  The games were easy.  The idea was for everyone to win something.  When the inevitable win occurred the student was instructed to take ONE prize out of the bucket: a spider ring or whistle or small bottle of bubbles or a pencil or . . . Well, you get the idea.  But what always happens is that most of the big kids, instead of just taking one, take a handful.  Needless to say, the buckets were empty within two hours. 

I won’t even get into the negative lessons parents are teaching their kids by allowing them to break the rules, I’ll just focus on why I think they or their kids break them. It’s because they believe they’re above the rules; that these rules don’t really apply to them.  Anyone with children or grandchildren knows that most kids love to push the envelope, to see how far they can go.  It’s a game they play and if left unchecked, can damage their character.

But it’s a game God’s kids play, too.  Don’t we break His “rules”?  The rules He’s laid down in His Word? Don’t we sometimes pick and choose what we like?  Oh, we love the part that tells us how much God cares for us; how much He wants to bless us.  But the other stuff? Does it really apply to us?

For instance, Jesus couldn’t have meant it when he said we commit adultery when we lust in our minds. Surely we don’t have to make a covenant with our eyes.  We can watch those “R” rated movies.  That rule doesn’t apply to us. And Jesus couldn’t have been serious about loving our enemies and doing good to those that hate us.  Clearly He’s never had to work with Nasty Nancy or spend a holiday with Uncle Bubo. If He had, He’d understand why we could never follow that rule. And as for turning the other cheek, He surely couldn’t have meant that. Our cheeks, and hearts, would look like raw chop meat if we had to forgive everybody. So forget that one.

And do we really have to pay attention to all those other things in God’s Word that make us uncomfortable? After all, shouldn’t the church just try to get along? Fit in? Not make waves? We don’t want to turn people off, do we?  This business about being salt and light, well . . . Jesus always could turn a colorful phrase. 

And so, we, the body of Christ, the Church, too often pick and choose the “rules” we want to follow. And this to the detriment of our character or rather Christ’s character which is supposed to be reflected in us.  And instead of reflecting Christ, we end up reflecting the world.  Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”(John 14:15)  He also said his sheep know his voice and follow Him. (John 10:3-4) And we follow His voice by following His Word. Oh, how I want to follow Him. Don’t you?

Until next week,

Sylvia

Health Care is a key issue these days. And no doubt there will be some kind of bill passed by our government in the months to come. But did you know that God has a Health Care Plan, too? And it’s all laid out in His word.

First, there’s His prevention program which involves eating the right things like vegetables and legumes, and avoiding the wrong, like pork and shellfish. Shellfish, especially, can be laden with toxins.

 His prevention program also includes such things as managing our emotions by not letting the sun go down on our anger (Eph 4:26); maintaining a clear conscience (Ps 32:1-3); filling our mind with those things that are true, honest, and pure (Phi 4:8); and having a merry heart for it is like medicine (Pr 17:22).

But what if you’re already sick?  God covers that too, and instructs those who are sick to be anointed and prayed over by the elders of their church and that “the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:14-15).  He tells us that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5); that he forgives us our sins and heals our diseases.(Ps 103:3); that if we serve Him only He will take away our sickness (Exodus 23:25); that if we had the faith of a mustard seed we could move mountains (Matthew 17:20).

Right about now you’re probably rolling your eyes and saying, “oh no, she’s one of those who doesn’t believe in doctors!” But I do.  I believe God often uses them to heal us.  But what I’m saying is that too often doctors are the only solution we seek, to the exclusion of the other wonderful options in God’s plan. 

We’ve had a lot of sickness in our family these past three years and God has used all of the above to bring about a most wondrous healing: diet, faith in His Word, and doctors.   Now that’s what I call a comprehensive Health Care Program.

Until next week,

Sylvia