Christmas in July

Christmas, Already?

I love the holidays. The golden turkey rightly enthroned, vacuum-clogging tinsel covering the floor, gifts scattered artfully under the tree - I love it all. In fact, if you listen closely you can catch me humming, “Hark, the Herald…” twelve months out of twelve. Christmas is my favorite time of year.

And yes, I have looked at the calendar recently. It is still July. With its searing heat, soaking humidity, and summer rains, December seems a long way off. Yet, as I reel from life’s ups and downs these past few weeks, my mind and heart can’t help but turn to Christmas - especially my favorite one, the Christmas that began all Christmases, that very first one.

To Kim, With Love

That year, in a humble stable, there were a myriad of gifts under God’s tree. Incredibly, some even bore my name. To: Kim, with love, From God. And over the years, I’ve eagerly torn open each one, discarded the manger-brown wrapping, and treasured them all.

God gives the best gifts, doesn’t He? They are the kind of gifts that keep on giving and giving. But the particular precious present I’ve hugged to myself throughout this shadowy week is that supreme gift, the gift of God, Emmanuel. God with us. God with Kim. Nothing could have ministered to me more.

God With Us

• When I wake up at 3:00 am, worries racing though my mind – He’s there.
• When I wake again, give in and get up, at 4:00 a.m. His smile lights my day.
• I read His Word; He speaks. It is good.
• As I work, He whispers His words of wisdom.
• As I seek to love, He loves through me.
• At last, I collapse in sleep and He sings songs over me in the night.
• Weary, the clock again read 3:00 a.m. He has not moved.
• Today, I will do it all again, but I am not alone.

Emmanuel – God with Kim. It’s the perfect gift, and I love it.

Merry Christmas.

Life is Hard

• It’s been a hard week at our house. You know the kind I mean, when your breath barely escapes and your heart threatens to break. One of those weeks, the kind of week that may indeed stretch into forever. Life is hard at times.
  
  I am so thankful to be able to say that my pervasive thought through the fear and through the tears is this: God is so good.

• God is good because He loves me enough to grow me through pain.
• He is good because He does what is best for me even when I disagree.
• He is good because all my life He has prepared me for this trial… and the next...and the next…
• God is good because He always provides even in the pain:
  
  through His love
  through His Word
  through friends
  through family
  through laughter
  through tears

So today, life is hard but God is good. Thus, my heart can’t help but sing:

Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name when the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s “all as it should be”
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

God is good. He is my foundation, my treasure, my wisdom, my comfort, and amazingly, He is my friend. He is everything.

Blessed be Your name, O Lord.

Cruising

Trivia Question: If you fill a hole, 1 ft. x 2 ft. x 3 ft. with dirt, how big is that hole? You will be happy to know that during trivia night on our Royal Caribbean Cruise, the Avery Family Team scored big with their correct answer of “0” (because once you fill a hole with dirt there is no more hole.) Unfortunately, we did not do as well on the others questions and missed out on the big prize – but the fun and laughter was worth the participation.

Needless to say, our cruise to Cozumel, Mexico was a big winner. John and Ron performed an amazing elephant dance. Bethany and I melted under a hot stone massage. Jonathan and his cousin Joey gorged themselves endlessly at the buffet and we all got to swim with the dolphins. From food, to family, to fun, cruising is definitely the life for me.

This week, I am thankful for God’s gracious seasons of life. While there is a time to work, there is also a time to play. This past week, my family got to play and we have returned rested, renewed, and reinvigorated. God is good.

The Year of Better Choices

I like to measure things. In fact, very few things in my life escape examination – how far can I run, how much do I weigh, how many have I done? So often, knowing how and where to improve will depend largely on how much progress I have made.

My sad realization however is this, some things just can’t be measured. The truly important attitudes and affections, such as my love for others, my heart towards God, and my spiritual journey with Christ, don’t line up well under the yardstick of my mind. Deep sigh. How will I ever grow and change if I can’t tell where I have been and what much further I have to go?

These pondering came to a head last month on my birthday. This annual event always provides an opportunity to evaluate my life in its most important areas. But alas, no adequate measurements or markers could be found.

Not so easily deterred from my relentless quest for more of Christ, I shifted my focus and the whole view changed. Instead of leaning forward towards definable results, I decided to look inward for a deeper obedience. I would concentrate on Christ in the tiniest of habits and trust Him to write my legacy. This year, the 365 days between one birthday and the next would be, “The Year of Better Choices.”

Whenever I face a decision, carrots or cake, compliance or complaint, others or self – with God’s help I will make the better choice. Scripture clearly promises that when I abide in Him, He will cause me to bear fruit. So, this year I will look less at the tree and more at the Gardener.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
II Corinthians 3:18

I made the determination. I have set up a journaling system. I even purchased and set up a countdown clock. Pray for me, only 322 days more to go.