The Wait

I hear that during this week's lunar eclipse that the animals were very still, very silent.  They anticipate something that nature is bringing so they hush.  They sit still. They gather their young and lay securely in their nests or beds, waiting. 

I think that this is what happened on earth the night of the birth of Christ.  I imagine that some people, caught up in their own business and importance, missed the pause. They hustled and bustled through their daily activities. But those in tune with God simply knew.  Their air was heavy with anticipation of something.  The wind ceased.  Animals were quite.  Birds hushed their singing.  No wolves howled or dog barked or horses neighed.   

The earth was silent.  She was waiting. 

Suddenly, after a young girl's cries of labor pains, a baby's cry broke the silence.  Angels appeared on a hill top to shepherds.  I'm guessing that birds began to sing much earlier than normal.  Young kids danced while old goats watched.  Horses neighed and whinnied while roosters crowed in the middle of the night.  Trees danced, even without a breeze, while grass swayed.  Rivers babbled a little more joyfully. 

The wait was over.  The Savior was born.  Redemption and hope lay in a manger in Bethlehem.  Isaiah 9:6 tells us "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

The wait is over.  Jesus has come. 

Let's tell the world. 

"Their children are a blessing"

We're making a big breakfast for the family this morning.  It's a lazy morning and a breakFEAST (as my teenagers call it) sounds like a great idea.  French toast is on the griddle, bacon is cooked, and eggs will be done soon.  Banana bread is in the oven.  Yum! 

Better than all of the delicious foods listed above is the fact that Mark and I are fortunate to be called children of God and along with that privilege comes this promise:  The godly always give generous loans to others,and their children are a blessing." Psalm 37:26

Do you know what that means?  That means that our children, all five of them (and the others that we consider children) are blessings regardless of the day, their attitude, our attitude, their address, their state of life in this very minute, our frustrations, busy schedules, whatever.

God has promised us this in His word.  They are blessings - encouragements, special favors, mercies, and benefits (www.m-w.com).  They are no accidents in our lives.  God has given them to us for reasons that He had in mind and part of that reason is blessing.  They are favors or gifts bestowed by God (www.dictionary.com). 

Take a look around you at the children placed in your life.  God has given them to you; they are blessings. Be thankful.  Enjoy them today. 

Bless Your Heart

I’m not terribly familiar with colloquialisms or slang from regions other than the south but I know that we have some good ones that make me proud to be southern. We eat our Sunday lunch at Mama-n-ems’ house and we are aware that fixin' in no way means we are going to solve your problem, rather it means that we are about to take action (I’m fixin to eat). Every good Southerner knows that he needed killin’ when presented as a defense at a murder trial causes the jury to nod their heads and understand that this incident in question, however unfortunate it may have been, was necessary.

There is, however, one expression that I cannot make my peace with. This is the ever-famous Bless Your Heart. To those that hail from above the Mason-Dixon line this phrase, at first glance, seems endearing. It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling - until you hear how it is used. (For the record, Mark says that bless your heart is the Southern kiss of death). Try these examples:

“She just can’t stay away from the dessert table at the buffet, bless her heart”
“He is just not right in the noggin, bless his heart”
“If it weren’t for bad luck those poor folks would have no luck at all, bless their hearts”

We’re so busy blessin’ the hearts of others that we don’t take time to see their hurts or take a minute to help them. Merriam Webster says that a blessing is a thing conducive to happiness or welfare or approval and encouragement. Nothing about the southern bless your heart is encouraging. In my experience, this is our way of masking our insults while making ourselves feel better about what we just said.

God blesses us all of the time – He is good. Since I am not only a good southerner but I am His child, I have made a decision that I’m fixin’ to watch my words and make sure that the next bless your heart is sincere and offered with my Father’s love.

Y’all come back, hear?