Keeping Christ In 2013

“And so this is Christmas.  And what have you done.  Another year over.  And a new one just begun…”  John Lennon – “So This is Christmas” lyrics.

It’s December 31, 2012.  These lyrics play in my head as I sit contemplating the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013.

I’ve “put away” Christmas for another year.  The tree was undecorated on the weekend and hauled off to the recycle centre where it will resurface as mulch in one of the town parks in the spring.

The Christmas gifts have settled into their new homes around the house.  The decorations are packed in the Rubbermaid bin and stashed under the stairs for another eleven months.

This morning I lit the three tea lights that haven’t burnt away to nothing in the nativity set.  No point wasting them – might just as well use them up before packing it away.

I gaze contemplatively at it.  A thought strikes me.  How ironic.  Each figure in the scene has a lit candle – the angel, the shepherds, the kings.  All of them except the figure of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.

I wonder if that’s a telling reflection of my life.   When I pack up Christmas for the next eleven months, do I pack up Jesus?  Do I put out the light of Christ for the year, only conveniently pulling it out to be relit for one month at Christmas?

Did my priorities from 2012 reflect this?  Did I make Christ the center of my life, or did I choose to worship other things.  Other priorities…busyness, work, money…instead of Christ’s priorities…relationships, service, and community.

Jesus is the centre of the nativity scene.  Without him there wouldn’t be a nativity scene…no angels or shepherds or kings. 

It’s the start of a new year.  What does 2013 hold?  New beginnings, new commitments, new goals, new vision.  A year full of promise, not yet sullied with hardship or struggles.

I refuse to pack away Christ’s light just because Christmas is over.  In 2013 I want His light to burn brightly in my life.  I want it to shine through me, enabling me to love and serve others so they can see and share in Christ’s light.

What does 2013 hold for you?  Will you pack up Jesus when you pack up Christmas, or will you choose to keep His light burning strong in your life through this new year that’s about to start?

Please share your thoughts on how to keep Christ’s light burning throughout the year by clicking on “comments” below.

Luke 1:36-38 - Contagious Love

MEMORY VERSE:
“What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age!  People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month.  For nothing is impossible with God.’  Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true.’  And then the angel left her.” 
Luke 1:36-38  (NLT)

Today we lit the fourth candle on the advent wreath.  The candle symbolizing love.

How Mary loved God!  She gave her life to bear God’s son.  She says, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true.”

Mary couldn’t foresee the pain she would endure in being Jesus’ mother.  But she did understand the trials she would face when her family and the community she lived in realized she was pregnant.

Despite her uncertain future, she gave up plans she had for her life to follow God’s plan.  She loved her God.

And how God loves us!  How Jesus loves us!  He gave up his kingdom in heaven to come to earth as a helpless child.  He grew up and endured scorn, ridicule, hatred, suffering, and death for us. 

Jesus gave up His life because He loves us.  How do we respond to a love that runs so deep it surpasses our understanding?

You can respond by choosing to ignore Jesus and deny His existence.  Or, you can respond with love.  Love for Jesus and love for God.

And here’s the cool thing…love is contagious!  When you respond to God with love, you find yourself responding to people all around you with love, too. 

Mary responded to the angel with love and sacrifice.  Jesus responded to us with love and sacrifice.

Christmas Day is just a few days away.  How will you respond to the helpless baby lying in a stable?

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’  Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen?  I am a virgin.’  The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.  What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age!  People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month.  For nothing is impossible with God.’  Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true.’  And then the angel left her.” 

Luke 1:30-38 (NLT)

Luke 1:34-35 - Conflicted Joy

MEMORY VERSE:

“Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen?  I am a virgin.’  The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”  Luke 1:34-35 (NLT)

 

 

 

Today we lit the third candle in the advent wreath…the candle of Joy.

As I read through these two scripture verses I wonder what Mary thought.  How many conflicted emotions raced through her mind?  Did she have cause to be joyful?

Earlier in verse 31 the angel tells her she’s going to conceive and give birth to a son.  Mary’s not stupid.  Now she asks “But how can this happen?  I am a virgin.” 

In her world a pregnancy outside of marriage is a death sentence.  And the sentence is carried out by stoning.  Why would she rejoice over this news?

But the angel continues his message and tells Mary, “So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”

Wow!  Two conflicting events…imminent death…and the birth of the promised Messiah.  How do you process that information?  How do you respond?

I suspect Mary felt a mixture of fear, anger, doubt, resentment, excitement, hope, and yes, even joy.  So often we hold joy in tension with other emotions in our lives.

 

Where are you today?  What conflicting emotions live in your heart?  Are there things you have cause to rejoice over even if life isn’t perfect?

• Your home
• Your family
• Your job
• Food on your table
• Time with friends
• A safe place to worship
• Your car
• An education
• A warm bed to sleep in
• Money to pay your bills

Your family may not be perfect.  You may not have the job of your dreams.  But if you dig deeply enough you’ll probably still find some reason to be joyful in this Advent season.

I pray for a little piece of joy to permeate each reader’s life this week.  May you receive it, recognize it, and rejoice in it.

God bless.

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.  Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen?  I am a virgin.’  The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”  Luke 1:30-35

Orange Chocolate Snowballs

Last year I posted a recipe for snowballs and cherry snowball candy made with mashed potato.  I know it sounds weird, but they're actually quite tasty.

A few weeks ago, after making the annual Christmas snowballs, my husband and I had an impromptu fruit fondue with the left over melted chocolate.  There's something just so incredibly yummy about the taste of chocolate and orange!

My brain started working and I thought...orange chocolate snowballs.

So for anyone wanting to experiment with some tasty Christmas candy here are some guidelines for orange snowballs.

1 small to medium sized potato
Grated peel from one large orange (navel, not mandarin)
Approximately 1 cup icing sugar (this will vary based on the size of potato)
1 tsp. orange extract
Drop of red and yellow food colouring
Semi sweet baker's chocolate, or dark chocolate dipping wafers

Boil the potato until done.  Mash it and allow it to cool.  Put into mixing bowl with the grated orange peel.  Beat in 1 cup icing sugar and 1 tsp. orange extract.  Add a couple of drops of yellow food colouring and one red - enough to make a light orange tint. 

Beat in enough icing sugar to make a soft dough. 

Roll into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.  Allow them to set for two or three hours. 

Melt chocolate.  Place rolled snowball on fork held over chocolate pot.  Spoon chocolate over snowball, then use a knife to slide the snowball onto the waxed paper.

Voila, an orange, chocolaty treat!

Luke 1:32-33 - Preparation

MEMORY VERSE:

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”  Luke 1:32-33

 

 

It’s the second Sunday in the Advent season.  This morning we lit the candle of preparation.

What are you preparing for...Christmas?  And what is Christmas…A joyful time of celebrating a new birth?  But what if you don’t feel much like celebrating?

Perhaps your time of preparation this Christmas season isn’t for something as joyful as a new birth.

Maybe you’re preparing for a lay off from your job.  Perhaps you’re preparing to face the loss of someone very close to you who’s ill…a spouse, a sibling, or a child. 

 

Maybe you’re preparing to do battle against cancer, or depression, or anxiety.  Or perhaps you’re preparing to face the loss of your marriage, and with it, your hopes and dreams for the future.

This week I find myself reflecting back 29 years when my mother was preparing us (her family) to continue our lives without her.  She knew she was losing the daily battle for survival against what was then a deadly disease…lymphoma.

Being young, I was shielded from the details, but I imagine these weren’t preparations she wanted to make that Advent season.  She had a husband who loved her and three children, ages 15, 19, and 22, who she desperately wanted to see grow up into adulthood.

She knew that wasn’t going to happen, so she prepared by writing each of us a letter that would be given to us after she died.  She and Dad planned Christmas that year.  We would have Christmas whether she was there to share in it or not.

On December 10, 1983, she lost her battle, but the plans and preparations she made for our future continued.

Advent is a time of preparation.  The preparation you’re engaged in may not be pleasant.  But Advent is also a time of hope.  A time of finding light in the darkness.

I pray that all of you reading this today will find a ray of hope in your time of preparation this year.

God bless!

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.’  “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 

Luke 1:30-33  (ESV)

Luke 1:30-31 - Mysterious Yearnings

MEMORY VERSE:

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.’”  Luke 1:30-31 (ESV)

Snow falls, Christmas music plays, Starbucks is filled with shiny red mugs, decorations glitter on streets, and friends and family gather together.

Something dances like a tingling ball in the pit of my stomach.  (No it’s not irritable bowel) It’s a sensation of anticipation and of yearning.

Anticipation of what?

This is the first week of advent.  On Sunday, Christians around the world lit the first advent candle.  The candle of Hope.  Perhaps I’m yearning for hope in this world.

I wonder what Mary yearned for as she carried the Christ child in her womb.  Did she tingle with hope for the future as she awaited the birth of her miracle baby? 

The words from the song, “Mary Did You Know” resonate in this season. 

 

Take a few quiet moments to think about this song.  Let your imagination carry you into the mind of a frightened young mother waiting for the birth of an unknown child.

How could she have any idea of this baby’s future?

“Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to the blind man?

Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm the storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

When you kiss your little baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect lamb?

The sleeping child you’re holding is the Great, I Am.” (See reference for lyrics below)

These words send shivers up my spine.  How could she have known? 

I wonder, if she did know what was to come in her son’s life, would she have had the courage to say, “Yes” to the angel when he told her God’s plan?

If we knew everything we'd face in our lives would we have the courage to carry on?  Perhaps it’s best not to know everything. 

Like Mary, God prepares us for what is to come by gradually revealing His plan for our lives.  He helps us grow and mature so we’re ready to face the challenges when they do come.

Advent is a time of anticipation, a time of waiting, a time of hoping, a time of wondering, a time of reflection.  There’s a sense of mystery in the air.  Something we can’t quite completely understand, but something we yearn for deep inside.

I pray that you find hope in this season of mysterious yearning. 

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.’” 

Luke 1:30-31 (ESV)

 

 

Lyrics for "Mary Did You Know" taken from A-Z Lyrics - Clay Aiken Lyrics.  Song originally written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/clayaiken/marydidyouknow.html .  

Cranberry Almond Bark

Looking for a sweet, crunchy holiday treat?  Cranberry almond bark is almost as easy to make as it is to eat!





HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:
8 cups white chocolate
1 1/2 cups roasted almonds (if you can't find roasted almonds buy regular baking almonds and roast them yourself)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

TO ROAST ALMONDS:
Spread almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes.  Make sure you don't burn them.  Let cool.  Chop coarsely (it's OK to have some whole almonds).

PREPARE PAN:
Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate over hot water.  Stir in almonds and cranberries.  Pour mixture into parchment paper lined cookie sheets.  Chill.  Break into chunks and enjoy!

1 Chronicles 29:11 - Who's Running This World?

MEMORY VERSE:
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty.  Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom.  We adore You as the one who is over all things.” 
1 Chronicles 29:11 (NLT)

Does God really have power over all things?  Consider a few headlines from this week…

• “Israel Intensifies Attacks Despite Peace Talks”
• “$2M in Christmas Toys Missing from Salvation Army”
• “Body of Turkish Ex-Leader Shows Signs of Poisoning”
• “At U.S. Public Meeting Fights Over Prayer Drag On”
• “Bomb in Damascus Refugee Camp Kills Four”
• “Child Soldiers On Front Lines of Congo Conflict”
• “Radio Host Calls Montreal Jewish Population Annoying”

Injustice screams in bold capital letters from newspaper and internet headlines.  It infiltrates our backyards – murder on our city streets, teenage prostitutes in the down town core, babies on the streets with homeless parents, meth labs, grow ops…I could keep going but I don’t think I need to beleaguer the point.

This past weekend I was visiting my step-mother in Manitoba where we attended her church, MacGregor United.  It was a traditional worship service and I enjoyed the older hymns as a change from contemporary worship music.

I found the words from the hymn, “This Is My Father’s World” particularly encouraging…

“This is my Father’s world.  O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.”

At times I find myself doubtful about who’s really running this world and I ask hard questions.  “Does God know what’s going on down here?”  “Does He care?”  “Has He given up on us?”

I find hope though when I read scripture verses like 1 Chronicles 29:11, and sing the reassuring words from hymns like, “This is My Father’s World”.

Yes, God knows!  Yes, He cares! No, He hasn’t given up!

Evil still roams over the earth BUT this world is GOD’S kingdom.  We may not see it.  At times we even find it difficult to believe.  But regardless of what we read in the headlines God still is in control. 

The hymn says, “Jesus Who died shall be satisfied, and earth and Heav’n be one.”  We’re still on the front lines of the battle but we know the outcome. 

Jesus already conquered sin and death and one day evil and injustice will be a thing of the past.

Things To Think About:

Do we have reason to hope despite the dismal daily headlines?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty.  Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom.  We adore You as the one who is over all things.”  1 Chronicles 29:11 (NLT)

Psalm 118:24 - Difficult Rejoicing

MEMORY VERSE:

“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

In psalm 118 the psalmist rejoices over the things God has done for him.  Sometimes rejoicing comes naturally.  Other times it’s as foreign as eating chocolate covered cockroaches.  We can’t summon up the enthusiasm or energy to even attempt to rejoice.

Some days are difficult from the time you open your eyes in the morning to the time you close them at night.  There are many reasons for difficult days.

Maybe you’re grieving the loss of a family member or friend.  Maybe you’re feeling the effects of the chemotherapy or radiation treatments.  Maybe you’re desperate to help a depressed teenager.  Maybe you’ve lost your job and feel you’ve let down your family. 

I think of this verse, “this is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” when I sing Matt Redmond’s worship song, “Ten Thousand Reasons”.  Think about these words…

“The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes…”

What incredible lyrics!  On the grey days when I don’t feel like rejoicing there’s a prayer I need to proclaim.  Whatever happens during the day, I pray that at the end of it, I’ll still be able to say without a doubt, “God is good”.   I pray that I’ll be thankful for His presence and provision throughout the day.

Things To Think About:

Are you having trouble rejoicing?  Listen to Matt Redmond’s song, “Ten Thousand Reasons” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E .  Pray to God and remind yourself of His provision and blessing.  Can you find a reason to rejoice in the midst of difficulty?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

Colossians 3:23-24 - The Christian's CEO

MEMORY VERSE:

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”  Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT)

Do you struggle out of bed every morning, reluctantly drag your feet into the office, and put in a dismal day just to collect a pay cheque?  Or, do you get up anticipating what lies ahead, enjoy your work, and thrive on the challenges it presents?

Let’s be honest.  No one enjoys their work 100% of the time.  There are times in my job when I can’t satisfy my customers, I fall short of my employer’s expectations, and I make mistakes.

Last week I took a phone call from a customer who burst into tears on the phone.  She had a deadline to meet, was stressed beyond belief, and the product we shipped didn’t meet her deadline requirements.

This phone call came four hours into a fourteen hour drive.  I parked on the side of the highway, connected my laptop to the internet via a rocket stick, and did everything within my power to resolve her problem. 

Did I enjoy that day?  No!  Why did I do it?  Because it was the right thing to do for the customer!

If you’re working in a ministry role it’s fairly easy to remember you’re serving God on a daily basis.  What about those of us who don’t work in ministry?  Are we still serving God every day?

The scripture from Colossians answers this question.  Yes, regardless of what your job is…serving food, cleaning toilets, pumping gas, closing business deals, greeting customers, trading stocks…you’re serving God.  You honour God when you commit your best to the job you’ve been given.

Tomorrow morning, if you came into work and found Jesus sitting behind the CEO’s desk, what would your attitude be?  Would you complain your way through the day or would you go out of your way to do the best work possible?

When you’re constantly whining and complaining to your colleagues, what kind of message do you send about your Christian faith?  Is that how you want to represent Jesus?

If you’re a Christian, Jesus is CEO of your life, regardless of your position in the company or whose name is at the top of the organizational chart.  We serve Him by doing the best we can, where ever we are. 

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

We are representing Christ to the world.  A big part of our world is our daily work.  Are you giving Jesus the absolute best you can every day?  What message about the Christian faith are you sending the world by your actions at work?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”  Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT)

God Does JIT Prayer Response

What’s JIT?  In manufacturing JIT stands for “just in time”.  Rather than maintain large costly inventory levels, businesses prefer to work with their suppliers to ensure JIT delivery is available – enough components to fulfill customer demand without carrying excess inventory.

Did you know God practices JIT answer to prayer?  Have you been praying for something you’d like NOW but don’t see forth coming?  God sees the big picture of our lives and He knows the best time to deliver His answer to our prayers.

This concept was reinforced in our home this week.  The business my husband works for has been struggling to make ends meet for some time.  He anticipated a layoff notice sooner or later.

He started a job search in August.  In September he was interviewed by two different companies.  He’s short listed with one and is waiting for the VP to make herself available for final interviews.  The other said they had a contract position coming up and would contact him when it became available.

A week went by, then two, then three.  He contacted both companies in early October to be told the same thing – he was still a candidate, but for various reasons they weren’t ready to hire.  He continued to work and wait.

With his October 31^st pay cheque he was given two weeks’ notice by his current employer.  As of November 15, he no longer has a job.

I was frustrated and angry with God.  We’ve been trying to pay down debt and with a recent commission cheque it looked like we’d finally make progress in that area. We’d been praying for a new job but nothing was moving ahead.  Now it looked like the commission cheque was going to pay living expenses instead of debt.

I know I should have been grateful.  We had money to use if my husband didn’t get a job right away.  I wasn’t grateful.  I was angry.  I had it out with God in a prayer session, venting my frustration.

Fortunately God has big shoulders and listened patiently to my rant, eventually bringing me to a place of acceptance and trust in His provision.  He’s never failed to provide and I knew we needed to trust Him now.

A few days later my husband got a phone call.  One of the companies was ready to offer him a contract position.  All they needed was a criminal check.  If everything went according to plan they’d offer him a start date of November 13 – two days before he finished his last day with his current employer.  He sent in the forms and waited.

The next day his employer changed his mind on the planned end date and told him he was finished that day – one week earlier than originally agreed upon.  Now what?  There was still no official job offer.  We had to wait and trust.

The phone rang early the next morning.  They were emailing my husband the job offer and he starts the new position in three days.  God is good!

This is just one example of God’s amazing timing in our lives.  There have been many other incidents in our lives when God answered prayer at exactly the right time.

Even though I know from past experience I can trust God, I still struggle.  I like long term planning and security.  Sometimes God doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.  But, while God is never early, He’s never late either.  God IS the master in JIT delivery when it comes to answering prayer!

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

Can you think of a time in your life when God delivered an answer to prayer just in time?  Are you waiting for one now?  Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

Psalm 90:12 - Life's Priorities

MEMORY VERSE:

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” (NLT)  Psalm 90:12

Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses.  In this psalm Moses appreciates just how short our lives are in the overall “big picture” of creation.  He says if we understand this concept we will use the time we have on earth wisely.

I think Moses understands what it means to use his time wisely.  He demonstrates this as he nears the end of his life.

“One day the Lord said to Moses, ‘Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel.  After you have seen it, you will die like your brother Aaron, for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin...’”  Numbers 27:12-14 (NLT)

Moses has lived a long, productive life and now knows his death is imminent.  How does Moses respond?  Does he mope?  Does he withdraw from his leadership role?  Does he lash out at God?

“Then Moses said to the Lord, ‘O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures.  Please appoint a new man as leader for the community.  Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.’”  Numbers 27:15-17 (NLT)

Moses’ first concern is the leadership of the people.  He immediately goes into succession planning mode.  He’s wants the Israelite nation to have a godly man to lead them into the Promised Land.

What does he do next?  Moses continues in his leadership role.  He addresses the people of Israel reminding them who they are, where they’ve come from and where they’re going, how they got there, and how they’re to live their lives in dedication to God.  His last act is to bestow a blessing on the people of Israel.

We can equate the verses in Numbers 27 as the equivalent of reviewing test results with your doctor, only to find out you have six months to live.  How would you react?  How would I react? 

I suspect I wouldn’t handle this news quite as well as Moses.  Moses sets an extraordinary example of how to die well, but I also like to take this as a lesson in living well. 

I don’t know how long I’ll live.  Like Moses, I’d like enough wisdom to realize life is short.  I’d like the ability to discern the important things to accomplish before it’s too late.

Are you doing things that would be most important to you if you knew how short life was going to be?  Are there dreams or goals you’ve ignored, thinking you’ll get to them “one day”? 

Are you so busy with the stuff of daily life that you don’t have time for the bigger things...

• time with your spouse
• time with your children
• building relationships with friends and neighbours
• painting
• writing your book
• sharing your journey of faith
• going on a mission trip
• spending time at the soup kitchen or homeless shelter
• visiting your sick relative

Fill in your own blanks.  What are you NOT doing that you’d like to be?  What really matters in your life?

Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” (NLT)  Psalm 90:12

Lemon Zucchini Poppyseed Muffins

I thought I’d throw one more zucchini recipe out there in case some of you still have some of that prolific fall squash hanging out in your fridge or pantry.

This recipe works quite well with yellow zucchini.  If you’re going to use green, I recommend peeling it first.  Green skin in yellow muffins is a little disturbing.

Lemon Zucchini Poppyseed Muffins (Makes about 26 muffins)

4 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

¾ cups oil

2 cups grated zucchini

Juice and grated rind from 2 lemons

1 tsp. lemon extract

½ cup poppyseeds

4 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg (4 servings) lemon instant pudding powder

1 ½ cups sugar

Beat eggs, milk, and oil together.  Add zucchini, lemon rind, lemon juice, lemon extract, and poppyseeds and mix together.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, instant pudding powder, and sugar and mix together until well blended.

Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

NOTE: 

My apologies to my regular readers who expected a memory verse last weekend and didn't get it.  Somehow there just wasn't enough time last week to fit everything in and I'm afraid my blog suffered as a result.  Please watch for a new memory verse post coming this weekend.

Unwelcome Insights From The World Of Reality

Have you ever come to the realization you’re not who you thought you were? 

Maybe it starts as a nagging thought, gnawing at the corners of your mind like a determined beaver chewing on a tree.  The thought doesn’t fit with your internal self concept so you dismiss it.  But, like an annoying children’s song that won’t stop playing, it refuses to go away.

Maybe the realization catches you off guard, smacking you hard upside the head as you listen to a song on the radio or a speaker in church.  Maybe it screams at you in bold print from the pages of the book you’re reading.

My realization showed up last week; an unwelcome insight as I listened to a presentation by business consultant and speaker, Jim Collins.  It was a hard pill to swallow.  In fact I was tempted to hide it in my cheek and spit it out when no one was looking. 

I may have done just that, except for the fact that if I was going to retain my sanity in the upcoming months, I’d have to gulp it down and digest the loathsome thought.

I’m a self-disciplined person.  I’m an organized person.  I’m the only person I know who gets excited looking at Rubbermaid organizers and storage bins at WalMart!

Some call it obsessive compulsive.  Some use the term “anal retentive”.  Whatever label you choose, these character traits serve me well in both my work and personal life.

Enter Jim Collins with his new research into traits that allow businesses and leaders to be successful in a more competitive business environment.

He outlines three leadership behaviours exhibited by enduring companies.  The first is “Fanatic Discipline”.  I make a mental check mark.  Yup, got that one mastered!  I’m so disciplined in my work it leads to deficits in other areas of my life!

He goes on to define “Fanatic Discipline”. 

“A commitment to consistent, consecutive performance over time.” 

He contrasts this with erratic spurts of behaviour with all energy focused on pushing past your limits to get a job done, leaving you too exhausted to meet the next day’s challenge.

I’m stunned.  Crap!!!  Did he have to illustrate it so well?!?  I reflect on my travel schedule.  I pull up my calendar on the Blackberry.  I’ve been so busy I can’t remember where I’d been in the last two months.

Busted!!  My so called "organization" somehow deteriorated into erratic, inconsistent, undisciplined behaviour.  I’m paying the price in elevated stress levels and time away from family.

God is good about bringing us face to face with reality we don’t want to address.  I’m faced with the understanding that I’m no longer controlling my work schedule.  It’s controlling me.  At some point PROactive changed to REactive.

Now it’s time to slow down, reflect, re-organize, re-prioritize, and figure out how to manage more effectively going forward.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT...

What reality is God showing you in your life?  What do you need to reflect on, re-organize, or re-prioritize?

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