Crafty Christmas

I started a Christmas tradition many years ago, partially to satisfy my crafting obsession, but mostly because I love to give gifts. I make and share a simple gift with my coworkers, family and friends. The gift is usually a Christmas ornament, but I've also given display pieces and wall plaques.

This tradition is an annual process that begins as early as January, but typically gears up in October. The first step is brainstorming. This is the hmm stage. I peruse. I scrounge. I ponder. Hours are spent at Hobby Lobby or the other place my husband has jokingly dubbed, "my boyfriend's house." Michaels.

Following the AHA! moment, the busy time of buying and gathering supplies for the chosen project commences. The testing process begins in earnest with a prototype or two or twelve. I tend to be a perfectionist, which in retrospect, is a good thing. Some of my best ideas have come from the frustration of a crumpled paper or a crushed object that ends up being the absolute perfect part of the finished piece. Hours squirreled away in my craft room produce just the right gift for the season.

Production begins on the dozens of gifts to be crafted. Each gift is lovingly pieced together and critiqued when finished. The final step in the entire process is gift wrapping. The finishing touch of wrapping is almost as important as the gift itself. Great care and planning is involved for the protection and display of the gift itself.

Over the years, projects have included Christmas trees and jingle bells, vintage stars and snowmen, but one ornament seems to be a favorite. Each year, without fail, a coworker or friend will bring up the "Names of God" ornament. These ornaments were hand lettered with some of my favorite Biblical references to our Triune God.

And that's where I'd like us to rest. I'd like us to reflect on Christmas Eve. To ponder the Christ child and his gift of life.

Guide. Maker. God. Potter. Lamb of God. Redeemer. Living Water. Comforter. Alpha and Omega. Everlasting Father. Mighty God. I AM. Holy One. Lamp. King of Kings. Lord of Lords. Master. Creator. Shield. The Way, the Truth and the Life. Cornerstone. Head. Messiah. Pearl of Great Price. Hope. Prince of Peace. Deliverer. Savior. Jesus. Friend. Life.

Merry Christmas, dear friend. Merry Christmas.

Vintage Treasures...

I am obsessed with all things old. It started with my favorite childhood things. The singing angels who adorned the mantel in my parent's home during Christmas. The Terri Lee dolls that I played with as a child. The handmade styrofoam sleigh and reindeer my grandma made years before I was born.




As my family learned of my obsession, I inherited these favorites plus a plethora of other antique items. A family Bible. My aunt's nativity set. My grandma's carnival glass bowls. Volumes of vintage books and historical newspapers. Over time, my obsession became a full-blown addiction. An addiction to vintage Christmas ornaments.

It all began quite innocently. I acquired a dozen or so of my grandmother's ornaments after she passed away. No one else in my family was interested in these colorful, yet blemished, beauties. I thought it a shame to toss these delicate orbs, so naturally they found their way into my home and onto our family Christmas tree. Over the years, I've stumbled across ornaments in thrift stores, I've found boxes on eBay and bought cartons of Shiny Brites at summer garage sales where, gasp(!) other folks thought their worth at a mere buck a box.




My pretties come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some are round. Others teardrop. Still others are bell-shaped. Some are striped. Others solid. These precious ornaments are clothed in various shades of blue, pink, turquoise and green. Each ornament is special. Each ornament is cherished.

During this advent season, I'm reminded of the reason for this season. It's not about presents. It's not about food. It's not even about the gathering of family and friends. And while you may need to search diligently in the midst of the glamour and glitz to find him. He's there.

Jesus.

Jesus came for his precious treasure. He came to rescue the outcasts, the blemished, the seemingly worthless, rejected, black sheep of the world. He sought me out. He searched for you. His addiction is our salvation. And the amazing part is, he went through an even greater rejection because of his love for us.

Isaiah 55:1-6 says it so well.  Here from The Message:

1 Who believes what we’ve heard and seen?
    Who would have thought God’s saving power would look like this?
2-6 The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
    a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
    nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
    a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
    We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
    our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
    that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
    that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
    Through his bruises we get healed.
We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.
    We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,
    on him, on him.

And the end of verse 12 says it in such simple terms:

he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

While we celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas, let's rejoice! Rejoice in the fact that our Savior came for us! Rejoice in the knowledge that he intimately loves us. Rejoice in the hope that he gives us - the hope of eternal life!

He is the ultimate gift. Reach out and open the present he offers. His presence. His life.

Merry Christmas, dear friend.

Just like everyone else...

Just a few short weeks ago, my hubby and I were basking in the warm South Carolina sunshine. It already seems like ages ago. Insert sigh here.

While on vacation, we spend much of our time walking the wide, sandy beach located mere steps from our condo. We enjoy walking near the water's edge where we can scan the ocean for dolphins or where I can search the beach for seashell treasure. While Hilton Head Island isn't a seashell hot spot, we usually find an abundance of sand dollars and smaller scallop shells.

Most of the beach areas are relatively shell free, but I'm fascinated by the way the tide brings mounds of shells to other areas of the shore in sporadic bunches.

At first glance, these piles of shells seem to contain a bland assortment of broken shells.

Upon close inspection and lots of rummaging, I find that the bland assortment is anything but. Shells of all sizes and colors are hidden in a "Where's Waldo" seascape. Each tiny shell is perfectly formed. Delicate. Intricate. Simple. Beautiful.



Human nature nags us to conform and be like everyone else. How many times do we want, strive for or dress according to the what the masses dictate? We think of people the same way we think of seashells. At first glance, we all seem to be the same. Ordinary. Plain. Just like everyone else.

Nothing could be further from the truth. God made us his special creations. Perfectly formed. Delicate. Intricate. Simple. Beautiful. Formed carefully by his hand.

Thank God for who you are. Be who God created you to be. Loved. Special. Unique.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. Psalm 139:14 Living Bible

Riding out the storm...

I'm blessed. I know it. For ten days, I vacationed with my hubby in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It was heavenly. We didn't have an itinerary. We didn't make plans. We did exactly as we pleased.

Our vacations are simple. Our vacations are based on the three Rs.

Relax. Refresh. Rejoice.

We relax by parking our behinds in chairs on the sandy, sun drenched beach. We refresh by walking for miles beside, and sometimes in, the sparkling Atlantic Ocean. We rejoice by enjoying the amazing beauty of God's creation.

We've been to the island several times and are always amazed at the huge expanse of beach during low tide. This year, however, we noticed large amounts of ocean debris that littered the upper beach areas. We're talking mounds and mounds of straw-like branches.

It turns out that while October's Hurricane Joaquin veered away from the Eastern coastline, the outlying winds churned the depths of the ocean and by sheer force carried palm trees, building debris and huge amounts of cord grass onto the shore. Because it's quite unsightly, we wondered why it hadn't been removed. That question was answered by one of the locals who told us that, while the grass is not very attractive, it is unlawful to remove it. It is likely that over time, sand will cover and build over the cord grass and form new dunes. Dunes that will offer protection from future storms.

Life sure mimics that storm-battered coastline. The churning storms of life bring trials and suffering. We are assaulted by the sheer force of illness, death, job loss and stress. The "debris" left behind looks ugly and oppressive. We want that debris removed so life is clean and pretty.

But wait! God's Word helps us understand suffering and trials.  From Psalm 62:5-8 (Living Bible):

But I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me. For salvation comes from him alone.  Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense, and fortress—why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?

My protection and success come from God alone. He is my refuge, a Rock where no enemy can reach me.  O my people, trust him all the time. Pour out your longings before him, for he can help! 

And then from I Peter 4:12-13 (The Message):

Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.

Storms come. Debris clutters the beach of life. And all the while, the dune of protection is being built. as promised by God. Seek refuge in him.

Dancing...

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The air smells so clean. Sweatshirts and shorts are normal attire. The majesty of the changing leaves is breathtaking.

I felt a bit under the weather this weekend, so I took the opportunity to enjoy another fall favorite. The dance. The leaf dance. More specifically, the falling leaf dance. This was the view from my seat on the couch.

Because it was a bit breezy, the leaf dance took on an almost ethereal quality. I was mesmerized. Some leaves twirled. Some floated. Others lifted. Still others toppled end over head. At any given time, dozens of leaves were suspended in beautiful animation.

The leaf dance made me wonder about heaven. We don't talk about heaven much, and yet, the leaf dance made me ponder this: at any given moment, how many souls are making their ascent into heaven? Could it be that God is watching a similar inverted dance of souls rising toward heaven? A beautiful dance of souls lifting toward their real dwelling place?

This may not be reality, but the picture of just such an event brought peace to my heart and an unexplained joy to my day.

For a few more days, I'll watch the leaf dance and ponder God's wonder in creation. Thanks, God, for the glorious show.

Peanut Butter and Cheese...

We live in the woods.

When you live in the woods, you see lots of critters in your yard. If you see lots of critters in your yard, chances are they may find a way into your house. If these critters find a way into your house, they'll take up residence. If they take up residence, these critters will eventually drive you nuts. Once you've gone nuts, you'll take action to rid your house of these critters. While attempting to rid your house of these critters, you'll realize they are relentless. When you realize they are relentless, a war ensues.

Such is the case at the De Graaf home. War. Between mice and men. More specifically, my men.

A few years ago, I wrote about our encounter with a mouse. One mouse. A single mouse. You can read about it here. But now, it seems, the entire family clan has decided to move in.

Two weeks ago, our son, Barry, spotted a mouse scurrying in our kitchen - at nearly eleven o'clock at night, no less! The little guy disappeared into the space between our dishwasher and the side panel. My hubby sprang into action, after being jolted awake a single word. Mouse! After dismantling the front dishwasher panel, he set a mouse trap, complete with peanut butter and cheese, underneath. Then he set a live trap in our cupboard below the sink, and it was time for bed. Time: 11:45 p.m.

At 12:45 a.m. I was roused awake by my husband, proclaiming, "You've got to see this!"  As I donned my eyeglasses and padded downstairs, he explained how the sly little guy had managed to lick off the peanut butter and scarf down the cheese without springing the trap.  But, alas! Poor Mr. Mouse had made the fatal mistake of being greedy and upon entering the live trap for more peanut butter, was trapped with no means of escape.  As my hubby shined the flashlight to show me the licked-clean trap, I was surprised to see Mr. Mouse's sibling staring back at me!

My boys had great fun into the wee hours of that morning, discussing strategy and implementing an extermination plan. Over the next four days, using multiple trapping mechanisms, my hunters captured seven, yes, SEVEN mice. What got those little varmints every time? The undeniable temptation of peanut butter. Those little critters just could not resist the delicious delicacy. In the end, they each met their demise because of their inability to resist temptation.

Ah, how like those furry little critters I am. I have, however, lots of company. I inhabit the earth with an entire family clan of sinners. Because of my human nature, I strive to do good, but am often stymied by my inability to resist temptation. Good intentions fail to develop. Those things I know I shouldn't do, I so easily do.

Paul talks about having this problem in Romans 7, here from the New Living Translation:

 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! 

Luckily for me, and for the world as a whole, we don't have to meet our demise in an eternal death trap. Paul shares this with us later in Romans 7, with these words:

Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Today, God orchestrated my devotions (40 Days to Lasting Change by Kyle Idleman) to drive home this point. Kyle shares this saying: "Sin will always take you farther than you want to go. Sin will always cost you more than you want to pay. Sin will always keep you longer than you want to stay." And then he reminds us that while God takes sin seriously, when people repent of their sin, God responds with compassion and grace.

I'll end with the same Scripture as my devotions.

Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:13)

Reflect...

I'm in a bit of a spiritual funk right now. Maybe you know the place. A bit of a wasteland. Deserted. Dry. My prayers are forced. My devotions are almost non-existent. And while I know the funk is real, I still struggle with how to put it behind me.

A little over a week ago, I asked God to give me to a Scripture passage, a verse, or maybe even a word to chew on. I thought I might open my Bible to an "aha" verse, but instead God gave me a word.

Reflect.

Reflect. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that I need to "reflect" or ponder my life. I've been stretched this summer with a busy work schedule. My mom's health is tenuous, with weekly doctor's visits at inopportune times. The way I figured it, God told me to think about my purpose as a daughter, worker, wife and mother.

I shared God's one word revelation with a dear, wise, friend and told her my thoughts. She encouraged me to look up the word in a dictionary or thesaurus, and then to start a journal. WHAM! -It was as if God had used her suggestion to hit me in the head with a two by four. Using my computer's thesaurus, the first words that came up were not pondering words, but rather imitating words. Words like replicate. Echo. Mirror. And then came revealing words. Show. Display. Exhibit.

God whispered, "I made you in my image. Now reflect my nature. Be a servant. To your coworkers. To your mom. To everyone you encounter."

Now that's no easy task. For me, right now, it seemed nearly impossible. In my typical, independent self, I wanted to deny his whisper, deny what his word, reflect, was supposed to mean. Luckily, we were ready to embark on our annual family kayaking vacation, so I thought I could leave the whisper behind.

But, as so often is God's way, he decided to drive home his point during my one solitary paddle. On a beautiful inland lake, on a gorgeous, September day, I captured this image:

Look closely. The photo appears to be a picture taken of the sky, with the sun shining brightly from behind fabulous cumulus clouds. It is not. This photo is of the lake, with the reflection of the sky in the water. The give-a-way is the small ripples at the bottom of the photo.

Here is the photo of the sky:

God used his creation to remind me of his whisper. "Reflect my nature."

Yet still, I wanted to challenge his whisper. I thought to myself, "Sure. It's easy to reflect you when the water of life is smooth and still. But what about when the water of life brings waves that crash and churn? How can I possibly reflect you then?"

Yesterday, while I enjoyed the last of summer's beach days, I snapped this photo of an unruly Lake Michigan:

The sun danced and glistened off the cresting waves and bounced in wide streams of light across the water. The sun's reflection was beautiful and wide. I realized that even in the churning challenges of life, I can reflect God. I know that at times it won't be easy. I know that I times I will fail. But I also know that God is there, encouraging me every step of the way.

Reflect.

James 3:17-18
Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Kick back and put up your feet...

Rest.

By definition, rest is, "to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength."

An athlete rests after a strenuous workout. A worker rests after a hard day at his or her job. A mother or father rests after a busy day tending the children.



The word, "rest," brings pleasant, peaceful and serene thoughts to mind. Unfortunately, in today's hurry-up, dog-eat-dog, competitive world, rest is often elusive.

Our heavenly Father did not create us to be idle beings, but he also knew that we required, yes, needed rest. So important is rest to our bodies, minds and souls, that he set for us an example at the beginning of the second chapter of the Bible. After God spent six days creating the world in all its splendor, he rested. Genesis 2:1-4, here from The Message, tells us:

Heaven and Earth were finished, down to the last detail. By the seventh day, God had finished his work. On the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day. Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done.

Day Seven God set apart as a Holy Day. A day to rest, yes. But more importantly, a day to honor God. A day to give God our full attention. A day to set aside our normal work and routine, and spend time with our Creator. A day to relish in his love and faithfulness. A day to give him our best. A day to give him our love.

If you don't think a day of rest is important, think again. God thought it so important that he made it one of his Ten Commandments. Number four, in fact. We find its place in the list along with, "No murder," and, "No adultery."

Sabbath. Sunday. A day of rest. However you define it, God commands it.

May the peace of Christ find you at rest on your Holy Day.

Spots, Stripes, Fingers and Toes...

No way. Can't happen. Not a chance.

There's no way possible to cover the details of creation, Day Six, in one blog post. Because of the sheer creative juices that God exhibited that day, let's just roll a highlight reel and consider attributes of God that get overlooked.

God has a sense of humor.

Doubt it? Consider what God was thinking as he pondered his animal kingdom. Maybe after he created bears, wolves and squirrels, he thought, "Kinda bland. Hmm. Let's stretch this one's neck waaaay long and make a giraffe." Or, "Let's jazz it up with some pattern. Stripes even. Maybe black and white." Wa la! Zebras. Or how about, "Too much fur. Let's make some spiny characters." Porcupines. God definitely created quirky-looking animals for his and our enjoyment, and I imagine he did it with a smile on his face and laughter on his lips.

God is into details.

Sure, he created the big guys like elephants and hippos. But he also created ants, honey bees and spiders. He created the praying mantis and the dragon fly. Each species has its place in his ordered and perfect world. Each dependent on others and on his creation for survival.

God is sensitive and knows our needs.

After God filled the earth, he created man to be its caretaker. God placed man in charge of the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle and earth itself. God made man, in his image, to reflect his nature. God created us to be like him. God being God, also knew that man needed a helper. Man needed a companion. And so God created woman. On Day Six, God created human beings, male and female, and blessed them.

God made me. God made you. The Bible tells us that God made us in his image, reflecting his nature. That means God takes delight in me. God delights in you. Big. Small. Fat. Skinny. Tall. Short.

God has a sense of humor. God is into details. God is sensitive and knows our every need.

What a Creator we have!

God looked over everything he had made; it was so good,, so very good! It was evening, it was morning - Day Six.  Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

  

Gills and Gulls...

Imagine dawn on creation's fifth day. Our world had plants and trees. Earth experienced its first sunrise. The moon disappeared in the brightness of an empty blue sky. Oceans were still and lifeless. Not a sound was heard except for the whisper of the wind through the trees.

Earth was, well, quiet.

Quite. Quiet.

No living creature inhabited the water. No winged bird soared in the sky. No bug crawled the ground. No bee buzzed the air.

The earth was still.

And then God, the greatest conductor in the world's finest symphony, spoke.

"Swarm, Ocean, with fish and sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!"

And God began the business of creating the host of sea life and the vast array of winged birds:

"God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters. And every kind and species of flying birds. God saw that it was good." 

God, in his infinite wisdom, created the octopus and the squid. God created the whale and the barracuda. The seagull and the pelican. The owl and the woodpecker.

Noise, Movement. Life. God filled the water. He filled the sky. And for the first time, on Day Five, God blessed his creation:

God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean! Birds, reproduce on Earth!"

Not only did God create marine life and aves, he intricately designed their bodies to reproduce and populate his world. God blessed his creation and commanded them to grow vigorously and multiply.

 As the sun sets on Day Five, the earth moves with energy. The ocean teems. Sounds are heard: the owl's hoot, the woodpecker's hammering pound, the dove's coo. We feel the building excitement - the edge of your seat eagerness for what it yet to come. Day Five leaves us breathless with anticipation for the Grand Finale!

It was evening, it was morning - Day Five. 

Scripture from Genesis 1:20-23 (The Message)

Earth..Solar System...Galaxy...Universe

If you hadn't considered God's immense power and immeasurable greatness before, Day Four of creation might cause you to take pause. In fact, it might just knock you on your keister.

Days One through Three of creation, God did a lot of forming. Light and dark, water and sky, dry ground and seas. During Days Four through Six, he started the process of filling. The cool thing about God's organization is he shares it with us in parallels. Day Four connects with Day One, Day Five connects with Day Two and Day Six pairs up with day Three.

Here's how he starts: Day One he commanded, "Let there be light." And then, he connects Day Four with Day One by making "the lights." Hang on for the wild ride!

First off, he makes our sun and moon. Genesis 1:14-15:

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so,

God didn't just pop our sun and moon into place and say, "Good enough." He set the Earth in orbit around the sun to align Time. He ordered time in segments. Days. Weeks. Seasons. Years. Perfectly planned. Perfectly ordered.

God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.

God knew his creation needed sunlight for growth and sustenance, and he gave us the moon as our night light. He gave the sun charge to rule the day, and he set the moon in place to rule the night. Day and night. Light and dark. Order in the world.

But what really blows my mind is the next five words in Genesis 1:16. Five short words that we can read without hesitation. We skip over these words because they are easily missed. We are going to pause and soak in the wonder of these five words. For pondering them will key you in to God's immeasurable greatness.

"He also made the stars."

The website learningastronomy.com puts it in simple terms:

We live on planet Earth which is part of our local Solar System.
Our Solar System includes the Sun and everything that orbits the Sun.
Our Sun, is just one Star in the Milky Way Galaxy.
The Milky Way Galaxy is just one Galaxy in the Universe.

Chew on this for a moment. Our sun is just one star in the Milky Way Galaxy. On Day Four, God didn't just make the sun and moon. God "also made the stars." God created our solar system. God created Mars. God created Mercury. God created Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. God didn't stop there. God created our Milky Way Galaxy and the rest of the galaxies and the entire universe! 

Our God is an awesome God!

Wrapping up Day Four, Genesis 1:17-19 tells us:

God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning - the fourth day.

Mid-week...

On day three of creation, God seems to turn things into high gear. I picture God anticipating the task at hand by swirling his finger through the waters of the earth. God's attention to detail is mind boggling and organized and first off, he separates the water from dry ground.  Once again, at his spoken command, "it is so."

And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

It's at this point in the creation story where the anticipation and excitement is electric. If we were watching a play, there would be an intermission at the end of verse ten in Genesis, chapter one.

Just picture it: the earth, simply soil and water.

Empty.

Our natural question is, "What's next?"

Following day one of light and dark, and day two of water and sky, we might expect God to be finished on day three with land and sea, but this is not the case. It seems that God is excited to start filling the earth. And that is exactly what God does.

Then God said, "let the land produce vegetation:  seed-bearing plants and trees in the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so.

Did you catch God's perfect planning? He didn't just fill the earth with grass and trees and fruit. He filled the earth with seed-bearing plants and trees and fruit. Seed-bearing. He created life to sustain and reproduce and bear fruit that will continue on and on and on. Think of slicing open an apple and seeing the seed inside. Or think of those "twirly birds" that fall from the maple tree and reproduce maple seedlings by the hundreds if left alone. God's creation plan was perfect.

And then as if to hammer home the point to us, verse twelve repeats God's command of verse eleven by showing us the earth's obedience to that command:

The land produced vegetation:  plants bearing seed according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 

Have you ever watched time-elapse video of a plant or flower growing? It sprouts and grows in seconds or minutes before your very eyes. I picture the second half of day three to be very much like time-elapse in real time! God created variety in the plants, trees and fruit and so day three must have been a scene to behold.

And there was evening and there was morning - the third day.

(Scripture from Genesis 1:9-13 NIV)

The blues...

We join creation in progress...

On Day One, God spoke light into existence and separated the light from the darkness. For more on Day One, click here

God continues to speak on Day Two and He continues to separate.

In Genesis 1:6, God continues to form our world by a mere few words. Translations vary in the term used to describe the space between the separation. Vault. Space. Expanse. Firmament. Canopy. For simplicity, I'll use The Message translation, "Sky! In the middle of the waters, separate water from water!"

Sky.

"God made sky. He separated the water under sky from the water above sky. And there it was: he named sky the Heavens."

My simple human mind cannot fathom or understand how water can be above the sky, so I'll leave that mystery unexplained. But God's use of water throughout Scripture is vital to life. Our life. Eternal life. Jesus tells the woman at the well in John 4, "whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

When I read of God separating the waters in Genesis 1, I think of baptism. I think of the separation of the waters of the world from the water of heaven. When we are baptized, we go under the water and we are washed clean. It's then that we are lifted out and reborn into the waters of eternal life.

I like that picture. I'm thankful that my God is a patient God who will wash me clean every time I go to him in my grimy state. I rest on his promise of living water and the hope that I have in Jesus Christ, his son.

In the beginning...

Occasionally, I log onto our church's website to find and read the applicable Scripture passage for the current week, and last week, this is exactly what I did.  The Sunday morning sermon was based on Genesis 1, the very first chapter of the Bible.

Now the creation story is one that I've heard or read dozens of times, but last week as I opened my Bible, I asked God to reveal something new and exciting from this familiar text. And that is exactly what God did. He pulled me in, hook, line and sinker, from the very first words.

"In the beginning..."

Before the origins of the world, before man's first breath, before any form of life existed, God was. God was there. I'm not sure how, I'm not sure why, but my faith tells me this is true.

"God created the heavens and the earth."

He made all we can see with our human eyes. He created all we can see with our telescopes. He created galaxies beyond our reach and beyond our comprehension. But, God did, in fact, create it all.

"Now the earth was formless and empty..."

I picture a flubber-like material. You know the kind:  a gooey glob that has no form. Filled with...nothing. Empty. Lifeless.


"...darkness was over the surface of the deep..."

Now picture an inky blackness that has NO light and no end. Pitch black and hollow. "The deep" conjures up frightening thoughts and we are programmed to be afraid of the dark.


"and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

The spirit of the Triune God was present. Hovering. Remaining. Waiting. Always present. Always there. Always in command. Always.


And then, ACTION!

"And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light."

God, in charge, spoke the word and it was so. Light. Brilliant, beautiful brightness. By his command, light.

"God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness."

Light separated from darkness. Good. Spoken into existence by our Holy, Infinite God.

"God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day."

Day One. Complete. By spoken word. The simplicity of God's order in creation is incredible when we think about it. Life needs light. Life needs night for rest and refreshment. God, in his infinite wisdom, knew the perfect order of creation.

With this post, I want to begin a series. One post for each day of creation. I'm not a scientist. I'm certainly not a theologian. But I'd like to share how God revealed himself anew through the first chapters of the Bible.

I hope you'll join me as we soak in the depths of Genesis, chapters one and two,

Foggy...

Most weekday mornings my husband and I share a cup of coffee while watching twenty minutes or so of the 5:30 a.m. news. Our news channel of choice is the local Fox station, Fox17.  We enjoy the low key camaraderie of morning crew, Deanna Falzone, Mike Avery and Garry Frank.  For the most part, twenty minutes gives us all the news, weather and traffic we need to start our day.

Lately, we've chuckled about Garry, the weather guy, and his apparent fascination with fog. During his weather recap, more often than not, he somehow manages to insert fog into his forecast. And more often than not, we never encounter fog. But on Monday, his forecast was accurate. Fog was heavy during my morning commute. While visibility was reduced, the sun worked hard to shine through the thick shroud.  On clear, sunny mornings, even shortly after sunrise, the sun is so bright, one cannot look directly at its brightness. On Monday morning, the fog allowed me to look full into the sun and see its splendor.

In my daily walk with God, I can relate to the sunny versus foggy weather conditions. Often on those days when things are going well and life's outlook is sunny, I don't even attempt to look for the Son. I'm oblivious to the warmth and beauty that gazes down and engulfs me. Yet on those days when life is gloomy and my direction seems foggy, I search for the Son and find his full glory. Always there. Always waiting.

Today I'm reminded to celebrate the sunny days with thanksgiving and joy. I'm reminded to set my eyes on things above, and find God there. And on those foggy days, when I cry out to the Lord, he is there. Always there. Always waiting.

Isaiah 43:2-4 (The Message):

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.

Job Hunt

Our son, Barry, became a college alum in May. Woot! Woot! Woot! We applaud him, along with the multitude of graduates, for their hard work, dedication and perseverance these last four years. Over the past seventeen years, Barry woke each morning knowing the plans for the coming day, week and even year. He had a game plan and a life goal. The routine of class and study consumed the better share of his days.

That routine came to an abrupt end on May 4. On that Monday morning, he woke to a daunting new task.

The job hunt.

The search for jobs has changed dramatically in the years since my hunt. The newspaper job postings have been replaced with online job boards, staffing agencies, job fairs and web sites. Employers use web-based personality tests, video interviews and email to communicate instead of phone calls and face-to-face interviews. It's a rough world out there!

It's amazing the sheer number of jobs available via Indeed.com, CareerBuilder and Monster. From controller to cashier, teacher to custodian, sales rep to bus driver, hundreds of jobs are posted in West Michigan every day. And while my job hunter searches in a narrow range for his degree field, every job posted is important and necessary in the world we call home.

This weekend, the degree to which this is true was brought to light in Facebook posts and news articles. In a town in Illinois, a school custodian made headlines. "Mr. Steve" became famous for his role as custodian, or more importantly, his ability to impact children's lives at the elementary school were he is employed. Turns out that "Mr. Steve" made it his job to care about and look after the kids he encountered every day at his job.

Photo: Carrie Doig, Facebook/Bourbonnais Elementary School District

I don't know if Steve Weidner is a Christian, but I do know this:  God uses everyday, ordinary people to accomplish his purposes. God places us in our roles as sanitation engineers, accountants, teachers, sales reps, stay at home parents and vice presidents to work out his plan. God wants us to use our talents to further his kingdom. Right now. Right where we are. Right where we belong.

Click here to read Steve's story.

And read here to use your everyday, ordinary life to fulfill an extraordinary purpose:

Romans 12: 1-2 (The Message):

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Places we love...

I just finished a wall project I've been working on for several months. I had the great idea to find vintage maps of our favorite places and frame them in a wall collage. Little did I know that finding maps from decades ago is not a task for the fainthearted.  I scoured thrift stores and antique stores. I searched EBay, Etsy and Pinterest.  Any Google map search was thoroughly exhausted.

Finally, a dealer at a local antique shop came through. He told me paper products do not make good booth products. Once handled, they tear and ruin. We talked about what I was trying to find and he promised to look through his home collection. I was excited when he called me back that same afternoon. I scored a 1911 vintage map atlas and a 1960 Upper Peninsula county road map for a reasonable price, given I was buying two books for only one page from each.

In the end, my hunt turned up an assortment of new and vintage maps, along with new and vintage frames and accessories. I am thrilled with the way our family room map collage looks.

 Reflecting on my family's favorite places made me realize the memories and vacation planning are almost as important as the actual places themselves.

Millecoquins Lake.

Negril.

Hilton Head Island.

Ocho Rios.

Wolverine.


All these places hold sweet memories.






But another place of distinction is simply, "HOME,"

Home. A place of love and acceptance. A place to feel safe and secure. The place we long to be after we've visited our favorite places. "Home" left me wondering. After we graduate from this world and leave our favorite place on earth, for which place will we long? We seldom talk about this place.

Heaven. Scripture tells us that this world is only our temporary home. So if this is my temporary home, am I planning for graduation day? Have I made the necessary arrangements for the place I long to be some day? My answer is a resounding, "Yes."

What about you? Jesus tells us the simplicity of following the road map and the way to make the arrangements in John 14, here from The Message:

14 1-4 “Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”
5 Thomas said, “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?”
6-7 Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!”

Oh the places they'll go...

Yesterday our youngest graduated from college. The day was filled with celebrations. Family lunch. Photos. Graduation ceremony. More photos. Family dinner.



Nothing brings back memories like a life event. The memory of a two year old climbing in the clothes dryer when mom was doing laundry. Memories of that same two year old helping Grandpa wash his car. The skinny kid with huge feet playing basketball like it was his job. Memories of family vacations spent with grandparents on both sides of our family.



Oh the memories.

And then the flood of emotions comes. The longing for a dad and grandpa to be present at graduation. The heart ache of missing hugs, untold stories and the absence of that familiar scent of cologne. And while my dad's been gone for nearly nine years, yesterday there was a tug in my heart and more than a few tears in my eyes.

And then, as if God wanted me to remember his promise, I turned to Matthew 22 where the Pharisees questioned Jesus about a woman married seven times. They asked whose wife she would be in heaven. Jesus replies with these words of promise:

"You don’t know your Bibles, and you don’t know how God works. At the resurrection we’re beyond marriage. As with the angels, all our ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. And regarding your speculation on whether the dead are raised or not, don’t you read your Bibles? The grammar is clear: God says, ‘I am—not was—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.’ The living God defines himself not as the God of dead men, but of the living.”

The promise of seeing my dad again one day brings joy to my heart and wipes away the tears of sadness. And so Dr. Seuss' book, "Oh the Places You'll Go" reminds me that the place that is promised for us as believers will be filled with great celebration. A home coming. A great reunion.

Congratulations, Barry. Grandpa would be so proud of you!

 

Magnetized...

I'm a sucker for unique gift items. So it comes as no surprise that last week I purchased such an item.






A magnetic hourglass.



Purchased by me.



For me.

Now it's not really an hourglass, per se, since it takes less than a minute to empty, but rather it has an hourglass shape. Nonetheless, it's fascinating to watch. Flip the hourglass off its base, turn it over and watch the black "sand" fall into stalagmite formations below. Eventually, the stalagmite formations morph into an almost perfect half orb, complete with spiky exterior.

The secret for this interesting time waster is in the sand and special base. The "sand" is actually ferrous or iron filings and the base contains a nickel-sized magnet. The ferrous filings are attracted to the magnet and continue to build off one another in branch-like formations until the final few moments when they mold into one another to form the spiky half-orb. All the "sand" is centered around the one powerful magnet. Even when tilted, the orb stays together, as if glued to the magnet.

Jesus is the magnet in my life. As I fall through the hourglass of life, I'm attracted and pulled to him. And as him as my foundation, I'm called to do my part in attracting others to him as well. Like the ferrous filings, we, as Christians, are building those branch-like formations. We find our place in the sphere. Baptist. Reformed. Christian Reformed. Methodist. Catholic. Presbyterian. And so on. And so on. All one. All Christians. All built on one foundation. And when the last sand falls through the hourglass, we will meld together as one. One holy church, united together around our center.

Jesus.

Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

3.14

I am a numbers person. In my job, I reconcile numbers. In spreadsheets. In bank reconciliations. In funds and accounts.

Upon reflection, numbers are responsible for order in our world. Seriously. Think about it. Numbers make up our calendars. Our speed limits. Our currency. The seconds, minutes and hours in a day. Counting and mathematics are learned early and used in every day life.

Because of my fixation with numbers, I find it fascinating that, in a few short days, folks are celebrating a "day of the century." That's right. Saturday, March 14, 2015 is Pi Day. You'll remember pi from Geometry (incidentally, my worst high school subject) as the symbol  π. The significance of Saturday morning during the nine o'clock hour is spelled out by pi as 3.141592653 and is visualized in the shirt below:

photo by sunfrogshirts.com

Saturday aside, pi is equally mind-boggling for its numerical value. We typically know and shorten π to the numerical value of 3.14, but in reality, pi's decimal representation never ends and is never repeated. Simply stated, its end has never been found. Its decimal length is limitless.

That said, humans still feel the need to search for its end. Mathematicians cannot be satisfied with "not" knowing. With the aid of computers, scientific means have calculated the decimal length out into the trillions of digits. That's trillions.

And me? I'm a simple sort of person. I'm perfectly happy with the knowledge that pi equals 3.14. I know it to be true. It's been proven. I learned it in my Geometry class. I found it in my Geometry textbook.

God is a Christian's spiritual pi. Knowing him brings order to our world. His power if infinite. His boundaries are limitless. His love is beyond measure. Unfortunately, some humans try to put God in a box. They try to understand his boundaries. The need for knowledge outweighs faith.

Colossians 2 (The Message):

"You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. Entering into this fullness is not something you figure out or achieve." 

And me? I have a simple faith. I know that having Jesus as my Savior equals life.  I know it to be true. It's been proven. I learned it in my home and in my church. I found it in my life's textbook - the Bible. Hebrews 11:1 confirms its simplicity: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

You don't need to figure out God. Just believe that he is. Jesus died for me. For you.

No God. No life. Know God. Know life.

Son rays...

Three weeks ago, my hubby and I were basking in the warm, golden Jamaican sunshine. Ahh. It seems so long ago. The snow, wind and breathtakingly low temperatures of these past weeks have made vacation a distant memory.

Earlier this week my car thermometer measured -6.

That's right.

Minus.

Six.

Degrees.




I long to be back in our tropical paradise. So as I sit by our wood pellet fireplace and feel its heat warm my soul, I daydream about the sandy beach of Little Bay, Jamaica. As I close my eyes, I can picture the golden sunsets across the Caribbean Sea. And I remember a special sunset where God spoke to me through his glorious creation.

(This pic was a different evening and didn't quite capture the path)

One late afternoon, we lounged on our beach chairs and watched the sun slide slowly toward the horizon. The sky was clear, the breeze was warm and the sea was calm. Several minutes before sunset, the sun's reflection blazed a path across the water and onto the damp sand of the shore, directly in front of us. The mesmerizing strip was narrow, but undeniably straight. Perfect and beautiful, it seemed to invite us in. The path shimmered only for a minute or two, and then the golden ball dipped into the sea, extinguishing the path in its wake.

God reminded me of how he calls us. He asks us to follow the narrow road. The one road. The only road to the Father. His path is blazing with the light of the Son. Jesus is the way. The only way. Many will be invited, but few will follow this narrow path to the Father.

We're told about the path in the Bible. First, here, in Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV):

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

And then we are encouraged to follow it again in Ephesian 4:2-6 (The Message):

I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

Quit lounging and join the journey.

Lost...

People watching is an enjoyable sport. It's portable. You can do it almost anywhere. And if you're interested, you can be a participant.

During the last few weeks, I've been an active member of the people-watching team. I observed people at the airport. I watched folks on airplanes. I peered at the Heinz 57 variety of humanity as they sunbathed on sandy stretches of beach. And, truth be told, if I could be coach of this team of humanity, I would change the rules of the game.

I'm not sure when it happened, but the game of life seems to have lost its joy. People are self-absorbed. Teens, seniors and youngsters are obsessed with technology. Society is falling short in the interpersonal skills department. People are lost. People have lost direction. People are searching.

I came to this conclusion after much reflection. Two stories from my recent people watching experience disturbed me and convicted me to share my thoughts. The first story occurred over a period of many days. During our vacation, we often walked the two plus mile stretch of gorgeous, nearby beach. The Bloody Bay Beach is home to several all-inclusive hotels. My husband and I do not stay at all-inclusive resorts, and the following observation is not meant as a slam for those who do. But on our morning walks, as we strolled past the multitude of vacationers, the lack of laughter and smiling faces caused me pause. To be sure, there was noise. Lots of it. Reggae music blasted. Entertainment directors offered invitations over loud speakers for guests to participate in a multitude of activities. Water skiing speedboats circled the bay. Interestingly enough, people just didn't appear happy in this amazing, tropical paradise. With all their phones, tablets and thousands of dollars invested in their vacations, they seemed...emotionless.

The second story occurred on our travel home. Orlando, Florida was our stopover airport and the gates were loaded with young families fresh off their Disney vacations. Because we flew Southwest Airlines and couldn't check-in online for our international flight, Randy and I were among the last to board our flight. We ended up in aisle seats angled across from each other. My seat afforded me an unobstructed view of a young mother travelling with her family. She was seated next to her school-aged daughter and her slightly younger than one year old was on her lap. Her husband and other daughter were seated in front of her. Prior to take-off, she talked on her phone well past the announcement to "turn of all portable electronic devices." As she snapped her phone shut, she opened her iPad and played a game the entire duration of our two and a half hour flight. No words were shared as her school-aged daughter worked on math homework. When baby whimpered on several occasions, mom discreetly breast fed her while not missing a move on her game. Upon landing, with her area completely littered, young mom barked at her husband for not helping with baby, and never uttered a word to her children.

I'll be the first to admit, technology is great. I enjoy FaceBook. I have an iPhone. I relax by surfing Pinterest and Etsy. What bothers me is the lack of personal communication, the mindless distraction and the endless pursuit of things. Society is searching for meaning in life. And we are searching in all the wrong places. We pursue happiness and try to find it in things, technology and money. And we are losing.

So if I could be the coach of this team, I would instruct them on the importance of this game called "Life." I would ask them to change their diet and alter their focus. Our Lord God is the owner of this team. A healthy meal of His Word is important to the health of our bodies, minds and souls. Our inward focus needs to change by lifting our eyes toward our Heavenly Father. When we change our game plan, we will find direction and pure joy.

Psalm 119:36-40The Message (MSG)

33-40 God, teach me lessons for living
    so I can stay the course.
Give me insight so I can do what you tell me—
    my whole life one long, obedient response.
Guide me down the road of your commandments;
    I love traveling this freeway!
Give me a bent for your words of wisdom,
    and not for piling up loot.
Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets,
    invigorate me on the pilgrim way.
Affirm your promises to me—
    promises made to all who fear you.
Deflect the harsh words of my critics—
    but what you say is always so good.
See how hungry I am for your counsel;
    preserve my life through your righteous ways!
 
 

Rooted...

Back in early December, I had the privilege of speaking at our church's annual Women's Advent Dinner. It was my first official speaking engagement and I shared about this blog and about finding God in nature. I had a blast, and I hope that the women in attendance enjoyed the night as much as I did.

I wanted the ladies to have a take-away gift to remember the event, so I circulated a basket full of daffodil and hyacinth bulbs. The bulbs represented each woman. Her life. Her uniqueness. Her beauty. Even though each bulb looked lifeless, God was waiting, ready to bring new life.

Here is what my bulb looked like:

At the end of the evening, a couple of the ladies shared how-to instructions on forcing the bulbs to bloom. The steps were simple enough. Cover the bottom of a vase with stones, place the bulb on the stones, and fill with water to just above the bottom of the bulb.

Plain. Simple. Easy. Forced.

In mid-December, my bulb looked like this:

I watched with interest as my bulb's roots shot like spaghetti through the stones. Dozens of long shoots pushed their way under and around the stones. The bulb's top transformed into a tough, green sprout. And then, slightly more than a month later, the lavender flowers appeared and grew full.

In mid-January, this is what the flowering bulb looked like:

While the hyacinth added a burst of color to my kitchen and its scent was delightful, I realized that the stony confines and lack of soil had severely stunted the growth and life span of the plant. To realize its intended growth, this hyacinth bulb obviously needed the nutrients of soil and God's earth to grow to its full potential.

Hmm.

Jesus talked about this same need in our roots of faith with his parable of the sower and the seeds. From Mark 4 (NIV), it goes like this:

 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

And then Jesus explains the meaning:

14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

This spring, I'll plant my hyacinth bulb where it will thrive: in the soil of my garden. In the meantime, I'll enjoy it's fading flower and be reminded of God and the way he generously sows his seed into my heart of life.

Where are you planted?