A Difficult Christmas

In talking with many of my friends, they all agree -this has been a difficult Christmas.  Along with economy issues it seems that many people are on edge about the future of this country and worried about how this will all play out in their own lives. 

Businesses are short handed and therefore employees are short tempered.  Families are doing without and therefore parents aren't able to deal with a child's excitement.  Even churches are having financial trouble that leads to sermons less about love and more about sacrifice.  Amid all of this when friends or family relationships are wounded, a person can feel alone and afraid. 

Ron sent this in an e-mail and it broke my heart.  I think if we all keep the following story in our head that this "Difficult Christmas" can turn into something beautiful. 

This made me cry. Life is short – love your family and friends like there is no tomorrow!

The story goes that some time ago a mother punished her five year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper.

Money was tight and she became even more upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, 'This is for you, Momma.'

The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner. 'Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?'

The child's blond curls shook as tears filled her blue eyes.  'Oh, Momma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full.'

The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.

An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends, pets and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

God loves you,

Debbie

Parents - our road map to God

My parents are still my best friends. My Dad is 78 and my mom is 81. They both have been in the ministry for their entire marriage of 59 years.

My mother started preaching when she was 8 years old. My grandmother (who was also a minister) and mom built 6 churches in the south. I've heard wonderful stories about revivals, camp meetings and brush arbors. A Brush Arbor was when the town didn't have a large meeting hall and yet knew that an evangelist was coming to town. They cut down several trees to clear a landing. For benches, they split trees in half and set them on top of the stumps. A sturdy tree trunk became the pulpit. Branches from the felled trees were used to build a roof and the sawdust became the floor.

For hours tired and weary people in small little towns sat under star filled skies, sang Amazing Grace and listened to fiery preachers explain the full gospel.  Children fell asleep on homemade quilts nestled in a pile of sawdust while older kids drew pictures in the sand, teased friends with sticky balls of pine sap and received a pinch from mom when their giggles were too loud.

My Dad had a normal life of school and barefoot walks down to the creek. He was around 12 when he gave his heart to God and promised he would do anything God asked. At 17 he thumbed his way to Bible College and became a minister. Just one year later my parents eloped and set out to let America know that Jesus was a Savior they could depend on. Dad built three churches, traveled the globe as a missionary and is a published writer. He was a missionary pilot for two years and dropped gospels into some of the remotest mountain villages of Mexico.

Is it any wonder that at 6 years old I cried for several hours after a Sunday evening service? Mother tenderly cradled me and kept asking why I was crying so. "I just want to be sure all my sins are gone. I want so badly to be a Christian."

My journey has been a wonderful one with Christ walking beside me. He's my best friend and as my favorite Gaither song states -

Jesus, you're the center of my joy
All that's good and perfect comes from you;
You're the heart of my contentment,
Hope for all I do,
Jesus you're the center of my joy.

That's why in 2006 I also become a minister. I found that I couldn't live even one day without praising my God and doing all I could to help other people.

My parents are here for the holidays. Yesterday I was tired and a little worn out. A tear slipped down my face. Dad put his hand on mine and said, "You know dear....no one on earth is as close to God as a loving mom. You have participated in the creation of a human life. Men stand in awe of that process and the love that continues throughout your life. You are amazing creatures!"

I thought of my post about how a child sees the face of God first through the face of a parent. I smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "No Dad, both parents are important. You both provided for my human birth, but you also led me to my spiritual birth. Nothing compares with the creation of a willing heart that will accept Christ."

God loves you,
 
Debbie

God's Perfect Will

I just received a disturbing e-mail from a long time friend. I prayed about it and I felt God leading me to share this with you.

We are all struggling with problems and some of us are wrestle with how we can change America for the better. But I wonder if you realize that everything you do in your daily life either points to the Heavenly Father or it tears down our faith. Every interaction with any other human carries with it the potential for good or the potential for destruction.

My friend owns a cake decorating business. Now unless she's baking a cross cake for Easter, there's not a lot of ministry in her work. She does donate her unsold cupcakes and cookies to the local food bank and she does volunteer work for a homeless shelter.

My friend is a wonderful mother and Christian and...one of the sweetest people I know. You know the kind. She would turn a deep shade of red if anyone raised their voice or was critical of her work.

In her last e-mail she explained that her Sunday school teacher needed work. Her husband had lost his job and they couldn't pay their bills. Being the sweetie that she was, My friend gave her a job. Unfortunately, her Sunday school teacher came in late, didn't keep her area clean and was short with one of her best customers. When she was approached about changing her attitude and work - she lashed out in a vengeful and hateful way. She even tried to get other workers to take her side and stand against my friend.

My friends e-mail was heavy with sorrow. She wondered if she should be understanding. She wondered if she was wrong to approach this worker - even though they had been sited by the health department and found it was directly responsible to this employee. She wondered if as a Christian she had the right to take up for her business. She wondered if she had been a proper Ambassador for Christ.

After we discussed the issue back and forth in several e-mails, it was evident that My friend was trying to "protect the faith" by questioning her own actions. Yet, she was hurt by this other Christian Sunday School teacher who didn't realize that she was NOT being a good Ambassador for Christ. Her actions were divisive and full of revenge. Her actions proved to those in the shop that some Christians do not practice or understand the full gospel. And...her actions proved that she did not understand that our faith must go deeper - it must continue into every area of our lives or it will prevent others from salvation rather than promote Christ. Unfortunately, one of the employees that was a baby Christian was deeply hurt by the actions of this Sunday School Teacher.

The worst thing that's happened to America isn't the rise of Liberals - the worst thing is that Christians have forgotten that they must "be Christ" in every situation. Just as he bowed to Caesar, his Rabbai, his mother and a host of others who had leadership over him - at times - we too must understand those who have leadership over us. We also need to realize that others are watching. How many times have we heard liberals poke fun at someone's faith because they tried to sound perfect yet they were hiding sins. Hippocrites never help our faith. How many times have you lost your influence over someone because you chose to act in an unChristian manner? Christians are not destructive - Satan is.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should all take a look at our own lives and be sure that we are compassionate and kind. That we wait for the facts before we jump on the bandwagon of critisism. That we strive to be honorable and able to work with and under another person's leadership.

But....and this is not contradictory....we must also take our own leadership seriously. Are we watching out for the work God has called us to do. Are we carefully and prayerfully accepting that as a leader we must make hard decisions that others might not understand? If we don't do that....our work for God can suffer. Too many churches have gone under because a Pastor wasn't willing to stand strong against attacks and instead gave in to demanding people who pushed and shoved the body of Christ into a dark place.

It's a fine balanced line to be in the perfect will of God. We are called to be wise and to be strong. We are called to lead and to follow. We are called to be ambassadors and to be soldiers of the cross. And we are called to be and do all of that just as "Jesus" would do.

Tonight I hope you will all join me in prayer asking for grace to help each of us react to difficult situations with the heart and the mind of Christ. May we continually show others that the only way to a Godly nation and a healed land is through the love and strength of Jesus Christ.

Live in such a manner that when others speak badly of you - no one will believe it!

God loves you,

Debbie

December "Droop"

Moms are wonderful creatures.  Most of the time her family can't see the "droopy" shoulders and moist eyes that sprinkle through special days and rushing moments. 

Once a mom is determined to make moments that will be remembered for a lifetime, she goes into a hyper drive of activity.  Perhaps there are scribbled notes in her purse or a list hanging on the fridge.  If she also has a career, maybe there's a recorder that not only lists the activities and corresponding ingredients but also belts a little motivational cheer to keep her moving. 

She may forego sleep imagining the smiles of her family or even refuse to purchase something she needs in order to obtain that special dish that makes everyone groan with pleasure.  She will probably turn into a drill sergeant that could move a platoon into high gear with the slightest raise of her eyebrow and yet her orders can change at a moments notice when someone is sick.

She maintains the mood of her home as well as the janitors, the cooks and the decorators.  She makes sure that every special moment is documented with cameras and recorders. 

So if this Supermom is so wonderful, why the December droop?  After she's put together a lovely Thanksgiving dinner, made sure everyone was well fed and rested, cleaned up the kitchen and rushed out at 3am on Black Friday to purchase a wonderful gift - why the December Droop?  Why does she seem melancholy and sad?  Why isn't she as excited as her family?  Doesn't she realize the wonder of this season?

The December droop is often due to the fact that moms forget their original goals.  She is overworked and exhausted.  She desperately needs a thank you from her family and a confirmation that the day was a success.  When her family forgets to tell her how wonderful she is, she looks for "non-verbal" communication to confirm that she has accomplished her goals.  After several years of seeking the "non-verbal" signs she has convinced herself that the smiles and the laughter and the joy of the holiday decorations and festivities are the only things that matter.  If she continues on this path, she will stress about the need for "SUPER Smiles, wows and compliments. 

After a few years of going for the "non verbal" compliments - she has forgotten that her original goal was to share her love with her family and present Thanksgiving and Christmas as a special day.  She was never in charge of making everyone happy or meeting all their needs. No one can do that. 

Smiles, wows and compliments can't be sustained.  They are short lived and unsatisfying.  Somewhere in all the hyperactivity Mom has forgotten her original goal and she's lost her self-worth.   She begins to dread the holidays because she knows that she will fail no matter what she does.  She bites into her overcooked turkey and droops as one sibling fussed at another.  

So....what's the solution?

The best way to cure the December droop is for the Family to pay attention to all the work Mom does.  Give her a hug.  Tell her you appreciate the fact that you were able to take an afternoon nap.  Tell her how much you love coming home.  Take her face in your hands and say..."You are wonderful!  My life is better because you are here."  Being kind and considerate about her hard work is the best way to cure to December droop.  Your words are her paycheck for a job well done.

The second phase involves Moms thinking.  Mom must resist the need for the immediate gratification of laughter or that "wow" moment.  Instead think of your work in terms of multiple years.  Try to think of holidays as a process.  A journey that builds to an overall memory that will cause your children to "want" to come home year after year.  As long as you provide love, respect and verbal support to your children, they will want to be with you.  As long as your home is cozy and warm with love - your children will want to return to your safe refuge.  As long as your arms are inviting and your smile is wide, your children will find strength in being near you.

It's not about the decorations or the turkey or even the laughter at the table.  It is about giving a lot of love and providing a place that your family will feel accepted and loved.  If you have done that - you are a success!

God loves you,

Debbie

Reall Cool You tube....

Stethoscope

Mom Squad goes to Anita Renfroe Concert

I think all of you know that I am part of the Mom Squad Panel for 95.5 The Fish

We attended the Anita Renfroe Concert and had a ball meeting fans and listening to Anita.  Her quick wit, funny stories and sweet spirit made the evening a wonderful experience. 

I hope you enjoy the pictures of our night with Anita Renfroe.

How wonderful that life often comes in two's

I finished posting Ken's YouTube release and received a message from Jamie - our oldest son that his work was on Fox and Friends. 

Jamie was priviledged to be able to take the DVD cover photo for Rebecca St. James new movie - Sarah's choice. Look at the cover of the DVD just behind Rebecca in the interview.  Jamie took that photo.  If you watch the interveiw you can see what a wonderful movie it will be to share not only with your family but with any teen in general. 

And....just think how wonderful it would be to have your picture taken by the photographer that did the photograph for such a wonderful film.  You can check his work out at http://www.jamiejansenphoto.com/




http://video.foxnews.com/11798567/sarahs-choice?category_id=949437d0db05ed5f5b9954dc049d70b0c12f2749

I'm very proud of both my sons - and my wonderful daughter.


God loves you,

Debbie