He wasnโt just any baby. This beloved babe, born of a virgin, came to love like no other. Live like no other. Forgive like no other. Die like no otherโbecause he rose like no other. And like no other, he will come again. What did this beloved babe do to change the scope of my hope? How has he updated my lens of love and posture of praise? How does his life and death give meโฆfreedom? Why do I celebrate Christmas?
How do you celebrate this season? How is it different from your childhood memories?
Childhood Christmasโs meant church cantatas, family gatherings, school plays, parades, caroling, hot chocolate, and a booming โHo, ho, hoโ from my Dad! What’s mantled in my memories? The sounds of Christmas songs, the feel of cheer and chilly air, and the car rides to my grandparents. Some soul-sniffing provides the smells of Christmas, too!
Ah, the Saviorโs birth stirs my senses!
Traditions continued as I grew. As Iโd celebrate the birth of Christ with my own family, some traditions continued, and new ones were created. Reading the Nativity story, seeing Christmas lights, and watching movies made the season magical. As I grew older, the birth of the beloved babe was often overshadowed by other “Christmasy” outings. Why was there an emphasis placed on performance and activities? Standards. They had to be met everywhereโschool, home, and every other area of life. Standards snuffed out the significance of this beloved babeโssacrifice. The sights, sounds, and smells becameโฆstandardized. Is that what the beloved babe intended?
The rigidity of religiosity, adoration in activity, and praise through performance set me up forโฆfailure.Is that what the beloved babe intended?
“I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27
The beloved babe, surrounded by the humblest of people in a lowly setting, intended life to be livedโฆfree. Our beloved babe, (fully God, fully man) became the Prince of Peace and King of Kings. Skimming the surface, or standardized celebrations, poorly represent my faith-filled freedom.
Doctrine doesnโt define and societyโs standards canโt satisfy.This love was made real in surrender. The candles Iโve lit this Advent season represent the relationship I cherish with this beloved babe. “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World” sing out of my soul! My heartโs longing was ONLY fulfilled through the freedom found from this beloved babe. Heโs with me as I โrunโ free in the woods (just like a child!). He’s beside me when I’m in line at the store. He’s holding my hand at the infusion center. He’s beside me when I’m helping a student. When I’m lying awake at night, HE is there. Ah, freedom. HE is the hope, peace, joy, and love of my soul.
How can I convince others that this BELOVED BABE came to TAKE AWAY your frustrations and burdens? His tears and blood, from a manger in a cave,… to an old wooden cross,… were shed FOR YOU and for me. His gift of peace is a treasure! I choose to not waste his sacrifice by stressing over things that I can’t control. Or that don’t matter.
Fear failed when this beloved babe was born. He grew to be the man I cherish. The Savior I accepted. And the Holy Spirit who indwells IN me.
Do you REALLY KNOW how loved you are? Are you frustrated or faith-filled? Is your life performance-based or grown by grace? Do you feel trapped or free? I PRAY you experience the heart-changing, soul-shifting, and freedom-finding true gift of Christmas.
This beloved babe, Jesus Christ, is the most precious gift Iโve ever received. It’s not about perfection or performance, it’s about your heart and humanity. Will you please accept this free gift? Do you know how loved you are?
Merry Christmas, dear friends. May the gift of Christmas give hope, peace, joy, and love. โฃ๏ธ๐
Happy Birthday, Jesus! ๐ถโฃ๏ธYes, this bird came into my house! Tee hee!
Have faith ๐ค
Embracing imperfection with faith, flannel, & fresh air
After working for several hours on part II of “My Missouri” series, I felt a tug by the Spirit to write the words that were brimming over my soul. I’ll return to My Missouri series after Easter. Thank you for stopping by to support me!
Health challenges, uncertainties, and changes have brewed like an enormous mug of strong coffee for 9 years. Iโm savoring the sweetness and adjusting to the bitter and strong tastes of this cup. Itโs been almost 2 years since the diagnosis. It’s been many months of treatments, appointments, miraculous surgery, and side effects. Some are tough. Other side effects, like gratitude, greater empathy, and Godly grit, are positive! Are you experiencing side effects? Do they linger due to loss of health, family, career, or purpose? Perhaps you have positive side effectsdue to a life-serving choice! How do you cope with side effects?
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42
This week is spiritually significant to me. Holy Week moves me. The Savior I serve walked the Earth, fully man, fully God. Showing love, compassion, kindness, and an opportunity to accept the source of complete life and peace, he surprised folks with his โupside downโ ways. Turn the other cheek? Forgive those who hate you? Love your enemies? Give to the poor and the widows? Show humility and meekness? A love-giving, sin-forgiving, hope-providing, disease-healing, outcast-gathering, lowly-lifting, disciple-teaching, grace-abiding, donkey-riding KINGโฆ took MY PLACE, YOUR PLACE as an atonement for our alienation. “Shattering the shame and dying for the doubters, Jesus was brutally crucified. โIt is Finished.โ
“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30
There were side effects.
A soldier surrendered his skepticism. A mother wept and mourned, then rejoiced. A doubter became a believer. Disciplesโ determination drove them to dream, deliver, debate, and defend to their death! For ALL OF US, if we believe, there is hope harnessed to a promise.
We all suffer. We will all experience side effectsโgood and bad. Have life events produced a side effect of shame? Has life handed you a dose of doubt? Do you feel hopeless? We can try and tuck these side effects tight in a tomb, sealed by a stone. The stone CAN roll. Your tomb can be emptied.
“Arriving at the tomb they discovered that the huge stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside so they went in to look. But the tomb was empty The body of Jesus was gone! Luke 24: 2-3
Yesterday…
The post office was packed. Most people in line looked down at their phones. Two kind ladies acknowledged me with a smile. An older gentleman at the counter told a funny story (I giggled). Unsure of the box size I needed, I stepped to the counter with my items ready to mail. The pleasant worker provided the right size box and a mailer sticker. “Fill this out at the counter and come back to me for checkout.” One woman was very upset. โItโs not fair that she gets to return because sheโs unprepared. There should be a line for those of us who are prepared.โ Thatโs a great idea, I thought to myself. It would be helpful.
Popular prescriptions might produce side effects of cynicism, criticism, jealousy, greed, hate, or comparison.
She continued talking about my unpreparedness and added, โIโm in a hurry because I work with cancer patients.โ Loud enough for a few to hear I said, โIโm so thankful for Godโs grace,โ (and that I wasn’t burning up by that fiery stare–although tears were forming to douse it). One of the kind ladies said, โIsnโt Godโs grace wonderful?โ Another kind gal gave me a heart symbol with her hands. My heart melted! Smiling, with tears, I thought about humanity, how judgy we can be, and what a gosh darn hurry weโre in all the time. We are not patient creatures. The sweet lady who gave me her โheartโ said, โI have lupus. I’m 51. I don’t look sick and it’s a struggle.” Wow. Was she reading my mind? The other lady shared about a friend who has cancer. โI understand,โ I shared. โIโm living with it.โ The 3 of us formed a circle of compassion. I begged them to give me their two cards to mail so they could leave. They refused! I left there feeling hopeful. But also, a good lesson that I need to be more prepared–I grabbed flat rate boxes on my way out! My heart went out to the lady who had a crusty shell. I’ve been there. She was experiencing side effects.
There are times when we’re not prepared. The unexpected happens. Everybody’s going through something. The loss of a child, sickness, job, or home. Or even happy and joyful times. We all suffer–side effects will surface.
As I strive to manage symptoms and thrive with side effects, I’m reminded that God speaks to us in diverse ways. At times it’s direct and clear (like with Abraham, โYes, God, Iโm hereโ). Other times he guides us quickly. Sometimes, he grows us silently (Joseph was 17 when he had his first dreamโby 30, he went from the pit to the palace, was an interpreter, and showed amazing grace to his brothers).
So many years ago, as he hosted his Last Supper, Jesus KNEW the suffering heโd endure. The horrific side effects of betrayal and a bloody beating led to an excruciating death. The โside effectsโ of this humanity wouldnโt be worth it to meโฆbut for my Savior. I canโt help but share the side effects of salvationโlove, compassion, grace, and hope.
In the 35,000 decisions you might make in a day, which ones will produce positive side effects? For those suffering, Iโm so sorry. My prayer is your side effects are eternity-fulfilling, hope-granting, love-giving, soul-soothing, and grace-accepting. You are loved.
Thank you, God, for your miracles. May the side effects of your love and grace spread like a good seed, germinate, …and grow.
Spring is gaining ground on being my favorite season (the weather is fickle enough that I can still wear flannel ๐). Last Wednesday gifted me a breezy beautiful two hours of “being” outdoors. Memories were whipping faster than the wind. Years at the ballpark hold countless fond memories-watching my dad play, us kids playing cup ball, moms staking spots in the stands, my games, and then, packing my kids to watch their dad. Later, for multiple years, attending my own sonsโ games and our local Baby Birdโs farm team (Go, Cards!). Suddenly, the wind dashed and delivered dirt in my eyes faster than a blink -just like on the field. Happy tears washed them. My focus was suddenly clear. I had rounded 2nd.
Iโm on 3rd base now. Iโll hang out here a bit as I’m monitored. The eight weeks between the second and third treatments were extended to twenty weeks due to low platelets/cell counts. Oddly, the 8th week was my worst. Your cheers in the stadium are music to my ears. Your signs of support, although I canโt always read them, are clear in my mind. My amazing Creator Coach has assembled a World Series team. The Coach patiently pulls me out of the game for hugs and new plays. Numerous bunts and stolen bases have gotten me this far in this game. Some days Iโd rather โsit the bench.โ
My sons, daughter-in-loves, and grandkids help keep my head in the game, Dad keeps me โshaking it off,โ Momma puts ice on injuries, and sisters carry the burden like a bat. MANY family members and friends would like to pinch hit or run. Almost a year ago I stepped up to the plate in this new game. Iโm working hard to create a resemblance to the life I had before. Wisdom has taught me that things canโt always be as they were. Using peaceful perimeters (Iโve come to despise the buzzword, โboundary,โ so Iโm personally replacing it with a more friendly-to-me term, lol) Iโll gain new strategies to make it to home base. Before cancer, each week held a day for writing, editing, reading, chores/bills, and nature. Then my popcorn bag spilled. Things arenโt the same. They CANโT be the same. Iโll find new strategies to still do what I love and enjoy. Although I had grown accustomed to keeping my game semi-private, itโs become more seen.
The Coach and I discussed this at great length before my single hit. โDo you want to bring awareness so that others might not suffer?โ HE asked. My neck hurts from the nods. Iโve followed every sign HEโS given at 3rd. Itโs hard. Easy would be crossing home base early, changing out of uniform, and comfortably taking a seat in the stands. But what if another player is hurting? Or someone in the crowd has unexplainable symptoms?
Letโs huddle.
No matter the remaining innings, Iโve won. Iโll keep the dirt out of my eyes, stay focused on the game, and, with good form, I might even slide into home plate.
How is your game? How can I support you? How can I relay information to the Coach for you? Feel free to email me @ finleyriverpublishing@gmail.com. Please know I might have some rainouts and delayed replies. Iโm on YOUR TEAM just as youโre on mine. GO, TEAM!
“Shake it off!”
Dad
โNever allow the circumstances of your life to become an excuse. People will allow you to do it. But we have a personal obligation to make the most of the abilities we have.โ
Jim Abbott
โBaseball is like church. Many attend, few understand.โ -Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
โIโm not concerned with your liking or disliking meโฆall I ask is that you respect me as a human being.โ
Jackie Robinson
โYou may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat.โ -Roger Kahn
Roger Kahn
โNever let the fear of striking out get in your way.โ
Babe Ruth
โLove is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.โ
Yogi Berra
โYou play ball like a GIRL!โ
Ham Porter (Sandlot)
โThereโs no crying in baseball!โ-Jimmy Dugan (yes, Jimmy, sometimes there is ๐)
Jimmy Dugan
โYou give me a uniform, you give me a number on my back, Iโll give you the guts.โ
Jackie Robinson
Have faith ๐
We 3 have changed a lot over the years!
Have you heard of N.E.T., yet? ๐ฆ
In layman’s terms, three out of four of these special radiation treatments (P.R.R.T.) are complete. Number four will be my last. This is not an easy cancer to explain; nor is the treatment. A special PET scan identifies receptors on tumors that must be present to receive this treatment. Tumors have different “grades”. The tumor biopsied in May ’22 was grade one. However, due to the sizes and numbers of tumors, it was explained that I have many different grades. Some tumors did not show receptors for this treatment. My oncologist specifically told us, “This isn’t a Grand Slam!” That’s fine! I can round the bases again as long as the tumors keep responding and the tumor burdens stay low.
Last week held fear. Although things turned out fine, there was pain. There are unknowns. The process of my treatment last Thursday went smoothly thanks to a dream team-a kind friend, a loving nurse, an amazing doctor and tech, and NO blown veins (first time!). My mom and twin stayed for two days. Yesterday I felt well enough to sit at my computer; but due to little sleep and struggles, I stopped. I’m listening. Sleep seems to be non-existent due to treatments. I’ll seek ways to improve this. Last night for two hours in the evening I had waves of pain. They’re familiar to me; pancreatic waves are what I call them. The pain moves around my abdomen and my bones. Some pain, I must feel. I tripped on my front step and my fingers bled and bruised (yep, I’m a clutz). I’m pretty sure I have a staph infection in my left nostril. Here I go again. It’s all in the blood! Amazingly, I keep moving. I’m wise. I know when to call my doctor! My body has adjusted to life with lower counts and energy. I’m finding true strength and joy in the Lord. Last weekend I met a couple of local hosts of a morning show that lifts my spirits each day. They’ve asked me to join them, along with the illustrator of my children’s book, to speak of my journey. I’m scared. My sister and a dear friend shared that I need to think of this as teaching. I’m still teaching; just to a bigger audience. If this helps ONE, then I feel I’m following the most recent play given to me by my Coach.
This morning I read the following from Rick Warren: “You and I have a variety of great abilities. For some of us, it’s the ability to do the math, fix computers, or sew. We all have abilities, even if, at times, we need others to point them out to us. But do you know what your greatest ability is? Responsibility. Responsibility is your ability to respond to life. It’s what makes you human and it’s a gift from God. Much of your life hasn’t been in your control. You didn’t choose where you were born. You didn’t choose who your parents would be. You didn’t choose how your parents would raise you. You didn’t choose the unique gifts or talents you brought into the world. Responsibility is how you handle everything else. God has given you the freedom to respond to what comes your way. How you respond to what life throws at you impacts life more than any other factor. In many ways, life is a test of how we handle responsibility. We spend only a fraction of our lives on this side of eternity. God doesn’t care about our achievements while we’re here on this earth. He cares about our character. Our lives are mere warm-up acts for what’s to come. God is testing your responsibility for what’s going to happen later on. God put you on this earth for primarily two reasons: to know him personally and to develop character. Many in our world live by the motto: “I’m not responsible for anything. It’s not my fault.” (boy, I admit I’ve screwed up at times). Responsible people make the most of the life they’ve been given.”
“Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do.”
Ephesians 5:15
Each day I can base my truth on three things-what I say, what the world says, and what God says. I’ll base it on the third. HE GETS US. HE KNOWS. Now that’s a GRAND SLAM!
Iโm beyond thrilled my parents will meet their great-grandkids. After 2 1/2 years there will be lots of joy around THE Family Table when our Air Force men, their wives, and precious babies gather together. My home is here. And although they were both raised in Missouri, they have established their own homes with their families, and thatโs what home is~family. Itโs not a place. Itโs the people. Family is everything. โค๏ธ
Oh, the joy to see a highchair!Momโs rocker, sonsโ blankets, and a pup Table made by my Uncle O.J. when the boys were small. Books for Grammy K and grandkids…and a pup.
