Luke 2:25-32 (ESV)

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;30 for my eyes have seen your salvation31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.

Ok, how many times have I read the Christmas story? And yet, as we were sitting down tonight reading it with our children, I got excited all over again. Simeon had a promise. He would not die until he had seen Isreal's Savior. What was so special about the day he met Mary and Joseph at the temple? Why this particular day? Not sure- the Bible doesn't say. But it does say that he went to the temple in the Spirit. He would have missed God if he had decided he didn't feel good; maybe he should stay home. He was an old man; maybe his arthritis was bothering him. Whatever his ailments, he didn't let anything stop him from getting to the temple. He had a promise he wanted to see fulfilled. 

As soon as Simeon saw Jesus, he knew who his promise was coming to pass. He took God in his arms and blessed him. I wonder what it would have been like to hold Jesus.... To look into His eyes and bless Him.... What a spectacular moment for Simeon- to know God had come to do as He said He would. Now Simeon's heart was at peace.

God prepared Himself as a sacrifice in the presence of all people. He is a light for revelation. Have questions that need illumination? I know where to find the answer! What an awesome God!!!

Salut!

The Violence of Change

Today you told me you wanted to leave home.
That meant that I would be alone;
My oldest daughter gone to find her dream.
Devastation has come to my heart it would seem.
Oh, the violence of change!

Now will my life be loneliness torn,
My tired old knees prayer worn,
My mind weary from thinking,
My eyes red from tears blinking.
Devastation has come to my heart it would seem.
Oh, the violence of change!

But He holds me...



This poem was written by my dad, and given to me when I moved out. I came across the original tonight as I was cleaning out a drawer. My heart wrenches and my eyes well with tears as I read this and think of my own children. Obviously, none of them has told me they are moving out, but I know the time will come, and all too soon. I am so thankful for the last stanza. Knowing that even thru the pain of life, God is there, holding, protecting, comforting me. He walks thru every valley with me, restoring my soul. He gently guides me with His eye and holds my hand every step of the way. He knows every pain, every heartache, every tear, and holds me tight, keeping me safe. What a comfort!

Salut!

I Wish You Enough

Another email that was forwarded to me- but I pray for all my friends- "enough".


Salut!

Recently I overheard a Father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the Father said, 'I love you, and I wish you enough.' The daughter replied, 'Dad, our life together has been more than enough.  Your love is all I ever needed.  I wish you enough, too, Dad.' They kissed and the daughter left.  The Father walked over to the window where I was seated.  Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry.  I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?' 'Yes, I have,' I replied.  'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'.. 'I am old, and she lives so far away.  I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,' he said. 'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.'  May I ask what that means?' He began to smile.  'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations.  My parents used to say it to everyone...'  He paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and he smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.' Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.  I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting. I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.  I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye. He then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.   TAKE TIME TO LIVE....  To all my friends and loved ones, I WISH YOU ENOUGH.

P.U.S.H.

I received this email from my mom this morning, and thought it worth posting.

Salut!

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might... 

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might! 

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing discouragement, the adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)! 

'You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved.' Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. 

Satan said, 'Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough.'   That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. 

'Lord,' he said, 'I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?' 

The Lord responded compassionately, 'My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. 

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed.. 

But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. 

Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be Obedient and to push and to exercise your Faith and trust in My Wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock.'

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He Wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him. 

By all means, exercise the Faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God Who moves the Mountains. 

When everything seems to go wrong..........................Just P.U.S.H. 

When the job gets you down..................................Just P.U.S.H. 

When people don't do as you think they should.............Just P.U.S.H. 

When your money is 'gone' and the bills are due...........Just P.U.S.H. 

When people just don't understand you .....................Just P.U.S.H.

P = Pray 

U = Until 

S = Something 

H = Happens 

Proverbs 31:10-31

Yes, the annoyingly perfect virtuous woman. We all love her, yet secretly hate her, because we're jealous that we can't be just like her. This woman seems so out of reach, so unattainable. And, yet, this is my goal- to be just like the virtuous wife Solomon talks about here. I want to be the wife and mother God wants me to be. I want my children and husband to be able to hold their head high and proudly declare I belong to them. This is my prayer today, that I can become this true, Godly lady.

I found this little blurb in with some papers I had stashed when I used to work at the doctor's office. I thought it was cute...


I met a man who had been married for 66 years. "Amazing! Sixty-six years!" I said. "What's the secret to such a long, happy marriage?"

"Well," he replied, "it's like this. The man makes all the big decisions and wife just makes the little decisions."

"Really?" I responded. "Does that really work?!?"

"Oh, yes," he said proudly. "Sixty-six years, and so far, not one big decision!!"


Salut!