Christmas Change... Time Well Spent!

I was reading (in)courage this morning… it was called, “When Your Christmas Season Includes Change.” Wow! Just what I am going through! During the times of change I can tend to look at it as bad (grievous) when I should actually looking at it as a time for grace. I have to admit that I grow the most during times of change… I allow myself to be drawn closer to God & live in His presence more! When I look at change like that it seems so much sweeter! It is not something being done to me, but something being done for me.

I have been upset that our Christmas was not going to be the way we traditionally do it. So my choice was either to be miserable over it or just give it my everything day by day… one day at a time! Christmas is going to come whether I have things the way I want it or not! Right?

The last year & a half we have spent a lot of time waiting, even more so in the last six months… moving along with baby-steps at times! I was reminded today about the anticipation of the first Christmas. Hundreds & hundreds of years before Christ was born, a prophecy was spoken about His coming (Isaiah 9). People lived their lives in anticipation of that day, but they never saw it happen in their lifetime! When He did come… what a change that day brought! He gave up His place in Heaven to come to this sinful world to rescue us! One precious little baby carried in the womb of one young virgin woman that brought the greatest change ever! Did Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, look at this change as something to grieve or did He only see this as an act of grace? When I think of change in this way it puts a whole new spin on things for me. 

I know everyone has something they are going through that is bringing change… unanswered questions, illness, financial stress, for me it is waiting to find the right house to call home again. One thing is for sure… in these uncomfortable times of change, God never changes. His promises ring true! Your God before this change is your same God after this change! And His presence is so much sweeter in unknown territory.

My hubby & I have spent a lot of time waiting over the last few months… waiting for an inevitable change. Two failed house purchases left me feeling deflated & ready to just stop looking for awhile… after all we were running out of houses that fit our criteria for the B&B.  I knew God would come through, because we knew His promises to us, but maybe this was not the right time. Luke was not feeling the same about stopping, so I asked him, “Is a house gonna drop from the sky?” A few minutes later he noticed he had voicemail… the voicemail was from a builder who had a house for sale by owner. Luke had inquired about this house the day before through a property for sale type website. We decided to do a “drive-by” to see what it looked like & where it was at. Of course we had to get out & peek in the windows & immediately I told Luke, “You have to call this man back!” The builder came & met us at the house within minutes.  As we walked through this unfinished house, I had a “jaw-dropping God is so amazing” moment or should I say moments!? It was absolutely crazy… God-crazy! Luke & I both knew we were home!

It was in that first walk-through of this house God made His vision for the B&B/retreat center so much clearer to both of us! I still am having a hard time grasping all the little details God “put” into this house to display His love to me! Please, don’t get me wrong… I know God’s greatest Gift of Love was His Son & that is more than enough, but I believe just like I love to do little things for the ones I love… He also shows His love in little ways too! Only His little ways are jaw-dropping!

BTW - When we put the offer on the first house, this new house was not even started to be built! We were to close on the second house on Monday & the new house was not even listed until Tuesday! This new house is built as a “spec” house, which means it is built just to sell… it has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, & 10 acres of land! Like it was being built just for us & we believe it was! (wink)

A faith-builder during change... we see the impossible, but God sees all things possible!

Rejoicing in Truth!

Reflecting...

At the verge of a “new year”… what will I make of it??? December 31, seems to always bring out some sort of self-reflection… how about in you?  The path I could see my life heading down a year ago is definitely not where I am now… love how God has His own idea, i.e. better plan, just around the corner, if we are willing to hear Him and follow!

 

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  Psalms 18:2

There were many ups and downs in the past year, but I believe what I choose to reflect on will also set the stage for the next year.  Are you looking to “escape” from 2012?  Do you only see the bad things that you never want to see again?  Let me share a couple things that happened in my life this year… my mom has not been well for a couple years.  She spent multiple times in the hospital this year… 2 of which were in the “behavioral ward.”  I just kept praying for her and over her, along with many prayer warriors… at times it really felt like God had abandoned her, but deep down I knew that wasn’t true.  It really seemed like a nightmare at times, but I kept clinging to God’s faithfulness… His Promises.  My family went through this together… we knew no matter what happened God would be our strength to get through it!  This I would say would be a low point of my year… but without this low point I would never recognize the high point.  The high point and what I am going to reflect on… Within the last few weeks my mom has made a miraculous turnaround… my sisters and I had gone through the last year not really having our mom, but now God has given her back to us! Lessons can be so hard to learn but when you come out on the other side… it is so sweet! 

Another thing that occurred in the past year… my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer.  Even through this diagnosis God had His hand print all over it!  First of all, they diagnosed the cancer before Dad really had any symptoms! Secondly, God had brought an incredible doctor into the picture because of my mom’s illness… this doctor was the one who caught the cancer before symptoms started! With all that my dad had been dealing with regarding my mom… God gave him such peace… if Daddy was worried about it, I never saw it.  Dad went through a month of radiation treatments without any real complications.  Through all this there have been lives touched… all the glory goes to God!  But without the low point of cancer there would never be the high point of a cancer-free biopsy report a week before Christmas!

I don’t share any of this to show you that my life is anymore special than anyone else’s, but to encourage you that even though none of us want to have the down moments of life… it is through those low times we can experience the up moments!  If life was always the same… would we even recognize the miracles God is doing in us and through us?  I ask you to take a few moments and ask God to shine His light on those special moments of 2012 in your life… then give Him all the praise He so deserves!  Maybe you are not on the other side of your down time… praise Him and thank Him in advance for Who He is and what you know He is doing!

Praying a blessedly prosperous New Year for you!

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters,
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

Rejoicing in Truth!