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This Is Definitely What Christmas Is All About, Charlie Brown!

December 1, 2018 By livingabovethenoise

 

Linus’s age-old adage rings as true now as it did 50 years ago!  We remember with much nostalgia when he recites Luke 2, then concludes with the refrain, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!”

Christmas is all about Jesus.  It’s about celebrating God’s greatest gift to us — Jesus — our salvation through nothing else but faith in God’s Son.  

Getting Sidetracked This Christmas?

It’s too easy to get sidetracked thinking it’s about decorations and gifts.  Now, we love a decorated house this time of year!  But it can get overwhelming.  And you know about those hundred gifts on your list.  “What?” you say.  “I don’t have a hundred gifts on my list!”  Umm, count again.  Include teachers, bosses, neighbors, friends, greeting cards with pictures, stocking stuffers, cookies for the neighbors….yep, you’re getting close to a hundred!  See what I mean about sidetracked?

Now don’t think I don’t understand.  I’m right here with you….like forgetting about our Jesse tree and instead, getting started on my shopping trips.  Reading the real Christmas story only because my daughters had a party for my ‘grandboys’!  ‘Tis true…but get this — when I read to those wondering eyes, when I saw the intent on their faces, I remembered again.  

This truly is the reason for the season.  It is our job, our duty, to make sure we’re not quiet about what we believe and in Whom we believe!

Won’t you join me in relishing in the tinsel and holly and glitter, but not forgetting that simple, cold manger so many years ago?  The sheer beauty of God’s gift of everlasting life, brought to us in the tiny frame of a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Keep Christ’s Love In Christmas

A bit of encouragement and some ideas to renew your sense of purpose this season:

– Our friend owns a thrift store in town, but it’s not just any thrift shop!  This one uses the store’s proceeds to feed the hungry in our community.  Check out your local ministries to discover how you can help the needy this year.  People are cold, hungry, lonely, sick.  What can we do to be Jesus’s hands of mercy to them?

– Tiny Tim is a name most people know.  Learn how to share God’s love from his simple pronouncement to those around him.

–  Here’s a great way to bless those in need this year!  It’s so easy to pass by those in need along the road.  What if we were prepared for those meetings by having a care bag of goodies to hand the homeless?   We will never have an excuse to look the other way.  (We have a homeless woman on the edge of town.  We pass her most days and wonder how she does it with the cold weather approaching.  Reading this post again has me excited to bring her a care package this week!)

– Some people ask the question, Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?  It’s easy to see that it’s gotten out of hand with Santa, “Happy Holidays,” and compulsory gift-giving.  Some proclaim Christmas is for pagans and just a copycat of idol worship.  My post declares why it’s a good thing to celebrate.  Choose for yourselves….but as for me and my house, we will celebrate the Lord!

– Visit a Fire or Police Station and bring goodies for these first responders!  With a son-in-law who has this difficult job, we see first-hand how much we take our safety for granted.  Give the gift of appreciation this year!

There are so many ways we can remember what Christmas is all about.  Let’s share our ideas — with friends and family — and here. Leave a comment with ways your family celebrates or shares God’s love this time of year!

Happy Holy Day & Merry Christ-mas one and all!

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So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.     Luke 2:16-20
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How Busy Is Too Busy?

June 30, 2015 By livingabovethenoise

Before I get back to blogging (I have way too many posts in my “All Posts” file) I should fill you in on why I’ve been so silent and what’s been going on in my house these days.  Not that my life is so very interesting, but I think it helps to know a person a little bit before you read their stuff.

Busy Feet

My “stuff,” my lessons learned, are nothing new under this bright sun of ours, as Solomon said so many years ago.  But the God who created me has given me a gift of words, a bit of wisdom and intuition that I am going to use for all His glory for as long as I am able.

 

Busy, Busy – ALL the Time!   (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing)

So here’s the deal – my entire life, I heard my mother say, “When life slows down, I’ll…..”  Have you ever said that?  “When life slows down….”  I’ve been saying it a lot lately.  And I’m finally asking myself if that is really ever going to happen.  Maybe it will when my body is unable to coordinate the making of a meal, or the driving a car to see my grandkids, or when my mind is gone like my Mom’s is now.  But before that day?  Will life ever really slow down?   Or should it?

We need to pray for God to show us just how busy He wants us to be.  I hope to be busy, like Mary, about the things that matter most to Him:  family, friends, lost souls, community.  Drawing them to the only One who can heal their hurts, give them wisdom, and comfort their weary souls.  And how we go about that, my friend will look different for each one of us.  And we’ll each mess up often.  Choosing the temporal or the fun instead of the hard.  But for the goal…

Take a moment and listen to my favorite hymn these days.  It reflects this sentiment perfectly!  (If you’re getting this via email, you’ll have to hop on over to my blog to view it.  It’s worth it!)

 

Choices We Must Make To Know How Busy To Be

  • We live in a lost, dying, and corrupt world.  This fact alone should keep us very busy!  So busy that our days will be spent caring – and talking – and visiting – and teaching – and loving – loving – loving.
  • We might will have to limit some things like entertainment or leisure – at least be sure that they’re not taking us away from time with others or time with God. (Yes, I’m feeling an elbow in my rib.)
  • Creating space to rest is of utmost importance, especially when we are called to service.  We need time to think, to ponder the ways of God and our incredible need for Him.  Space to rest and listen to His still small voice, to hear the needs of others, to think about what’s best to do tomorrow.

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.  1 Corinthians 16:13-14

ski trip

My Crazy-Busy Life

My life has been filled, absolutely filled to the brim, with loving and blessing and caring and serving this last year.  To the point that some goals my husband and I have had, or thought were important, have been put on the back burner.  I share about them in these posts:  Life Changes – Are You Ready To Step Out of the Boat? and Learning To Be Salt and Light

Here’s a sampling of my last nine months:

  • 3 grandbabies born in the last six months (helped at two births and follow up care for mom and/or children)
  • Traveled back and forth two states away, to help another daughter’s family move closer to us!  (yay, at least one is closer now!)
  • Moved another daughter to Colorado (miss her lots!)
  • Helped clean and pack the truck when our daughter’s family moved away – :o(
  • Took a very fun, family ski trip and visited our daughter in CO – (much needed!)
  • Learned of our 32 yo daughter’s possible brain tumor (now diagnosed as AVM, which is treatable; ever so grateful that she was on the good side of the 50% chance of death or paralysis from this event!)
  • Discussed and counseled a daughter during a “pre-courtship”
  • Daily helping the five children still in our home, finish schoolwork and learn or better their skills, and discover their talents for future work (woodworking, jewelry making, fine sewing, craft shows, food trailer sales/events, etc.)
  • Planted our garden plus put 60 lbs. of fresh fish (from bow-fishing in our backyard river) into our freezer.  Thanks, guys!
  • Gained three (soon to be five four) Alpacas that my daughter wants to raise for wool and breeding
  • Dealt with 2 pet deaths in the last few weeks.  We had to put down our sweet, 3 yo family dog, plus my daughter’s momma alpaca (the vets have no clue as to what happened, but we gave her a fighting chance via syringe feeding for over a week).  Now we bottle feed her baby every three hours.  We’re tired!
  • Plus all the holidays and birthdays that were packed into those months, complete with guests and food and gift giving

I’m sure I’ve forgotten many other events or trips not covered here, but you get the picture!  I get the picture!  Yikes, life is certainly busy.  But which one would I not do?  Which person would I say, “No, you’re not important enough to take the time for?”  I am finally learning (getting into my thick skull) it’s just not going to slow down.  

~ Life, well lived, will be busy. ~

The Take Away:   We are born to serve – and to die in that service.

This isn’t a depressing reality, but a life-giving one.  One that breathes Christ to those around us.  Christ, the ultimate One who died to give us life.  And I’m finding that I can actually smile in the dying!

Won’t you join with me in relishing the busyness along this path of life!

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Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”    Matthew 16:24-26
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There’s More To Life …..

November 11, 2014 By livingabovethenoise

Red flowers - Live pic

Life…there are a few things we know about it.  And there are a bazillian things we don’t.  These unknowns are the things that have slowed me down in recent years.

As I began my “family” walk, aka marriage and children, I thought I could control this life.  I thought, rather naively I might add, that I could plan or work or study or control what and when and where my family would end up in life.

And it worked for awhile….or so I thought.  But all you have to do is read Joni Eareckson Tada’s story, or Elizabeth Elliott’s, to know my idea was ridiculous.  The life of a human is filled with “what if’s”….so what if a major accident or trial wasn’t in the cards for me?  Then couldn’t I plan and know what life would entail?

Seasons

I was just looking at my Google Analytics, something I don’t do very often for sanity sake.  One thing I noticed was the age of most blog readers.  The largest reader category was between 25-34 years old.  After that age, the stats drop off quickly.  Of course, one reason is the lower use of computers after the age of 50-60, but I know it’s mostly due to the changes in life purpose and goals.

Remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.  Ecclesiastes 11:10

There are a few reasons for this change in priorities:

  • Discovering that you can’t learn it all, that you’re not invincible.
  • Realizing that real-life people need you, yes, more than cyber friends.
  • Awakening to the fact that you aren’t going to live forever, so use your time wisely.

I know these sound a bit like shooting myself in the foot as a blogger, but I have to wonder what the best outcome is for me as a blogger, and for you as a reader.  What God is showing me can best be summarized from the book of Ecclesiastes.  Take time to ponder these points.

  • Life is short.  
  • There is nothing new under the sun.  
  • Life is all about and for God.  
  • The excess devotion to books is tiresome.

All things are wearisome;  man is not able to tell it.  The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing.  That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done.  So there is nothing new under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 1:8-9

Sunrays
Live

Life was given to us to live.  To live for God’s glory, not our own.  So, please use it well!  Please read, in print or on the screen, that which edifies and encourages you to grow right where God has you.

There will be twists and turns in your life.  Spend time contemplating what God may be teaching you, not looking to another blogger or friend to see what they’re doing.  Yes, we can learn from one another, but if we’re spending more time with authors of blogs or books rather than God Himself, we will burn out.  He will reveal our need for Him.  Don’t underestimate His power to work in your life, or to show you just what He has for you.  He might use a blogger’s experience to help you in your own situation, but mostly, the Holy Spirit was given to us as a teacher and guide.  Don’t underestimate this gift Jesus gave us as He exited earth!

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.  I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.  Ecclesiastes  3: 12-14

Take Time

Take time to listen to God.  Listen for His Spirit.  He will instruct you in the way you should go.  Listen well.  This is one reason I’ve been quiet in the blogging world.  I’m trying to listen, to hear how God wants me to spend my time, to be sure I’m not wasting my reader’s time.  To glorify Him in all I do.

So will I still blog?  For now, I think so.  But as I’m listening to God’s still small voice, I hear Him reminding me to take time.  Time for Him.  Time for my children and grandchildren.  Time for my neighbor.  Time for real interaction with breathing humans.  I know you who are reading this are breathing, yet without interaction and visual input, it’s really hard to truly share life and lessons.  For now, I will continue to write, if only for me to process my thoughts and lessons being learned.  And if it blesses my children someday, or even you today, I will write until God shows me it’s time to stop.

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts today.  Maybe a bit of rambling….but isn’t that what friends are for?  And here’s another great song to lift your soul today!

Christ’s Love to you and yours as we enter a busy holiday season.  Enjoy life!  Enjoy time with family and friends.  Take time to love your neighbors.  And don’t forget God in the busyness, for He is the true Giver of it all!

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In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.
The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.   Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
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A Busy Life – Learning to Trust God

October 1, 2014 By livingabovethenoise

Dandelion

Well, as much as I love to learn and share what I’m learning, God has me in a place where the learning is obviously more important than the sharing!

Again I’m explaining why I’ve been absent from the blogging world!  Between family visits, summer trips, and family work projects, all keep me from sitting down long enough to gather my thoughts.

But….those thoughts are still there, just waiting to leap from my fingertips and onto this screen!  Thoughts on all the lessons in process like:  contentment, peace, obedience, trust, expectations, and more.  I’ll be sharing more as I find make the time to process and describe what God is revealing in my life.

From where I stand today, I know God is good.  Even through the hard times, He is at work, drawing us to Himself.  Revealing His ways, His desires for us.  We only need be still and listen.  Won’t you listen with me?

And here’s a beautiful song to draw you to God.  Listen and be healed.

 

“Fear Is Easy, Love Is Hard”
by: Jason Gray

Turn on the T.V. for the evening news
They got plenty to fear and nothing to do
Another somebody who’s gone too far
Makes you want to put up your guard
Fear is easy, love is hard
So we draw up another dividing line
We label each other and we choose a side
Peace could come at quite a cost
So we won’t build a bridge across
Fear is easy, but love is hard
Fear will leave you hiding in the dark
But love will bring a light into your heart
So do not be afraid, do not be afraidI’m sorry baby is what he should’ve said
But she wouldn’t listen even if he did
They’ll die without forgiveness soon
But no one wants to make a move
When fear is easy and love is hard
Fear will leave you hiding in the dark
But love will bring a light into your heart
So do not be afraid, do not be afraidIt’s hard to bring your heart to a world that can break it
To offer love to those you’re afraid will forsake it
But a well-defended heart is always looking for a fight
In a lonely war against an endless night
But love can bring a lightFear will leave you hiding in the dark
But love will bring a light into your heart
So do not be afraidIt comes down to a simple choice
Shouting devils or a still small voice
One is spreading fear and dread
Oh but love has always said
Do not be afraid

What has God been teaching you this summer?

Trusting,

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“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous hand.”   Isaiah 41:10
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You know the noise—the clamor of life and family and self. Learn how to live above the noisy din of this world, gain confidence to think for yourself, and find true north in your life. Join me as we learn together how to best use our lives the way God intended! I want this to be a place where women can learn and grow together!

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