Holiday Hustle or Holiday Hope?

Can you believe that it is already the month of November?  Soon the holidays will be history and the New Year will be in sight.  At times, it seems that the holidays come and go in the blink of an eye.  The year goes by so fast that it becomes a monumental task to eat up the candy corn before Christmas, the candy canes before Valentine’s, and the chocolate hearts before Easter.  Simultaneously, the stores stock the shelves with ghosts and goblins of Halloween and the decorated trees and nativity scenes of Christmas.  Sandwiched right between the two are a few lone scarecrows and a bounty of cornucopias.  Thanksgiving is a holiday that often gets overlooked amid the medley of holiday cheer.  Let’s face it: Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the best holidays on the entire calendar.  So, don’t rush through the holiday hustle; stop and savor each and every moment of holiday hope!

 

In its simplest terms, the word hope means to desire something with anticipation.  In contrast, the word hustle can even mean to manhandle something!  Think about it.  Do you want to anticipate the holidays or handle them roughly, pushing them along?  It is my prayer that we can avoid the hustle.  Instead, it is my hope that we can anticipate the holidays as a child anticipates Christmas morning when they finally have the chance to unwrap the gifts underneath the tree.  Whether you are 8 or 80, the Christmas season still holds the same meaning as it did when you were a child.  Sure, you may have finally figured out that Santa Clause doesn’t really slide down the chimney to deliver gifts during the night.  And you may have decided that Frosty didn’t really come to town one day.  But there is one Christmas story that never grows old.  It is not based on fiction, but on reality.  And it is truly the greatest story ever told.

 

Jesus Christ came to this earth as a baby in a manger.  He was not born in a palace or a hospital, as most kings would be.  Instead, the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords was born in a stable in Bethlehem.  Jesus was born of a virgin, visited by shepherds and wise men, adopted by Joseph, a carpenter.  God chose to have His Son come into the world with humble beginnings.  But He knew that Jesus would grow up to be the Savior of the world by giving His life for you and me.  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Jesus loved you and I so much that He journeyed from a manger filled with hay to a cross where He shed His blood to save us from our sins.

During this holiday season, remember to thank Jesus for loving you so much that He gave all He could give.  He could have called ten thousand angels, but He stayed on the cross so you could have a personal relationship with Him.  But He didn’t stop there.  He continues to bless you with family, friends, food, and so much more.  This Thanksgiving, as you sit around a table piled high with a perfectly carved turkey, succulent stuffing and fluffy mashed potatoes, topped off with a slice of pumpkin pie garnished with a dollop of whipped cream, remember to take time to give thanks.  Give thanks for your family.  Give thanks for your friends.  Give thanks to God.  Slow down and take time to anticipate each holiday with hope.  Hope for a joyous celebration.  Hope for family and friends gathered around.  Hope for the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ.  Don’t shuffle through the holiday hustle; fill your heart with holiday hope!

In Christ's Love,
Jennifer

Taken for Granted

Have you ever taken something for granted?  Maybe you took your job for granted, until you lost your job.  Perhaps you took your health for granted, until you found yourself unable to walk, eat, or breathe normally.  Or you may have lacked appreciation for your family or friends, until one of them passed away.  In life, we are given many things.  Some of these things are desired and some are undesired, some are happy and some are sad, some are uplifting and some are distressing.  Regardless of whether or not you appreciate the blessings God gives you, there is one thing that is absolutely certain: God will always give you what you need, when you need it, whether you think you need it or not.  You could be taking something for granted right now, whether it is the food you eat, your home, a loved one…do you give thanks for the things God has blessed you with each and every day?  Or are many of them simply taken for granted?

In August 2009, on the first morning of preplanning for teachers, I had an experience that caused me to reexamine the blessings God has given me.  One morning, when I got out of bed, my face was no longer normal.  As I looked in the mirror, I immediately realized that I could not blink my eyes, talk clearly, or even smile.  Fear dominated my thoughts.  Countless questions filled my mind.  I wondered, Was this permanent?  Did I have a stroke?  What could have possibly caused this?  I wondered why God would allow this to happen.  I could not understand the purpose in God’s plan.  After all that had happened in the previous year, I could not comprehend why God would add yet another trial for me to have to face.  Why should I have to go through this, of all things?  This experience put me in one of the lowest places I had ever been.

That very week, I went to my family physician, hoping to receive some good news.  My physician told me several possibilities that it could be, a few quite severe, and referred me to first see an optometrist.  I couldn’t believe, after 27 years of 20/20 vision, that a visit to an optometrist was necessary.  After a full examination, I was told that I likely had a severe case of bilateral Bell’s Palsy.  Although I have since heard about many cases of this condition, I had never heard of it before.  I was given several prescriptions to help with swelling and infection, and told to go home and basically wait it out.  How long would it last?  Neither the optometrist nor the eye specialist could tell me for sure, but they simply said it could be anywhere from days to weeks to months.  Or, it could be permanent.  This word seemed so final, so irreversible.  So, permanent.

Having lost my Mom just a year before, I was completely and utterly distraught.  I did not understand why I should be subjected to such pain, discomfort, and fear, in addition to the distress and sorrow I was already experiencing.  I was told one of the possible causes could be stress-related factors.  When I look back on that time in my life, I realize this was certainly the case.  Not only had our summer vacation come to an end, but it was the one-year anniversary of the loss of my Mom.  The more I tried to not think about this “anniversary,” the more I thought about it.  Every time I tried to miss my mom a little less, I missed my mom a lot more.  School was starting, which meant the end to our summer travels, there was a “to-do” list that seemed longer than the Nile itself, and the absence of my Mom made even the least significant detail or minor setback seem like an international incident.  Needless to say, I worried that I would drown in this sea of stress-related factors, never to smile again.
 
Anyone who knows me well knows that I smile all of the time.  It’s almost as if God has placed a perpetual smile on my face.  Although I had always been one to smile all of the time, I never gave it much thought.  For me, smiling is just as natural as breathing the life-giving air that God provides.  As such, the idea that I might never smile again was terribly frightening.  In addition, I was concerned about my eyesight.  While I had always had 20/20 vision, this medical condition made it difficult to see clearly enough to read an e-mail, to watch television, or to even drive a car.  On top of this, I could not raise my eyebrows, blink my eyes, speak clearly, or chew properly.  I was embarrassed to eat in front of my friends at school.  Eventually, they encouraged me enough to where I ate in front of them, reassured that they would not judge me if a morsel of food escaped my lips.  They loved me for who I was, with expressions or without expressions.  My entire face felt as if it had literally been frozen.  In one single night, I went from being able to smile, see, speak, eat, and express myself to being an expressionless individual who was falling into a sea of despair.

Someone once said, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.  I never truly knew what this meant until this particular time in my life.  While I had lost three grandparents, two infant brothers, and most recently, my mom, I never once remember a time when I took my family for granted.  They have always been the second most important thing in my life, God being number one.  And I had been in the hospital in critical condition, but I never recall taking my health for granted.  But, the simple act of blinking my eyes and turning my lips upward into a smile…I never fully appreciated the ability to perform these actions.  Such simple things, until I was unable to do them.  Through this experience, God helped me learn that I should never take anything for granted, even blinking my eyes.

During this time, my friends and family were so supportive of me.  Because I could not see very well or control my eyelids very well, my dad assisted with eye drops at home.  At work, a dear friend graciously offered to help out whenever needed.  In fact, God used this ordeal to build a sense of trust between this particular friend and I, a bond of friendship that He would later use to help me through my grief.  Speaking of friends, this experience helped me realize that I was taking my friends for granted as well.  While I missed my mom greatly, God used this case of Bell’s Palsy to help me see just how precious my friends truly were.  They embraced me when I needed a hug, they gave me advice when I sought their wisdom, and they sat in silence when I needed a listening ear.  Looking back, I wonder how I would have gotten through this trial without my dad and these dear friends God had placed in my life.

Approximately four weeks later, God completely healed me of Bell’s Palsy.  It was a gradual journey to healing, but I must say that the journey was a journey of hope and healing ordained by God.  Every time I blink my eyes, each time I move any part of my face, and all of the times I smile, I remember the moment God fully restored my health.  Every expression that I can apply to my face is a constant reminder of God’s grace and His healing touch.  Each moment I express myself is a gift from God that I will never take for granted.  Every friend who stood beside me, through painfully dry eyes and unsmiling lips, will always be appreciated by me.  And yet, while they are the ones who inspired me to maintain a positive attitude, many of them told me what an inspiration I was to them, keeping a positive attitude throughout the whole ordeal.  I may not understand God’s purpose for my suffering, but this is such a perfect example of Romans 8:28 (NIV): “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  No matter what I had to endure, God used it for good.

What about you?  Have you faced a trial in your life?  Is there something you are taking for granted right now?  It could be something simple, like taking your pet for granted, or more complex, like taking your children for granted.  Perhaps you can walk on two feet, breathe deep breaths of air, or swallow your food.  Maybe you can talk, hear, see, blink, or yes, even smile.  Did you ever think about a life where you could not do one or more of these things?  Such small things, until they are gone.  Then, they grow in proportion and importance.  When you wake up in the morning, thank God for all of the things you have.  Thank Him for everything you can do, instead of complaining about the things you cannot do.  Give thanks for the family and friends you do have, rather than yearning for the ones you do not have.  Praise Him for the life He has given you, as opposed to asking Him for the life you covet.  Appreciate what you have.  God doesn’t want you to take life for granted, but to enjoy the life He has lovingly granted.

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer

Gratitude

Have you ever felt unappreciated?  Do you feel as if you give 110% to your job, your family, and other activities, only to feel as if you haven’t done enough?  Is there ever a time when you just wish someone would say, “thank you?”  Even in the times when you feel unappreciated, remember that God sees everything you do, whether big or small.  He loves you.  He thinks you are amazing.  And He loves when you do something for His honor and glory.  Even if you may not receive an audible thank you, God is wrapping His arms of love around you to show you just how important you are to Him.  And sometimes, He may even use a relative, friend, or coworker to pass along that unforeseen “thank you” for which you have been desiring so long.  God is truly the Creator of gratitude.

This afternoon, I received an unexpected e-mail from a colleague.  Inside, I found an unanticipated “thank you.”  They were expressing their appreciation to me for making a difference in the lives of my students.  They said that I had been an inspiration.  As I sat at my computer, I recalled the real reason I became a teacher: to make a difference in the lives of my students.  Every day, I pray that I will have a positive impact on their lives.  I strive to be their teacher, their mentor, and their friend.  There are times, though, when I wonder if I am truly making a difference.  Do my students really listen to the life lessons I share with them?  Does it matter if I have well-constructed lesson plans?  Do people really appreciate the valiant effort I put forth?  And then, an e-mail like the one I received today comes along to reassure me that yes, I am appreciated.  How special to know that someone noticed what I have been doing for five years.  To think that they actually took the time to thank me for going the extra mile to make the difference in the life of a child.  Wow.  I thank God for sending this e-mail my way.  He always knows what I need, even before it enters into my mind.

While it is always nice to receive gratitude, it is equally exciting to share appreciation with others.  When you sit down for a nice meal at a restaurant or even at home, do you thank the person who serves the meal or the chef who prepares it?  Do you thank the cashier in the check-out lane at Wal-Mart, or the one who held the door open for you at the bank?  Did you remember to thank the person who carried your groceries to your car for you, or the secretary on the telephone who put you right through to the person whom you were trying to reach?  Every single day, we are given opportunities to express gratitude to others.  Whether they are strangers or friends, I am sure they experience the same feelings that we do at times: overworked and unappreciated.  Wouldn’t you like to be a part of something really big?  It’s quite simple.  One simple “thank you” could literally make someone’s day.  Or it might even change their life.  To know we are appreciated means to know we are loved.  And to know we are loved means we have a reason to get up in the morning, go to work or school, and simply put, to live according to the dream that God has for our life.

Even Jesus gave thanks to God, His Father, on many occasions.  He understood how important it was to show His gratefulness to His Father, and He gives us a wonderful example to emulate.  In Matthew 11:25 (ESV), we read, “At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.’”  Jesus wanted His Father to know that He appreciated the things that were given to Him, so He thanked Him always.  He also taught His disciples to be grateful by modeling a life of gratitude.  For instance, He taught them to give thanks for their food.  Matthew 26:26 (NIV) says, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples.”  According to this scripture, they did not eat until after the blessing had been given.  When partaking in a meal, giving thanks to the Lord was the number one priority among Jesus and His disciples.  Do you thank the Lord for the food He provides?  Are there ways you can follow Christ’s example, showing gratefulness to the Lord in your daily life?

You may wonder, how often should I thank someone?  Will they think that I am simply saying “thank you” because of lack of knowing what to say?  The Bible offers advice in this area as well.  I Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  So, should we only give thanks for our food?  Or to someone who helps us?  Or to a friend who offered encouragement to us?  No.  It is God’s desire that we should give thanks “in all circumstances.”  Notice this scripture does not say to give thanks sometimes, but it says to give thanks always.  This doesn’t mean we should thank God that our car was totaled, a loved one is sick, or that we lost our job.  Instead, we should be thankful to God for the blessings we have.  God will then bless us, restoring our lives according to His perfect will.
So, the next time you feel unappreciated, look around.  God may be sending an angel in disguise your way with a small token of their appreciation.  It could arrive in an e-mail, or it could be in the form of a phone call, a hug, or even a smile.  And while you are enjoying the new-found joys of feeling appreciated, remember to pay it forward.  Say “thank you” more often.  Shake someone’s hand.  Give someone a handwritten note telling them just how much you appreciate their friendship.  Most importantly, thank the Lord for allowing you to feel appreciated and giving you the opportunity to allow someone else to feel special as well.  Psalm 118:1 (NIV) calls us to “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”  Tomorrow morning when you awaken, thank the Lord for His many blessings.  Through this expression of gratitude, you will be reminded just how much Jesus loves you.  Not only that, but you will have the opportunity to have a personal conversation with the giver of hope, the giver of peace, and the giver of life.  How can anyone be ungrateful for such a precious gift?  God gave His only Son.  Doesn’t that just make you want to spread gratitude for the love of Jesus to everyone you meet?

In closing, I would like to show my appreciation to you for reading my blog by leaving you with this scripture: “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers” (Philemon 1:4 NIV).

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer