Merry Christmas!

     The end of the Mayan calendar (a/k/a the end of the world) coincided a little close to Christmas.  As we sat at home, Doom's Day Eve, discussing the matter, my husband asked me, "Is that why you brought home [take out] for supper?"  "Of course.  I'm not spending my last day on earth cooking."
     Then my youngest has the bright idea that "since we won't be here on Christmas, we should open all our gifts now!"  I try to explain to him that it wouldn't matter if he did open his gifts early, he wouldn't get to take them with him when the world ends [tomorrow].  "Yeah, but I can play with them tonight...while I'm here."   hahaha.
     Well, the world didn't end, and the closer it got to Christmas and "the reason for the season," a deeper meaning in my son's statement came to me. 

"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." John 3:16

 

God has given us a gift, His son Jesus Christ.  We have accepted that gift and it sits under our tree.  But we choose not to open it until the appointed time.  We spend our days looking at the beautiful wrapping, excited that it's all ours, wondering what's on the inside, anticipating the day when we get to Heaven and can unwrap it.  Then we will see all the love and joy and peace...all the things God promised us brought to life.

 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and

cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,

neither shadow of turning."   James 1:17

 

     But, what if we were impatient?  What if we didn't wait to open the gift?  What if we got so excited we just had to have it now?!  Well...we can!  In fact, God wants us to open our gifts as soon as we get them.  We can unwrap them all and have love, joy and peace while we're here!  And He wants us to use them immediately.  Not set them up on a shelf out of harm's way, just collecting dust, never doing what they were intended to do - be shared with our friends and family. 

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."  Luke 6:38

 

The more we share, the more "toys" we get!  We don't have to wait till we get to Heaven!  Amazing!

     Plus - these things you can actually take with you when you go!

 

no answers

     It’s 7:30 on a rainy Monday morning. I just dropped my son off at school. How can something so simple, an ordinary everyday part of my routine, weigh so heavy on my mind. I could say I know he will be safe, that he will have a good day, that nothing will go wrong. You might say I’m just being overprotective or a worry-wart. But the thoughts of the happenings of last Friday are still fresh on my mind. I’m sure the parents of those children were just doing their everyday thing, believing their children would be safe and happy at school. But that wasn’t how it was.
     I can’t even begin to imagine how those families must feel - and honestly, I don’t want to. I don’t understand how things like this can take place. I know there are bad people in this world and that bad things happen every day. But this....not like this. I just can’t wrap my head around it all. It makes me just want to get everybody I love and care about and put them in one place and make them stay there. Safe. But I know I can’t do that. I can’t dwell on the what if’s or the why’s or how’s. My life must go on, and the lives of my children, my family and friends. I can’t live in fear of what might happen. We can’t let the bad people win.
     But what’s the answer to stop it all? I don’t think banning guns is the way to go. I have no problem with responsible people owning guns. I believe we have the right to protect ourselves. I believe there should be, and probably already are, procedures and requirements to obtain a gun. I don’t, however, believe a person should be able to buy an automatic assault rifle at their local Wal-mart. I think there should be different, maybe stricter, restrictions on those types of firearms. What those should be or how they are to be enacted and enforced, I don’t know.
     I also believe there could be a change or two made in the way mental illness is handled. I think more can be done for these people at a younger age when the signs are first noticed. And I don’t think a few days in a hospital to regulate some medication or a threat of jail is always the right thing to do. Again, I’m no expert in those things, so I can offer no real suggestion on what or how that can be done.
     As I talk this out, I guess I’m left with just a lot of questions, but I can offer no answers. I read a facebook status last night that I thought was very true. It was directed at all those who were saying we never should have taken prayer (and, in effect, God) out of schools. This person pointed out that if you have raised a God-fearing child, He never left. I believe God was in that school in Connecticut. He was with those innocent children and took them to Heaven to live with Him, away from the bad people. I can only hope the adults were as ready to go.  I have to put my faith in that God.  Faith that He will be with my children, wherever they are, and that He has their best interests at heart and can protect them more than I ever could. 
     My prayers continue to go up for the families of those who lost loved ones. I pray for the children who lived through it and will forever have this tragedy as part of their memories. For the family of the man who did this. I pray God will send peace into a small town made the center of media attention. And, in time, forgiveness to the hearts that need it.  In Jesus' name, Amen.