What Smells So Good? Advent Thought for Today

Last night I spent the evening looking up my favorite recipes for December.  The traditional ones that everyone expects, my personal favorites and all the new ones I've found on Pinterest through the year.  Then I made a shopping list of ingredients.  Once I choke down how much it all costs at the grocery store, I'll be good to go.  I love the foods of Christmas.  All the wonderful smells and tastes.  Having containers full of cookies and a fridge busting with cheese, crackers and summer sausage - not to mention hot dip ingredients to whip up with little notice is very satisfying to me.  Want to drop by sometime?  After today I will be ready for you!  Hopefully the house will smell of mint, cinnamon and sugar cookies.

Did you know that smells are part of the Christmas story and Jesus' earthly life too?   Two of the gifts the Magi brought were to invoke emotional significance. Jesus' friend Mary poured out expensive fragrance to prepare Jesus for burial.  This was a gift to Jesus from Mary that spoke of her great love for Him.

Every year I read the following words from Thomas Kinkade and every year I'm challenged to smell good. He says it better than I could:

"Surely this was part of what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote that we, Jesus' followers, are supposed to be the fragrance of Christ in the world.  We are to live in such a way that the lovely aroma of His love floats through the air around us, attracting others by its evocative power.

Now that's an interesting thought for this Christmas season!  Can you imagine your life being as irresistible to others as the smell of bread baking...of Christmas trees...of candles and all those other Christmas smellls?  Can you imagine the fragrance of your life writing a signature of God's love in your own home, in your workplace, in your world?

It's something worth thinking about as you go about your pre-Christmas busyness.  This Advent season, in the midst of all your preparations, don't forget to breathe deeply.  Sniff for the scent of frankincense and myrrh so you can recognize the signature of God's love in your life.

And then think how you could live today so that God's signature fragrance of divine eternal love wafts gently and irresistibly toward everyone you meet."

Our attitudes can really reek.  Especially what comes out of our mouths.  Complaining and bitterness and stressing out can give off a stinky smell.  But joy, excitement, hope and forgiveness can be intoxicating.  It's our choice.  Let's choose the aroma of Christ.  Two weeks into Advent, hope you are enjoying every day.  Spread the joy and smell to everyone you meet.

To quote two of my family's favorite Christmas movies....do you smell like "beef and cheese" (Elf) or like a "cookie" (Santa Clause 3)?  haha!

Quote from Christ, Light of the World

What a Difference a Year Makes Part 1

Some of you may remember that exactly one year ago, Scott and I were packing up our home and life in Syracuse (where I grew up and we lived together for 17 years) to move to Johnson City (Endwell) and begin a new ministry.  As expected, many changes awaited us.  The kids made a terrific transition not just to a new school but to public school from a small Christian one. They also left their beloved youth group but quickly fit right in to the new church.  I credit all the prayers spoken on their behalf from both church families. We thank God for the youth staff for taking an interest and intentionally loving Ben and Ally...and Drew when he was here. We don't take this lightly.  They are gifts!

However, much to our surprise, during the summer it became painfully clear that our time here would be much shorter than we expected.  We have no satisfying explanation for this and quite frankly, have decided that a person surrendered to God's will shouldn't require one.  God has every right to do what He wants with us, when He wants and where He wants.  There is a calming effect to this heart-attitude.  God is in the driver's seat, not us.  I like how Warren Wiersbe puts it:

"People of faith don't expect trusting God to make life uncomplicated or convenient.  God has unusual ways of shaping our lives and getting us to where He wants us to be.  He doesn't tell us ahead of time what He's doing.  He wants us to rest in His hands, enjoy the adventure, and be surprised by what He accomplishes."*

We continually prayed and sought godly counsel.  Difficult decisions had to be made.  We knew then and remain confident even now that God led us here and would lead us to another ministry when the time was right, His time.

If you have known me for more than a year, you know that every Christmas I ask God to show up in a new and delightful way. Then I spend all of December looking under every festively lit tree branch for Him.  And He always does. Always. These are gifts, I suppose. (Did I mention that gift-giving is my love language?  Going both ways - giving and receiving.) God is the greatest gift giver (see James 1).  No wonder I love Him so!

Some years God shows up through a sacred concert or production that causes my heart to worship. Other times I've found Him through an Advent devotional - looking at familiar Christmas Scripture passages with fresh eyes. A favorite was the year The Polar Express came out and we went to see it on Christmas Eve.  God is in that movie...in a BIG way!  In case you think that movie is about Santa...you missed it...I saw Jesus and God the Father and the gift of salvation to everyone who believes all throughout the film on the screen that day.  Tender moments between me and the One who came as a baby for this messed up teenager. I cried in the theater and get choked up now every time I watch it. I believe! (don't get me started!)

One Christmas, God gave me my late grandfather's beloved Nativity set in a very unexpected way and I cried because there was no way other than through His intervention that I should have received it.  Still another December soon after my father's unexpected death, He showed up in relational tension and conflict where solution (and His presence) came through my radically changed attitude.  Obedience is a gift, you know.

Last December, He was found in a sweet, meaningful, emotional farewell from our most special congregation, family really, that we were leaving behind.  He was also in all the excitement and quick, warm acceptance of a new church family who we found so easy to love. This year, He would come as a gift of provision and answered prayers before certain deadlines.

Back at our point of decision, we treaded carefully, weighing consequences.  It was a confusing, painful time for our family. We prayed and asked God for something new if He wished, something different from what we were used to doing.  I even threw in this prayer, "God, will you Eph. 3:20, 21 us?"  (Didn't know that was a verb, did you?)  The verses read, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen."

"God, would You do more, far more abundantly than all we ask or think (beyond our imagination) in our lives that would bring glory to You down to the next generation of Burtis's and beyond?"  We were too weak and wounded to dream up anything ourselves and we definitely didn't want to manufacture something through our own wits and understanding due to panic or worry (faithlessness).  In other words, "Would You show up for us, God?"

Just a day or so ago, I wrote this on facebook:

The angel said to Mary, "For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37 Been hanging on to that for a few months. I know God can do anything, but wasn't sure when He would. My conversation with God went something like this one in Mark 9. The sick boy's father (me:) "If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." Jesus: "If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes." Me: "I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!"

Many verses have become special to us as we have walked through a time of waiting and wondering.  We are very aware of the parallels between our waiting and the Advent season.  The waiting for God to appear.  How stunning to think that when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, His people had been waiting for His arrival in silence, no word from God, for 4oo years.  That's a long time. Waiting is hard. We prayed that we would do it well without doubt or discouragement, giving God time to show up.

I'm overjoyed to announce that our time of waiting came to an end this last weekend.  Scott and I (mostly Scott) will soon be ministering with the Feng family in Syracuse both at their business and Crossroads Ministry.  We will be doing all sorts of fun and different ministry. This is all God - three weeks before the deadline. During Christmas season. It's so like God to show up here and now like this.  My love for Him is inflated again!  Our hearts have grown more than 2 sizes!!

For the sake of your time, I won't go into how it all happened.  (If you want the whole story, invite me out for coffee - or come on over here - we'll sit and chat by my tree.) Just let me tell you this, when we heard the words, "We do not take this lightly. We believe God may be in this.", Scott and I looked at eacher other in wide-eyed wonder, not unlike children on Christmas morning, but of who God is and how He knows us, cares for us, and is truly doing what He always had planned to begin with. 

On my lowest days when the enemy tempted me to doubt and worry and second guess, I repeated, sometimes aloud, "I trust You God.  I know that You are preparing something for us and preparing us for something.  I know this is not impossible for You."  The rub was the "when". 

Romans 8:28 is a life-giving verse:  "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good."  He is always working.  He is rearranging all the "furniture" to fulfill His purpose for those of us who love Him.  Even when we are in the dark He never is - the darkness is light to Him because He is the light! (Ps. 139:12)

I write this post to both let you know what God is doing in our lives and also to thank you. It is likely that if you've read to this point you have been one who has prayed for us at some point these last months. Some of you told us and some of you didn't but we know we were sustained by prayer. Some of you went further to give us gifts of provision and of your time in friendship.  How do we thank you for that?  Scott and I praise God for you.  

Please know the power of encouragement and the strength we received that accompanied your gifts.  At times we could not have been lower, but you lifted us up in many different ways.  We want you to know that God has answered your prayers.  That He has shown up and shown up in a mighty way.  As the angel said to Mary, "For nothing is impossible with God." Lk 1:37.  And to express my heart further, I quote Luke 1:45 "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her (all promises from Scripture) from the Lord."  Blessed. Full of wonder and praise.  Excited about our new assignment to serve Him.

Put your hope in Him today, this Christmas.  You won't be left wanting, I promise. All those verses I typed out are for you too!  He'll show up, I have no doubts - just keep looking!

*C is for Christmas by Warren Wiersbe

What a Difference a Year Makes...Part 2...The Frosting

As one of my favorite author/speaker often says, "God is better than He has to be."  Can you testify to that in your life?  I sure can.

Hopefully if you're reading this post, you've already read part 1.  You know that my Hero has made Himself known, given me my Christmas gift early this year. But the story isn't over!!  If you haven't read it, click here immediately and catch up.

Ok, are we all together?  I'm continuing this post because I just have to brag on God some more.  But first, can I tell you that I love chocolate cake?  Chocolate cake w/white frosting. mmmm mmmm.  To be precise, my favorite is Wegmans chocolate cake with white frosting. Ok, to be honest, it's just the frosting I really desire. Who needs the cake?  In fact, when Scott and I share a piece (rare - only happens in public to be polite), I eat the top half.  I could eat that stuff by the tub. Did you know you can buy it without the cake?  I didn't either until one of my young girlfriends who knows me pretty well gave me a container of it for my birthday one year.  And yes, I ate the whole thing.  Not in one day.  Gotta savor it.

Our experiences the past few days have been like that frosting on a piece of rich chocolate cake.

Not only do we have our new ministry assignment, which in it's timing is HUGE enough, but check this out:

• These last few days, when we may have been given to doubting our own worth or value, we have received countless gifts of love, affirmation and provision that remind us who we are and how God has used us.  This cannot be taken away but Satan sure wants to convince us otherwise - or should I say confuse us otherwise?  God is in charge of it.  Period.

• We knew moving would again be in our future, but did not pursue or imagine we would be moving back to Syracuse. This likely won't happen until after Ben graduates in June, but in my mind, this is so good because moving back to a familiar place will minimize the trauma on our kids of yet another move. Alas, it also means we are going back to our land....where the snow piles up feet at a time. Oh glory!  And back to our people....our longtime friends and family who we love.

•  We will be attending and serving at North Syracuse Baptist Church, our kids' beloved home church. We've been assured that we are welcome...and expected.

•  Ally will be back as a part of the CORE youth group.  And when the boys come back from college, they will be greeted by those who have watched them grow up and know that they are "kind of a big deal" (at least to us).

•  Are you ready for this one?  The Feng Family (our new bosses/partners in ministry) raise chickens on a lakeside property.  CHICKENS!  Seriously?  If that isn't God's wink and smile to me, what else could be?  I love His humor.  He gets me.  Not too sure how that theology fits into Scott's un-desire for chickens, but I'm not going to explore that today.  We won't actually be raising the chickens....yet, anyway.

•  And the real icing, the over the top blessing, that big blob of sweet frosting, the flower from a sugary birthday cake, came when Jake and Liz Sorber invited our kids to accompany the group on CORE's upcoming mission trip to Dominican Republic in March.  We had sadly counted that opportunity and perhaps future mission trips as a loss and grieved it, but God is writing the story of our lives.  He did not close the door and has given our kids the most amazing Christmas gift this year - the desire of their hearts to serve in missions with childhood friends.  Remember this passage from Luke 5:4-8?

"When He (Jesus) finished speaking, He said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.'  Simon answered, 'Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.  But because you say so, I will lay down the nets.'  When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, 'Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!'"

This was exactly my response in that moment.  "Go away from me, Lord; for I am a sinful woman!" We don't deserve how good God is.  Imagine two parents sobbing at the goodness of a God who is blessing their little family so much more than He has to.  It happened.  It does again as I'm trying to write through the mist.  I feel like He's just showing off now....and I love it!  If this isn't Eph. 3:20,21 (see part 1) I don't know what is!

Jesus' job description is prophesied in Isaiah 61

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord God is upon Me,
because the Lord has anointed Me
to bring good news to the poor;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn...
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit....
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations."

Jesus read these words from the scroll in the temple in the Gospel of John.  As I read these words today, I worship....He came to do all that for this family when we were broken and brokenhearted and most needy.  He is rebuilding the ruins.  He came to do it for you and yours as well.   O Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Lord.  Are you broken and needy this Christmas?  Do not fear....the Lord is with you.

The Best Answer is Always Yes (when God's asking the questions)

from my nativity collection - this was made in Kenya

Hey there,

My Christmas countdown pillow says there are 20 days left until Christmas.  It's going too fast already.  Time to slow down and think about important things of the season.  As is my custom, and probably some of yours too, I've been reading the book of Luke.  There are so many details.  It could take a lifetime of Decembers to take them all in.  The best part is that each invite a personal application or action point.  I hope you find yours in some of these observations about one of the main characters.

Mary, the mother of Jesus said, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”  (Luke 1:38)  Faithful.  Trustworthy.  Believes.  She said “YES” to god.   She was a teenager completely tuned into to what the God of the Universe was up to.  In saying yes to carrying the Messiah, she said yes to so much more…

q  Yes to scorn from her communtiy and possible stoning

q  Yes to possibly losing her closest friends

q  Yes to giving up a comfortable, predictable life – her dreams and plans

q  Yes to travelling pregnant on a donkey

q  Yes to giving birth in a stinky, animal filled, unsanitary, public stable (no private hospital rooms here)

q  Yes to Joseph delivering her baby

q  Yes to any “rights” or entitlement to her child.  He was born for all mankind, not simply for her pleasure

q  Yes to allowing Joseph to lead her (middle of the night fleeing to Egypt)

q  Yes to raising the perfect son of God in her home

And so much more…..

While that could sound rather unappealing, when Mary said yes to God she also said…

q  Yes to being the one who would know Jesus best

q  Yes to having a permanent place in Biblical history in a story that would be told over and over again throughout all time

q  Yes to the blessing of obedience to God

Mary said yes to a lot of risks.  She said yes to trusting God when she couldn’t see ahead.  It would involve pain and perhaps loneliness.  Am I that willing for the Son of God to disrupt the plans I have set for my life?  Truly I want the blessing and favor and presence of God, but is it on my terms?  Do I require it to be pretty, romantic and comfortable?  Is there something God has asked of you?  Take Mary's example and say yes.

I think Mary had a hard life, but I also believe it was marked by abundance, blessing and contentment.  A decision she never regretted.  That sounds worth it to me.

Christmas Isn't Just For Children

Today is the first Sunday of Advent but as you can guess, I started my heart preparations already.  I love what I read today from David and Warren Wiersbe:

"No doubt you have heard people say, or perhaps you have said yourself, 'Christmas is for children.'  Take a long look at this group standing in the temple and you will never say it again.  You have Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna - and Jesus, the center of their hearts' attention.  Mary was a teenager, Joseph was perhaps twice as old as his wife, and Simeon and Anna were aged; but they were all united around the Savior."*

What a tremendous thought....mostly everyone invited to and affected by the birth of Jesus were adults or near adults!  There is something here for all of us.  Our celebrations should be just as meaningful to and anticipated for us as they are for little ones.

'Christmas is for children' certainly wasn't true at that first Christmastime, because Jesus was welcomed and worshiped by angels and shepherds, common people and sages, and especially by the older folks who had long been awaiting His coming."*

There you have it - permission to be as giddy as a child at Christmastime!  Of course, most kids are simply eager for gifts and physical delights but there is so much more.  We should be equally as eager to receive.  We are awaiting Christ's return.  I'm excited for that and Christmas reminds me of how we are to come..."Truly, I tell you," said Jesus, "unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3)  By children, perhaps means the humble of heart, regardless of age.

Is He describing you?

*C is for Christmas