Love Actually

I watched a movie the other night called ‘Love Actually’, it tells the story of how love can be found.  In the introduction the narrator uses the tragedy of the New York trade towers as an example that despite the tragedy, stories of love were everywhere. "Love is actually all around.” I liked that.

I found a song this Christmas written and sung by Casting Crowns, called ‘While You Were Sleeping’ and it tells the story of not paying attention to the love that is given for all of us.  Take a moment if you can and listen to it.

This song seems rather fitting considering what has happened in the world these last few weeks. The song is aimed for the United States but the rest of the countries in this world could easily have their names slipped in to its place.

Right now we are aware of the massacres in Newtown,Conneticut; Chengping,China and Webster, NewYork; shootings, stabbings…planned murderous rampages, all of these happening in the middle of this December, a time when all should be joy.

Yet these happenings are not new.  Our world is filled with suffering, has been, for well over 2000 years…more. 

Our world is filled with strange philosophies, ideas and thoughts that take us away from personal relationships, family and love; thinking that takes us away from God, from His hope and His peace. 

Well that’s what the world view seems to say.  But I’m not so sure…actually, I see love all around.

I see family holding on to one another, I see parents loving each other.  I see Grandparents praying for their children and grandchildren, loving them, giving them hope through illnesses and suffering.  I see elderly parents being cared for by their children while they travel the road to the end of life on this earth. I see friends to all of these, whole communities stepping up to show support and to offer help, hope, love. 

Unending love, actually.

I see men working hard to make lives better for others in this world, whether it is in other countries or whether it is right in their own neighbourhoods, men that are helping single mothers and giving to food banks, animal shelters and to causes that affect them just as much as the ones they are helping.  I see some of these same men working towards leading their families in love and purpose.  I see young women stepping out to help in the hospitals, to feed the poor and I see young mothers loving their children and teaching them to love in return.  I see Pastors sharing the message of what God wants us to know and I see their congregations responding, doing more, in love.

Unending love.

I see children in Christmas plays helping out their special needs friends, I see children lending a hand up to their team mate in sporting events, I see children throwing their arms around teachers as they give out gifts they have chosen, I see the teachers responding in kind.  I see children who are showing signs of taking care of others, of putting others before themselves…I see hearts filled with pride, joy, love.

Unending love, actually.

Yes, I see the light in the eyes of the children, I see the reflection in their parents’ eyes, and I see pride beaming in grandparents. I see the sparkle in the eyes of the great grandparents, the ones that say ‘my body is old but inside I am young’.  I see people looking at other people, wanting to help, daring to help, loving to help. 

I see the stories that tell this is going on in the whole of the world, stories that are on the edges of the suffering, but they are there, they can be found…actually, love is all around.

I love that.

New Again...the reason for the season, daring, moving and Beautiful!

My daughter shared this with the ladies at her bible study in Ontario, not the video but the song, she shared the music, the words, and the emotion.  These are some of her words...

Every year as I read through the christmas story something new impacts me and causes me to ponder and dig a little deeper. This year what has left me in amazement is Mary, the mother of baby Jesus, a mother like me. Like any of us who have carried a baby for nine months, who have gone through all of their childhood stages, cuddled with them, comforted and loved them, certainly Mary must have  felt these too, just like me.  Isn't it hard to believe that Mary did the same with our Messiah, our Saviour as we have done with our own little ones! 

When Jesus, just a baby, is swaddled in her arms, Mary finds herself in awe of the responsibility that God has given her, she wonders what His life will be and she ponders these things in her heart.

There is a scene in this video where the young boy Jesus slips and falls, he takes a tumble into the rocky pathway and Mary runs to him, cradling him in her arms, brushing the gravel away, she is looking closely at him, looking for any signs of hurt or pain.  Haven't you or I been there, looking closely at our own little ones for any reason for hurt, for tears... to brush them away the way Mary must have?
                                                                    
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I too am pondering all these things and in light of what has happened in Conneticut, aren't these emotions of you and I and the whole of the world, even more amazingly felt...pondered. Evil events, hurts, suffering; pondered in our hearts, just as Mary did as her grown son and Gods Son suffered. 

Mary, the  mother or our saviour, while watching Him grow up, had to also watch her 'baby' die the most horrific death that we could possibly imagine. This song has put this into perspective for me. Listen to the words and watch the story....imagine how Mary felt, knowing that Jesus is God's Son, but he was also her son. God had a plan and Mary's son was His way to make things all new again.

My daughters thoughts and words...I love that.

Whoever, Whenever, However

Yesterday I watched a video clip of Max Lucado, he was talking about God’s grace, a subject I have become very familiar with. I witnessed God’s grace being given to my husband as he lay in a hospital bed with him knowing he was not long for this world…knowing it, knowing his own deep loss and feeling his gain, all at once.  I have felt God’s grace myself, His grace covering me, even though I didn’t deserve it, despite the fact that I messed up, yes, undeservedly, I have felt His grace, melted in it, rejoiced in it.   

For years I have known about God’s grace, I've read about it, heard about it and sang about it…amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.  I always thought, yes, I know God’s grace.  But I never did, I never was taken in by it, overwhelmed fully by it or so deeply affected by it…until now, until these days.  Now I know it and I am astounded, amazed, in awe and totally taken in.  

God’s Grace, Max Lucado says it is for whoever, whenever, however…true.

I have been studying in a book called the Grace of God by Andy Stanley; he says, 

“Grace is the offer of exactly what we do not deserve.Thus it cannot be recognized until we are aware of precisely how undeserving we really are. It is the knowledge of what we do not deserve that allows us to receive grace for what it is. Unmerited.Unearned.Undeserved. For that reason, grace can only be experienced by those who acknowledge they are undeserving.”

True.

This may exactly be the reason why King David reacts to the death of his infant son the way he does; there was nothing he could do.  God’s grace covers him even though he knows he doesn’t deserve it.  

He doesn’t deserve it.  

After all the despicable things David does, we would expect that God would withdraw His grace but He doesn’t, He gives it all the more…amazing grace.  Rahab, the prostitute, she knows she doesn’t deserve it, she knows all too well why, yet God gives her grace.   Judah falls short, he betrays his brother Joseph, Tamar is his breaking point and he knows he doesn’t deserve it…but he gets grace despite what he has done in his lifetime…God’s grace.

We all have our messes, but the truth is God does not give out grace according to those messes, He gives despite those messes.  Look around you; do you see that person whom you think is too messy to receive God’s grace?  Look again you will see that he is David, she is Rahab and that one over there is Judah.  We give up on people too soon…God does not.

God’s grace is given freely despite our actions; God’s grace does not depend on us.  Andy Stanley says that God’s promise and the grace given to David stands, “For it was not anchored by the behavior of the recipient, but by the grace of the one who had given the promise”

As it is with us, Gods promise is given, unmerited, unearned, undeserved for whoever, whenever, however.  And the truth that Max Lacado shares in one of his stories is what God wants us to know…”no matter how far you have fallen, no matter where you’ve been, I still love you, please come home…this is the message of grace.”

As messy as we are, the message of grace is for you and for me.  

I love that.

Graduation

I was at my sons for dinner the other night, we were all gathered around the table, his three little daughters and we three adults.  My son looked around the table and  to the littlest one he said “Let’s pray.”  She had her spoon in her hand waving it around ready to do something with the food that had been placed before her, but when he said that, she looked straight in his eyes, put her spoon down and clasped her little hands to pray…she is just six months away from being 2.  What an awesome privilege to see this little one begin her journey in prayer and in faith. 

She is just starting this journey, we will have much to witness and what a joy it will be!

A very good friend of mine passed away this weekend, she was 102.  She was one hundred and two years on this earth bringing joy to all of those around her, the sweetest lady, and a treasure to all who knew her.  She   had a warm welcome for anyone who came her way, she was an amazing encourager, a gentle calm in the midst of storms, a blessed friend and a powerful prayer warrior.  Her journey has been long and hard, short and sweet, a life well lived.

I will miss her, many will, especially her family, they were dedicated to her.  They cared for her in ways that were above and beyond that which any person could hope to be cared for. She was well loved. These last years she had wanted more than anything to go home to Jesus, to be cared for by him, there in Heaven...she is home now and as her granddaughter said, she is dancing with Jesus.  

She has just ended her journey here on this earth, it was much to witness and what a joy!

On Sunday Pastor Rob spoke a little to the fact that we graduate from one place to another and we do, we graduate from one level of schooling to another, from one level of life to another from one level of faith to another.  Yes, life is a series of graduations.

Brynlee, my little granddaughter is just beginning her journey, she will celebrate many graduations  and we will celebrate with her. Through each step we will clap our hands in joy.  Mary Neumann, my good friend has just made her last graduation…the biggest one of all.  She is being celebrated in heaven, welcomed in with joy.  She is dancing with Jesus. 

I love that.

“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song   before you, and all of the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

Isaiah 55:12