The Greatest Gift of All - Updated again!

I just re-read this post that I had updated last year from the original post of 2014. Today is 12/21/2016...and I'm not much better off as far as the gift wrapping and shopping goes...been wrapping all day,

Yes, that is an ironing board, disguised as a gift-wrapping table
in my bedroom.  Once a year I pull it out of storage and put it
to a good use! The adjustable height makes it a good table to
do my wrapping!  I can iron out the wrinkles of the wrapping
paper and recycle the gift bags as I go...Ho! ho! ho!

and trying to be sure I don't need anything else while I still have a few days left before Christmas...I wish I could say that being retired for a whole year changed my habits regarding shopping, etc., but alas! Some habits are very hard to break. Next year is a new opportunity to try again...we'll see what happens.  Meanwhile, this message written originally in 2014 is still very poignant and meaningful today.  I hope you will take the time to read it and be blessed as I was in writing it.  Yes, I am blessed when I write, because the Holy Spirit seems to take over and minister to me as He directs my thoughts to write what He wants to share with you and me.  

This was my update LAST year, 12/23/2015:

So, this is where I was around this time last year...Last year (2014) WAS a difficult year, and Christmas was something that I wanted to avoid.  Be sure to read the links included in this post from last year.  Now today, one year later, I am doing much better.  Although here it is December 23rd (Christmas EVE EVE), and I just finished wrapping our gifts. Finished the shopping yesterday...and can you believe that I actually retired a month ago, so I really shouldn't be so far behind...but some habits are hard to break...procrastination..especially regarding Christmas...I am hoping to be much better by this time next year, since I am retired I have no good excuse!

Anyway, please read on to get the full impact of this message written one year ago.  The purpose and plan of Christmas has never changed.  Jesus is the Greatest Gift of All!

Original post from 12/21/2014:

This post is not what it appears on the surface...Please keep reading...

By now most of my friends and family know that we did not send out our annual Christmas letter...and only a very few cards to some who don't have email or do Facebook.  And many of you also know that I had a hard time getting myself into the proper spirit for Christmas shopping, etc.  (click on the blue words for a link to these posts).
But if you have been following along the past week or so, you also will know that God came through, and He met me in my deepest place of sorrow, and gave me the strength and courage to choose JOY!

I am happy to report that after two long, grueling days of shopping and gift wrapping...I am feeling much better prepared to face this week and truly enjoy Christmas!  Thank you all for your prayers and words of support and comfort. You have blessed me with your love and wisdom, and I thank God for you.

Today has been a wonderful day of Sabbath Rest.  We had our

morning worship service here in our home, and the lesson today was taken from Matthew 13:45-46, which says:

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,

who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

Not exactly an Advent or Christmas message for this fourth Sunday of Advent, the Sunday before Christmas.  At least not at first glance.  But as the message unfolded, we were asked to imagine ourselves as a person who had been captured and held prisoner, chained to others and forced to walk many days in the hot desert, back in the days of the Roman Government, which was in power at the time of Jesus' birth. Instead of food we were given very little water and a detestable watered down broth of some kind, just barely enough to keep us alive. As our horrendous journey continued, we were not permitted to speak or cry, and if one did, he would be severely punished by many lashes of the whip.  

After many days we finally arrived in a city, where the slave auction was held. One by one we watched our traveling companions be auctioned off to the highest bidder, to be purchased as a slave to cruel taskmasters who would make the previous journey seem like a vacation.

Suddenly it was my turn on the auction block. I was forced to stand before the bidders, my clothes were tattered and torn and filthy. I had not eaten or bathed in many days. My hair was matted and dirty, my body was bleeding from the many lashes I had endured. Weak, weary, and fearful, I tried to stay conscious as the bargaining and bidding began for my life. As I struggled to stand, listening to the jeers and jests of those around me shouting all manner of ugly and disgusting insults regarding my appearance, there was One bidder who stepped forward, and with a commanding voice He spoke His bid loud and clear above all the others.  The amount that He shouted out caused all the other slave traders to stop and turn around and look.  They began to question among themselves, "Who can this be? Why would He want this worthless prisoner...the one who looks completely beaten and defeated...the one who probably couldn't do a day's work no matter how hard she's whipped?  And what is that He said? He's giving all that He has to purchase this piece of human refuse! Who IS He?

And who can this person be who has such value in His eyes?"

Finally I heard the auctioneer shout, "Sold to the Highest Bidder! Take her away!"  I was expecting to be yanked up and rudely jerked off of the block and dragged along by my chains.  But instead, my Purchaser was kneeling before me, tenderly washing my wounds, removing the chains from my ankles and wrists, holding a cup of water to my lips, lifting me up and carrying me away in His arms. As He lifted me high above my previous tormentors, He gently whispered my name and called me His beloved child. I thought I must have died and gone to heaven, but He said, "You are my precious child...my chosen one...my "Pearl of Great Price!" 

I did not quite understand then what He meant by that...but when the day came that I saw this One hanging on a cross, crucified and dying, I understood.  You see, He did give all that He had for me...He gave His life, so that I might live.  And before He died He told me all that I would need to know so that I could one day join Him.  He said,

"Let not your heart be troubled; 

you believe in God,

believe also in Me.

In My Father's house are many mansions,

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and receive you to Myself,

that where I am, there you may be also.

And where I go you know,

and the way you know...

I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me."

John 14: 1-6 

You may be asking yourself, "What does this story have to do with Christmas?"  Well, my friend, it has EVERYTHING to do with Christmas!

Why did Jesus come to earth in the first place?

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, 

but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Mark 10:45

And again:

This sign hangs in my living room...a very old heirloom from my husband's grandparents' home.  A powerful message there to remind us every single day that we were bought at a great price...the very life of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He gave His life a ransom for us all...(see I Timothy 2:5-6)

This Christmas song tells it clearly: (click below for the song)

"Redeeming Love"

Bill & Gloria Gaither,  copyright 1963

Sung by Ernie Haase and Signature Sound

"From God's heaven to a manger,

From great riches to the poor,

Came the Son of God, a little Child;

From the azure halls of heaven

To a lowly manger stall,

Jesus came, and here He gave His life for all.

From a loving heavenly Father

To a world that knew Him not,

Came a man of sorrows, 

Jesus Christ, the Lord;

In my wandering Jesus found me,

Touched my life with His great love,

And this Babe has grown to be my sovereign Lord.

Chorus:

Redeeming Love,

a love that knows no limit;

Redeeming love,

a love that never dies;

My soul shall sing 

throughout the endless ages

The adoration of this great love on high!"

My friend, I am that precious pearl...and so are YOU.  This same Jesus left the "azure halls of heaven...to a lowly manger stall...Jesus came, and here He gave His life for ALL!" ...and that includes YOU! YOU ARE ALSO THAT PRECIOUS PEARL!  JESUS CHRIST HAS PAID YOUR RANSOM WITH HIS LIFE.  Won't you accept this greatest gift of all this Christmas?  The gift of your redemption from sin and sorrow...from the slavery of this old world...freely given for you, so that you might live! Yes, that IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Update:  These pictures are from our front porch this year, 2015

Merry Christmas from our house to yours, 2015

This is the Greatest Gift of All! 

Trying to Stay on Track...

I keep coming back to this blank page...and then I get distracted.  There really isn't anything in particular on my mind tonight, but it seems as though I am supposed to be writing something!  So, I sit here and wait on an inspiration to come.  I go back and forth, look at Facebook, look at other things, finish my last library book (why didn't I bring home another???) take a walk, take some pictures...eat a brownie with whipped cream and wish that I didn't...listen to the chatter in the background of my family, the TV, the wind chimes chiming in the back yard as the breeze blows.

Now my almost 92 year old mother in law is asking anyone who is listening if Gene Autrey used to sing a certain song, but what was it? (We need some clues here before we can figure out which song she is thinking about).   And he had a horse named, oh it was a beautiful horse...and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans sang "Back in the Saddle Again" and what was his horse's name? I said "Trigger".  And did we know that Gene Autrey owned the Angels and, so on and so on.  This is the way it goes...conversations go off on different tangents here frequently.  She may start talking about one thing and that leads to another and another and off we go again around the mulberry bush. Such are the ramblings of someone who has mild dementia...(sometimes not as mild as other times) and one can feel like he is watching a ping pong match trying to keep up with the train of thought.

This post is sounding a lot like that. That's what happens after a weekend of trying to keep up with the train and keep it on the track and not allow it to go into dangerous territory...i.e.; some subjects are better left alone. When the "train" starts venturing into that region it is my responsibility to pull it back on the track and keep it going in the right direction...the "safe zones" of pleasant conversation and not areas of anxieties, fears, frustrations, anger and "I want to go back to my own home,"  and "If I still had my car I could still live at home."

Anyone who has been a caregiver for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's can relate. Things can go from pleasant to anger in a flash. I have to remember to not try to correct anything that she might say that I know is wrong, because then I am the one who is wrong and judgmental. And don't dare let things get out of order...everything needs to be in the right place at the right time...and meals and pills must stay on schedule.  I tend to do this almost to a fault, because I understand the consequences if I don't keep a tight schedule.  There isn't a lot of room for flexibility in this arena.

We share this responsibility of care with my husband's brother and family.  Thank goodness we are still able to do that, even though it means that we are giving up our weekends...but they have her during the week.

The weekends have turned out to be really nice for my mother in law because she truly enjoys our little Home Bible Fellowship every Sunday morning,

and also looks forward to monthly gatherings with a Ladies' Prayer Group.  These ladies have become special friends to her...and every week she asks me if we are going to see "the ladies" again...especially the one who can play the accordion or the organ and sing.

 Music is the highlight of her life right now.  I understand that is rather typical for elderly people, especially with dementia.  The memory of music seems to be one of the last "senses", if you want to call it that, to go.

There are many golden moments, such as when she started telling the ladies this weekend about the song, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There's just something about that name..." (by Bill and Gloria Gaither) and this gracious group of women just picked right up on that and started singing the song with her.  What a perfect way to start our prayer gathering!  That was totally unplanned...but God knew exactly how to use her "story" to put us in the right frame of mind. It's those kinds of moments that make me pause and smile and say, "That was YOU, Lord, wasn't it? Thank you for living in this precious woman."

My Beautiful 92 yr. old Mother in Law is the lovely lady
 in the center with the white hair!

I am thankful to be a part of her life...(she's been my mother in law for almost 46 years!)...and to help her ease into this last stage of life here on earth as we know it.


"Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!"  Isaiah 46:4

I sometimes wonder if my own sons will be able to care for me when I reach that stage of life...or if anyone will have the patience to deal with my anxieties and feebleness.  What a comfort it is to know that even to our own old age, God promises to carry us. He knows our needs and will provide whatever we need when the time comes.  I want to be faithful to do my part now for as long as I am able...and trust that when the time comes, God will send the necessary help.

If you are going through similar trials in your family right now, my word of encouragement would be to trust God to see you through. Let Him guide you as you make decisions for your loved one's care, whether it be at home or in a place of professional long term care.  Be sensitive to your family member's needs, but be realistic and reasonable about what you can and cannot do.  We are blessed that our dear one is still physically in pretty good shape, and that we have the support and cooperation of other family members.  It may not always be so.

There are many challenges ahead, but in the meantime we will make the most of the good times and give God praise for her good health, wisdom, and Christian faith. The future rests in God's capable hands. I know He knows what is best for ALL concerned.   And you can rely on that as well in your situation.

Well, I must get to bed. It's been a long weekend, and tomorrow morning I head back to work at my "real job".

BY THE WAY, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF GENE AUTREY'S HORSE? DO YOU KNOW? YOU GET A GOLD STAR FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER!

"There Is Something About That Name"  by Bill and Gloria Gaither

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

There is something about that name.

Master. Savior. Jesus.

Like the Fragrance after the rain.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Let all heaven and earth proclaim.

That kings and kingdoms will pass away.

But there is something about that name.

For some other posts on this subject you might like THIS. (Click Here),  and HERE, and HERE.