I am more of a sunshine type of girl, but now we are in December, and I marvel at how dark it gets. Even now as I look out the window, there are storm clouds in the sky with patches of the dark sky showing through. The clouds, sky and even the trees in my yard are all shades of black and gray. Cold, dark and somewhat ominous. In the clouds there is a promise of storms, but also of life giving rain. There is also a reflection in my window, it is the Christmas tree with it’s pure white lights. A distinct contrast to the darkness outside.
I thank God today for the birth of His Son, and for the work that would take 32 years to accomplish on earth. I am thankful on that day so long ago…that the work was already done. That there was nothing in heaven or earth to stop the blessing that would come forth.
I also thank God that, even though we may not know the exact day of His birth, we celebrate it in winter. At the time of year that truly reflects our fallen state; darkness, cold and separation. Against this backdrop we contrast the light of the world. Where He is truly reflected for who He is. Light, peace and above all hope.
**This was something that I wrote a couple of years ago, but it came back to me as I was looking at this picture. The day was a combination of shadows and light. It was warm in the light, but very cold when you stepped into the dark shadows. I had cropped this picture to get some of the light out of it, so that I could have a uniform look. I was not totally successful, as you will see that there is just a hint of sunshine in the left hand corner.
ce. How do I know? Well it has to do with some of the other things I have been doing this week. I have been doing some deep cleaning in my kitchen, tap dancing and cooking. Why are these things important? Well if I am not writing, I feel guilty. When I feel guilty, I start getting fearful, I doubt and have a hard time being productive in anything I am doing. This week though, I tried to find some balance. The balance that I need between writing, taking care of my family, working on my own insecurities and trying to be who I think God wants me to be. I am not sure if I got the balance right this week, but I feel like I made a better attempt.
I wound up helping in a pre-K/Kindergarten Sunday school class this weekend. I was not teaching the lesson, but was just helping to wrangle kids into their places and have some fun while they learned. It was pretty funny though, because where has God taught me the most? It has been from serving in this classroom. What does that say about my maturity? I don’t really think I want to know, but I am glad He uses this room to speak to me.
talking about kids and stress. They gave a few suggestions on how to help them deal with it, like meditation or yoga, and getting out into nature. They also pointed out that the parents stress level and how they dealt with it was an important factor. Which I think could be THE most important factor. Anyway, as I sat there I thought she had missed something. There was no mention of God. Now I understand that He is not everyone’s cup of tea, but isn’t He at least an option?
going) but I changed my mind. I had already been feeling a little sad, mad, and irritated this morning, so I decided that I would need some encouragement. So the Christian rock station was the choice for today. While at times I have to admit, I am a little bored with the station, this morning I knew I probably needed it. While I don’t always love the music, I cannot argue with the lyrics. Well on some I probably can, but that is a whole different post.
I did like some of the suggestions from the show this morning, but I would add to them. If you or your child are feeling the inevitable stress of life, why don’t you give God a chance? Seek out a church, a Christian friend, a bible study or just sit down and have a chat with Him. You may find some peace, comfort, and rest from the stress that is plaguing you.
Cheryl Mendoza 