“Maybe I am a woman searching for a word?” I love words, so when I heard the line from the movie Eat, Pray, Love….it obviously caught my attention! So on my laptop, I just keep it open to notes, and when things catch my attention I write them down. Sometimes I expand on them, and sometimes I don’t.
So it is early Christmas morning and I tried to get up before the whole household to write a post. It didn’t work. Ugh! So after they were settled in with some coffee, I started writing about the fog again. I guess I really do have it on the brain! As I was trying to put some thoughts together, I read it again. “Maybe I am a woman searching for a word?” and right below where I had written that, was a word. I started laughing…. Really? It had been there all the time, but it was like I had only just saw it.
The word was Noel. For the past few weeks it had caught my eye in stores, and on cards. As I was out, and when I was in. I heard it on tv and in songs. So being the word nerd I am, I had to look it up!
A noel is a Christmas carol, but if the word is capitalized, then it refers to Christmastime or the celebration of the birth of Christ. There is a reverence to the word, and a spirit about it. Maybe I think that because it is a French word? Just sounds so cool! Christmas is such a special time. As someone who believes the whole “reason for the season” thing, I am struck by the spirit around Christmastime. I know, I know….there is a lot of stress, sadness, and unmet expectations during this time. But…there is a general sense of fun, wonder, and joy that surrounds Christmas. I think that the spirit of God, just can’t be contained! Just like the angels on the night of His birth. Heaven could not contain the party, and I think it’s the same today.
So today, it you celebrate the birth of Christ….then CELEBRATE! Don’t hold back! The angels couldn’t contain themselves and we shouldn’t either. So eat, drink and be merry! Love today. People you know, and those you don’t. Be silly, fun, and give grace. And did I say LOVE? Because the bumper sticker on your car, the cross around your neck, the book in your hand and where you sit on a Sunday morning says nothing about God. But when you love? That is how the world will see Him! The only way.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10
You know, sometimes this writing part of my life is not easy! I try to come up with something interesting, or thought provoking, not preachy and above all not too opinionated. I try to frame what I write as my experience, and hope it either encourages or at least gives someone a different perspective.
phone call I got last night. I am typically the one who is messaging or talking to someone to encourage them, but last night the call was for me. Someone wanted to ask how I was, and check up on me and the family. I appreciated it so much! And at the end she prayed for me, and it was cool because it showed growth in her faith.
Why these two topics together? Well, I guess it’s because I hear much more ”opinion” than encouragement. And since I am like most people, I tend to think we are all looking for more encouragement, love, kindness and lack of judgment than we are looking for another opinion. So today be mindful of the words you say. Be a shoulder to lean on, cry on or just be a good listener. Leave your opinions behind, and see how you can be an encouragement to someone today.
Anyway, as I sat there, in the tiniest seat ever, (ugh) I was struck by a lyric from the song Rhiannon. “Dreams unwind, loves a state of mind.” I am sure I’ve heard that sung a thousand times before, but tonight it kept rolling around in my head. “Dreams unwind, loves a state of mind.” The more I thought about it, the more true I knew it was. 
So it is only 5:36 this morning, and I am already just amazed where my mind has gone. It started as soon as I woke up. I won’t be saying why I started thinking this morning, due to HIPPA laws, but I am anticipating a more tight month with money, so I was concerned.
So as I’m sitting here, I am shaking my head, not sure of where this day will go. But yes….I’m laughing thinking that it’s going to be a crazy month full of writing, work, doctors, family, love and lots of lights…… Well it is Christmastime you know!
use the gifts you have? I’ve taught Sunday School and was pretty good at storytelling, but any role outside of that has never happened. There have been times over the years where I’ve thought, I could be used for that! Or I’ve being willing to say, use me! For some reason though, I was never picked. Or there wasn’t a place for me to use my gifts. It used to bug me, and I wondered what’s wrong with them?
John though was an outsider, and I like him because of it. Maybe because he was an outsider, he was able to be who God really needed him to be? I like to think so. It helps me to think that any time we may spend on the outside is just a proving ground. A place where God can weed, water and grow us to who He really wants us to be.
Now some put shepherds in a category of outcasts from society, but others say they are just another group among the poor. Either way, they give us a picture of separation from other people and the normal rhythms of life. To have a big flock, you would need a big area of grass to feed them. Have you ever seen sheep go through a field? And when that field is done, you need to move them to another one. The life of a shepherd was not a normal one of home and family.
So I was thinking, December 1st I would be on it! But…. I missed the date. Ugh! Needless to say, it is all good, since today is officially the start of Advent. Who knew? Well obviously not me.
So the day finally came, and my first reaction was sadness, then I pondered and then I laughed. I was sad because I know that at the loss of Billy Graham, his family and friends will be going through a grieving process. The first moments of separation are the worst. I was also sad because it seems that these are the days that we need a Billy Graham.
Cheryl Mendoza 