Someone I love is hurting. Recent events have left her sad and feeling alone. I live 6 hours away, so physically seeing her is tough. April 14th forever changed her life, as it forever changed mine. That is the day my mother died.
I had the amazing opportunity to preach in church on April 26. It was Confirmation Sunday, and I decided to preach on Philippians 4:4-8. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understand, will guard your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
I had lost my mother nine days before preaching, so I had decided to preach about that. My husband was a little worried that testifying about the death of my mother on Confirmation Sunday wasn't going to work, but I gave it a shot anyways.
I am 34 and my mother is dead. She died of cancer at age 57. She was diagnosed February 28 and died April 14th. I know that I am not the youngest person to lose a parent, or am I the only person to ever lose a parent. I am not writing today for sympathy, nor did I preach about it for sympathy. I decided to preach about it to give a lesson.
Paul (who wrote this verse while in jail) was right! After my mom died I gave over the anxiety, worry, and sadness to God. I asked for peace and for my family to accept what had happened. I received peace, it was peace that I could not explain. I am an emotional person. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I can cry at commercials. I should be an emotional wreck after losing my mother, but I am at peace. It goes beyond anything I can understand or try to comprehend. I am truly okay, and I cherish the memories I have.
Now, someone who I love so much is hurting over this. I do not have the right words to help her. I continue to tell her that I love her and miss her and that everything will be okay. She does not see that right now. She sees the missed opportunities to visit mom, she remembers stupid fights she had with her, she misses phone calls about work stuff.
I know that she is grieving in her own way. I know that she will be okay one day also. I write this hoping that she will read it and know how much I love her. That she will be comforted by what has comforted me. I want her to know that one day the pain will be replaced with happy memories and that one day she will see mom again. I want her to know that I am here for her. I want people to say a little prayer asking God to help her through this. This person I care for so much is an awesome person who has accomplished so much in her life. I am proud that she is related me and pray for her to be okay.
Dueces
Jennifer
Friday, May 8, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
Saying Goodbye
The past month and half have been an interesting one for my family. We discovered that my mother has cancer. Cancer in the lungs, pancreas, liver, and spine. This past Tuesday she was informed that the doctors figure she has about a month to live. This has been a very tumultuous time for me emotionally. I pray for my whole family to find peace in this situation. Her husband is taking great care of her, he is doing an amazing job keeping her comfortable.
I was there this past week and we said our goodbyes. How do you say goodbye to your mother? How do you put into words that you have accepted what has happened and you will miss her, but you are not afraid? How do you make that last hug linger long enough to be with you for the rest of your life? These were all questions lingering in my mind as I gathered my suitcase last Friday morning to leave my mom's house. I cried, I tried not to; but I did cry. Most of my visit she was too tired to talk, and this morning she sat up to say goodbye. She couldn't stand as she is too weak.
Before I finish how I said goodbye, I want to share the rest of my visit. My visit consisted of watching her sleep and getting short sentences every now and then from her. I would use her bed to sit her up so she could take her medicine and try to eat. I fed her watermelon, but after a few small pieces she was done eating. We would laugh, and I would get on her for taking her oxygen out. Most of the time she slept. She would fall asleep while trying to take her pills. It was rather comical and my children laughed through their tears as I told them the story of Grandma falling asleep with a pill and a cup of Kool-Aid in her hand. I was relieved that she was able to sleep, that means she is comfortable. I was hoping that she was not in pain, and she told me she wasn't. She takes her pain meds every 2 hours, so that helps. She will remember something and just giggle to herself. It was an acceptable situation for the given situation.
For a brief moment, I almost questioned why this happening. I quickly stopped myself. Those why questions will lead me down a path that could make me question my faith. I don't want to question my faith right now. My faith tells me that my mother will be in heaven with the father and the son. My faith tells me that I will see her again, pain and cancer free. My faith tells me that despite my mother not being very religious, God is a loving God and my mother will be in heaven. Yes it is sad that she will no longer be on earth. It is sad that she will not physically get to see her grandchildren graduate High School and get married. It is sad that she will not physically get to see her niece get married this fall. It is sad that her family will not physically get to give her a hug again.
Scripture comforts us during this time. The prophet Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." This tells us to not be afraid of death or anything, that God is with us during this time. My mom is not scared, I know because I asked her. She just thinks it "sucks" that she has to die this soon. I am worried about comforting my children and my sister after my mother dies. I am drawn toward scripture again. In Paul's letters to the Corinthians, he addressed pain and how to use it. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reads, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." I am reassured that because I have found peace in this situation, I will be able to help others find peace.
So now I go back to Friday morning. She was awake and somewhat alert. I was glad for that because I wanted her to remember that I was there. (Her memory is having issues, she isn't remembering that people have visited her.) She told me to not be afraid, I assured her that I wasn't and I was just sad. She sat up and prayed with me. I prayed for her to be comfortable, to feel loved, and to have peace. (What are you supposed to pray when you know she is going to die?) I thanked the Lord for the gift of my mother, she did help to shape me to who I am today. She continued to add to the prayer, thanking God for me. My husband, Chad, leans down to give her a hug and she tells him to take care of me. He assures her that he will. At this point the tears are just running down my face, and she decides to start singing, "We love you Jenny, oh yes we do, we love you Jenny, oh yes we do. We love you Jenny, oh yes we do. Jenny we love you." I help her take her medicine one more time, then lay her back down, give her a kiss from each of the grandchildren, and then I walk away. Tears running down my face, I walk hand in hand with my husband to my car and pull out of her driveway to return home.
The sun was shining bright that morning, I felt as if the weather needed to reflect my mood, but it didn't. It is almost as if the sun was trying to reassure me that everything will be alright. I feel as if I have said enough to say Goodbye, but I wish I didn't have to. I do not have much experience with death, so I do not know if it is easier to say goodbye before they die or if saying goodbye through prayer and funerals is easier. I just know that I said Goodbye to my mom. I reassured her that I would be okay and that she is loved. I hope that is enough for her and that she feels loved.
Dueces,
Jennifer
I was there this past week and we said our goodbyes. How do you say goodbye to your mother? How do you put into words that you have accepted what has happened and you will miss her, but you are not afraid? How do you make that last hug linger long enough to be with you for the rest of your life? These were all questions lingering in my mind as I gathered my suitcase last Friday morning to leave my mom's house. I cried, I tried not to; but I did cry. Most of my visit she was too tired to talk, and this morning she sat up to say goodbye. She couldn't stand as she is too weak.
Before I finish how I said goodbye, I want to share the rest of my visit. My visit consisted of watching her sleep and getting short sentences every now and then from her. I would use her bed to sit her up so she could take her medicine and try to eat. I fed her watermelon, but after a few small pieces she was done eating. We would laugh, and I would get on her for taking her oxygen out. Most of the time she slept. She would fall asleep while trying to take her pills. It was rather comical and my children laughed through their tears as I told them the story of Grandma falling asleep with a pill and a cup of Kool-Aid in her hand. I was relieved that she was able to sleep, that means she is comfortable. I was hoping that she was not in pain, and she told me she wasn't. She takes her pain meds every 2 hours, so that helps. She will remember something and just giggle to herself. It was an acceptable situation for the given situation.
For a brief moment, I almost questioned why this happening. I quickly stopped myself. Those why questions will lead me down a path that could make me question my faith. I don't want to question my faith right now. My faith tells me that my mother will be in heaven with the father and the son. My faith tells me that I will see her again, pain and cancer free. My faith tells me that despite my mother not being very religious, God is a loving God and my mother will be in heaven. Yes it is sad that she will no longer be on earth. It is sad that she will not physically get to see her grandchildren graduate High School and get married. It is sad that she will not physically get to see her niece get married this fall. It is sad that her family will not physically get to give her a hug again.
Scripture comforts us during this time. The prophet Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." This tells us to not be afraid of death or anything, that God is with us during this time. My mom is not scared, I know because I asked her. She just thinks it "sucks" that she has to die this soon. I am worried about comforting my children and my sister after my mother dies. I am drawn toward scripture again. In Paul's letters to the Corinthians, he addressed pain and how to use it. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reads, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." I am reassured that because I have found peace in this situation, I will be able to help others find peace.
So now I go back to Friday morning. She was awake and somewhat alert. I was glad for that because I wanted her to remember that I was there. (Her memory is having issues, she isn't remembering that people have visited her.) She told me to not be afraid, I assured her that I wasn't and I was just sad. She sat up and prayed with me. I prayed for her to be comfortable, to feel loved, and to have peace. (What are you supposed to pray when you know she is going to die?) I thanked the Lord for the gift of my mother, she did help to shape me to who I am today. She continued to add to the prayer, thanking God for me. My husband, Chad, leans down to give her a hug and she tells him to take care of me. He assures her that he will. At this point the tears are just running down my face, and she decides to start singing, "We love you Jenny, oh yes we do, we love you Jenny, oh yes we do. We love you Jenny, oh yes we do. Jenny we love you." I help her take her medicine one more time, then lay her back down, give her a kiss from each of the grandchildren, and then I walk away. Tears running down my face, I walk hand in hand with my husband to my car and pull out of her driveway to return home.
The sun was shining bright that morning, I felt as if the weather needed to reflect my mood, but it didn't. It is almost as if the sun was trying to reassure me that everything will be alright. I feel as if I have said enough to say Goodbye, but I wish I didn't have to. I do not have much experience with death, so I do not know if it is easier to say goodbye before they die or if saying goodbye through prayer and funerals is easier. I just know that I said Goodbye to my mom. I reassured her that I would be okay and that she is loved. I hope that is enough for her and that she feels loved.
Dueces,
Jennifer
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Cold Winter Blues
I have tried to stay inside most of today. It is a really windy day outside. There was a very windy day earlier this week, and on that day I had to go to work. So today I have just tried to stay home. I have seen the sun go behind clouds to come back out again. When the sun is out, it is very deceiving. The bright sunshine convinces us that it is warm outside. Only when you step outside do you realize that the sun is lying to you. I have noticed that in the last three hours, the temperature has dropped ten degrees. I know that this type of weather is typical here in Nebraska. One day you can wear shorts and the next you need your parka, but that still doesn't change the deception of the sun. Looking outside of my window, the sun currently looks so inviting. I almost want to go outside and read a book in the sun.
Of course I would not go outside to read right now, I know that it is cold outside despite what the sun is trying to tell me. Despite the almost clear sky and warmness of the sun through my window, I know that it is cold outside. My kids do not realize that the sun lies yet. There are some days that my seven year old will think he can wear shorts because the sun is shining and it looks warm.
Life is a lot like the weather today. There are many things in life that try to deceive us. There are many things that try to convince us to do things that we may not normally do. People, advertisements, the sun, and even animals all try to get us to do things. Animals have a special type of deceitfulness: cuteness. This makes people really bend over backwards to do things that the animal wants. Advertisements deceive us into believing that we need a certain product or to watch a certain movie. Deceit and lying are everywhere in our world today.
People try to deceive other people all the time. There are so many forms of deceit. There is deceit that takes the form of manipulation, there is deceit that is just to be mean. I have experienced both types of deceit, not only on the receiving end but also on the giving side. I am not proud that I have I have deceived others in my past, but I am able to admit my mistakes today.
The bible addresses deceit and lying. There was lots of deceit that happened in the bible. If you look at the story of Samson and his powerful hair. His wife kept trying to deceive him. See Delilah had teamed up with Samson's enemies to take down Samson. Samson finally gave in and told the secret to his power, which Delilah then used against him. She kept telling Samson that if he loved her, he would tell her the secret to his strength. He finally caved and told her. She then deceived Samson. That is only one illustration of many that demonstrates deceit throughout the bible.
If one were to read the book of Proverbs, there would be a continous warning about being deceitful. Proverbs 12:20 reads, "Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy." Proverbs 24:28 reads, "Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips." Proverbs 12:17 says, "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit." Proverbs 11:18 says, "The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward."
Get the picture yet? Proverbs has many more verses that deal with deceit. So does the rest of the bible. If you were to google "deceit bible verses" you would get a large result. Basically it comes down to that the Lord does not want us to be deceiving. The Lord wants us to be honest and trustworthy. He wants us to be able to walk uprightly without guilt or shame for what we have done to our neighbor or our friends.
I will admit that it is hard to walk uprightly at all times. It is very easy to tell a little lie, while you think you are protecting someone or something. That is not what the Lord wants, He wants us to tell the truth. He wants us to not try to start drama among friends. He wants us to do the right thing. So the next time you think you need to say or do something that is aimed at making you look better, ask yourself 'Is this going to tear down someone else? Are my actions going to be the reason someone gets hurt? Are my actions for the right reasons?' If you cannot answer those questions with answers that please God, maybe you need to rethink your actions.
A good rule of thumb before you start talking about people, always ask yourself 'Is this something that I would want said about me?' If the answer is no, then maybe you need to keep it to yourself.
Always remember that God loves you and forgives you, you can live the life he wants you to live.
Also always remember it is not as warm as it looks outside!
God Bless!
Dueces
~Jennifer
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Happy New Year!
It is a new year! It is time for new beginnings. There are various times throughout the year that people will associate with a new start. There is of course January 1, as that is the start of the new year. There is the start of the new semester for students as that means new classes and the opportunities to meet new people. There is the start of summer, because new adventures await. Finally there is the start of the new school year. Then there are always new starts in adult life, new relationships, new jobs or positions, or new homes. With each new start people find themselves trying to make changes so that each new start will be a better situation than the last.
The problem with wishing that things will be better with each new start is that people are creatures of habit. Sooner or later we tend to fall back into our old routines. It is very difficult to give up old habits, those habits are familar and comfortable. That is why most new year's resolutions tend to fail. Now not everyone fails at their resolutions, because God did give us free will so we are capable of changing things. Most of the time people use that free will to go back to what is comfortable.
I have tried numerous times to change myself. I usually fail these attempts, as I am a weak person. I also had a hard time trying to make myself be a person who would stand out. I was more comfortable not being noticed. I didn't want to draw attention to myself. I wanted to be in the shadows, I felt that if I didn't draw attention to myself, then there was no chance to be ridiculed. The last thing that I wanted when I was in High School was to be made fun of. I usually didn't succeed in this attempt, but I tried.
I went through my teens and twenties with something missing in my life. I kept making resolutions to try to make my life fulfilling. I eagerly grasped at each new beginning thinking this was going to be the one that was going to make my life complete. Each new beginning left me empty. It was exciting and fun at first, but then I found myself empty eventually. Then I came upon a resolution that after making the resolution, everything else I had always wanted to change was no longer needed. This resolution made me happy with myself. It made me happier with others. It made me appreciate everything that I had and everything that I had gone through. This resolution was the biggest change in my life. I didn't have to wait until the new year, actually I made the resolution in April, but that was a start of new life for me.
The resolution was simple, it was accepting Christ as my saviour. I accepted his unconditional love for me. He taught me forgiveness, helped me to let go of anger, made me strong in my convictions, helped me to love me as I am. When I accepted Christ in my life, there were so many hurts that were healed. I also felt lighter, knowing that He was going to take care of things for me. I was able to let go of stress and baggage that I had carried around for a long time. It was a new birth for me.
Now, I am still a human. I make mistakes. I just continue to strive to live like Christ. I strive to love everyone, and to do good things in the world. No matter what you believe, you should always strive to be a good person.
Anyway the bible talks to us about the new birth I experienced. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 says this: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
The old me has gone away. I am a much better person that I ever was before. I resolved that April to accept Christ in my life, and it was the best resolution I could have ever made. It made everything else just click, everything else fell into place. I no longer felt empty. Every other resolution I have made sense have not had the promise of fulfillment such as the Christ resolution. I have been reconciled and forgiven. I fell that no matter what happens here on earth, I am loved! I can do nothing that will make God love me more or less than he does right now. You can have all of this also!
I hope that you will take the time to consider resolving to let Christ into your life. It is the one new beginning that has the promise to make you into everything you didn't know you could become.
God Bless!
Dueces
~Jennifer
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Taking a stroll down memory lane
I am sitting here in my living room, surrounded by my family, waiting to go to bed. Yes, I would like to sleep in the new year. I guess that makes me old. I use want to celebrate the new year. I wanted to be with friends, then I wanted to be with my husband. I wanted to dance the new year in, then as midnight approached exchange our hopes for the next year, and then ring in the year with a kiss. Yes I am a hopeless romantic!
I sit here tonight and I reflect back on this past year. Hindsight is always 20/20, but if you do not know where you have been how will you know where you are going? I am happy with this year, it could have been worse. I made it through the year without any serious medical issues, as did my children and husband. My extended family did not really have serious medical issues.
My job is still very productive, I am still happy working at the church. I still feel as if I am doing good work there. My kids are enjoying themselves, I feel as if things are really clicking.
I am watching commercials on TV that are going through the memorable moments of 2013. What a year we have had. I would like to thank everyone for a great year! I mean, who knew that as long as I own a computer I could get a printer that would print me food! I never knew I couldn't live without a 3d printer!
I never knew my life was incomplete until I tried a pretzel bun. Thank you fast food for letting me know I could combine my snacks with my junk meals! I also didn't realize I needed alcoholic coffee until this year. Continuing with the food theme I am so glad cronuts have made their way into my life. I now do not have to choose between croissants or doughnuts. I get to have both!
There are some fashion trends that I think can stay in 2013, as I do not wish to see them in 2014. Leather jogging pants are not flattering and really serve no purpose. Also wedged tennis shoes and overly ripped jeans.
I do not think that selfies will go away, since the word is going to be added to the dictionary. I also have no use for all the reality shows on TV now, but I am sure that Duck Dynasty or My Strange Addiction will not be going off air anytime soon.
Each year there are those what were we thinking moments and those trends that we want to continue on into the next year. I want happiness to be a trend in 2014 for everyone. I want joy. I want family time to be a trend for everyone. I know that I am wishing for a lot, those are not items that make it on a trend list. Those do not become the new innovation to make our lives better.
If people were to actually prioritize happiness, joy, and family moments they would realize that they have the power to make our lives better. If we cannot rely on our family, who can we rely on? In 2014 I hope that people can slow down.
The bible tells us that there is a time for everything and to be still. I hope that more people can do that in 2014. I have to work on it, I always feel as if I have to be on the go, but I am getting better. We always end our days with family dinners.
From my family to yours, here is wishing you joy in 2014. I also hope that you can latch on to some silly trend so that one day you can look back and wonder "What was I thinking?"
God Bless you all!
Dueces
~Jennifer
I sit here tonight and I reflect back on this past year. Hindsight is always 20/20, but if you do not know where you have been how will you know where you are going? I am happy with this year, it could have been worse. I made it through the year without any serious medical issues, as did my children and husband. My extended family did not really have serious medical issues.
My job is still very productive, I am still happy working at the church. I still feel as if I am doing good work there. My kids are enjoying themselves, I feel as if things are really clicking.
I am watching commercials on TV that are going through the memorable moments of 2013. What a year we have had. I would like to thank everyone for a great year! I mean, who knew that as long as I own a computer I could get a printer that would print me food! I never knew I couldn't live without a 3d printer!
I never knew my life was incomplete until I tried a pretzel bun. Thank you fast food for letting me know I could combine my snacks with my junk meals! I also didn't realize I needed alcoholic coffee until this year. Continuing with the food theme I am so glad cronuts have made their way into my life. I now do not have to choose between croissants or doughnuts. I get to have both!
There are some fashion trends that I think can stay in 2013, as I do not wish to see them in 2014. Leather jogging pants are not flattering and really serve no purpose. Also wedged tennis shoes and overly ripped jeans.
I do not think that selfies will go away, since the word is going to be added to the dictionary. I also have no use for all the reality shows on TV now, but I am sure that Duck Dynasty or My Strange Addiction will not be going off air anytime soon.
Each year there are those what were we thinking moments and those trends that we want to continue on into the next year. I want happiness to be a trend in 2014 for everyone. I want joy. I want family time to be a trend for everyone. I know that I am wishing for a lot, those are not items that make it on a trend list. Those do not become the new innovation to make our lives better.
If people were to actually prioritize happiness, joy, and family moments they would realize that they have the power to make our lives better. If we cannot rely on our family, who can we rely on? In 2014 I hope that people can slow down.
The bible tells us that there is a time for everything and to be still. I hope that more people can do that in 2014. I have to work on it, I always feel as if I have to be on the go, but I am getting better. We always end our days with family dinners.
From my family to yours, here is wishing you joy in 2014. I also hope that you can latch on to some silly trend so that one day you can look back and wonder "What was I thinking?"
God Bless you all!
Dueces
~Jennifer
Friday, December 20, 2013
Most wonderful time of the year....
School is out! It is Christmas break! The children and youth of Fremont are excited as the second quarter is over with, and Christmas is almost here. Some parents may be excited to have more time with their children, but other parents may be stressing about child care or Christmas.
There always seems to be talk about stress around Christmas time. Even in our prayers during youth group, the youth were praying for their parents and families to not be so stressed about the season. That says a lot when the kids are hoping the parents will calm down.
Christmas has become so commercialized. I do not think it will ever be able to go back to the way it was. I am just as guilty as the next person, striving to find the perfect gifts for my children, so that they can have a good Christmas.
What does that even mean, "a good Christmas"? As I sit here in my recliner, typing this I look at my house. I have a tree up, I have Christmas decorations up, I have presents under the tree. Are these requirements to have a good Christmas? Do children really need the best presents to enjoy the season?
I look at what I would need to have a good Christmas, and that is happiness with my family. I would love to just have a day with them, and not worry about anything. To spend the day in their company, rejoicing the gift that was given to the world thousands of years ago. It is hard for children to fully understand the gift of Jesus, as they are not far enough on their faith journeys to fully comprehend what that means. There are times when I have trouble wrapping my brain around what God gave us. The presents we give each other at the holidays are intended to remind us of the gift that God gave us. I have to ask though, did God really intend for us to spend so much money to celebrate his son's birthday?
I do not think that was ever his intention. God wants us to remember the gift he gave us, but to not corrupt it. I think as modern humans, we have to find the balance and remember to keep Christ in Christmas. With cooking, baking, parties, gifts, and family it can be hard to keep Christ in Christmas. We have to try though. There would be no Christmas if it was not for Christ. Sure businesses have helped to over commercialize this holiday, but it wouldn't be a holiday if it were not for Christ.
So there is a purpose to all this holiday madness. There is a reason that kids get out of school for two weeks. People just need to remember the reason, remember to keep Christ around. I can not give you the formula for that on a silver platter, as each family is different, I can only give you suggestions.
You may read The Night Before Christmas, well I encourage you to also read the Christmas story from the bible. If you have no problem talking about Santa with your children, there should be no problem talking about Christ. I would recommend Luke 2:1-20 as it a great story about the birth of Christ. You can also find numerous picture books to share with your children as you tell this story.
I would also encourage you to attend a Christmas service at a church. There are numerous churches that have contemporary or traditional services along with candlelight or praise services. I do not know your personal tastes, so I cannot tell you which one to attend. I am personally attending an 11:30 pm praise service on Christmas Eve with my family. There will be no sermon, just songs rejoicing the time of year. I prefer to worship in song, that is how get spiritually fulfilled. It is a personal choice.
A church service is a wonderful way to teach your children about the reason for the season. This is one of the most wonderful times of the year, we rejoice in the gift given to us so many years ago; and then we get to start a new year full of new promises. It is a time to be with family and loved ones. It is a time to slow down. If you think that you cannot slow down, I hope you take a look at what you have made Christmas in your house, and find a way to change it so that you can enjoy it. Your children will remember moments not gifts when they are older. They want memories and traditions that they can pass on to their own children. Gifts break or are worn out, memories last a lifetime.
I wish that each of you have a Christmas full of memories for the right reasons. I wish that each of you have a good Christmas, whatever that definition may be for you. I also wish that each of you remember the reason for this precious season and make that reason a part of your holiday. God bless each of you!
Dueces!
~Jennifer
There always seems to be talk about stress around Christmas time. Even in our prayers during youth group, the youth were praying for their parents and families to not be so stressed about the season. That says a lot when the kids are hoping the parents will calm down.
Christmas has become so commercialized. I do not think it will ever be able to go back to the way it was. I am just as guilty as the next person, striving to find the perfect gifts for my children, so that they can have a good Christmas.
What does that even mean, "a good Christmas"? As I sit here in my recliner, typing this I look at my house. I have a tree up, I have Christmas decorations up, I have presents under the tree. Are these requirements to have a good Christmas? Do children really need the best presents to enjoy the season?
I look at what I would need to have a good Christmas, and that is happiness with my family. I would love to just have a day with them, and not worry about anything. To spend the day in their company, rejoicing the gift that was given to the world thousands of years ago. It is hard for children to fully understand the gift of Jesus, as they are not far enough on their faith journeys to fully comprehend what that means. There are times when I have trouble wrapping my brain around what God gave us. The presents we give each other at the holidays are intended to remind us of the gift that God gave us. I have to ask though, did God really intend for us to spend so much money to celebrate his son's birthday?
I do not think that was ever his intention. God wants us to remember the gift he gave us, but to not corrupt it. I think as modern humans, we have to find the balance and remember to keep Christ in Christmas. With cooking, baking, parties, gifts, and family it can be hard to keep Christ in Christmas. We have to try though. There would be no Christmas if it was not for Christ. Sure businesses have helped to over commercialize this holiday, but it wouldn't be a holiday if it were not for Christ.
So there is a purpose to all this holiday madness. There is a reason that kids get out of school for two weeks. People just need to remember the reason, remember to keep Christ around. I can not give you the formula for that on a silver platter, as each family is different, I can only give you suggestions.
You may read The Night Before Christmas, well I encourage you to also read the Christmas story from the bible. If you have no problem talking about Santa with your children, there should be no problem talking about Christ. I would recommend Luke 2:1-20 as it a great story about the birth of Christ. You can also find numerous picture books to share with your children as you tell this story.
I would also encourage you to attend a Christmas service at a church. There are numerous churches that have contemporary or traditional services along with candlelight or praise services. I do not know your personal tastes, so I cannot tell you which one to attend. I am personally attending an 11:30 pm praise service on Christmas Eve with my family. There will be no sermon, just songs rejoicing the time of year. I prefer to worship in song, that is how get spiritually fulfilled. It is a personal choice.
A church service is a wonderful way to teach your children about the reason for the season. This is one of the most wonderful times of the year, we rejoice in the gift given to us so many years ago; and then we get to start a new year full of new promises. It is a time to be with family and loved ones. It is a time to slow down. If you think that you cannot slow down, I hope you take a look at what you have made Christmas in your house, and find a way to change it so that you can enjoy it. Your children will remember moments not gifts when they are older. They want memories and traditions that they can pass on to their own children. Gifts break or are worn out, memories last a lifetime.
I wish that each of you have a Christmas full of memories for the right reasons. I wish that each of you have a good Christmas, whatever that definition may be for you. I also wish that each of you remember the reason for this precious season and make that reason a part of your holiday. God bless each of you!
Dueces!
~Jennifer
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
So Much Noise!
I must admit that I am terrible at remembering to blog on a regular basis. Life gets in the way, it really does. I have children, a husband, work, and friends. It makes it hard for me sometimes to remember to slow down and blog. This time of year there is so much to talk about. There are so many activities, parties, and emotions. There is just so much noise!
I understand that Christmas has been commercialized. I take part in buying my children gifts during the Christmas season. I help to make retail stores push even more merchandise towards consumers. I am part of the whole mess. I also stop though and take time to remind my children the reason for the season, but that is not the reason for blogging today. See all the shopping, parties, activities, and emotions are just NOISE.
Noise gets in the way of everything we do. We want to buy a car, everyone has some sort of noise to get us to not trust ourselves in our decisions. As students we want to focus on homework, but there are after school activities, friends, and social media all distracting us! That is all noise.
Noise is the stuff that gets in our way when we want to focus on something else. I have had so much noise, I have found it difficult to make time to have a clear head and blog. I have noise get in my way when I need to do some projects, so much in fact that I end up rushing to finish. I am just as guilty.
Noise also gets in our way when we try to trust God. Our brains will keep questioning why something happened. Then as our brains question, we get a range of emotions from sadness to anger to guilt. That type of noise, keeps us further from trusting God. It is a hard cycle to break, but we need to break the noise cycle.
The bible tells us in Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God." The trick to that scripture is to be still. To be still means we have clear all the noise out of our heads and hearts. We have to stop the worrying, stop any anger, stop any sadness, stop the distractions; and we have to trust in God.
I make a point every day to clear the noise out of my head, even if it is just for a moment. After that moment, it is easier to reset my priorities and focus on any task at hand (obviously except for blogging!).
I urge you to push away the noise, find a moment and just breathe. It will help you to determine what you need to be spending your energies on and assist you in giving some things over to God!
Just be still!
Dueces!
~Jennifer
I understand that Christmas has been commercialized. I take part in buying my children gifts during the Christmas season. I help to make retail stores push even more merchandise towards consumers. I am part of the whole mess. I also stop though and take time to remind my children the reason for the season, but that is not the reason for blogging today. See all the shopping, parties, activities, and emotions are just NOISE.
Noise gets in the way of everything we do. We want to buy a car, everyone has some sort of noise to get us to not trust ourselves in our decisions. As students we want to focus on homework, but there are after school activities, friends, and social media all distracting us! That is all noise.
Noise is the stuff that gets in our way when we want to focus on something else. I have had so much noise, I have found it difficult to make time to have a clear head and blog. I have noise get in my way when I need to do some projects, so much in fact that I end up rushing to finish. I am just as guilty.
Noise also gets in our way when we try to trust God. Our brains will keep questioning why something happened. Then as our brains question, we get a range of emotions from sadness to anger to guilt. That type of noise, keeps us further from trusting God. It is a hard cycle to break, but we need to break the noise cycle.
The bible tells us in Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God." The trick to that scripture is to be still. To be still means we have clear all the noise out of our heads and hearts. We have to stop the worrying, stop any anger, stop any sadness, stop the distractions; and we have to trust in God.
I make a point every day to clear the noise out of my head, even if it is just for a moment. After that moment, it is easier to reset my priorities and focus on any task at hand (obviously except for blogging!).
I urge you to push away the noise, find a moment and just breathe. It will help you to determine what you need to be spending your energies on and assist you in giving some things over to God!
Just be still!
Dueces!
~Jennifer
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