Searching for the Perfect Tree

It's that time of year, the time when we set out to find the 'Perfect Tree.

For some that means a trip to the woods, always fun and quite the adventure, memories of doing this with my own family over the years, sometime with snow, and sometimes without... they always make me smile.

  Or maybe it's heading to a department store to find the right size, color of lights, price and style of artificial tree. (When we bought an artificial tree there was a debate... colored or white lights, lol.)

Whether you choose a natural tree or an artificial tree, you want it special, because... well let's face it, the tree, and all that goes with it, on it and around it, is a huge part of this season.

Sometimes it's fun to decorate a tree in the yard too... I know I love to see the lights on people's trees, and house's, during this time of year, they always bring a smile to my face. As a matter of fact, they bring the memory of a 2 year old child in a car seat constantly, and delightedly saying, "Oh, Pretty!!!!" as we went light looking many years ago.

But I was struck recently with a thought of a different tree... A 'tree' that was the most perfect tree. It was not perfect because of it's shape, size or decoration, it was/is perfect because of what it represents, the completed work of the greatest Christmas gift ever given.

The Gift of course, is the reason we celebrate this season, the gift was a tiny child born on dark night so many years ago. A child that was born for one reason. He would grow up to be Savior of the world for all who choose to call on Him. JESUS. And the tree I speak of, the cross that bore His body through the crucifixion, the ultimate sacrifice, His life for ours.

From my heart to yours this season: Merry CHRISTmas!!! Remember the Reason for the Season!

Fantastic Fall

I love fall!!

Everyone has their favorite season... for most it's probably spring or summer... for some it's winter, but as for me- I love the fall!

I enjoy the other seasons (for the most part) but I feel rejuvenated in the fall. Weird, I know. I just can't help myself, as the Lord begins to wave His paintbrush over the landscape my heart leaps. There is nothing that can match those colors, seriously!

God made each season unique, and to me the fall is the culmination of things.

Winter is the time of rest in many ways, most of the plants go dormant, the weather does it's best to keep us indoors. The daylight is less, we tend to be more willing to take time to be quiet... yes, like nature we know it's a season of rest.

Spring is a season of rejuvenation, new life is blossoming around us, it is a time to plant. Whether that is in the natural and we are preparing to plant our garden, or seeking the Lord to plant new dreams in our heart.

Summer comes with the warmth of the sun and longer hours of daylight, and this gives us time to play and allows the plants to grow.

Then comes fall and with it the wonder of the harvest... something that began months before with the turning of soil and planting of the seeds is now bursting for with produce.

I am reminded in this season that we also go through seasons, though they may not always align with the season of nature we are in at the time.

In my personal life I have seen seasons of winter, with it's darkness and sense of loss, I have gone through seasons of spring with new life and optimism... prayers of new dreams for my life.

Then comes a summer season... a time to rejoice in the beauty around us, maybe a trip to the coast to watch the ocean and ponder the power of the Lord. It is a time to allow the dreams that the Lord has put in our hearts to grow. To trust that, if He gave us the dream, He will bring it to pass.

But the best time of all, the one that is so exciting to come into, a fall season!! Sometimes we know when these are coming- maybe it's the completion of a project we have been working on. But sometimes, and these are the best, are those times of dream harvest... That moment that the Lord brings into being those dreams He gave us in that "spring" however long ago it was that we got the dream.

So back to the physical fall outside, yes, I love the colors, the sounds and smell of this time of year, what I really love is that I see it as the Lord's reminder that He will bring my life into it's season of harvest in His timing. And His timing is always best!

Winds of Change

Change happens, it is as inevitable as night and day. The Bible tells us that this is natural.

Ecclesiastes 3:1
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.

We all have seasons of change in our lives, the obvious ones are changing from childhood to young adult-hood, then there is going from single to married, to parenthood, then empty-nesting. Sometimes we have moments that our lives are interrupted by unexpected events; loss of a loved one, sudden job changes and more.

All I know is that change happens, and the only control we have over it is simply how we respond to it. I was encouraged today at church when the young woman that was teaching, spoke on change, it stirred a confirmation in my spirit. You see, earlier this week I posted on Facebook how lately I have felt that it felt like things were about to change.

My statement was this: 

Do you ever get that feeling, like in Mary Poppins... where you feel the wind of change beginning to hit the sails of your life. No clue, why or when it's coming, but simply feel like it is? 

Pondering this morning what the road ahead will bring, I feel a shift and I'm not exactly sure what it means, it may just be my job change, but I feel it's more than that...

What I have been feeling is that things are changing, I'm not sure exactly what is going to change, or why things are changing, I just know that they are, and I feel like they are going to be big changes. This doesn't mean fast, but they will be big. Good thing that my trust is in God. 

Change can be stressful to some, and exhilarating to others. For me, my goal is simply to trust God and rest in Him as I move forward into whatever the change is.

At this point in my life I feel that it's a realistic goal, over the last 6 years the Lord has helped to grow me in this area. It hasn't always been so, I can honestly say that 15 years ago I was a person that, hmmm, how do I say this? Was, well, change resistant.

We need to remember that change is going to take us to where the Lord wants us to be. In this last 6 years God has taught me that no matter what is happening, no matter what I face, He is with me... I have learned the importance of responding rather than reacting.

Ephesians 20 Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I haven't exactly learned to embrace change, just appreciate it and give thanks for it as I go. I can say that, I no longer stress when something comes along to seemingly turn my world upside down... I remember that God is my provider. I understand that it is through a thankful heart that I can rest. Thankfulness allows me to become content.

My prayer for anyone who reads this; Embrace life, and all the changes that come with it. Rejoice that you are on a journey, and that, if you trust God, you will arrive at the destination that He has for you.

In my post the other day, I also posted these scriptures and why I draw much strength from them as I face the future and any changes it may bring.

• Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD, Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.  ---Because it reminds me that God will always be faithful to give me the strength I need. 
• Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, ​​And lean not on your own understanding; ​​In all your ways acknowledge Him, ​​And He shall direct your paths. - Reminds me that I can trust my life to Him, and He will guide me.
• Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -- God gave me this verse during Glenn's cancer battle and has shown me it's truth in many ways since his passing 6 years ago.
• Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. -- I can rest in the fact that God has good plans for me.