MERRY CHRISTMAS

Using this modern method to wish all of my friends and family a blessed holiday. May you feel the spirit of Christ in all your celebrations and may His love and peace be a part of all your life in 2009. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE BLESSED MY LIFE IN SO MANY WAYS THIS YEAR . GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME, AND I GIVE HIM ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY. I THANK HIM DAILY FOR THE GIFT OF HIS SON JESUS AND KNOW MY LIFE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT THIS GIFT OF LOVE. BLESSINGS AND LOVE TO ALL CLELLA

BOOK REVIEW

Reflections of God’s Holy Land (A personal journey through Israel) is exactly what the title describes-a personal reflection. Eva Marie Everson, a Christian, and Miriam Vamosh, a Jew, combine their personal knowledge and emotions to produce a personal experience for their reader. As one opens the cover, the photography leaps from the page to engulf the reader in the time and place of each Biblical location. Beautiful colored photographs draw one to the printed pages of both authors. Vamosh, with her, Jewish heritage and her experience as a tour guide for Christian pilgrimages educates the reader in the Did You Know? section, and Eva Marie lets us fall with her into the emotional journey of visiting the Holy Land. Scripture references for each site visited give added knowledge and realism to the journey through Israel. These verses gave the added personal touch for my journey with Everson and Vamosh. My knowledge of Old Testament history is somewhat limited, and the clear, concise vignettes provided by Miriam are explicit. Her description of the Elah Valley and the history which is hidden in this valley gave me new insight about this area. “Elah was literally the ‘wild west’ and saw more drama than any Hollywood western could ever dream of.” And then she portrays the dramatic stories of Joshua, the Jewish exile, and of course the well-known battle of David and the Philistine giant. Again and again I am aware of the Israel of the Bible, and as I continued reading I was filled with anticipation and excitement about my personal journey through these pages. Though I was appreciative of the knowledge and insight provided by Vamosh, it is Eva Marie’s emotional response kept me focused. After skimming the book when it first arrived, I decided to use it as a personal daily devotion. This method provided me both knowledge and spiritual uplifting for each day. Many memories remain with me, but one I recall is Eva’s response to her visit to the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes. She admits to hunger as the morning meal is long behind her. She describes the chapel with “flourish of symbols” “holy water”, “flickering novena”, mosaic of a bread-filled basket rising between two fishes” and her mind takes her to “We only have five loaves,…We only have two fish.” But is this response that stays with me. Eva writes,” Isn’t this the way of it? We think of what we ‘only have’ rather than what it might become in Jesus’ hands. Not enough, we think, and so we hold back.” And as Eva responds throughout the journey she says,” I am guilty, I realize of holding on to what I have. Not trusting my Lord with what I’ve got. I stretch my hand toward the lump of rugged stone beneath the altar. If only I could place what little I have to offer upon it, Jesus would feed others. Jesus would feed me.” Personal, emotional response at each historical visit creates within the reader a sense of “having been there too.” Everson’s and Vamosh’s Reflections of God’s Holy Land is a personal journey that I encourage for any reader interested in increasing both mentally and spiritually the knowledge of God’s holy land.

WHO IS IN CONTROL HERE?

It’s that time again! I walked in the evening one day this week and the faint smell of burning leaves floated up from along the bank of the lake. A flock of honking geese rose up from the water and flew into the southern sky. As I started up Laurel Lane, the hazy dust of the harvest spread itself through the late afternoon air and one red tree stood etched against the sunset.

The dusty harvest air always smells reminiscent of home to me. Memories of other harvests drifted through my mind, and I reminded myself of the unchanging pattern of the harvest and the realization of the year’s work. Ageless and constant, harvest season is always there as is the time for planting, and the time for rest. We who live in this part of the world understand what the writer of Ecclesiastes meant when he wrote “There is an appointed time for everything.”(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

And in these stressful times, not only of the harvest season, but of the season in our country and in our economy perhaps we need to go again to God’s Word. We need to remind ourselves that some things do remain steadfast and sure in this ever-changing world. God’s Word and His promises are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I walked on around my route in this mindset and continued to be aware of the unchanging force of God in the world around me. I walked by leaf covered yards filled with children’s playthings and thought of the birth of children and the death of loved ones and the change this brings to our lives. The toys belong to my great-nephews and I think of the generations before us and the promises of their generation. What will their world be?

But I am convinced that the geese will fly, the planting will happen, the harvest will occur, the sun will come up and God will be in control. “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-“(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Our stress and our concerns with the every day life are certainly important and need our attention; however, as I walk on towards home, I pray for wisdom and the age old prayer of serenity.” God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” Reinhold Niebuhr

BE PATIENT

This is a four generation picture taken at Christmas. The woman on the right is my 90 year old mother. A beautiful example of a woman of PATIENCE.

The Second BE Attitude I recommend is BE PATIENT.

"Lord, I'm praying for patience, and I want it now." I smile when some one makes that statement but still I am guilty of that very thing. The love chapter 1 Corinthians 13 tells us in verse 4 that "Love is patient." James tells his readers to "be patient,stand firm" (James5:8) We are such an instant society. So much of our day is involved with things that happen instantly and if they don't we become very stressed out. I once had dial-up internet and was so thrilled when I got it, but now I have DSL and it still isn't as fast as I would like.I want my messages now.

We are the same way about our church,our family, our job and our recreation. All things will happen in God's time, but we have our plans for right this minute.God tells us often to "wait upon the Lord." and the promise of "wings like eagles" Isiaah 40:13 is one of my favorite verses. But we want to "fly" this instant.

Our society insists our children grow up so quickly. We plan so many activities (even in the church) that our children have no time to play. We seem to push them to fly from the nest before they really have grown wings. One my favorite writings is Wet Oatmeal Kisses(credited often to Erma Bombeck) and I want to share it.

Wet Oatmeal Kisses "The baby is teething; the children are fighting. My husband just called- to eat dinner without him."

Okay, one of these days you'll shout! "Why don't you grow up and act your age!" And they will. Or: "You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do...and don't slam the door!" And they won't.

You'll straighten up their bedrooms neat and tidy...bedspreads tucked and smooth...toys displayed on the shelves. Hangers in the closet. Animals caged. And you'll say out loud: "Now I want it to stay this way." And it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in the icing and you'll say: "Now there's a meal for company." But you'll eat it alone.

You'll say: "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around. No demolition crews. Silence! Do you hear!" And you'll have it.

No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti. No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent. No more dandelion bouquets; or wet, knotted shoestrings; tight boots, or rubber bands for pony tails.

Imagine. A lipstick with a point. No baby-sitter for New Year's Eve.washing clothes only once a week. No PTA meetings. No car pools. No blaring radios. No more Christmas presents out of toothpicks and library paste. No more wet oatmeal kisses. No more tooth fairy. No giggles in the dark. No knees to heal.

Only a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up."

And the silence echoing, "I did."

So many times I have shared this with a young mother bemoaning her fate in life. All of us who have raised children know about patience or the lack thereof. If you have grandchildren, or perhaps those beautiful great-grandchildren share the message of patience. Be an encourager to the young parents around you. They need to know our experiences of the past. Share Isiaah 40:31 with them. "But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint."

Isiaah's advice is not just for the young people of the world. In this past year of hip replacements and broken ankles I have often claimed his promise. I prayed for Patience for bones to heal and strength to return that I might walk and not grow faint. I dream of soaring on wings like eagles. Even though my bones will never let me run very fast my spirit can soar if only I will keep an attitude of patience.

Our God is a God of patience. I think daily what patience he must have as he forgives me day after day for the same foolish mistakes. And in our hurry-up society we quarrel and fuss and are so impatient about much that really isn't very important. Patience is a fruit of the spirit. Let me be reminded daily to "Wait upon the Lord." May you too wait as you walk with Him. Enjoy your Walk.

JUST A QUOTE

"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live." - H.D. Thoreau

I am just posting this tonight and intend to give it much more thought. I have always appreciated Thoreau's writings, but this particular statement has not been one I have noticed before. I want to think about it before I begin my writing for 2008.I may be asking myself if I "have stood up to live". Rather an interesting idea isn't it?

May all of you enjoy blessings in 2008. Posting will begin soon.