THEY CAME BEARING GIFTS

It's almost Christmas!!! I love this time of year --- not for the part about the presents ---- but for the part about the present - you know, the right here & now! The anticipation of being with the people you love, for good food & good times and the chance to, once again, let my creative juices flow and pull out all the stops in decorating ---- getting ready for the big day. The lead up is what it's all about for me --- listening to my favorite Christmas music 24 hrs a day, reading special holiday stories and daily, being reminded to focus on the BIG present --- and because HE really IS the "Reason for the Season", I like to be sure that in times of laughter and getting to know others deeper and celebrating life, that we talk about the really important stuff too.

I love words --- I love that some words are spelled the same, but mean something entirely different .... I know God made me to love words .... I love how when words are put in just the right order, they can speak straight to your heart. Early last week, when I was looking for some sort of 'story' to share, I came across a number of descriptive accounts regarding the Three Wise Men, that spoke to my heart.

I love that in much of scripture, God hides interesting detail. Not 'hides', as in ---- no one can ever find it --- but almost as if He puts information there - just under the surface - so that if we're willing to dig a little deeper, we get the reward of fuller understanding .... and also, I think, to show the depth of Who HE is .....

The Three Wise Men found Jesus after following the 'star'. They didn't know exactly what they'd find at the end of their journey, but fully expected it to be worthy of the gifts they bore -- gifts fit for a King -- as recorded in Matthew 2:11 ... Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Three gifts - each holding a real 'present' value and a prophetic 'future' value.

They brought GOLD. Gold was a symbol of kingship, power and virtue. It represented, then as now, financial security. It's obvious that gold would have been beneficial due to the fact the Holy Family was poor. Isn't it amazing that God provided the means necessary for a long and expensive journey into Egypt, and to sustain Joseph, Mary and Jesus in a foreign land where they would live for an extended time?

They brought FRANKINCENSE. This was the priestly gift, a type of incense, and was used in religious ceremonies to give honor to that which was considered holy. It was one of the elements used in holy anointing (Exodus 30:34) ......and was also used to keep the bugs away - kind of like lighting a 'cat-tail'. This sweet smelling resin comes as the result of the tree's woundedness and pain..... hmmmmmmm, slightly prophetic I'd say ..... foretelling that the ultimate sacrifice Jesus would give would be a holy offering.

When we can worship God in the midst of our sorrow .... our brokenness.... then it is a sweet smelling offering. That's why David said, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalms 51:1 Frankincense signified his Priestly office -- his re -'presenting' us!

They brought MYRRH. Both frankincense and myrrh have healing properties, but myrrh was also used to embalm the dead because it had superior preservative qualities. This gift symbolized Christ's death on the cross and the embalming to come after. This was the hard, the bitter gift. It was a symbol that Christ would be willing to do the hardest task that God would call him to do, that He came to live with us as a man and die for us.

Interesting that neither frankincense or myrrh are available until the trees which produce the sap are cut (wounded) and allowed to "bleed' or pour out their offering.... and yet, they contain intrinsic healing properties, that only become apparent and available after enduring the devastation.

Together, the Wise Men brought gifts representing the three roles God intended for Jesus the Messiah:

Our King ----- Our God ----- Our Saviour

Herod used his knowledge of Jesus' burth to attempt to kill him; the Wise Men used their knowledge to find Him and worship Him. Their worship involved giving of themselves; their time, their treasure, and their honor.

Like them, when we truly come to Jesus to worship Him, we must be willing to offer our time, our treasure, our honor ...... ourselves.

WAITING TO EXHALE

November 28, 2010

We’re driving back from San Diego…. Well, he’s driving – I’m riding. I think this is the first holiday return trip that we’ve made in a long while where we didn’t wait till Monday to drive back home --- but hey, we’ve got stuff to do! Of course, the other 356,229 families heading north on I-5 are right behind us!!

In the last few weeks, a number of my FB friends have been posting what they’re grateful for each day….. while most of them were good reminders to be appreciative for the really important things each day, I found myself just simply, yet anxiously waiting for Thanksgiving Day – when I would see Rachel with my own eyes and hug her tight …. Then I could let my breath out, knowing she really was o.k.

I find myself holding my breath a lot. I don’t think it’s good for your blood pressure…. And it can make you turn blue. Not that THAT has happened to me. But, in moments of anxiousness --- like when you’re wondering whether the insurance company is gonna cover THIS doctor opinion visit --- or when Ra calls to ask us to pray, because the nerve in her leg is acting up …. The very thing you don’t want to hear after being told that’s one of the things that can be damaged by the radiation treatments she’s forced to endure to battle this C__C__ (funny, you could probably fill in those blanks with only the letter “a” and it would pretty much define the disease). You can see why I hold my breath a lot.

While I hold my breath literally, I’m trying not to hold my breath figuratively….. I’m trying not to put ‘life’ on hold as we wait out this process. It’s a really easy thing to do --- put your life on hold. And then you look back and realize that you haven’t enjoyed the little, everyday moments that make up a life. I want to fully appreciate those moments – reading out-loud from my MIL’s journal as we finish up our Thanksgiving drive – having the patience and time to let my 3 yr old grandson ‘help’ prepare dinner, and together, work on the USA puzzle …. for the 10th time that day.... Watching our daughter and son-in-law participate in their first communion service together, and feeling so blessed to have daughters, who along with their husbands, are pursuing a relationship with Jesus.... Getting lost in the eyes of our 4 month old granddaughter, knowing therein lies an ocean of love. …….

Did you hear that? I think I exhaled ………