THE LOOKS, THE STARES, THE GOSSIP

MARY

Poor Mary.  Here was a young woman, a virgin, and pledged to be married to Joseph, but suddenly an angel appeared and her life changed as she listened to the angel.

The angel spoke, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, Son of the Most High.”

Mary replied, “May it be to be as you have said.”

I can imagine the thoughts that were flying in and out of her mind.  How?  Why me?  Joseph.  My parents.  I will go see Elizabeth and figure this out.

It took much courage for Mary to return home.  What would her parents say?  What would Joseph do?  He had every right to divorce her.  How would her friends and neighbors act when they realized she was pregnant?  I imagine Mary was unsure about Joseph, but she would know what was ahead.  The looks.  The stares.  The gossip. 

JOSEPH

Poor Joseph.  Here was a righteous man, a carpenter, and ready to take Mary as his wife, but when Mary returned from seeing Elizabeth, he knew she was pregnant.  One look and he could see the changes in her body. 

What would happen when others saw her?  They would look.  Then they would stare.  They would think …….  No, they would not notice as easily as he had. 

Joseph thought, “I do not want to expose her to public disgrace.  I will divorce her quietly.”

Having figured out a way to make the best of this situation, Joseph rested.  Joseph dreamed.

An angel appeared in Joseph’s dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph did as the Lord commanded, but I imagine he also dreaded the looks, the stares, and the gossip that were sure to follow.

Joseph, a righteous man, took Mary home as his wife.

Scriptures used:  Luke 1:26-45 and 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-25

THE LOOKS, THE STARES, THE GOSSIP

It is not hard to imagine what Mary and Joseph were thinking.  Times have changed, but, honestly, people never seem to change.  We look.  We stare.  We gossip. 

And that is exactly what I would like you to do this Christmas.

I want you to look at the scriptures which tell of the birth of Jesus.  Really, really look.  Not just skim over, but look at them.  Read slowly, looking at every word.

I want you to stare at the Christmas Story until you can picture each part.  Stare until you see Mary leaving town and coming home.  Stare until you see Joseph struggle with a decision.  Stare until you can picture an angel appearing to Mary and Joseph.  Stare until you can imagine Joseph and Mary walking toward their future.

I want you to gossip about Mary and Joseph.  When you are setting up the tree, say, “Did you hear Mary left town?”  Tell your in-laws, “Mary came home and I think she is pregnant.”  At coffee, whisper, “Joseph was visited by an angel.”  Gossip and spread the story because this story is the beginning of our eternal life.

HAVE AN AMAZING CHRISTMAS!!

FREE WILL

The other day, I was asked the question:  How could a loving God allow three children to die as they walked to the bus?  (This happened and devastated the community.)

Disclaimer:  I, for sure, do not have the theological background to answer this question.  But my heart breaks for this person because this question is standing between them and fully believing in God.

Free will:

• the ability to act at one's own discretion
• makes you automatically responsible for what is happening to you
• ethical choice implies free will; for how can we choose between right and wrong unless we are free to make that choice

God wants us to LOVE him, not because we have to but because we want to.  Without the ability to make choices, we would be like puppets, with God controlling our every move.  We would not feel emotion.  We would not know true love, only demanded love. 

Free will gives us the ability to think.  We have the ability to look around and realize there is a Creator.  We have the ability to seek and, when we find God, we have the ability to LOVE – a honest love, freely given – because we know all he has done for us.

But there is another side to free will and that is the side we question.

The driver did not set out to cause such loss but did freely get in the truck and head down the road.  For whatever reason, the children were not seen until it was too late.  And the voices ask God, “Why did you allow this to happen?”

A loved one dies and the voices ask God, “Why did you allow this to happen?”

A child is abducted and the voices ask God, “Why did you allow this to happen?”

A drink is taken and another and another – addiction begins – and the voices ask God, “Why did you allow this to happen?”

A hurricane, fire, or tornado wipes out a town and the voices ask God, “Why did you allow this to happen?”

“Why God?  Why?”  This is the question we all want answered.

Google why does God allow bad things to happen and you will have to search through 11,300,000 answers.  Bad things happen to teach us a lesson.  Bad things happen because of our actions.  Bad things happen because God is not a loving God.  11,300,000 answers to pick from.

This is a quote from an article, by Lee Strobel, found at https://www.equip.org/article/why-does-god-allow-suffering/

Human suffering came about because people abused their free will, not because God wanted to hurt us.  God decided to give free will to men and women because this is the only way we can enjoy the highest value in the universe, which is love.  Jesus said, “The first and greatest commandment” is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and the second is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (see Matt. 22:37–39). Without free will, we could never love, because in order to love we must have the choice not to love.

If God had forced us to love, this would be akin to programming a robot to say, “I love you.”  It could utter the words, but they would be meaningless because it has no choice but to say them.

I do know one thing about asking God why.  If you are going to ask, “Why did God allow this to happen?” you also need to ask the same question of your blessings.

“Why did God allow me to see?”

“Why did God allow me to hear?”

“Why did God allow me to blessed with children?”

“Why did God allow me to be cancer free?”

“Why did God forgive me?”

“Why did God allow me to ………?”

God decided to give free will to men and women because this is the only way we can enjoy the highest value in the universe, which is love.  

Why?  I have no idea.  BUT I believe in a God who loves me enough to give me options.  Sometimes the option I pick causes others pain.  Sometimes the option I pick causes joy.  And sometimes the option I pick leads me to eternal life.  It is that option God rejoices over.

THANKSGIVING - A CONVERSATION WITH GOD

“Mary what are you thankful for this year?” God asked.

“I hate it when you ask me questions.  No matter what I answer you will find something I missed and it will turn into you making a point,” I answered.

“Not this time. I was just wondering.”

(My mind went into overdrive!  If I say indoor plumbing, God will think I am being flippant.  If I say the universe YOU created, he will think I am trying to make brownie points.  I wonder if I could get away with putting my hand on my chin, look like I am really thinking and wait him out.  Oh my gosh!  Wait God out.  Come on Mary.  Give an answer!)

“I am thankful for ... popcorn.”

(Popcorn?  Where did that come from?  God asks what I am thankful for and I blurt out popcorn.)

“Popcorn.  Oh I wish you could have seen the face of the first person to pop corn.  They burnt the first batch.  Then they tried it with oil.  That worked but what a mess.  Gabriel and I laughed and laughed.  The next time they put a lid on the pan.”

“I didn’t mean to say popcorn.  I meant to say ... toothpicks.”

(Toothpicks.  That is even worse than popcorn.  Where did that come from?  I did go to the dentist this week but why didn’t dentist come out of my mouth instead of toothpick?)

“So those little pieces of food stuck between your teeth are annoying?”

“You have no idea.”

“Anything else you are thankful for?”

“Talking with you!”

(Finally my mind and my mouth worked together.)

“Aren’t you afraid people will think you are crazy when you tell them you talk to me?”

“NO!  Well, there are some who question how my mind works but everyone can talk to you.  We can just ..... talk to you.  Tell you what is on our hearts.  Tell you when we are scared or happy or sometimes sit quietly and know you are there.  That is my final answer:  I am thankful I can talk to you.”

“One more thing.”

“I knew it.  Here comes the point of our conversation.”

“Oh, Mary.  No point to be made by me this time, but I have one more question.  What will people think about us having a back and forth conversation?”

“This is my blog and if I want to write it in conversation form it is perfectly fine.  Besides, I have a point to make.”

<   <   <   <   <    >   >   >   >   >

Thanksgiving —- Giving Thanks

The point?  When you are filled to the brim with turkey, ham, dressing/stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pie and someone asks, “What are you thankful for?”, blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind.  Have fun with the question and celebrate the answer.  Yes be thankful for family and friends and home and .... But what about popcorn?  Of course!  The sound of it popping.  The smell.  The crunch.  The popcorn hull stuck between your teeth.  Now you are thankful for a toothpick.

Yes be thankful for health and sunsets and faith and ..... But be thankful for jokes that make us laugh and hugs and games and books and funky socks and...... conversations with God.

Happy Thanksgiving.

A STUFFED FROG

I have a secret identity.  A stuffed frog!  His name is Norman and I live vicariously through him.

It started a number of years ago when Norman was sitting on a shelf at the local CVS.  There he sat, looking at me with those big eyes.  He is a rather large frog.  A great shade of green.  And, since it was close to Valentine’s Day, he has a red heart on his … well, … on his butt. 

Honestly, I was just standing there, when that frog jumped right into my cart.  I had no choice but to take him home.  As I drove home, with this big green frog that would not fit in a bag, I wondered what hubby would say.  Would he think I had finally gone over the edge?

Hubby took one look at the frog and one look at me.  He was smiling and I knew he was sure I had officially gone bonkers.  “Does it have a name?”  he asked.

That night we were watching City Slickers and there was a calf named Norman.  We looked at each other and said, “Norman.  The frog is Norman.” 

To shorten a long story, let me say that Norman has an Instagram account: #adventureswithnorman or norman_frog.  I have 221 Facebook friends.  Norman has 876 followers.  It is quite humiliating to know a stuffed frog has more “friends” than I do.  If that is not enough, other than one friend in England and a few that could swim, my friends are on the east side of the Mississippi.  Not Norman.  His summer postcard went to 13 states and 20 countries.  He even gets mail in HIS NAME from such places as Russia, Germany, The Netherlands, Moldovia, Singapore and once from the Antarctic.  I mean really!  Norman got a card from a man spending the winter in the Antarctic! 

Norman is famous for his red heart, getting stuck, having conversations with his human (aka me) and hosting the #plushieolympics2018nf.  With help from his human, Norman has given the children’s story at church.

Norman at church.

Norman was on vacation with us.

He got bored and the next thing we knew he was upside down.

I bet you agree with Bill:  Mary has finally lost it!  Just the opposite.  I get to use my imagination.  I see pictures of places I will never visit.  Norman received a CD from a musician in The Netherlands who has won international carillon competitions.  He uses Instagram to talk to an actor and Ninja Warriors.  Now stop and contemplate that.  If you think I am a bit off center, exactly what would you call a photographer who sends a card from the Antarctic to a frog, a world famous carillon artist who addressed that envelope to Norman Frog, the Ninja Warrior who liked Norman’s moves and the actor who thought he might have a role for Norman in his next movie.  (The actor did mention a table and frog legs…..)

So often Christians think they should go around with long faces.  Never have joy.  Never laugh. The Bible says just the opposite.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

…. a time to laugh,

…. a time to dance

Ecclesiastes 3:1 and parts of 4

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

Psalm 47:1

God wants us to have joy.  God has a sense of humor.  I mean, he created the platypus and that long neck on the giraffe.  And if you want proof God has a sense of humor:  He created--- us.

This week – this life – find something joyful.  Who knows….you might happen upon a frog, sitting on the top shelf, with a red heart on his butt and very big eyes.  And that frog might open up a whole new adventure for you.

CELEBRATE EVERY DAY WITH JOY

LOST IN A ROOM

My younger sister is directionally challenged.  I am not saying she cannot get out of her driveway, but her finding the way back to said driveway is never a certainty.

We were talking about this and she said, “I can get lost in a room.”  Then we laughed.

Later my mind started turning that phrase over and over and …. That phrase was the topic at our last W W & W Discussion Group.  At first there was silence.  Finally, a look appeared in their eyes.  Then, the question:  What do you mean lost in a room?  I shrugged my shoulders.

The light bulbs started shining and the discussion began.

LOST IN A ROOM

How can anyone get lost in a room?  A room has walls and doors.  That should be easy to get in and out of.  But is it?  Everyone has rooms they get lost in.  Rooms they try to find.

ROOMS WE GET LOST IN:

Despair                  Depression                  Anger                          Hopelessness

Resentment           Frustration                   Distrust                       Joy

Worry                    Fear                             Anxiety                       ??

I bet you understand why all of these are on the list except Joy.  Joy, in this case, would be when you put on those rose colored glasses and fail to see the reality of the world around you.  Coming out of any of these rooms takes great courage.  A person, lost in these rooms, is blessed when they have someone to open the door and walk with them, as they learn a new way of living.

THOSE WALLS AND DOORS:  OPTIONS

Build taller walls                                       Tear down the walls

Lock the doors                                          Fling the door wide

Stay in the room                                        Find a way out

We do have options but they are not always easy.  Sometimes, sadly, the doors stay shut forever and the walls close in tighter and tighter.  The eyes and heart see no way out and the body does not have the strength to even nudge the door.  Sometimes, thankfully, the doors open and the walls crumble.  And the light gets in.

ROOMS WE TRY TO FIND:

Love                      Peace                           Calm                            Understanding

Healing                  Acceptance                 Answers                      Companionship

Wealth                   Comfort                      A Purpose                   ??

Do most of these make sense as things we try to find?  We all want love and calm and companionship and answers.  Does wealth belong on this list?  Somehow it seems out of place, but people try to find the room they think is important.

THOSE WALLS AND DOORS:  OPTIONS

Make sure it is the right room                   Enter or turn away

Find the key                                              Open the door or leave it closed

Go in

We all have options.  Sometimes it is as hard to enter a room as it is to leave one.

LOST IN A ROOM

Have I made you think?  Have you thought about rooms you have stayed in way too long because you could not find the way out?  Have you thought about rooms you would like to find? 

Do I have news for you!!!  You are not alone and there is one who will open the door for you and will walk beside you as you learn to leave behind fear and anger and hopelessness.  And those rooms you are looking for -- peace and calm and love?  My goodness!  He knows the way to those too. 

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me

Yup, Jesus knows you.  He can knock down walls and open doors.  He will get you out of those rooms you are lost in.  He will give you strength and courage.  He wants his sheep in the light, not shut in a room.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.

Yup, Jesus knows the path to the rooms you are seeking.  And he knows which rooms you need to stay away from.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.

Yup, all you have to do is open the door.  Allow Jesus into your life and your life will change.

And go get the good china – you know the china you don’t use so you can pass down to your kids – because the last of that verse says Jesus wants to sit and eat with you.

Jesus, with his elbows on your table, leaning forward, looking you right in the eyes and saying, “Did you hear me when I said I love you?”

Now honestly --- DOESN'T THAT JUST BLOW YOUR MIND?