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Preparingyourheartforthe5daysbeforeChristmas
SimplyFaithful
@2012/MarkettaGregory @2012/MarkettaGregory
This5‐daydevotionalismygifttoyou.Mayyoufindstrength–andlaughter–initspages.Andmayithelpyoutofocuslessoncommercializedperfectionandmoreonpeace.Thisyear,mayChristmasbeaholycelebrationforyou
andallofthoseyoulove.
MerryChristmas
“GlorytoGodinthehighestandonearthpeace,goodwilltowardmen.”–Luke2:14
MarkettaGregoryisaformerreligionreporterwhonowsharesherownjourneyoffaithwithreaders.ShelivesinRochester,NY,withherhusband,theirthreeyoungboysandoneveryvocalPomeranian.Tocontacther,[email protected],Rochester,NY14612.YoucanalsovisittheSimplyFaithfulpageonFacebookandfollowheronTwitter(@MarkettaGregory).
December24Weallknowthatlifeisfullofhighsandlows,ofgleefulridestothetopof
theFerriswheelfollowedbytheslowandrockydescenttotheground.That’swhereIfoundmyselflastweek–intheslowandrockypart.
Iwasspent.IwastiredfromworkingoutsidethehomeandexhaustedfromdealingwithfamilybudgetsandlaundryandLegos.Itseemedeveryone,frommybosstothefamilyPomeranianneededsomethingfromme.Colt,whoisusuallyaDaddy’sboy,criedeverytimeIlefttheroom.Benjaminbeggedmetoplaywithhissuperheroguys,readathirdstoryandmakeanothertreasuremap.JessieneededhelpwithaValentine’sDaycard,andBrianandIwerearguingovereverylittlething.
Everyonefeltneglected,andnoonewasgettingwhathewanted.“Ican’tpleaseanyone,”Ihalfmumbled,halfprayed.“Ican’tmakeanyone
happy.There’sjustnotenoughofme.”Thereisplentyofme,aquiet,lovingvoicetoldme.Iamenough.Ihadn’treallybeenexpectingguidance.Ionlywantedalistener,andeven
asIletthosewordshangthere,inmyheartIwantedtocomplainmore,toargueandmakemycasethattoomuchwasbeingaskedofme.ButIcouldn’t.
IfIclaimtobelieveinanall‐powerfulGod,thendon’tIhavetobelieveheisallpowerful?
It’ssosimple,yetIneedtoberemindedtolivethatconceptout–remindedtotrustthat,evenontheslowandrockyparts,I’mnotontheFerriswheelalone.
DoyoubelievewhatGodsaysaboutyou?Doyourememberthathecallsus
hisbeloved?Haveyoureadthathesayshewillneverleaveusorforsakeus?Today,intherushtogetgiftswrappedandbathroomscleaned,canyou
pauseforjustamoment?Whenexpectationsmountandthejobsseemtoobigforyoutohandle,thinkaboutthesescriptures.Writethemonyourhand,onyourmirrororonastickynoteforyourcomputer.
“TheLordthyGodinthemidstoftheeismighty;hewillsave,hewill
rejoiceovertheewithjoy;hewillrestinhislove,hewilljoyovertheewithsinging.”–Zephaniah3:17
“Butwehavethistreasureinearthenvessels,thattheexcellencyofthe
powermaybeofGod,andnotofus.Wearetroubledoneveryside,yetnotdistressed;weareperplexed,butnotindespair;Persecuted,butnotforsaken;castdown,butnotdestroyed…”–IICorinthians4:7‐9
@2012/MarkettaGregory @2012/MarkettaGregory
December23Inanoceanofmemories,Irememberonethat'sthesizeofaraindrop:A
shortconversationwithMamainthecar.Icouldn'thavebeenmucholderthan7,andIwastellingMamaabout
somethingthatweinthelargersocietyneededtofix.(I'mguessingthatithadtodowithtakingbettercareofanimalsbecauseatthatageIwantedtobeveterinarian.)Iaskedherwhymoreadultsweren'thelping,howtheycouldjustsitthereandwatchthishappen.
Shesaiditwasbecausebythetimewegetold,wegettiredandgiveup.Westartthinkingthatthingswillneverchange,andwestopbelievingthatwecanmakeadifference.
Suchasimple,sadtruth.Ivowedrightthen,inthefrontseatofthatcar,toneverletthathappento
me‐‐andGodhasbroughtmebacktothatvowtimeandtimeagain.WhenIthoughtsomethingwastoohardortoounpopular.WhenIfeltoverwhelmedanddidn'tknowhowtostart.WhenIwastoobusytotakeamomenttobekind.
IknowI'mnotaloneinchoosinghope.Thereareplentyofpeople,ofallages,workingforacausethat'shigherthanthemselves.Plentyofpeoplewhoaretakingsmallstepswithgreatfaith.
WhenImetNataschaYogachandra,shewas11yearsoldandhadalreadyheldenoughbookdrivestoopenninelibrariesinotherpartsoftheworld.Then,there'stheNewYorkteenagerwhohadtheideatogiveChristmascardstoeveryhospitalandnursinghomepatientinRochester.Afewthousandcardslater,hermissionwasaccomplished.And,finally,onethat'sclosesttomyheart:Alocalteachersentane‐mailaskingforbirthdaycardsandluckypenniesforastudentwhowasdyingofcancer.BythetimeIwroteAlyssaBruno'sobituary,herfamilyhadbeensmotheredwithgoodwishesfromtensofthousandsofpeoplewhohadreadthee‐mailandrespondedoutoflove.
Iguessweneverknowthepowerwehavetodogooduntilwetakeaction.Eventhetiniestofraindropscausesripples.
Aretherepeopleinyourlifewhocouldusekindnesstoday?Inthemidstof
thisbusyseason,istheresomethingthatyoucoulddotobringcomfortorjoy?Kindnessdoesn’thavetocostmoney–orevenmuchtime.Willyoufinda
waytoshareit?“Bythisshallallmenknowthatyearemydisciples,ifyehaveloveone
toanother.”–John13:35
December20
GrowingupwithErb’sPalsy,Ioftenhadtoaskforhelpwiththelittlethings–thethingsthatwouldbemucheasierwithtwogoodarms:
French‐braidingmyhair.Sharpeningmypencilsinclass.Fasteningnecklaces.Bynowyou’dthinkI’dbeusedtoit.Afterall,thenervedamageinmyneck
andrightarmwascausedatbirth.I’veneverknownwhatitwasliketobeabletoraisemyrightarmorstraightenmywrist.
Iwas12beforeIfiguredoutawaytoputonapairofpantyhosewithouthelpfrommymama,andmymiddlesisterdrovetwohourstohangpicturesandcurtainsinmyfirstapartment.Mydaddycutmysteakintobite‐sizedpiecesformethefirst29yearsofmylife,andnowmyhusbanddiscretelyslidesmyplateoveratrestaurantstodothesame.
Still,afteralltheseyears,Iblush.I’membarrassedthatIneedhelpatall.Ithinkthat’sprettycommon,thedesiretofeellikeyouhaveitall
together,thatyoudon’tneedanythingfromanyoneelse–thatyouarethegiver,notthereceiver.
Infactwecelebratethatideathroughouttheendofeachyear.Wegatherfoodbasketsforthosedeemed“needy”andwewrapChristmasgiftsforthosewhoare“lessfortunate.”Webuypresentsforourkids,ourmailmanandourhairstylistbecauseitis,afterall,theseasonofgiving.
Butisthathowitwasmeanttobe?DidGodintendforustogivegiftsordidhemeanforustoaccepthisgift,thepresentofloveandjoythathewrappedinswaddlingclothesandputinamanger?
Isuspecthewantsustodoboth–toexperiencethefeelingofhelpingothersandtoknowwhatitisliketobetheonewhoneedsalift.It’shumblingtoknowthatIstumbleonmyownandmustrelyonGod’swisdomandgraceandthekindshouldersoffamilyandfriends.I’dratherfocusonbeingthegiver,butthatwouldbecelebratingonlyhalfofChristmas.
Wearetaughtaschildrentoreceivegiftsandtosaythankyoubutsomehow
weseemtoforgetaswegetolder.HowwillyoureceivethisChristmas?What(orwhom)willyouopenyourhandsandyourhearttothisyear?
“Ifyethen,beingevil,knowhowtogivegoodgiftsuntoyourchildren,
howmuchmoreshallyourFatherwhichisinheavengivegoodthingstothemthataskhim?”–Matthew7:11
@2012/MarkettaGregory @2012/MarkettaGregory
December22
Itstartedinnocentlyenough,thisideatolettheboysplaywithaplastic
nativityset.IthoughtitwouldbeanicedistractionwhilewereadChristmasbooksandachancetoreinforcethestoryofJesus’birth.Butbeforewemadeitthroughthefirstfewpages,therewastrouble.
IdidtheparentalnodtowardmyhusbandandsubtlyshiftedmyeyesovertoColt,ouryoungestson,whohadanangelhangingoutofhismouthandwasshakinghisheadfromsidetoside.Itriedtonotmakeabigdealoutofitsinceitwasfamilytime–atimewhenwegenerallytrytostaypositive.So,wekeptreadinguntilourmiddleson,Benjamin,swipedadonkeyandashepherdfromouroldestson.
IbarelyhadtimetolectureBenjaminontheneedtosharebeforeIsawhimknockingoverthewisemenandheadingforthebabyJesustogettheotherbadguys.
“Let’snotuseJesusforviolence,”Isaid.“That’snotthekindofthingheteaches.”
Afewmorepagesandthebookended.WepulledoutthewordstoTheFriendlyBeasts,anoldChristmascarolthattalksaboutthegiftstheanimalsbroughttobabyJesus,andwetookoutwoodenfiguresthattheboyscouldusetoactoutthesong.Somewherebetweenthecowofferinghermangerandthesheepbringingwoolforablanket,InoticedblueswaddlingclotheshangingoutofColt’smouth.Ididtheinfamousfingersweep.
“Youcan’tchewonJesus,”ItoldhimwhileIcheckedforteethmarksinthewood.Thankfullytherewerenone,soIwipedoffJesusandputhimbackinthemanger.Hewasonlythereforafewsecondsbeforehewentmissing.
“Great,”Isaid,lessthanthrilled.“WhereisJesus?”Then,Isawhim.There,inthemiddleofthescatteredFisherPricenativity
setandthejumbledwoodenfigures,wasourJesusinblueswaddlingclothes.Rightthereinthechaosofmylittlefamily.Unfazedandsolidasever.
“Canweplayagaintomorrow?”Benjaminasked.“Absolutely,”Isaid.“Absolutely.”EvenifthisChristmasseasondoesn’tgothewayyouhaveplanned,doyou
trustthatJesuswillbethere?Lookforhimamidtheburntrollsandthemissedflights.He’llbewaitingforyou.
“ForItheLordthyGodwillholdthyrighthand,sayinguntothee,Fear
not;Iwillhelpthee.”–Isaiah41:13
December21Iwasn’tsurprisedwhenIwalkedintothemodeltrainroomandsawJessie
leaningoveratrackwhiletwogentlemenwithgrayhairpointedtotraincars.It’shardnottogetintoaconversationwiththevolunteersattheNewYorkMuseumofTransportation.It’sasmallplacerunondonations,theloveoftrainsandthejoyoftinkering.
ThesevolunteersarethekindwhostraptinycamerastoenginesandhookupafeedtoanearbyTVsokidscanseewhatit’sliketoroundthecurvesandpasstheminiatureFerriswheel.Theyarethekindofhandymenwhostarttotellaboyhowtofixhistrainandwindupworkingwithhimandrepairingitonthespot.
So,whenIwalkedbyJessieInudgedhimandjokinglyaskedifhehadbrokensomething.“No,justhelpinggetthisbackonthetrack,”hesaid,laughingandlingeringbythetable.
ThetwoyoungerboysandIwentontowatchthemodeltrainschugthroughatunnelandthenwemovedontodriveanantiquefiretruckandpretendtoservepassengersinthediningcar.Jessiestayedbehind,stilltinkeringuntilitwastimetoleave.
Thatnight,overdinner,IaskedJessieifhehadaskedtoseesomethingorifthegentlemenhadjustofferedtoshowhimwhattheywereworkingon.
“Oneofthemenwastryingtogetthetrainbackonthetrack.Inoticedhishandwasshaking,”Jessiesaid,“soIaskedifIcouldhelphim.Thatparticulartrackisalittletricky.Youhavetogetthecarsjustright.”
Andthereitwas.Mysonwhofidgets.Mysonwhousuallyrushespastdetails.Thatson.Henoticedthemostimportantdetailofall.Takealookatyourto‐dolistfortoday.Isthereanything–oranyone–that’s
moreimportantthanwhatyouhavealreadylisted?Whatareyourprioritiestoday?Whatdetailsmattermost?“Letbrotherlylovecontinue.Benotforgetfultoentertainstrangers:for
therebysomehaveentertainedangelsunawares.Rememberthemthatareinbonds,asboundwiththem;andthemwhichsufferadversity,asbeingyourselvesalsointhebody.”–Hebrews13:1‐3
