WHERE ARE YOU CHRISTMAS?
For the first time in a long time, I was afraid I would not find my glorious impossibles in 2023.
I’m sure you are surprised to hear me say that. It has never been my way to not even look for them. I look for these amazing miracles every year. Each time I find them I proudly proclaim I KNEW they would be there. What was wrong with me this year? Maybe I was afraid of being disappointed. I don’t know.
To look for those glorious impossibles has always been my message; just like a broken record. I’m always pointing others to the fact that nothing is hopeless, God is always at work among His people, and if we just open our eyes we will always discover a million miracles a year.
This year that message has been hard to proclaim as a cousin (who is like a sister) is suffering bravely through cancer.
I could say the same for the cousin who just lost a kidney to cancer. Fortunately; his glorious impossible was that the tests came back hopeful; that they think they got it all.
Continuous prayers will still be offered for both of them throughout this coming year. I also add two friends who lost their sons to that daily prayer list. This prayer list has been growing and growing lately. It has been a year of watching those whom we love and cherish suffer. I could name so many more. God knows them.
My constant prayers and wish for all of these are that God will send them some glorious impossibles, with lots of healing, some comfort and the ability to learn how to pick up the pieces and move on. They are all such amazing and faithful people. Each one of them inspires me in a different way.
This year though I tried so hard to be positive; I was also down about the condition of our country and some unexpected changes that had crept into our own personal lives.
Also; my heart was breaking for the people of Israel as I watched how their strength and ideals were daily being worn down and worn out.
Everything around me was changing, even my day-to-day life.
If you listened to the news; you would get the idea that the world was spinning totally out of control.
PERSONAL NOTES
Both my husband and I lost our jobs at the same time. We were about five years away from our planned retirement dates. As it turned out; we decided to retire before we actually felt ready to do so.
This wasn’t our plan; but it just seemed to be what would work. I was grateful when an old acquaintance talked me into working in his office for 16 hours a week; but our budget changed drastically. We were okay; we just had a lot of adjustments to make in the middle of very high times of inflation.
Right after losing his job, my husband also got sick and didn’t feel right for a long time. He has suffered from heart troubles for many years. I think that had him depressed and unmotivated to move on into the new adventures he now had time to pursue. We made adjustments with meds and then we both went through a bout with covid. When it rains it pours.
For a few months, life was just about survival of the unknown and unplanned; there wasn’t time or energy to think of anything else. I tried my best to remain positive and keep the most important things the most important things. It wasn’t always easy. I almost forgot to look for the glorious impossibles.
That was when the first glorious impossible forced its way into our lives. Saying those words is a “tongue in cheek” announcement. The glorious impossible had been there all along; but we had not noticed. We were not paying enough attention to stop and think about the fact that we had a free, paid-for vacation in a luxurious resort setting just waiting on us to claim it.
Poor pitiful us!
My husband and I have made it an annual habit to put back money and to make plans every year for a family Feast of Tabernacles vacation away from the world. We’ve done this for most of the years of our married life.
Our thinking of automatically saving for this trip is actually a type of tithing. To us it is saving for a set-apart time with God in a temporary dwelling as commanded in Deuteronomy.
If you are unfamiliar with this type of tithing; I will explain it in a few words.
We believe that God made provision for this 7 day festival every year in His law by commanding that we set aside a festival tithe – most often called the “second tithe” to pay for our transportation, food, housing, and other needs during the holy days, particularly for The Feast of Tabernacles.
We take this instruction from Deuteronomy: 14:22-26 which reads: “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.
But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.
Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.”
So, we have rejoiced before The LORD because of this particular tithe for years with our family. This has always brought us great blessings. It has also drawn our family closer to God and closer to each other.
The scriptures say nothing about using this tithe for hard times, or for unexpected inflation and skipping the feast. Everything about this tithe is just the opposite of that. It is commanded not requested. We had made our reservations long before our troubles began. So; we started our hard times with a luxurious vacation that imitated what it will be like to live in The Kingdom of Heaven one day.
It is funny and rather ironic too. There we were, totally unemployed, with a completely paid for luxury vacation. We had everything we needed to worship, fellowship, and be totally pampered in a very beautiful place for a whole week. There were no refunds and there was no turning back.
We had made plans for 14 people!
Our whole immediate family had all set aside the time.
This was the turning point of the year for me.
The time at The Feast of Tabernacles renewed my hope. It gave me rest from the day-to-day worry of “are we going to make it through these unexpected changes?”
I spent my quiet time there thinking of the birth of Christ and all the wonder that surrounds it.
We worshipped, laughed, played, rested and fellowshipped for a week together. God truly met us there and blessed us in so many ways.
My husband and I always pray about which place to go. We say “God; where are you placing your name for our family this year?” God always leads us in that direction. The place we had chosen this year was a place we had been to before. Our fond memories of the place made us all want to go back there again. We DID feel a check when we made those reservations; but thought it was just our imaginations.
A few months before the trip we received a refund in the mail telling us that place was no longer being used for rental property. We were shocked and this timely message almost ended our trip.
However; after prayer again, we began to search for other places and found one that seemed even better. Again, we prayed and this time we did not get a “check.” I felt sure God was going to meet us in this new place.
We were not disappointed.
I think the new choice was the best place we have been to yet; and we have always enjoyed some fine places during The Feast of Tabernacles. We live temporarily for a whole week imagining what it will be like when Christ returns. The whole family rejoices in all the luxurious world that a temporary change will afford.
This new temporary place was exactly like a little slice of heaven. There was something amazing for everyone in our family party.
So there at The Feast of Tabernacles I felt God assuring me that the bump in the road we were experiencing was okay. It was His will for us to slow down, enjoy more family time, and to rest in His provision. Everything was going to be alright.
I will confess that “resting” had not equated to my human mind in this ever-changing economy we have been forced to accept. Now; I felt God advising me to relax and enjoy the daily blessings of time that I would not otherwise have.
I listened!
It was a great glorious impossible.
After that; “time” itself became such a focus for me. All of the lessons we discussed at The Feast of Tabernacles related to God’s “time” in some way. We marveled at the “times” presented in the story of Creation. Another day we discussed how God takes the beginnings and endings of “time” and ties them together to make eternity continue forever for us.
We considered the “times” that God gave us in commanding us to observe his annual Holy Days and seasons. There was even a play about the times and seasons of a Christian’s life.
It was clear that these “times” are what really makes us rich in this life upon the earth. Our “time” doesn’t depend upon the governments of men, or the laws that high courts or global institutions may form. The true blessings in life all revolve around God’s times and God’s laws. They take priority, and they are what truly bring God’s blessings to us.
We returned from this part of the year refreshed and ready to meet any of the new challenges and changes that the world was trying to force upon us. It was truly an unexpected “glorious impossible.” I found just the attitude adjustment I was needing.
A SEASON OF GRATITUDE
The next thing I knew, we were headed into the season of Thanksgiving.
I pondered how that manmade holiday had arisen in from the Puritans celebrating The Feast of Tabernacles as they first came to America and a new world. How I wish history books still remembered that truth. After a very strange year; the same Feast of Tabernacles had also prepared my heart for a new season of Thanksgiving.
We enjoyed a beautiful five days of family fun and celebrations that centered around Thanksgiving in November.
THE THREE WISE MEN
We heard that week during their Thanksgiving visit of how one son-in-law was making big plans to begin forming his own company. He has worked so long and hard to be in this place in his life. We were very proud of his decision to go ahead and make it happen though these changes will require hard work and sacrifices.
That part of our family will be going through some new changes and adjustments and experiencing the growing pains of change right along with us as we begin to adjust in a different way to times of retirement.
We will all be changing at the same time.
Every one of us are grateful for these changes. All are trusting God to show us the right ways to live and move within them. Even our teenager grandson is doing his part by getting his first part-time job; learning to drive and beginning to save for his own future. How could he be that grown up?
As I watch my other three grands playing and laughing together; I thank God for the feeling of security they all have maintained in spite of the world shutting down at critical times in their young lives. My granddaughter took all of that to heart at the time; but this year I have seen her spontaneous laughter and smiles again. I’m grateful that this; another glorious impossible has come to pass.
I listen as another animated son-in-law tells of his achievements and accomplishments during the past year. It is only because we asked. Rarely does he speak of himself. He has worked hard and followed his well-planned patterns for success. I watch him sit around our table with a very happy wife and a beautiful daughter who seem to be very content and thankful.
Again, I am grateful. Thank you God for helping Him to achieve his life goals. Most of all; thank you that he found you and your will in the midst of it all.
It occurs to me that our family members (grown children) are moving from the basics of establishing things into a new period of enjoying life and attaining the achievement of their life goals. I am grateful and happy for all of them. Even the son who says he never wants to grow up spent several hours explaining otherwise to us on Christmas Eve night. He doesn’t like making goals; but he is realizing the necessity. He also knows who will help him to keep the right ones.
My heart accepts a new awareness that I gained at The Feast of Tabernacles from God; knowing that the blessings will come from Him; not our government or our own human laws. None of our own foolish ideas, or our own desires which are not as good. Whatever men may attempt in the years ahead; God is ahead of them. Our grown children can see this and they are willing to trust it.
I will not burry my head in the sand and remain ignorant; but I will always put my trust and hopes in a higher place than the governments organizations and the institutions of mankind. I see what they are up to; but I know God is bigger and more powerful than any global organization.
JUST THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL
My hopes are no longer crushed by the news of the day; or the constant changes of the government powers. I simply continue to pray that all of my friends and family are blessed with God’s Holy Spirit and continue to follow that pathway toward God’s Kingdom. God’s government and God’s ways will always prevail.
As I look at my other son-in-law; I see a man purposefully and diligently pursuing his dreams. Over the last few years He has learned the balance of making a living and pursuing his deepest desires. Finally; he is resting in that balance with his bride and they are planning a great life together.
They can’t be bought by the material things of this world; they pursue the higher things, such as maintaining healthy lifestyles, keeping good fellowship and sincere worship. I love hearing their latest adventures and wondering what artful thing they are going to do next. Their life is so colorful and full of interesting people and places. It is the type of life that stories are made of. This year their stories have been so good.
I realize that this year’s glorious impossible number three is being blessed and thankful for the three best son-in-laws on earth.
I went through the season of Thanksgiving pondering how wonderful that fact is. My heart is full of gratitude to God for answering those prayers for our daughters lives over the last 30 years. I’ve begun to think of these amazing guys as “The Three Wise Men.” I laugh and say my grandchildren have three wise men to ask about the questions of life.
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
So then Christmas came!
I wasn’t sure how we could have the energy to celebrate more; but we did.
Christmas Eve always starts out with some nice quiet time with my Mom. She is doing so well and loving life. That is an answer to prayer and another glorious impossible that I am very thankful for.
This year she gave us some gifts from my Dad. That may sound a bit odd if you realize how long he has been a resident of eternity; but she rumbled through a box of his things and came up with some very thoughtful gifts for all of us. My Dad is with God now; but through my Mom he is still giving us Christmas presents. I loved our time with Mom this Christmas Eve.
Our out-of-towners were snugly home with their three boys who were also celebrating the season. The rest of us locals gathered and celebrated Immanuel – God with us!
It was a beautiful dinner celebration.
I was even thankful for having covid right before Christmas this year; because I was stuck at home against my will with lots of time on my hands. That provided me even more time to get out every single Christmas decoration I could find and make the house a very beautiful and festive place. It was lovely and felt quaint and cozy; just like I love for it to be.
Christmas Eve night one daughter came up with a wonderful game to play before we opened our gifts. We each drew a question about Christmas out of a pile of questions she had written. The answers brought out some interesting stories. I loved the game! A glorious impossible and a beautiful bonus to any writer at Christmas is a room full of Christmas stories that have not yet been written down!
This old home has seen many blessings and several stories over the years. All of the glorious impossibles just keep on coming; even with all of the changes that the world throws at us day-after-day.
Now that Christmas is over and we are headed into another secular year; in the quiet of the house my thoughts are getting louder.
I ponder the fact that I can see all of my family living with a shift from the values of the world’s ways into the ways of The Kingdom of God. If we need anything in the coming year; this is it. This is the greatest glorious impossible of all; that we, such human people, can see the value of God’s Kingdom shining brightly into every day and every moment that we live.
All of these great glorious impossibles bring me uncountable joy. Unexpectedly; I rejoice in hope for the new year. Jesus once mentioned that the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart. This year; I know that glorious impossible and I’m sharing these blessings right here out-loud in black and white.
I take a deep breath and move on toward the next year with great hope and anticipation.
Suddenly, I realize I have a new novel to publish. It has been put aside for all of the above celebrations. Now I must get back to my calling.
The rest has been good and blessed. I can’t wait to wake up the reveal of Exdous to Freedom and begin to get the next publication into motion. I’m so thankful that God never lets me sit still for long.
Merry Christmas Friends!
May new blessings from God fall into your life as you begin this next secular year.
