A Look Back on 2010

Every year on December 31, I write an email that looks back over the year now passing. These are my thoughts on 2010...

2010 has been a year of change and transformation…not all of it has stuck and I find myself re-learning lessons even today. This year, God revealed to me the darkness of my own heart: Selfishness. Pride. Impatience. Unfaithfulness. Self-trust. I was saved when I was 6 years old—I knew even then that I was a sinner and needed a Savior, and that Jesus had paid the price for my sins on the cross. But the grace that made salvation possible is also the grace I need for daily life. I cannot please God on my own, whether for salvation or in daily life. I need God’s grace to transform my heart so that I can “walk in a manner worthy of God” (I Thessalonians 2:12). The Bible says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” I can’t have the fruit of the Spirit if I’m living for Laura. The passage continues, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). When I live for Christ in His strength, I will be Self-less. Humble. Patient. Faithful. Trusting.



Those aren’t easy lessons to learn—and as I said, I’m still learning and re-learning them! But God is so very good. And gracious. And He is all my hungry heart needs. I pray that my life will glorify Him!

I also included the words to "Grace, Unmeasured, Vast and Free"--a song I learned this year that has meant a lot of me. The chorus begins, "Grace paid for my sins And brought me to life. Grace clothes me with power To do what is right."

My favorites from 2010...

graduation :)

flip-flops on the beach!

 

my missions team in California

my sister and I painted our room

 

at a friend's wedding

 

enjoying the zoo when Grandma came to visit

I pray that not only have you experienced saving grace, but that you are also seeing it working in your own life right now! Happy new year to you all and prayers for a wonderful 2011!

In Christ alone,
Laura

Mary's Attitude

Christmas is over, but I still find myself thinking about Mary. Mary was a sinful human being like you and me, but certainly she was very devoted to God—not perfect yet with a heart facing God in faith and humility.

“And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38, ESV).

Mary did not question. I’m sure she couldn’t fathom the depth of what she was agreeing to, but I’m sure there were various emotions coursing through her. She was going to have a baby! But that wasn’t supposed to happen yet…what would people say—or do?

But Mary said “Yes—let it be.” Mary’s entire life was changing but she submitted humbly.

When hard things come into my life, I’m not always so willing. Instead of “Yes, Lord,” I whine and complain. I want something else. But Mary acknowledged her place as a servant—and a servant says yes to her Master…no matter what He asks.

The Shepherds' Story

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o’er the plains,

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heavenly song?

One of our pastors commented recently on the shepherds. He mentioned that Luke wrote his Gospel from the testimonies of eyewitnesses--those shepherds were still telling the story some 60 years later!

Shepherds in the field abiding,

Tell us when the seraph bright

Greeted you with wondrous tiding,

What you saw and heard that night.

How well are you telling the story? How well am I telling the story?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them" (Luke 2:20).

Merry Christmas

from OneThing blog!

In the Bleak Midwinter

Personally, I don't think that winter is so bleak. :) But this Christmas hymn talks about the exalted Christ wanting our hearts. He doesn't need anything from us...but He does desire our fellowship and worship!

frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,

Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

~Christina Rosetti

The Baby...Son of God

What Child is this who, laid to rest

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,

Come peasant, king to own Him;

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby.

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of God.

~William Dix

(I love the new ending of Molly Ijames' arrangment.

We're singing it in the Christmas service at church!)

Christmas Meditations, part 2

That is the beauty of Christmas. Jesus lived out the Father’s plan without deviation. “But [Jesus] made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:7-11, ESV).



I bow now, praising my Savior as Mary did: “And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, … for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation…He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever’” (from Luke 1, ESV).

Thou didst leave Thy throne

and Thy kingly crown,

When Thou camest to earth for me;

But in Bethlehem’s home

was there found no room

For Thy holy nativity.

Heaven’s arches rang

when the angels sang,

Proclaiming Thy royal degree;

But of lowly birth didst

Thou come to earth,

And in great humility.

Thou camest, O Lord,

with the living Word,

That should

set Thy people free;

But with mocking scorn

and with crown of thorn,

They bore Thee to Calvary.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

There is room

in my heart for Thee. 

~Emily Elliott

Christmas Meditations, part 1



my favorite tree ornament
(photo courtesy of my sister)

 Even though I’ve been doing some warm-weather reminiscing, this is the season I love.



Christmas. Winter. Twinkling lights. Cozy blankets. Hot chocolate. Wishing for snow. :)


Over the last few years, I’ve had less of an emphasis on the externals of Christmas—the tree lights, the decorations…Campus itself does decorate (one of my favorite things to do between Thanksgiving Break and Finals Week was to walk back to the dorms from the library at night and admire all the lights :) ), but I myself did not have the chance to decorate like that. (Okay, so there was the dorm-door decorating contest…but I was writing a 90-page script at the time. Enough said.) The Christmas-carols-and-decorations part of Christmas only lasted the week or so I was home before Christmas—and it made me stop and think, because even during those weeks between Thanksgiving Break and Finals Week, Christmas was in my heart and mind.


I’ve also had an increased emphasis on Easter…The Campus sunrise service—I’ll definitely miss that next year! Mom’s exclamations about our church’s Good Friday service as well as the Easter service—I’m definitely looking forward to being here this time! The everyday importance of the message of the cross.


Christmas and Easter are intertwined…Jesus was born to die. Without Easter, Christmas would not matter; and without Christmas, Easter would not have happened. Christmas happens so that the cross happens so that Easter morning happens.


I’ve been meditating on that a lot lately. Yes I’ve been excited to help put up the tree this year and decorate my room, and I smiled when a few snow flurries fell last week, and I love the fleece blanket I’m wrapped in, and I enjoy the nativity scenes we have set up all around…and it reminds me to be grateful.


Because—Jesus humbled Himself ~

~leaving heaven
~being born and living among sinful men
~discipling a dozen men who never comprehended His plan while He taught
~letting Himself be betrayed…denied…unfairly tried…beaten…hung on a cross.


Then He arose! And He patiently explained it all again to those disciples who eventually spread that message across the world.


Every day I shake my fist at God—I’m selfish, proud, full of complaining thoughts and attitudes—and yet I will never feel the wrath of God. I am a sinner; there is no righteousness in me; but I have personally accepted His sacrifice on the cross and now Jesus clothes me with His righteousness. He died so that I may truly live!

Hark! The herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies;

With th’angelic host proclaim,

“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Ris’n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die.

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,

Stamp Thine image in its place:

Second Adam from above,

Reinstate us in Thy love.

Let us Thee, though lost, regain,

Thee, the Life, the inner man:

O, to all Thyself impart,

Formed in each believing heart.

Hark! the herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King!”

~Charles Wesley

Reminiscing

~quote by Jacques Cousteau