Hope Unseen

Regardless of the time that has passed since you last touched your loved one, the feeling of loss is real and great at this time of year.  I vividly remember our conscious decision to not subject ourselves to other's pain of lass, our own was more than enough.  Platitudes may be true and heart felt but definetley not comforting or healing.  I offer to you the same phrase I spoke to Daniel one warm June day in 2004 standing in our driveway after returning from yet another discouragin doctors appointment; "Daniel, our only Hope in all this miserable world is God."  From day one he is who we clung too.  When Daniel moved to heaven two years later God reminded me that Hope is believing in things you cannot see.  Hebrews 11 talks of those who have gone before us in this world with great faith because of the HOPE they had in what they could not see.

What I miss the most of Daniel can't be softened by pictures and videos.  Like the Thomas of the Bible I long to touch him.  God showed me a Hope I can touch in John 1 "The WORD became flesh.."  The Word, what I hold in my hands? Finally, Hope we can see and touch. Our healing Hope is found in Christ Alone.  The Word I hold in my hands has endless pages of Hope promised to those who Lean on Jesus.  Hope is our link to Heaven where we yearn to be with our Lord and loved ones.

SNOW DAY!

I am one of those Moms who can't wait for a snow day!  I love having my kids and husband close.  So often life gets in the way.  We allow so much to interfere with the biggest gift God gave us - love- relationships. We desire to give our children the best and teach them well.  Certainly we must give our kids more than we had, that would make their life better.  It starts in pre-school with town sports, scouts, dance, play dates, intramurals and midweek Bible Classes.  This is good because we are helping our kids find themselves, build other relationships and bathing them in His word.  They get older and need the newest and latest in technology, equipment for hobbies, travel with teams and clubs and lead in church and in school.  Now we need two cars and more than one job each to afford what is better for our kids.  Not once do we as parents slow down to ask ourselves, "Is raising children a bigger miracle than creating the world?"  Maybe we don't ask because the answer is obvious, no.  If the answer is obvious and the question is mute is the lesson obsolete? God found it good to rest for a WHOLE day after 6 days of creating the world.  Why do we think that non-stop activity...living. would raise good kids?

God tried to lead by example and show us how to rest.  When we were to blind to see, He commands us in Exodus to do so.  When we are to greedy to stop He gave a promise that we would be blessed beyond measure in Jeremiah if we kept the Sabbath, a day of rest.  Still we run the race and forget the key to His training.  So Jesus shows us through out the New Testament how to go and be alone or in quiet fellowship with family. We find it difficult to keep Sundays 'family days' let alone Holy days. This problem has been around for centuries because Holidays (Holy Days) were designed to bring families together and offer a break in routine. Now after a Holiday we need a day of rest to recoop from all the business of it! We complain that there is no time for fun and our dinner table is getting smaller.  We have forgotten again that to be good we must rest and focus on the One who makes us good with the ones we want to be good.  A snow day is God interrupting our routine to give us another chance to focus on what the greatest gifts in life are; love and those we share it with.

Lord, help me to keep the sabbath day holy, as a sign between you and I.  Only then can I know that You are the Lord my God.  (Ezekiel 20:20)  May a Holy Sabbath be a legacy I leave my children and may they know you as their Lord God and Shine your good gracious amazing love.  Amen.