Clean Slate

This evening when I came home, the first thing I noticed was the unique "bareness" that appears after all the Christmas decorations are carefully stowed for another year. Life has been so busy since Christmas, (or I have been so tired, I'm not sure which!) that the decorations stayed up much longer than usual after Christmas. So now all is clean, and it seems so bare! Part of me likes the emptier spaces, and part of me wants to fill them up with something else.

The part of me that enjoys the cleanness of the post-holiday state is the part that longs for a simpler, cleaner life. Most certainly there is a part of my soul that longs for less--less to maintain, less to clean, less to worry about. This side of me wants to go through every room and remove anything that we have but perhaps have had too long, or have too much of, doesn't fit anymore or doesn't fulfill a necessary function, or that requires energy to maintain but is rarely used. I long for simplicity. I love the freedom of less. I am reminded of missions trips we have taken to places where people have ever so much less than we do, and coming home feeling like a fat, spoiled American with way too much stuff. Or taking a trip away from home for a time and realizing how little one can actually live with, and live pretty well, even--all needs met, basics of life.

The part of me that wants to fill the emptiness is the part that envisions splashes of colors or embellishments that add to the ambiance, warmth, and welcome of our home. I want my now-bare windows to have valances or other window treatments, I want to re-cover furniture or create new comforts; I want people (including us!) to feel at rest, at peace, and taken care of here. This is the part of me that wants the Father God who loves us fully to have full reign in this environment we call our home.

The great thing the Lord is showing me is that those two parts of me can most certainly coexist! He celebrates us--all of us! I can remove superfluous things and create an atmosphere that speaks of His love, His peace, His amazing care for us. I pray for the wisdom and insight to know how to do that, and the energy and obedient heart to follow through with the promptings He whispers in my heart of hearts. Proverbs tells us that it is better to have little with peace than much with strife. Holy Spirit, fill this home, and me, with the deep contentment and unexplainable peace that comes from living with You.

Glimpses of Eternity

The past few days I have been pondering the jump from temporal to eternal. Within ten days' time three dear friends have made that jump--passing from this earthbound existence into eternity. Our relationship with each was unique; two women, one man, all long-time friends and joint heirs with Jesus. The depth of each friendship carried it's own shadings and dimensions. Each of these dear ones had a powerful impact on my life in their own way. And I wonder...did I have an impact on their lives, too?

Carolyn...I remember Carolyn from thirty years ago. She and her husband both had that quality of seeming to know something and that knowing gave them an unmistakable joy and serenity. Fast-forward to just a few years ago, when Carolyn came to fellowship with us at church. She had been a widow for some years by then, and had followed the Lord to the other side of the world. When she returned to Eugene, to our great benefit the Lord led her to our church body, and we had the honor of knowing her. She still carried the aura of one who was in on a secret, and her life and countenance were marked by joy and serenity, deep trust in her Savior and a delight in life. In her 70's she still played tennis most days, and oh, she could dance! I admired her for so many reasons. When she became ill, her trust in Jesus never wavered; she prayed for healing while accepting that this could be her time to go. Just days before her death, she still spoke of this life as though it could go on for years. This caught me, because I know she knew her remaining earthly days were few. I listened to her talk and marveled at how she was absolutely comfortable with this life, and with leaving it. She knew who she was and Who held her life, and it was enough. It was amazing!

Linda...I've known Linda since I was a teenager. I used to babysit her children when there were only two of them and she was pregnant with the third. Her oldest is 40 now I think! Her daughter later babysat my kids! Growing up as a young believer, Linda's impact on my faith was powerful and pivotal; and the explosion of my love for Jesus was profoundly influenced by her childlike faith and love for Him. I remember the first time the Lord spoke through me prophetically was at a Ladies' Retreat that Linda was in charge of. When we got home, I recall Linda bragging on me to my husband, extolling the glories of the prophetic word God delivered through me at retreat. And I remember thinking, "Was THAT was that was??!!" I was so young in the faith...all I knew was that the Lord was showing me something and I had to speak it out! Years of Bible Study with Linda, and home groups...how God used her to build my foundations. Once she invited me to go with her on a 6-week missions trip to Nepal. Six weeks was way too long for me to be gone from my young family at the time, but I remember being so blessed even that the invitation was extended. I went many years without seeing Linda, and I have to admit the last time I saw her, maybe two years ago, was scary! She was ill, but no one knew how ill, because she wouldn't go to the doctor, choosing to keep her life in God's hands. She seemed to me to be so altered from the Linda I remembered. But when she made the jump to eternity a couple of weeks ago, I could easily imagine her dancing in the very presence of Jesus and being utterly delighted to see Him face to face, still with a child-like faith and a joyful spirit.

Don...big-hearted, eyes twinkling, he always brought smiles to me. He was a treasured friend to my husband, and they shared breakfast weekly for 12 years. He had such a great spirit, a love for God and people, and we had the great blessing of being among those people in his wide circle of friends. Mike and Don went round and round about the Ducks vs. the Huskies, played practical jokes on each other, and wrestled through theological questions. Mostly I think they just enjoyed spending time, being friends, and I enjoyed being on the edges of that and sharing in the jovial nature of their friendship. Even now I marvel and his home-going on Christmas morning and can't quite grasp that I won't see him on earth again.

Three dear friends. Three unique relationships. Three more proofs of the very fine line between earth and eternity, and how effortlessly the crossing can be made. Three more reasons to consider carefully the relationships we have here and now, and inspiration to follow those impulses of the Holy Spirit to make that phone call, write that note, or send that gift for no particular reason. How many chances will we get? We never know. But I am profoundly grateful for the priceless gift of being in the family of God, and for the honor of knowing these saints who now worship around the throne of God, their Father. My voice joins the chorus..."Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty!"

Contentment

With the approach of Christmas, I find a deep contentment settling into my soul. This is a delightful surprise to me, perhaps because of remembrances of stressful Christmases past. Two years ago we had a very sick son, his being only the latest stress in that year of my life. Deep, to-the-bone exhaustion marked my holiday season that year, and I truly remember very little about it. This year it seems that decorating our tree has transformed me. It was a solitary project, since all my children are adults now and our "nest" is empty. My dear hubby resigns himself to putting up the tree and bedecking it with lights, but then considers his responsibility done! So I threw on some Christmas CDs and began the process of hanging our ornaments. I could hear the Lord whispering in my heart the entire time! What a great joy, to know that I am not alone, even when it appears I am! "Remember that first Christmas of your marriage, when your mom gave you that ornament?" On and on He went, bringing to mind the dear friends who gave us many of these treasures, and the sweet children who created them, and the places we purchased others. Now there is a gladness spilling over in my heart--the essence of the story of Jesus' birth, and all His sacrifices have given me, fills my soul. Even with much to do, I find myself unexpectedly smiling for no apparent reason. Third Day sings, "Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing You, Lord" and my heart sings along with deep, to-the-bone gratitude.

Now, time to festoon other parts of my house with Christmas embellishments, and see what more the Lord of the season would whisper in my heart!