Scene of The Savior

This is a Nativity set my mother gave me many years ago. It was in my home growing up so it's pretty old. It's one of the few things I have of my mother's, besides her bible which is one of my treasured possessions. My mom kept it safe, she packed it, ever so carefully, away each year for the next Christmas season. I however move a lot and packing can be a bit lax.

If you look at it quickly or from a distance it looks just like it did when she gave it to me.

However, if you get a closer look you will see, it is not.

My daughter came over the other night and glanced at my proud display on the counter and began to laugh as she asked why my nativity people were missing body parts. I'm sure normal people would have retired this set but I feel it gives them more character.

To make matters worse my poor shepherd boy lost his head at the last family get together. My grandson, who was eating at the scene of the crime announced, "Nana, the little boys head just rolled off his body."
Ahhhh another memory for the next family gathering.
This of course got me thinking Gems about how we come to the scene of the Savior.
I don't know about you but I have definitely arrived feeling like my head just rolled off my body.
There are times I arrive feeling broken or less than. Feeling like I'm not good enough or worse  yet not whole as a person.   Hoping He, or others won't notice what's obviously missing from my life.

But isn't that one of the most beautiful things about our Lord, that He accepts us just where we are yet loves us enough not to leave us in that condition.

Matthew 11:²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls". 
When was the last time you felt weary and burdened?

Many times our wounds aren't so obvious, like missing a head, sometimes they are soul wounds. We have become really creative in appearing whole. My little shepherd boy there now has his head glued on but if you look closely you will see the crack line around his neck.
Sometimes Gems you need to take the time to look or listen to the people around you to hear if they are in pain.

Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Look at my angel, she's missing an entire arm! She used to be carrying a sword.  And the wise men, well I don't know when they lost their hands. Aren't they supposed to be carrying frankincense and myrrh?  

Are there people we encounter that have a title or a position that carries a certain expectation with it? Do we allow them to be wounded? Do we point out there short comings in the role that's expected of them or do they feel safe to lay down their sword for a moment and embrace the love of the Savior?

Isaiah 57:15 The high and lofty one lives in eternity, the Holy One-says this: "I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.  I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts."

53 

"He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, nor beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrow, acquainted with grief, One from whom people hide their faces. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our pains. Yet we esteemed Him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted." Isaiah

Who are they talking about here?

Is this the summarizing of my lowly shepherd with his missing appendages?

Could this possibly be the description of the Holy One of Israel, the sweet baby Jesus laying in the manger?

Jesus knows every feeling you have ever felt or ever will feel. 

Jesus knew temptation: “He was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan” (Mark 1:13).

Jesus knew poverty: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

Jesus knew frustration: “He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.… ‘Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!’” (John 2:15-16).

Jesus knew weariness: “Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well” (John 4:6).

Jesus knew disappointment: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks,…but you were not willing” (Luke 13:34).

Jesus knew rejection: “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66).

Jesus knew sorrow: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38).

Jesus knew ridicule: “Again and again they struck him…and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid [mocking] homage to him” (Mark 15:19).

Jesus knew loneliness: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

He knew everything we would experience and He came on the scene anyway...…

Gems let's make a point of allowing each other to come to the scene of the Savior in whatever condition we are in. Maybe even give a helping hand, pun intended.
What a gift it would be if when Jesus comes back you are carrying someone to The Scene.

Agape Love

Over the last month I have had some unexpected financial struggles in my life and have been overwhelmed with the needs of those around me. I have been trying to give as much as I can to those who are truly experiencing hard times. As for me, I tell  my children often "I'm one of the richest women I know" and I truly feel that way.

However, at times my own food bank can run a bit bare and this past month has been one of those times.  As many of you know I have no real need for a kitchen as cooking is not my passion and I am perfectly happy living off cereal and peanut butter and jelly. This is not a plea for groceries, stay with me.

I want to share two precious stories with you.  The first was a couple weeks ago a friend was in need of  help for a project she was working on and asked if I could be that helper.  Now this friend is one of the most generous people I know and has blessed me many times over the years. I was able to arrange my schedule to accommodate her and told the Lord I really wanted to bless her.  When we finished our work my dear friend tried to pay me. I explained to her that I didn't want any money, being able to give back to her was payment enough. She then wanted to take me and our other sister/co-worker to lunch. I hesitated at first because the whole idea was for her not to spend any money on me.

We decided to go and ended up at Cheddars. My plan was to order a small salad but when the server arrived my friend asked what she suggested we order. Her exact words were "order something delicious because our computers just went down and your meal is free!"
WHAT!!  Well this changed things for sure my meager salad quickly became a steak!

We ate honey croissants, shared an appetizer, had a salad, and a main course.  We even got chocolate chip cookies when we left. There was enough food for lunch and dinner!
We praised God for our unexpected surprise and just as we were leaving the computers came back on.  That's what I call God's timing,  I thanked Him for not letting my friend pay for any of it.

OK back to my situation. I knew the next 2 weeks would be tight and I was trying to figure out how far $5.00 would get me for lunch the next week. Not gonna lie for a second I heard "you should have taken pay for that job."  Just a reminder the struggle is real for all of us.

I had just loaded my car with more things I had collected for the homeless and as I was driving out of my apartment complex the thought popped in my head, I wish I had a few dollars for milk and bread. It's not like I was asking for it or even giving it a lot of thought, it just kinda landed in my brain and went on it's way.  I then started thinking about my time with the Lord that morning how He talked about physical obedience bringing spiritual release. I didn't realize at that moment but I was about to experience that truth personally.

I realized I hadn't been to the mailbox in a few days so I stopped on the way out.
I found a letter from one of my friends and fellow jewels reader. He's one of my gems that I can always count on to get an email sharing how my story encouraged him or a text out of the blue just letting me know he and his family were thinking of me.

Right there at that moment God was going to answer my "prayer" without me even really asking.
The best part of what was inside the envelope was a beautiful letter about Koinonia.  This is a quote from that letter.
"Gena, in decades past I said that "relationships are a spiritual thing" and they are; but as we study and learn and grow into who God wants us to be; koinonia is the shape of the invisible wheel God is building both in our life and for His Kingdom."

There was also gift cards to the movies, I just told my kids last night there is a movie I would like to see. There was a gift card for a meal and of course the God of more than enough included a generous check!

There it was, God putting into action the truth He showed me just hours before, obedience brings spiritual release. Be about God's business and He will be about yours.

I drove right to the store after dropping off the things in my car and bought the staples, cereal, milk, eggs and bread. Somehow ice cream appeared in my cart as well :)

But the real food that will last forever was the letter. The words of encouragement and the realization that people still care. It was the agape love: Agape is a Greco-Christian term referring to love, "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for man and of man for God". 

Gems, I pray you will follow the vision and not always the path as you continue your journey and take time to experience koinonia.

Wash That Greed Right Outta My Heart

(This was originally posted in 2009 but thought it was a great Thanksgiving reminder)

For you younger readers this was a jingle from a hair color commercial that said “I’m gonna wash that grey right outta my hair.”

With that said I’m going to tell you a story. I use to think of myself as a very generous person until one day it turned out I wasn’t. As you know every jewel applies to me and it’s kind of sad how much material I give the Lord.

I, like most of you are living by faith and think about every penny I spend. Being the vain woman I apparently am, I was concerned about the skunk streak making its way down the center of my head, another words my grey hair.I could not justify buying hair color over milk but only because my thirsty child was standing next to me. A few days later my sister called to tell me she bought me four boxes of hair color that she got on sale. I was so excited! You would have thought I won a new car. I was praising the Lord for once again being the God of more than enough.
I would have dark brown hair for the next four months and did not have to hold a grudge about buying silly things like milk and bread.

The first and second month went by without a hitch, the problem showed up on month three.  I was telling my roommate that it was time to color my hair and she said “I really need to color mine too.” I am not the only vain woman out there and this gives me comfort.

You can imagine what happened next. The Lord told me to give her my other box of hair color as we used the same one. You would have thought He asked me to give away a new car. I reminded the Lord that after I colored my hair I would only have one box left and if I gave it away I would have none.  I know... I was just as shocked as you are when I heard this conversation. I thought about it and came up with, NO.

If she wanted to color her hair the same God that provided for me could do it for her. This was my spiritual justification. I was so overcome with guilt I told my teenage daughter about this selfish battle going on within me, she just looked at me and said “who are you?”

I could not believe I was holding out on my friend over a two dollar box of hair color!!

I didn’t bother to look in the bible for any scriptures to back up my greed I figured that was a lost cause. I thought about looking up scriptures for my roommate about the sick joke she was playing telling me she needed to color her hair too. I was onto her game; she wasn’t going to jack me out of a box of L'Oréal.

I realized I should have tried Matthew 6:3-4 When I give to the needy I do not let my left hand know what my right hand is doing, so that my giving may be in secret. Then my Father who sees what is done is secret will reward me.

Apparently someone else had this struggle too and decided not to talk about it even with themselves.

The shame and guilt was more than I could stand I stormed out of my room and practically threw the box at my friend. I said “here you can have it, color your hair, I don’t want it.”

My last hope was that she would fight me on this huge sacrifice and great gesture of sharing, but she just smiled and said “thanks.”

I finally got a grip on myself and apologized to God for not being grateful that not only did He provide more than enough but He gave me the chance to bless someone else too. I claimed temporary insanity and was glad to get this greed thing out of my heart.

It’s funny that we can believe God for the big things in life and then get tripped up by something so small. Maybe it’s just a way to let off some emotional steam.

As always my Jesus is sweet to me and ended this conversation on a positive note, He said in

Psalm 34:10 "because I seek the Lord, I shall not lack any beneficial thing." ~  Even hair color!

Shana Tova ~ Have A Good Year

As I was sitting on my porch having coffee this morning my attention was drawn to my "garden" which consist of 3 "plants."

From a distance they all look real and serve the purpose of adding some pretend beauty to my outdoor living area. But at a closer look you will see the one on the right and left are actually fake. A dead give away is the one in the center has new growth on the bottom and dead petals in the middle. It is also reaching to the left. Why? Because it is gravitating toward the sun.
This of course began a jewel in my mind about how we are very much like those plants.


The one on the right is So perfect it makes you take a second look to see if it's for real. Like that plant, some of us live a life that looks so perfect it makes others wonder if we have any faults, flaws or failures? We need people to think we are all together all the time because we are perfectionist and care more about what people think of us than our Creator. The roses on that plant have no thorns to keep you from getting too close or pleasant scent to draw you near. It can't really live or die, it just sits pretty and kind of makes those around it feel inferior. 

Now the one on the left is a little better off.  This plant looks more real because it has some imperfections we can see.  It appears to be reaching for the sun however, it will look however you want it to because people can manipulate its movement, turning it to the left or right, it has no roots.

 

This plant is more pleasing to the fake garden and still   requires no real investment. I don't have to water it or add fertilizer or make sure it's not getting too much sun.  My only real commitment is to dust off the leaves from time to time  or replace it when it begins to fade.

The bottom line is this plant like the first will end up in the trash when we are done with it because it has no real value. There are no emotional ties and it can be replaced by a quick trip to the Dollar Store. 

Then there's our third plant.  This guy is the real deal. It needs to be taken care of. It requires water and fertilizer. It needs the weeds, that even a store bought plant on the 2nd floor seems to get, pulled out. It requires the old petals be removed to allow new growth and to be turned occasionally so it doesn't lean one way or the other. This plant I give special care to because it's really alive and I feel more responsible for it. I want to see it grow and blossom and I check the soil to make sure it's not too dry or wet. When the sun is too hot I move it to the shade so it doesn't burn up.  I admire it with all it's flaws because I'm part of helping it grow and I take a bit of pride in the fact that I'm a part of something organic.
All of these thoughts reminded me of The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.


Luke 13: 6 And He (Jesus) told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vine dresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”
In this parable the vineyard owner represents God. God is the creator of the tree and He expects us to seek relationship with Him which in turn will allow us to grow fruit. Fruit He expects to see.
The gardener who cares for the tree would represent Jesus who feeds His children the word of God and gives them living water, The Holy Spirit. The tree itself in the parable is symbolic of us as individuals. 

The lesson for the individual is that borrowed time is not permanent. God's patience has a limit. In the parable, the vineyard owner grants another year of life to the tree. In the same way, God in His mercy grants us another day, another hour, another breath. Christ stands at the door of each man’s heart knocking and seeking to gain entrance and requiring repentance from sin. But if there is no fruit, no repentance, His patience will come to an end, and the fruitless, unrepentant individual will be cut down. We all live on borrowed time; judgment is near. That is why the prophet Isaiah wrote, "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."
(From Got Questions)

As we prepare for the Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah, Head of Year, also known as Yom Teruah which means; shouting, a blast.  It's a good time to take a look at ourselves and what kind of plant we are because I promise you Gems God will know the real from the fake.

Leviticus 23:23 again theLord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴ “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 

Prophetically, Yom Teruah could be related to our Messiah's return in which we are called to be ready in repentance, to experience the joy of His return and to give praise back to our Creator.

Like those plants He will be looking for the ones He planted, watered, fed, and promised to come back for. The ones that have strong roots in His word and give a pleasing aroma to Him for our obedience to His commands. Those who have had thorns cut off to love our neighbor and shouting praise for our very existence.  All other plants, like my fake ones, will be thrown away.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 

Gems between Rosh Hashanah and the High Holy Day of Day Of Atonement will be 10 days called "days of awe." During this time we are to reflect on who we were the last season of our life and who we would like to become in the next season. It's a time to reflect on our soil to make sure it's well watered and fed. It's a time to repent of all our sins and know the Lord is faithful to forgive. It's a time to listen for the trumpet blast of Christ return! 

Matthew 24:31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His ^]elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.