Having an elementary classroom across the hall from the music room can be a mixed blessing. Thankfully, our school is blessed with an extraordinary music teacher.
 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Our daughter received a small rocking chair for her first birthday. Subsequent children used it, but it’s always been “Mary’s rocker”. Our granddaughter, Annalyn, used it for a couple of years, until she figured out she was a "big girl".
 Holy God, thank you for the blessing of faithful parents. This is such a mixed up mess, I don't know how I could possibly function without their foundation of trust in you.
 14 You are the world’s light—a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see. 15-16 Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father. Last month, Tom and I celebrated out 44th wedding anniversary. How did that happen? (Yes, we were infants when our families carried us to the altar.) A few weeks before our anniversary, I was reaching the panic stage while preparing for a school event that was important to me. One of my colleagues kept asking if I was alright. I finally turned around and looked at him incredulously. Didn't he know? (In my sane brain later, I knew he couldn't possibly.) "When Tom is here, I can do anything! I'll be fine when he comes." We'll skip the conversation about the difference between empowering and enabling for now, Dear Reader. Maybe this clip from one of my favorite movies will help. As we were cleaning up a couple of hours later, my colleague told me as soon as Tom walked in the door my face lit up, and I became noticeably peaceful. Dear Reader, God wants our lights to shine, not just for the ones we love, but even more so for the One we love. And here's a thought to spark a little joy in our spirits. Don't you think Jesus lights up when we turn to Him with open arms? I fervently hope and pray, Dear Reader, that your light will shine on those around you, and that you bask in "the lovelight of Jesus's face".   Dear Reader...Dear Friend, how good you are! How generous and gracious!
Since sharing that my job had been eliminated for the upcoming school year, you have blessed me more than you can imagine with your gifts of compassion and encouragement. They have calmed and soothed my soul.  You'd think I'd learn. I've been at this for decades; talk about a slower learner!
But, here I am, with three months still left of school, and I can't find my desk.   A few years ago, a friend of mine went in for her annual mammogram. Having indulged in several risky behaviors as a young woman, meeting Jesus changed her from the inside out. She gladly replaced harmful habits with much healthier ones.
Unfortunately, healthier choices didn't prevent a massive invasion of cancer. Within weeks of her exam, Cindy was having a double mastectomy. We are still praising God for delivering her from such a close call.   So, I finished Luke's account of the Nativity, and moved onto Matthew's account. After digging a little deeper into Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, I found myself reading a closer about the wise men.
In a minute, I began asking, "How did they get there from ... where?" Going over lyrics to some of our favorite carols, like "We Three Kings" and "The First Noel" really didn't help. How many kings, or wise men, were there? Where did their journeys begin?   So, here it is, a week after Christmas, and I'm still lingering in Luke's Gospel account of the Nativity. Slowing down has allowed me to really think about the people involved, not just the amazing event.
I've been thinking about the shepherds a lot. Several sources describe the harsh lives they led. Some research said that gone were the days when shepherding was considered noble, like with David and Moses. In the time of Jesus, some sources indicate that shepherds were frequently considered second class citizens. |
Hi, my name is Alice. A Way with Words is about sharing faith,
fun, & encouragement. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you find a little something to take with you. 
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