When coming up with my wish list this past Christmas the word joy came to mind. Yes, I wanted joy. Initially the fancy perfume came to mind and I thought sure, that’s what I want. But, in thinking about the lasting effects of Joy, I changed my mind. I considered how the sweet smell of Joy gradually wears off and fades away. I didn’t want an empty bottle as a bittersweet reminder of what’s run dry. No, I desired more lasting joy, the kind God delivers.

For some of us, it’s been a long time coming when it comes to experiencing joy. Some have travelled the world in search of that missing something. Others spend time with reknowed specialists, or purchasing fashion’s latest trends in hopes of attaining joy. During the gift giving season retailers and advertisers inundate us with an assortment of inexpensive to extravagant products, all cleverly packaged to convince us that their version of joy will satisfy our deepest yearnings. While many fine wines, exotic perfumes, or even the most current technological gadgets do provide immense pleasure, they typically offer only short-term distractions or enhancements to everyday life. Not that I don’t like to receive pretty packages from my loved ones. In fact, I still wouldn’t mind a bottle of Joy!

Good thing we don’t have to lament gifts we’ve yet to receive, or hold on to empty bottles only to reminisce about joyful times. Thankfully Nehemiah presents us God’s joy, an invitation to rely on the strength of the Lord and celebrate with Him the best of the world’s offerings. When we start with God we get to enjoy transitory pleasures, plus bask in a joy that endures.

Personally, I find that relying on God first allows me to appreciate that He gives me precisely what I need, when I need it. Not that I always like what comes my way. Some days are especially challenging, causing me to question my abilities, or even my relationship with Him. Other nights I want to run ahead of Him, track down blessings that are yet to blossom. No, it’s not always easy sharing life’s journey with God, especially when it comes to ignoring the invitations pulling us away from Him, or practicing patience and obedience during the more painful or hectic seasons.  

Regardless of the circumstances, when I align my life to God’s timeline, and party schedule, it’s easier to mindfully savor the joyful surprises that eventually arrive at the doorstep, via an inbox, or even out of the mouths of babes. And, just as Nehemiah encourages us to do, regularly reading God’s word and doing His work does bring me closer to Him. I admit sometimes I struggle to relate a several thousand year-old story to my life. Allowing time to process a lesson, not just ten minutes, but maybe a couple of days or even weeks, helps me understand and find relevance in what God is trying to teach, and where exactly He is attempting to lead me. Discernment may be tenuous at times, and buying into His will as a first choice can be a tricky endeavor when juggling tennis matches, dog walks, work duties, school meetings, church responsibilities and loving friends and family. However, these recent weeks have shown that joy grows abundantly in all of these places, even when I don’t always recognize it at first!

As for my bottle of perfume? Well, I love the tradition of celebrating the North Pole and all that it involves. But, I think miracles in hospitals and the multitude of other blessings God delivers are far more satisfying than any gift Santa might leave in a stocking! 

Recently I went to the bank only to discover the checks to deposit were at home on my desk. The teller smiled warmly that I needn’t worry, he’d be there tomorrow, no problem, his cashier window opened at 8am. Despite knowing that tomorrow would be fine, I battled waves of frustration. Looking at the holiday traffic and flashing lights whizzing by, suddenly my Christmas wish was for everything to slow down, all the noisy distractions to subside. I didn’t mean just the cars and delivery trucks either.  Yes, the stress and demands of a modern day life had me looking to the sky for mercy on a larger scale. 

Burdened with unresolved issues littering my grocery list, I returned home to the challenge of not tripping on the loose ends cluttering my living room floor. In fact, I felt if I wasn’t careful I might even fall face down in front of the Christmas tree.

Not a pretty thought, but with the many fractured marriages crumbling around me, and more than a handful of innocent children suffering debilitating illnesses, or unfathomable challenges, I’ve started to wonder if Mercy might be struck in heavy traffic. Or, perhaps she’s overloaded herself, busy working overtime delivering her soothing presence to the good and the bad on her list. 

Considering all this, and contemplating the pitfalls of a busy and hurried lifestyle, I appreciate Nehemiah’s prayer for mercy. As much as I am grateful for God’s mercy, I still get impatient with His timing. After all, the issues that cause us to beg for mercy usually aren’t ones we care to bask in while waiting or searching for better times. It would indeed be a wonderful life if Santa could magically appear each year and fill our stockings with an assortment of delights and answered wishes. However, in the real world, not even God swoops in to deliver mercy in the order of our cries for help.  

Thankfully, I have experienced the mercy that Nehemiah describes in the Old Testament. In fact, that same afternoon I visited my family doctor for an annual physical and hour of being poked, prodded and injected with the recommended vacciations to protect me from life-threatening diseases. Upon completing a thorough inventory of my daily habits, moods, general aches and pains, and noting them in her handy laptop, my physician studied my history, prescribed blood work, x-rays, an ultrasound and some antihistammines. Then, she looked up, walked closer to me and said I needed to start swimming. 

Wide-eyed, I responded that yes, I’ve heard swimming is good for the body and soul, but actually I prefer yoga. As much as I like the water, I tend to find it more appealing when the sun is shining, and both the outside temps and the water are resting at 90 degrees. With winter approaching, grey clouds dotting the sky, and the morning temps at the local swim center hovering at a brisk 48 degrees, I’m doubtful I’ll find Mercy waiting for me in the pool. However, given the alternative prescriptions and diagnosis the good doctor could have given me, I was thankful a good dunk in the water was all she thought I needed.

I left her office deciding that rather than wondering when Mercy will arrive on my doorstep, or at the homes of some loved ones, maybe I need to realize that she’s been patiently waiting for me to show up at the pool. As unbelievable as it may sound, the next day I received a special offer for one month of unlimited swimming at a local indoor swim center! It's now been several weeks since my call for mercy and an increase in exercise. While not all my problems have been washed away, I do feel better, as if my load of burdens is lighter. 

It’s been said that God works in mysterious ways. I can’t help noticing how mercy can also be found, or disguised, in the most surprising situations as well! Today I give thanks that sometimes the best presents aren’t wrapped in paper or Fed Exed to our front doors. No, mercy is a blessing that needs no gift tag or fancy ribbons. It's like a glass of water on a hot day, or a jump in a pool, no matter what the season!

During this morning’s pre-dawn newspaper reading my eyes fell upon the headline “the center of attention.” I followed the newsprint and learned about pressure to set the perfect holiday table, the problem of Martha Stewart leading us astray from the realities of modern day family dinner tables, and the surprising “fact” that the focus of a perfect Thanksgiving table is the decoration at the center of the table. Hmm.  Never knew that.

Those aren’t really the pressures I’ve been struggling with lately. While I do look forward to gathering with friends and family, and watching my husband and daughter work together to cook up some family traditions, I'm more focused on a different center of attention, my relationship with God. Not that glossy covered Martha Stewart or Food Network type books and magazines don’t vie for my attention. I too am known to slow down the supermarket line while lost amidst photos of tantalizing mashed potatoes and carmelized apple tarts. However, given the excitement of recent events, my recipe reading is primarily for escape, not in search of tips on how to brine a turkey or create a colorful floral tablescape.

No, teacher troubles at school, a family member’s severe bacterial infection, and a friend’s reservation for medical transport across country have left me spending extra time focusing on a radially different center of attention, the helping hand of God.

As the trials and tribulations of daily life attempt to wear me down, my aching neck and back are wonderful reminders to slow down, rest, and check in with God. Not that I haven’t been spending time with Him, but I’m feeling better with more quality time, not just quick stop sign or nodding off at bedtime prayers. As I fine tune my prayer life I recently set my heart upon the request for help seeing God’s hand in “things.” 

Thankfully, one of God’s greatest blessings is that He doesn’t always make us wait and be patient. These last few days have been full of God winks, surprising reminders that He is indeed everywhere, and His hand is too, even in my achy brakey heart, all the way to today’s assignment for my chronological reading of the Bible.

Thank God for Ezra, the scribe of olden days, a prophet who toiled long hours to share God’s laws, live them out, and teach those around him, and us modern day folks reading the Bible, of God’s enduring love and His offer of hope in spite of our circumstances.

Yes, on this pre-Thanksgiving morning, I find myself grateful for many things, including my Bible time, for finding God’s hand amidst the antibiotics, the backaches, the caring doctors, and the support specialists at elementary schools willing to go the extra mile advocating for children who need help. When it comes to pumpkins and candles on the table, I can’t help praying that we all remember to leave room for God at the center of our Thanksgiving.

Now that Halloween has come and gone, it’s easy to let the stores and flashy advertisements lure us into a complete shopping frenzy. Gearing up for a whirlwind of holiday gatherings and general festivities can be especially exciting, and somewhat stressful, for those of us with young children darting about our modern day lives. It’s remarkable how easily children of all ages can find a multitude of seasonal amusements to divert their attention, and ours, from the everyday chores and responsibilities that have yet to leave my life for an extended vacation.

At my home sweet home, besides cleaning up from Halloween and preparing for Thanksgiving, my youngest is eagerly embarking on a promising career in theatre. Yes, rehearsals begin in a few days for a large-scale regional musical. If that weren’t enough to liven up the holidays, she also finds herself patiently waiting for a second callback for the same show on Broadway. It may seem far fetched, but I never would have thought there’d be one callback, or a script reading and video session with an NYC casting director. 

I’m most amazed by the similarities I am finding between the anticipation of the holidays, the excitement of the theatre world and the energy that comes with the audition process. As a parent and a planner, I am challenged with a sense of urgency in wanting to know if and when she’ll be called back, plus all the what if’s that accompany rehearsal schedules, performances, and calendar conflicts within a family. It all gets more complicated when one throws in the thrill of a Broadway production, or the dilemma of whether I really want my young daughter in the spotlight at such an early age.

As I sat at a stop sign this morning I pondered the waiting game of life, and the idea of “just wanting to hear back” from the casting people. It soon entered my mind that God probably “just wants to hear back from me” alot of the time. I sat there in my car, embarassed that if I believe His timing is perfect and He has my family’s best interests at heart, then why can’t I wait as patiently as my ten-year-old for the casting folks to call, or send the “thank you very much, but don’t need you at this time” email?

There’s a good chance my aspiring actress won’t hear anything back from New York. However, I’ve experienced that we do indeed always hear back from Him. If only I can do a better job keeping Him part of my everyday life, like putting those dirty dishes in the dishwasher each night, or feeding my hungry dogs each morning. 

I find it sort of sad God allows us to test Him to take care of our needs, but even worse He has to encourage us to return to Him. Why do we set Him aside when He offers more than any other present or role on stage could ever deliver? I pray this holiday season many of us will indeed return to Him, and that we won’t save our prayers for the holidays, special occasions, family crisis, or even a big time audition.

Seems the Jews have been battling enemies for more years than anyone would care to count. Unfortunately, with millions of casualties along the way, history continues to repeat itself, even in our modern day world. 

I know folks who are amazed that religious conflicts can’t be sorted out amicably, without bloodshed and mass casualties. Sadly, like siblings ferociously battling the bigger piece of candy, we grown-ups sometimes get stuck in similar sticky situations when our borders and boundaries are challenged, or even ignored. Perhaps the real dilemma is knowing when it doesn’t matter who gets what versus when to stand our ground and speak up for what’s right, despite the risks involved. While death and loss frequently result from protests throughout the world, Esther’s actions demonstrated that significant progress can also come from stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

It takes courage to stand up for what we believe. Self-awareness is important to discern whether we’re fighting to get our needs met, or simply our own way. It also requires careful reflection and preparation. Blurting out profanities and hurling grenades aren’t usually as effective as the thoughtful words of an accomplished negotiator. While it would be nice if flipping a coin solved most of our problems, making peace and finding satisfaction in the outcome of conflict or any of life’s difficult situations often requires more effort than many of us are able to do, at least on our own. Perhaps that’s why Esther’s story remains important, even in our modern day world.

When it comes to losing, I admit it’s certainly no fun feeling cheated of the bigger piece of candy, or having to settle on the less desirable land. It’s even worse when injury or death are by products of failed peackemaking efforts. As horrible as it is to lose a loved one, whether to death on a battlefield, or at home in one’s arms, I’m also grateful for Esther’s lesson of the skillful way God can gradually turn mourning into holidays and sorrow into gladness. 

Still grieving the loss of a beloved teacher, I know firsthand how traumatic it can be to bid farewell to our dearest neighbors. Joining together last Sunday to mourn a loss, friends and family listened and laughed as we shared fond memories of the time our children spent in class with an especially gifted teacher. As the sunshine warmed our spirits, we nibbled on huge chocolate chip cookies, sipped sweet lemonade, and reminisced. It was only a matter of time before we were indeed celebrating the life of a 3rd grade teacher who died much too young, at least in the opinion of everyone gathered. Yes, what started out as a day full of sorrow slowly turned out to be a welcome celebratory salve for our wounded hearts. 

I suppose years-long religious wars are a far cry from one individual’s battle with cancer. But, when it comes to fighting for life, in the end the details don’t make much of a difference, at least when we’re not ready to die, or bid farewell. Studies have even shown that regardless of the situation, death and dying affect us all and ellicit a variety of similar emotions and responses.

I like that despite our battles or grief, God still wants us to celebrate life. There’s something a bit comforting in knowing it’s important to gather together to eat, drink and maybe even be merry, especially when we don’t at first feel up to it.  As Esther and her people found, as did my daughter and her school community, doing so can even lead us closer to each other, and often even Him. Perhaps our sorrows can indeed offer something to celebrate.

One of my challenges with God’s will is His timing. In fact, most folks I know would probably agree that sometimes it’s a pain in the neck to wait for God to answer a prayer. Unlike my dad who’s usually early, or arrives exactly on the dot of an appointed hour, God prefers to show up on His own terms, never rsvping to our invitations, or even a  more desperate cry for help. What’s tricky about being in relationship with God is that His agenda is radically different than our own.

The good news is that His timing is perfect. Fortunately, the Bible is full of examples that God ultimately answers everyone. Millions of people in our modern day world can affirm this phenomenon. In fact, He’s the only One who assures us He’ll respond to absolutely everything. Despite our ever changing world, His address endures through eternity, and our prayers are guaranteed never to end up as junk mail. 

As much as we of this modern day world crave instant gratification, especially when it comes to prayer requests, Esther reminds us that blessings from God often bloom best when grown in a garden of patience, fertilized with our own best efforts. Yes, Esther had moments when she had to wait patiently and in silence. But, there was also a time when she had to speak up and take action in order to bring about life-saving change. While God loves to claim center stage when blessings are bestowed, He also savors instances when He can work quietly through us to bring about His will. My daughter was recently challenged to explain a painful situation to her teacher at school. At first she wasn’t completely understood, but when she followed Esther’s example and continued calmly, and with specific examples, they were able to find resolutions and make positive changes that otherwise would never have happened. It may not have saved her life, but her 5th grade experience has significantly improved.

It’s not always easy discerning how to act when faced with unpleasant situations. Esther speaking up saved the lives of her people. But who hasn’t heard of instances when it’s backfired?  And yet, doing nothing can cause wounds to fester and infections to become life-threatening. I give thanks for a God who graciously supplies us with the gentle guidance to know the difference. Here’s to having enough patience to regularly listen for His nudges, and the strength and courage to implement all that He encourages us to do, even when our plans and desires go against His timing!

Some folks claim the Old Testament is an assortment of stories of an angry and controlling God, a diety busy punishing disobedient behavior, reprimanding those who are constantly fighting, or working overtime in attempt to flag down lost souls wandering the desert. 

Perhaps to apease the folks who prefer life without any sort of god, along comes Esther, a testament that God doesn’t always demand center stage in the Bible, or our lives.  As much as He wants to be in our lives, He’s not the type to jump in and rescue us from every challenge we encounter, or those we frequetly create. No, Esther gives us a God willing to sit back and let us learn from situations, cleverly allowing us to decide whether or not to choose His way over a multitude of enticing opportunities, including doing nothing at all.

Esther teaches that while God’s silence can be interpreted as His non-existence, it also signifies His steadfast love, a commitment to us that resembles a parental type of monitoring. He doesn’t interfere in our lives, but rather watches from a distance, waiting, and hoping, for us to follow the signs and choose a path leading to Him. 

Esther’s book of the Bible is unique in that it fails to mention God directly, similar to how many of us live. I guess you could say in some ways we’re just like her, or even Dorothy travelling through Oz. Who doesn’t occasionally find herself caught up in the busyness of the day, scurrying or maybe skipping through life, sometimes with friends met along the way, doing our own thing, or maybe feeling like if we only had a little heart, courage, or brains our lives would be perfect? Or, maybe we’re even trying to run away from the realities of difficult neighbors or situations, or trying to get back to the past, when things appeared better.

Yes, when periodic tornadoes rip through our lives, it’s easy to wish upon a star and dream of rainbows beyond our storms. And, wouldn’t it be nice if a wise old wizard or some fancy hocus pocus were able to provide all our needs? But, just as Glinda ultimately teaches Dorothy that she must learn things for herself, so too does Esther have to spend time preparing for life within the King’s palace.

When it comes to the realities of our modern day world, seems we too must discover God through our own adventures. Yes, it would be so much easier if a mighty wizard could simply hand out the hearts, brains, courage or whatever else we think we need, or more importantly, lead us straight to Him. 

However, despite the sometimes arduous task of finding God, and the seemingly tortuous time it can take, I do believe He is available to everyone, not just the Dorothys or Esthers of the world. We may not have a yellow brick road to follow, but funny how there are indeed many signs pointing in His direction. Here’s to closing our eyes and discovering there really is no place like being at home with God!

While some of the problems we face in life may have  started with Adam and Eve, we unfortunately can’t blame them for everything. As much as I might like to play victim to the poor choices made by our forefathers, or any of the  other folks or circumstances I’ve encountered in life, I’m finding there comes a time when taking responsibility for our situations and solutions is the clearest path towards healthy living and a solid relationship with God.

The rules of the game may evolve over time, just as the ways in which we worship may vacillate between long robes to suits and ties, or maybe even jeans and Hawaiian shirts. I know a woman who complains that our choirs sing hymns barely recognizable from one generation to another. But, from what the Bible says, it’s not all bad, even if it makes some of us uncomfortable. 

While our children are busy studying the history of our states, our country, and the world, and hopefully learning from the past, so too must we students of God study and learn from the lessons of yesterday. With this in mind I find it sort of ironic that our modern day world continues to debate the matter of Israel. Amidst so much change and iphone type progress in the world, it just goes to show that challenges relating to God, His story and determing His will endure no matter what the generation.

A friend of mine argues that history is about the facts and the Bible is merely for the religious and their beliefs. In considering the geneology found in 1 Chronicles, it’s easy to get caught up in the debate of what’s fact or embellishment, and how any of it should or does relate to our modern day world. We can try to separate our churches and our states, our religions and our countries. But, when the boundaries and borders between the two start to bleed, and our finest are found dead in the streets, up on a cross, or wounded beyond repair, how do we then cope with the realities of life, whether in history, or during our contemporary times? What power do we draw on to help make sense of life’s most complicated offerings, the ones that vigorously push against the jurisdiction of our political offices, as well as our multi-cultural religious entities?

I guess that’s why our prayers and our songs are important, regardless of our generation, or what words or melodies we choose. Whether Jabez praying for God’s hand in his life, or David singing God’s praises, we can all benefit from quiet time with God. After all, despite the unwelcome consequences Adam and Eve received after that first bite, God continued to walk with them. And, as 1 Chronicles so efficiently points out, He never really abandoned them, or their descendants. 

It’s not always easy to make time to smell the roses or learn from the past. But, given the stakes at hand in our modern day battlefields, I can’t help but ponder what our planet might be like if current generations could remember some of the lessons from the Bible and the Old Testament. If only a few were to take note, perhaps we wouldn’t have such tenuous border woes, or any of the other predicaments that wreak havoc in our lives. Oh well, at least we can still follow in the footsteps of earlier generations who found success linked to God, folks like Jabez and King David. Yes, regardless of our generation, we can all still pray. We may not all end up with riches, or exactly what we want, but at least we might find lasting peace. Isn't that a prayer worth praying?

Why is it so many of us spend an occassional sleepless night, tossing and turning in our beds, anxious about what the next day might bring, only to find that our worst nightmares typically never happen? And, how is it a man like Daniel, thrown into a pit full of hungry lions, survived his ordeal completely unscathed?

In situations when we ardently believe horrible things are inevitable, it’s easy to get tangled in the debate of whether an angel really protected Daniel from starving lions, or if angels even exist. Some folks might prefer to argue why God protects certain people, yet still allows despicable events to happen to others, especially young, innocent children. 

When questions like these arise I choose to return to the lesson from the Garden of Eden, the one about God not wanting us to understand all things, or be completely knowledgable about the way He works. I think He’d rather us focus on our own relationship with Him, and how we apply His lessons and love in our modern day lives.

In Daniel’s case, God provides our contemporary world with a welcome example of how trusting Him can lead to unexpected victories and blessings. Thankfully I can vouch for the reality of that, as just the other day a friend, about to place his beloved 12 year-old dog in a new home, due to the severe asthma of  his young daughter, received a last minute phone call from the allergy specialist saying the girl’s medical issues were surprisingly not related to, nor exacerbated by the labrador retriever, and an adoptive home was actually unnecessary. In may not have been a matter of life or death, but the timing was such that it saved a family from grieving the loss of a much loved pet.

Sadly, many of us walk through the forest of our lives scared that tomorrow promises to bring nothing but trouble. We convince ourselves that lions and tigers and bears are lurking in the shadows and around the corners of our days, waiting to pounce and destroy all that we know and love. 

Just as Glinda reminds Dorothy that we must learn things ourselves, so too does God offer us the choice of trusting in Him to provide all that we need.  Whether with Daniel of the Old Testament, or Frank Baum’s fictional Dorothy, I am grateful for the lessons that the reality of our worst nightmares is generally nothing more than a cowardly lion. Yes, the world does indeed have elements of wickedness. Vicious lions and tigers and bears do actually roam our planet. But, thankfully the true story of Daniel’s survival teaches us the reality of the power of choosing Him, and that success can come from opting to pray and trust God. 

I guess you could say we can follow the glitz of a yellow brick road and travel the world searching for false wizards to protect and provide for us. Or, we can save ourselves the agony of a journey through a wilderness of fear, look inside, and discover that as long as we align ourselves to the goodness and light of God, no evil, nor lion, will ever have power over any of us.

It’s not always easy to carry on with work we don’t want to do. Nor is it especially pleasurable to submit to orders and directions, including a prescription for a dental filling, when we don’t believe in their necessity. 

However, even when the good doctor mandates foul tasting medicine, discovers a cavity, or preaches the need for a stronger commitment to daily fruits, veggies and fiber, sometimes our attitudes are what needs the most work. I know my own mood wasn’t its best when a substitute dentist proclaimed my need for a filling, something I once prided myself on never having had. This particular young dentist advised the dental work not be delayed, that I’d be doing myself a favor if I returned for what she promised to be a painless procedure. I balked, squirmed in my seat, and responded that I needed to check my calendar. 

I finally agreed to an appointment, albeit with my regular dentist, a white-haired man I’d trusted for years. Having experienced conflicting medical advise in the past, I initially hoped he’d find her prognosis quite flawed. It had nothing to do with one physician being female, the other male, one young, the other more mature. The real issue was my pride, then my reluctance for discomfort. After several days pondering my situation, I ultimately realized my pride wasn’t helping my health and avoiding discomfort would only cause further damage. 

Isn’t that a bit what it’s like when we don’t obey God’s commandments? Aren’t we mostly hurting ourselves when we ignore His personalized calls to duty? Even supposedly simple things, like daily Bible reading and quiet prayer time, often get lost by the wayside as we scurry about our modern day lives. But why do we avoid that which helps us, whether listening to God and basking in His love, or receiving medical attention designed to help us live healthier lives?

Perhaps we forget the joy that comes from experiencing God’s love in our lives, or simply doing that which is right.  If only it were easy to carry out His decrees with diligence. I suppose we’re all a bit like some of the Assyrian kings of olden days. We need to monitor, and sometimes change our attitudes if we want to experience true joy, the ultimate in good health.