Matthew 7:21, 24-27 ~ build His house

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

It's odd the things we remember clearly, like a conversation between my godmother, my mom and me long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. :) My mother and godmother were grousing about putting up Christmas decorations. Momma paused, looked at my godmother to say, the children had really helped and wanted to help. My godmother laughed - all the ornaments go on waist high until the kids grow up and then they don't want to help. I said well at least we wanted to help. My godmother suggested next year I could help her. I retorted next year I planned to be so grownup, I wouldn't want to help. It was light-hearted, so everyone laughed.


2010-

It's that time of year.... the first time in 10 years I've had to build our artificial tree without the help of my sons, who are now in college. Yes... that project took me 3 days... I was calm the first 5 hours. By the 6th hour, I was like Moses, saying some pretty rash things; I even took a hammer to the metal inserts.

So...thinking back, back.... there were some years the Christmas gear went on happily and easily. First there was music planned to play in the background. There was part of the Christmas story read from Matthew 2. The time taken to say these decorations are to honor the Lord, not just to put up fuss. The focus is determined.

Houses are built with plans. First the Foundation - the rock of Jesus Christ. Even David, mighty King David told the Lord, His Father, in trust - I need Your help. And Solomon asked for help. Build His house. When You believe the Lord's promises to You, that open door allows God's Holy Spirit to dwell in You. You are His House, walking His plan.

Charles Schultz knew what he was writing about. I loved this program when it ran each year. Take it from me (sinner!), plan ahead, build your Christmas with Jesus as your rock. Reward your efforts with a planned relaxation to enjoy the fruit of your labors with your loved ones, in the true Spirit of Christmas.

 2013 ~ 
Nothing feels better than arriving at a solution that is a gift from God. So in 2011, we adopted the solution that Thanksgiving family visit time is a great time to put up that nine foot tall, four hour project to build that tree. Yay.

 And then 2013 rolled around and my sons were laughing when I entered the living room. What was so funny I asked them with a smile? They said they were taking rock, paper, scissors decision who would drive away with the TOP OF OUR CHRISTMAS TREE! WHAT? According to my sons, age 25 and 22, it was time to get another tree. Because, now lift your feet, the water is pretty um slippery - because I am so botanical - that I needed another tree that looks more real... Well. I'm botanical. But I'm also savvy to seasonal change - not the season of Christmas variety - but the season of that tree was pretty complex and its time to be in enjoyment of seasons with grown sons.

 And I'm a southern Scottish Jew, Episcopalian, Anglican, (descendant of James Lawrence Wilson, signer of the Declaration of Independence) who is going to find the best tree for sale on ebay and wait two weeks for that sucker like the old Mervyn's commercials. Open. Open. Open. And Edward did the nicest thing - he hates Christmas and should hum the Grinch song more - but he built the tree for me and was standing waiting for me to see that when I got home from my volunteer pregnancy assistance service.

(Where we all talk to people in the sexual trade, unwed moms, moms married with children, divorcing women, and mostly happy moms who decided for life, but also including abortion minded moms and fathers, pimps, rape victims, std testing for three diseases resulting from the complete, complex, lack of care people seeking love get from each other - revenge dating - and the untold media story of The Reality that the sexual climate is very dangerous and one of four women in the United States will have a sexual disease. But it would be absolutely fabulous to have a video of the women - all shapes, ages and races - who decide to valiantly strive for love and life - and go from curled up on our sofa's crying their eyes out trying to decide what to do when the baby's daddy has high-tailed - to brave and happy women who love their child and want homework and some comfort and talk for doing the heroic work of God gives life :) (Where the volunteers of PACN remind their clients God sits with us in love in all our adventures and misadventures and wants to say - come to HIM - get rest from being heavy laded - cast your cares upon HIM - He cares for you - and would immediately welcome you to His Higher Path. )

 How to have a Good Christmas ~ .

 ***** The good thing about Christmases with unusual circumstance is not to compare the rest of the world to you that particular year. We all have a year- like the year when Cal was born and about to die. No one gets out of a long life with a terrible Christmas or two. Fact of life.

I'm not perfect, But we've had some lovely Christmases.  We have young readers and young families with increasingly expensive teenage gifts.

 Once again I'm reminded - of the Virgins with oil lamps. Christmas does not have to be so stressful. Trim your lamps. At PACN, we traded stories about gifts given. The nicest gifts are when people are listening to you all year and surprise you with something they heard you say you wanted. Dickens makes a very valid point - keep Christmas in your heart all year. Buy small and medium gifts from January to November and Put Them In One Place!!! 

With some adventure and Joy - this is an easy way to do Christmas.

And Decorate the week of Thanksgiving when things have not become so rushed. Take advantage of October. Make Veteran's Day November 11, a goal for the majority of gifts.

This season is about being given... what we did not deserve. Life. This season is about giving. This season is about giving because we have been given more than any of us ever deserved. A man chose to experience our lives in the nano moments of pressure and beauty and was Grace upon Grace. He could have called down angel armies to go before and beside Him instead He proclaimed mercy over sacrifice. Christmas is about giving. It's the key to enjoying the season.

We reuse ornaments and bows and tape them to the boxes. Looks pretty and the come out of a box to be pretty under the tree. 

A good list and a day - a majority of things get accomplished. Then you don't have to be so crushed and be behind and be struck by the consumerism that - cmon - really masks dissatisfaction of our own lives compared to others. 

One of the things about being solutions oriented is to listen to what people are truly saying. This can be the hap, happiest season of all if - and only if - you don't see this as life analogy season. Jesus gave. Paying bills is responsibility - no doubt - but joy comes from giving. Giving that is relaxed and adventure oriented and not mall shopping driven is fun.

The Light that Lights all of mankind is in the world. Hallelu Yah!

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