Saturday Spiritual Uplift - Hope in Hard Times

Advent Thoughts - Week 2: Hope in Hard Times

Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.

 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David,

 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.

Now we will be saved from our enemies 
and from all who hate us.

He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— 

the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.

We have been rescued from our enemies
so we can serve God without fear,

in holiness and righteousness
for as long as we live.

“And you, my little son,
will be called the prophet of the Most High,
because you will prepare the way for the Lord.

 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.

Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,

 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

(Luke 1:67-79, NLT)

Birth of John the Baptist, by Tintoretto

 A priest in Israel, Zechariah wasn’t a young father filled with his own hopes and dreams. For many years, the dream of having a son eluded him. Yet, he and his wife, Elizabeth, the cousin of Mary, still followed God’s law faithfully. They must have trusted that God knew what He was doing, though they went through great disappointment.

Israel wasn’t going through the best of times either. The Lord had seemed to be silent for many, many years, they found themselves under Roman rule and they awaited the Messiah. Life was difficult. Under Roman oppression they were taxed heavily and their sons and daughters could be whisked away any time at the bidding of occupying forces.

Yet, when Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, gave birth to their son, John, the focus was on God’s own Son, still in Mary’s womb. The Holy Spirit testified to that precious life that Mary carried, a fulfillment of God’s promises. As Zechariah prophesied, “. . . he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior . . . just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.” God kept His promises in what might have seemed the bleakest of times. The Lord remembered the sacred covenant He made with His people, a covenant He cannot break and sent His Son, Jesus.

Madonna with Child and St. John the Baptist
by Guido Reni

And in the moments of joy, when Zechariah named his son, the Holy Spirit gave him a glimpse of what that special child would do—introducing the Savior of the world to the people of Israel! There would be forgiveness of sins and the washing away of guilt. In a dark time when some waited for death, a deliverer was coming to give them hope and new life!

It encourages me to know that God remembers His people. Even in the hard times, He knows what I’m going through and gives me hope for the future. His promises are still true! If you are God’s child by faith, be encouraged that He has not forgotten you. As promised in Romans 8, He has a purpose in your life for what you’re going through and nothing can separate you from His love!

Father, help us when we hurt and feel left alone, to remember we are yours and You haven’t forgotten us. Please help us to focus on Jesus, even in the hard times, knowing that nothing can separate us from You and your love. Amen.

(Images in public domain. Source: WikiPaintings.org)

Wednesday Whimsy - Just Another Wednesday with Lilybits

Lily-bits, not large, but in charge

Just another Wednesday here . . . 

Mom started back to something she calls “work” yesterday. I knew something was up when she left her new scrubs over the back of the couch in the family room the night before. Out came her large tote and her work shoes went in a plastic bag. At least I got a taste of her ham when she made a sandwich for lunch. 

When she disappeared through the door in the hallway by the laundry room, dressed for work yesterday morning, I knew she wouldn’t reappear for a long time. The nerve! Lacking my daytime servant I am at a loss. Without opposable thumbs, I can’t open the treat bag, let alone the cupboard they’re in.

I meowed and whined, but Mom didn’t come back . . . until after my scheduled dinner time, which is 5 o’clock sharp. If I can push her I might get my wet food at 4:45—that’s if I’m really obnoxious! But last night, I wasn’t fed until after six. The horror!

Yes, I know she gave me an extra treat that morning and left me plenty of food, but I punished her by turning my nose up at the usual kibble. Besides, I must keep my girlish figure. I weigh in at a little less than six pounds. I think that’s a good number for a little cat, don’t you? They keep saying I look and act like a kitten.

Anyway, I didn’t cooperate very well, when Mom wanted to pick me up when she came home. “Give me the food first”, I said!  Wouldn’t even let her take her coat off. Today I stayed under the foyer table, over the heat vent for quite awhile. Now I am on Mom’s lap as I write this post. I may not always want her to know it, but I’m glad Mom is home today. Thinking about taking a nap now . . .

Monday Motivations - Writing Prompt

Find a Writing Prompt in a Snowflake!

The snowflake images posted here are microphotographs taken by Wilson Bentley, aka “The Snowflake Man,” taken many years ago. He began perfecting his method of photographing individual snowflakes as a teen in 1885. He was the first to discover that each snowflake was an original in its design and left behind 5,381 images of them!

It’s amazing how God gave us the wonderful gift of creativity, too. Each writer has his or her own original stories to tell, even if they write about the same thing! As the snow swirls and gently collects, against the backdrop of evergreens in my backyard, I thought, what a perfect writing prompt: SNOWFLAKES! 

What do they make you think of? Childhood, when you caught the fresh, icy crystals on your tongue? Christmas time? Driving in a snowstorm? Or would you just write about its crystalline elegance? The challenge is to take five or ten minutes of free writing about what these beautiful little creations make you think of!

Please leave a comment or follow the blog for a chance to win our Christmas gift basket this month! It will be filled with coffee, tea, chocolate, books and other fun things. You have until Dec. 23^rd to enter!

(Images from Wikimedia Commons)

Saturday Spiritual Uplift - Advent Thoughts

Advent Thoughts - Week One

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!


She will give birth to a son,


and they will call him Immanuel,

which means ‘God is with us.’”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25, NLT)

St. Joseph with the Infant Jesus by Guido Reni
(in the public domain, source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Advent wreath is out on the table, but in all my busyness I have yet to light the first candle. On top of that, I have been trying out an Advent experiment and have already fallen behind! I divided the verses of the Christmas story in the Gospels, so that I would have a short reading to meditate on for each day through Christmas Eve. The book of Matthew focuses on Joseph’s story, which I read part of earlier this week.

When God chose Joseph to be a stepfather to Jesus, He chose a man filled with mercy and grace. It must have broken Joseph’s heart to think that Mary had been unfaithful, but he chose to be kind, not shaming her with extra attention. He could have brought her forward and asked for her to be stoned, but Joseph had a heart of mercy toward his betrothed. He decided to divorce her quietly.

But then the Lord stopped him by sending an angel in his dreams to tell Joseph that Mary would bear the Son of God. So Joseph obeyed by taking Mary as his wife and by naming the child Jesus when He was born.

Joseph had a heart prepared to hear the voice of God when it came to him. He was attuned to it. He didn’t chalk the dream up to too much spice in his lentils the night before. He knew the voice of God, believed the angel in the dream had been sent from Him and acted on the commands given to him. What wonderful example Joseph is for us!

Father, please help are hearts to be attuned to hear the still, small voice of your Holy Spirit. Strengthen us that we might obey You each day. Please help us to be filled with your mercy and grace that we might extend it to others. Amen.

Wednesday Whimsy - "Catiquette"

"Catiquette"
Let’s try pronouncing this word first – “cat-ick-ket” with the
emphasis on the “ick.” 

Lilybits--not large, but in charge

Definition: It’s the etiquette cats are supposed to show when company is present. Really? ‘Cause we don’t usually invite them, so what’s the big deal? Why should I feel obligated to be polite to a visitor to my home?

Mom would like me to be kind, but here are some tips for letting the guests know you are the boss: First, if they touch you without permission, you may take a quick taste of their fingers. Now, you never bite to draw blood in this instance. It’s just a warning. Be careful with the claws, too, if you have them. Hang onto their arm like you’re using crab pincers and your human may keep you in another room—away from opportunities to beg. Oh the horror of it!

You can also find out if your guests are tasty or playful with the nibble through the sock trick. You can kill two birds with one stone this way. Make sure their socks aren’t too dirty first. Blecch!

Pace around the kitchen table, stopping next to each guest long enough to look at them longingly while they eat. This way you can find out which one is the softest touch. And don’t forget to demand to sniff each different kind of food. Remember, it must pass your inspection to be eaten.

You must also show your displeasure with your human for giving inordinate amounts of attention to the guests. This can be accomplished with the needy approach or the cold shoulder. If you’re usually a lap cat, ruffle their feathers by ignoring them, going upstairs and sulking or any other way you show distaste. If you’re not usually a lap cat, the needy approach works best. Plop yourself in your humans lap while they’re talking to the guest and surprise them. Whatever kind of cat you are, do the opposite—it will upset their routine, thus getting their attention.

For whoever thinks these are rude ideas, remember that a spoiled cat is a happy cat and makes for a much more harmonious atmosphere at home. Isn’t that what you want for your guests? I rest my case!

Leave a comment for Lily for a chance to win our Christmas gift basket!

A little late with my drawing, but last week's winner is . . .

Connie Almony! Connie, you've won a print copy of Brave New Century
and a package of assorted Lindt Lindor Truffles! Please contact me at
kerouser[at]gmail[dot]com with your snail mail address.

Monday Motivation - Making the Most of a Busy Time

Making the Most of Busy Times
Holidays are busy times, when we have company and our routines are often changed.
It's hard to get everything done, including our writing and also getting the rest we need.
What are some things we can do to keep writing a part of our busy days without
being overwhelmed?

1) Unless you have a specific deadline, make smaller goals and write in smaller chunks.
Can you get one page written rather than none at all? Take a 10 or 15 minute break,
while cookies are baking or you're waiting for someone and make the most of that
time.


2) Get rid of all or nothing thinking. It's better to get something done than nothing.
If you trap yourself by figuring you won't write at all, because you're behind 10
pages and there's no way you'll be able to get all caught up. After all you have to wrap
presents, clean the house, bake and go to the church or school Christmas program.
Do nothing because of this thinking and you'll be another page or two behind. It's
okay to get something done even if it's not everything you hoped to accomplish.

3) Think of writing time as time for you to be recharged, something you should
do, because it helps you during stressful times.

4) Take time during Advent to look at the Christmas story afresh. Write down
the thoughts that come to you.

5) Think of even the holiday "disasters" that pop up as fodder for future stories, write down those ideas and tuck them away. They'll seem funnier later! For example: I went to pick up my son at the airport and managed to lock my keys in the car.

These are just a few ideas I hope to incorporate. Do you have any ideas you'd like to share on keeping up with writing over the next month? Please leave a comment for a chance to win a Christmas gift basket, which will contain coffee, tea, chocolate, books and other fun things!

The drawing for last week's prize will be tomorrow.