My Favorite Day of the Year

MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR!

by

Sue Faris Raatjes©

December 26^th was my favorite day of the year when my four children were young. The frenzy of our holiday season looked like this:

·         Holiday parties

·         School events

·         Shopping, wrapping, decorating

·         Work responsibilities

·         Church programs

·         Service projects

Why do we do that to ourselves? We cram everything into the three weeks after Thanksgiving. Holidays are fun and memories are important, but often they drain a family.

That’s why I liked December 26. The pressure was done. The children were happy to stay in their jammies all day and play with their new toys. No sibling arguments because, well, it was Christmas and you don’t argue when Santa is so generous.

The best part of the day for me was reading a new book. My husband always gave me a book for Christmas. Often it was one by the late Erma Bombeck. Bombeck was a humorist who began her career writing for a Dayton, Ohio, newspaper. Her column, “At Wit’s End,” morphed into a book, then many books, and a successful writing career.

(In case of fire, I get people and pets out first, then my signed Erma Bombeck collection!)

Her books were a lifeline for women managing homes and raising children in the 1970s. She gave credibility to the difficult tasks and tedium that defined their days—especially for those who were stay-at-home moms. She helped me stay sane.

Two writing tips I learned from her:

·         Be real. She connects with readers because she isn’t afraid to show her true self. Look at the cover of her book, When You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It’s Time to Go Home. 

      A powerful aspect of her writing is how she transitions from humor to pathos. All of her books are hilarious. Then bam! About two-thirds through she hits the reader with an in-depth concept that rips the heart out. Her chapter about sending her last child off to kindergarten makes me cry every time I read it. I read it when I sent each of my children off to kindergarten and then again when I sent them away to college or work. That’s powerful writing.

Erma Bombeck was a long-time resident of Paradise Valley, Arizona. She gave generously to The National Kidney Foundation Arizona and founded the Authors’ Luncheon that supports that organization. Sadly, she died in 1996 from complications of a kidney transplant

This quote from her sums up her feelings about her gift of writing:

            “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I had not a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’”

My adult daughter has memories of me sitting in the recliner chair, the day after Christmas. I’m reading a Bombeck book and laughing out loud. Thanks, Erma.

·         Erma Bombeck Writing Workshop - University of Dayton every Spring

·         Authors’ Luncheon - Phoenix every Fall

PONDER POWER

Practice Pondering

“But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19)

        God chose a reflective young woman to mother his Son. The shepherds’ visit caused astonishment to all but Mary, who tucked the event into her contemplative mind. Years later, after the amazing incident of twelve-year-old Jesus with the Jewish teachers in the temple, we’re told his mother “…treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

        Mary is the picture of serenity even though she lived in a volatile society. Remember, she and Joseph had to flee for their baby’s life. Even as a lonely refugee in a foreign land, Mary was a woman at peace.

        Are you in need of tranquility? Try imitating Mary’s practice of pondering. Carve out time to read from the Bible and “treasure these things in your heart.”

This holiday season, be immersed in God’s love and peace.

CHRISTMAS CRIB

I own a Christmas book with pictures of different nativity sets from around the world. Each beautiful creche reflects facial features and costumes indigenous to the country of the artist.

The manger scene from Mexico shows Mary and Joseph with dark skin and the lovely brown eyes of the Mexican people.

The one from Sweden portrays Mary with blond hair and fair skin, while the set from Nigeria features dark-skinned people, adorned with ornate African headwear.

The Japanese Nativity is delicate and decidedly Asian. The most accurate of all is the one from Israel. It shows the figures with handsome Jewish features.

This suggests we desire identity with God. When we see ourselves reflected in Jesus' humanity, then his life, death, and resurrection take on personal meaning.

Our need for Emmanuel--God with us--is shown clearly in Christmas art. Accuracy in depicting the manger scene is not as important as the message: God willingly became one of us.

Praise him for that!

Do you have a Nativity Set displayed in your home this Christmas? Use it as a place for your family to remember the meaning of this special holiday.

A LIVING MESSAGE

"When will he come, Grandfather?"
"The Messiah? I hope very soon, my child," replied the bearded old man.
"Will he rule from the temple?"
"We'll know that in God's time, son. Meanwhile, let's get back to your lessons. We must study the Scriptures so we'll be ready when he comes."

The ancient Israelites eagerly awaited their Messiah. God worked with them, molding them into a people he would use to bring salvation to a hurting world. Through them, God would send his very own Son. They could hardly wait!

Sin and oppression ruled, and their only hope rested in the promised Messiah. They desperately needed God among them, in the flesh.

When Jesus entered the world as a man, he came not as a messenger, but as God's Living Message. He is God's love, brought to our level of understanding. If we're attentive, we can see it in the miracles around us and in the lives of people.

This December, look for Jesus to be the Living Message to your heart. Read the Christmas story in Luke 2 and prepare yourself to accept this love.

* * * * * * *

Pretend you're an Israelite, hearing your Savior was born. What will that mean for you?

Remember, Jesus is the Living Message

 

Unity

Fifty-percent of us:  happy

Fifty-percent of us:  angry

One hundred-percent of us:  glad the election is over

Our country faces important issues in the near and far future. Unity must be restored if we're to remain a positive world power.

We won't get it from our politicians, the media, or our leaders. It MUST come from us.

I'd like to call on all Americans to strive for unity in:

• our homes
• our communities
• our cities
• our states
• our federal government.

 It can start at the grass roots level and work its way upward.

 

So, to the 50% who are happy:

Don't gloat. Stop the war of words. Be reconciled to those who opposed your candidate. Be gracious winners.

To the 50% who are angry:

Take heart. Our country will survive this divisive election. We have a three-pronged system of government (Judicial/Legislative/Executive) with checks and balances. Life will go on.

To all:

 Respect the Office of President of the United States, no matter who sits at the desk in the Oval Office.

Be reconciled one to the other.

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3: 13-14)

Best question from one of the Town Hall Debates:

SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT YOUR OPPONENT!!!

 

Civility & Righteous Living

My heart aches when I look at what we've become as a people. Civility and Righteous Living seem like old-fashioned, irrelevant concepts. Gone are the days when courtesy, politeness, kindness, and honesty ruled our private conversations and our public discourse.

We are not finding civility exemplified in:

• our leaders
• our politicians
• our sports figures
• our movie stars
• others in visible positions

The ONLY way we will restore the Golden Rule to our society is through:

• our homes
• our schools
• our places of worship

It must happen in our daily interactions with others. That means teaching respect and courtesy at our dinner tables, when we tuck children into bed each night, and when we demonstrate how to handle disagreements with respect. We must start treating one another with kindness on the highway, in the workplace, in the marketplace.

The Golden Rule is God's very best instruction for living lives of respect and kindness. It's what Jesus demonstrated.

It's up to us. Let's host a revival in our homes and communities--a revival of kindness.

 

Pray for Feet!

A recent Bible study (Ray VanderLaan video series), inspired me to pray for Suction-Cup Feet!

VanderLaan taught the lesson from the rocky desert in the Holy Land that featured ibex (mountain goats) walking over harsh, hilly terrain. It is amazing how these animals navigate precarious ledges. The little ones dutifully follow Mama as she leads them safely to patches of grass.

Can you imagine walking along this trail in the Grand Canyon?

The pathways we encounter in life are sometimes like that. We walk through deserts that stretch our faith and even our ability to survive. Some days the path is smooth (praise God) and some days it is extremely treacherous.

VanderLaan advises us not to pray for smooth paths but to pray for agile feet.

Those goats on the rocky hillsides have feet that are almost like suction cups.

That image means a lot to me. I've found myself praying for suction-cup feet--feet able to follow whatever path God has in store for me.

Try it, whenever you're encountering a rough time in this thing called life. I hope most of your paths are smooth, but if they are not, ask God for feet able to walk with strength, trusting in him.

Wouldn't it be great if all our paths were easy & smooth like this one through Georgia pine trees?

The Pause

I am painfully aware of the PAUSE in my gratitude relationship with God:

• I pray earnestly, especially when facing a difficult situation.
• I go through whatever it is, with God's help and direction.
• I pause.
• Then I remember to thank God for his help.

I must eliminate the PAUSE and thank him immediately. Then, I will be on the road to cultivating a grateful heart.

I plan to work on it.

Friends: you're allowed to ask me, "How's your pause coming along?"

Some practical suggestions:

• Keep a Gratitude Journal.
• Start each day thanking God for something.
• End each day thanking God for five things that occurred that day.
• Thank God in advance for answering your prayer.

How is your pause doing? 

 

 

Here is a sample of the lyrics from "Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart" by Don Moen: 

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

 

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

 

 Give thanks...

Grandma Goes to Camp!

This past weekend, I crossed something off my Bucket List:

I participated in BOW - Becoming an Outdoors Woman.

Sponsored by the Arizona Wildlife Organization, this was a two-day event where 100 women learned various skills to help them navigate the outdoors. It is a program first begun in Wisconsin that now is offered around the country.

BOW is designed for women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and athletic ability--or non-ability, in my case. The goal is to give women knowledge and skills that enable them to enjoy the outdoors and feel confident doing various activities.

For some strange reason, I chose Rappelling.....never so scared in my life!

 

"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."

Classes are taught by volunteers and cover such topics as: Archery, Rappelling, Kayaking, Paddle Boarding, Camping, Fly Fishing, Firearm Safety, Horsemanship (or would that be "horsewomanship"?), Photography, Campsite Cooking, etc.

Arizona runs three such events a year:

September & April - Prescott, AZ - Friendly Pines Campground
January - Saguaro Lake Ranch, Mesa, AZ

Check out their website for more info. Click here.

If there's one there, I will find it! This is more my style.

Getaways

The lazy, hazy days of summer are gone and we're into our structured September. Though there's something sad about saying goodbye to summer, it's good to get back into harness. School does that to families.

Now might be the time to plan a mental/spiritual health day for yourself--a day where you restore your energies and focus on the priorities in your life. A day where you seek God's direction or wisdom.

In Phoenix, there are two very nice retreat centers which offer beautiful natural settings for just such a day:

• Franciscan Renewal Center
• Canaan in the Desert

Now that the weather promises to cool a bit (in Arizona), we finally can engage in some outdoor activities. Arizona friends: consider taking a half a day to visit one of these centers. If you're not in Phoenix, find a beautiful park in your area.

Once a year I walk through the prayer garden at Canaan in the Desert and feel a sense of renewal as I'm led through the events of Jesus' death and resurrection. It's a moving yet uplifting experience.

Closer to home, is the prayer hill at Christ's Church of the Valley--my home church. It's an easy walk up a trail that is marked with stations of the Lord's Prayer. Atop the hill is a cross and an opened tomb.

A word of caution:  Arizona is home to lots of creepy crawlies, some deadly. Stay on the trails or in the open--keep your eyes open when praying!


(From the devotional, Live Your Highlights.)

Balcony People

A favorite author of mine from many years ago, is Joyce Landorf Heatherly. She is a gifted speaker, singer, and author. So many talents rolled into one person!

I especially enjoyed her novels on Biblical characters: Joseph and I Came to Love You Late (Martha). Her research and writing make these characters come alive. I can relate to them and their struggles when I see them through the eyes and expertise of this gifted writer.

What really resonates with me, however, is the term balcony people that she coins in some of her nonfiction books. She has written quite a bit about the balcony people in our lives--those who affirm us and encourage us.

Make a mental list of the balcony people who have influenced your life.

• What was special about them?
• How did they make you feel?
• How did they affect your life?

Now think about people that you support, encourage, raise up, or praise. Hopefully, this second list is a long one.

Look around. Who in your sphere of influence needs to be lifted up? What can you do to help them?

Today, be a BALCONY PERSON..........the world needs you.

Click here for more titles from Joyce Landorf Heatherly:  Joyce Landorf

God's Humble Employee

The "Best Selling Artist of all Time" doesn't even have her name mentioned on the copyright page of the books she illustrated. Her name is Ann Vallotton and she was a Swiss artist who died several years ago at the age of 98.

That's because the book is The Good New Bible and her desire was to be anonymous. She wanted people to be drawn to reading the Bible for themselves. Because of the success of The Good News Bible, her illustrations have blessed people around the world.

You can read more about this amazing woman in my book, Live Your Highlights, in the chapter titled, "God's Employee." Her humility touches me. Just email me at sueraatjes@cox.net or visit my website for more info on purchasing the book:  www.sueraatjes.weebly.com.

Click on this link to read more about Ann Vallotton:
  www.unitedbiblesocieties.org/one-of-the-worlds-best-selling-artists-was-a-bible-illustrator/

Do a Google search to see her delightful illustrations. My favorite is the one from Galatians about carrying one another's burdens. Enjoy.

God's Support Group

(Following is an excerpt from my new book, Live Your Highlights. If you'd like to purchase a copy, just send me an email at sueraatjes@cox.net. Soft cover is $12 plus $3 shipping, if mailing is required. E-book version is $5 with no shipping charges. Enjoy.)

 What would it be like to be part of a support group made up of characters from the Bible?

Imagine sitting in a circle in the basement of a drafty old church, sipping terrible coffee from Styrofoam cups. You size up the other members of the group: 

“Hmm. Who is that old guy with the beard and long stick in his hand? His name tag reads Moses. Wonder what his problem is?

And the young man with an eagerness about him? His name tag reads Hi, my name is Timothy. Next to him is another old guy—A.  Paul (the A stands for apostle). They seem to be friends because Paul keeps chatting in Timothy’s ear. Quite a talker, that one. Timothy is attentive, but I did see him roll his eyes once when Paul wasn’t looking.

“Not many women in this group, other than the classy one with a regal appearance and good posture. She has two names on her tag: Sarai – Sarah. There is an elderly woman with a wrinkled face. What did she endure to earn such a time-worn countenance? Her name is Jochabed, and I guess she is important to that guy Moses sitting next to her. He is very attentive, re-filling her coffee cup and adjusting her shawl.”

The list could go on but you get the drift. The Bible is full of rich characters who rely on God. Wouldn’t it be terrific to select the character who suffered what we currently deal with and sit next to them for a one-on-on? You might be surprised at some of the issues they grappled with:

Job dealt with physical and emotional tragedies, while Caleb Joshua, Shadrach, Mechach, Abednego, and Daniel had to face fear head-on. Elijah and King David turned to God during deep depressions. Peter and David both had to face their sin in a spirit of remorse.

Timothy, Abraham, and Moses served, in spite of being "out of their comfort zone." Ananias, Queen Esther, and Mary all were handed dangerous tasks by God.

Are you dealing with the Empty Nest Syndrome? Jochebed and Mary both had to relinquish children. David (him again) knew what is what like to have a rebellious son and he also dealt with his own swinging emotions. Sarah and Ruth followed others without regard to their own wishes.

                           

Continue on with your own search of the Bible's ordinary people who served God, in spite of their short-comings. You’ll enjoy visiting with your new group of friends.

 I hope the coffee’s fresh!