celebrations

A Thanksgiving Story

celebrations, Community, Faith, Family Life, grandparenting, Maturity / By / September 24, 2022 / , , , , , ,
An Excerpt from Choose Now to Grow Grand, Not Old by Teri Gasser. Book on SALE now on Amazon for 33% OFF until November 26th!

Both of my grandmothers exercised wisdom when it came time to downsize and make a final move to be near family. However, only one seemed to take full advantage of the new possibilities. One event during a family gathering illustrates it best. It happened after our second Thanksgiving meal together.

I had spent much time and prayer preparing an activity for after the family feast. I wanted to facilitate a fun time of interaction between my mom, grandmas, and four children. Making gingerbread houses struck me as the perfect project, a sweet way to work together and prepare decorations for Christmas. I baked enough walls and roofs for four houses, one for my folks, one for each of my grandmothers to take home, and one for our house. Each of my kids paired up with a grandma, except Jenni. She got stuck with her mom, yours truly. It seemed to be going just as planned. I have pictures of everyone smiling. We licked frosted fingers and nibbled on candy, laughing and having a wonderful time. Then, when Anna and Grandma Erma finished basic construction and started decorating the outside of their house, Erma left the table. She went to the living room and sat in an easy chair.

(My grandma Erma with my daughter Anna)

Maybe she felt tired or bored. Maybe. Or maybe she didn’t like working with a twelve-year-old. Maybe my daughter and Erma had different ideas about decorating. We will never know because she never excused herself or explained why she left the table. Later, when the projects were complete, we took pictures. Erma refused to come and have her photo taken with Anna. My mom felt so sorry for Anna. To top it off, when it came time to send the gingerbread house home with Erma, she flat-out refused the gift—the gift I had prayed about and spent so much time and money preparing, the gift she worked on with her great-granddaughter. My grandma rejected a present intended to bring Christmas cheer to her home.

 “Oh, no, you take it home,” she told me as I offered to take it to her car as she was leaving.

“But Grandma, we already have one,” I explained again.

“Well, Anna can put it in her room. I’d rather not have it, thank you.”

Ouch. I cannot judge Erma’s motives. I’ve already shared a few speculations. I can tell you her actions and words put a damper on the day. We never made gingerbread houses together again. Oh, my kids and I did, and sometimes my mom and Grandma Irène joined us, but not Erma. It never became a Thanksgiving tradition.

On the other hand, Grandma Irène paired up with my youngest, seven-year-old Jon. She kept that gingerbread house displayed in her apartment year-round for several years and bragged about it to everyone. That’s gratitude at its best!

God bless you as you celebrate Thanksgiving in a grand way!

Gratui*Tea

celebrations, Community, Teatime Qualities / By / May 23, 2022 / , ,

Welcome to Tea Time!

Tea Time is a quarterly (February, May, August, and November) reflection on various qualties.

gra*tu*i*tea /ɡrəˈt(y)o͞oədē/ noun 1. something given voluntarily or beyond obligation, usually for some service like being served tea then helping your hostess wash cups, or slipping a teabag into a thank you note.

As I sip and savor tea steeped from that surprise tea bag I found in a thank you note, I taste tangible evidence of my sweet friend’s appreciation. When we enjoy our favorite drinks at our local coffee shops, leaving the baristas a gratuity proves our thankfulness for their service.

Did you know God instituted suggested gratuities into the sacrificial system of the Law? He calls them thanksgiving sacrifices. Like tipping a waiter, these sacrifices were to be voluntary, “of your own free will.” Yet there is a clear expectation that if God’s people are thankful for His salvation, they will give above and beyond what’s required.

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Do we? When God provides for us in a big way, do we use a portion of His gift to bless others? As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, let’s turn gratitude into more than lip service. Let’s give generously. Let’s share our abundance with those who serve us at church.

“Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.” Galatians 6:6

 Let’s show our gratitude to Jehovah-Jirah by using what He’s given us to provide for the needs of brothers and sisters in the faith.

 “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13:15 – 16

Then we can continue giving gratuities to the Lord by providing for the poor beyond our church walls. Jesus reminds us, “The poor you have with you always” (Matthew 26:11), and the apostle Paul wrote, “that we should remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10).

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  How might our celebration of Thanksgiving impact our neighborhood if our celebration extended beyond a Thanksgiving meal? Wouldn’t flooding our communities throughout the year with outpourings of generosity glorify God more than an annual feast and statements of thanks? We could tip beyond 20% and include a Gospel tract (I’ve heard more than one waitress complain about the stingy after church crowd). Let’s not be them. We might make purchasing an item for our local food bank a regular part of our grocery shopping.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” It’s even better when we confirm our appreciation with a gratuity.

Abba, we praise You for Your generosity towards us. We ask that You open our eyes to tangible gratuities we can leave in Jesus’s name throughout the year.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

The Testimony of Sacred Similarities and Divine Differences

celebrations, Community, Faith, Family Life, Knowing God, Maturity / By / April 21, 2022 / , , , ,

Aspiring to Beautiful Community

Happy Juneteenth!

Comparisons spill out when we welcome a new family member. “Look, she has her mama’s eyes.” “I see her daddy’s dimpled cheeks.” “She has Aunt Jenny’s red hair.” We search those precious newborns for family resemblance. We. Just. Do.

Last year my oldest daughter gave birth to her fifth; my youngest daughter welcomed her first. Yeah! Two new grandbabies for me! The babies were born three weeks apart. Both baby girls weighed the same. Dark hair covered both heads, and both babies have a raspberry birthmark on their backsides (not the same spot but the same size). I call them identical cousins, but they aren’t.

They differ in several ways: eye color, activity level, even their reaction to a dirty diaper. God wove these similarities and differences into my granddaughters just as He does the whole human family.

Back in the ‘90s, I watched Arsenio Hall’s T.V. show. His facial expressions and jawline mesmerized me because these features reminded me of a friend from high school. Yet, Arsenio is African-American, and my friend descended from Irish stock. Despite their contrasting hair and skin tones, their similar facial features reveal their connection. Physical similarities that ignore geopolitical boundaries confirm our sacred union as one human family. We all bleed red. We all need love. We all descended from Adam.

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God creates each of us in His image. Reflecting His multi-faceted majesty requires infinite diversity; hence, human diversity is divine. God diversified languages to force people to populate the whole world.

God’s judgment at Babel drove people to migrate across the globe (Genesis 11). Different weather conditions and food supplies began to shape different cultures. Adaptation transformed the physical features of people in varying regions. Unfortunately, humanity is a sinful race.

We constructed class and racial systems to claim superiority and oppress other people groups. We deny the truth with these false contrivances; God created all people in His image. The grievous sins of classism, racism and ethnic supremacy grieve God. Jesus calls us out of that darkness.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:38

In the proceeding passage, Paul acknowledges our differences and establishes our value. No one is less than human in Jesus’s eyes.

As followers of Christ, we witness God drawing people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. But do we embrace the diversity of those cultures? Pastor Irwyn L. Ince Jr. shows us how it’s done in his brilliant book The Beautiful Community.

I traveled through Ethiopia, visiting churches. A remarkable transformation in their worship occurred when a Marxist regime expelled foreign missionaries in the ‘70s. Without the influence of westerners, the Ethiopian churches cultivated their own style of worship.

I enjoyed listening to drums and the lilting of women praising God. The women often keep time with the music by stomping their feet and rocking their hands back and forth as though they held precious truths. I felt compelled with joy to join in the lilting during one service. Dark, smiling faces turned toward me. They had never heard a white woman lilt, but they seemed pleased that I did. By embracing their form of worship, I embraced them. With their smiles, they welcomed me.

“In order to be in community, we have to experience belonging, a sense of being at home.” Irwyn L. Ince Jr. The beautiful Community (page 84). My Ethiopian brothers and sisters made me feel at home.

 How well do we welcome minorities in our local churches? “It is the church’s job to find ways to affirm the full humanity–the royal dignity–of all people, especially those others are inclined to despise.” (Irwyn L. Ince Jr.). Let’s be mindful to include, rather than ignore, minorities in our midst. We need to be mindful of what Pastor Ince calls “minority fatigue.” Let’s love minorities by extending hospitality; let’s show interest in them by asking about their culture. By reaching out, we set the stage for a beautiful community—a foretaste of Christ’s coming Kingdom.

Four Ways to Reclaim God’s Feast, Shavuot, and the Reason We Should

celebrations, Community / By / February 24, 2022 / , , , , ,
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Mark June 5th on your calendar!

Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day in America. Yet, a day of even greater importance—eternal significance—is just five days away. Can you guess what it is?

Pentecost! This celebration originated as the Jewish feast Shavuot, also known as the Feast of First Fruits. Its eternal fulfillment occurred when the Holy Spirit descended on the church—the first fruits of God’s Kingdom.

Only Shavuot is celebrated with fluffy, leavened bread. Leaven represents sin in Scripture; both leaven and pride puff things up. The two leavened loaves of bread waved before the Lord at Shavuot foreshadowed two sinful peoples—Jews and Gentiles—coming together in the Kingdom of God.

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The Jews celebrate the giving of God’s Law to Moses on Shavuot, as many sects of Christianity celebrate the giving of God’s Spirit—the writing of the Law on our hearts (Ezekiel 36:24-27).

The Law calls Shavuot the feast of weeks, celebrated seven Sabbaths after the last Sabbath of Passover (forty-nine days plus one). Another tradition that the Jews adopted during this feast was the reading of the book of Ruth.

The book of Ruth records Ruth’s faithfulness to her Hebrew mother-in-law, Naomi, and their return from Moab to Bethlehem, the House of Bread. Ruth is a Moabite—a Gentile. The Jews read this book because the story takes place during the harvest of First Fruits. But the veil over Jewish eyes has blinded them to the greater message of the book.

This tiny story ebbs and flows with massive Messianic undercurrents. The book of Ruth establishes the linage of King David (the Messianic line). The story hints at two other Gentile women in David’s family, Tamar (mother of Perez whom she bore to Judah) and Rahab (Boaz’s mother who hid the Israelite spies in Jericho and joined the nation of God’s chosen people). Matthew names all three of these women in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-6). The central theme of Ruth is redemption which is also the primary mission of Yeshua Ah Messiah—Jesus the Christ.

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While many liturgical Christian churches still celebrate Pentecost (the fiftieth day after the feast of unleavened bread following Passover), this day feels forgotten in evangelical circles. “In many evangelical churches in the United States, the secular holiday, Mother’s Day, maybe more celebrated than the ancient and biblical feast of Pentecost.” (from Wikipedia’s article on Pentecost). What might we be missing out on? His annual feasts for Israel foreshadow His redemptive work through time.

At the first Pentecost, a Jewish band of disciples gathered in the upper room. They embraced Jesus as their Messiah; yet, they failed to see the symbolism of the wave offering of bread. Eventually, Peter went to Cornelius’s house and witnessed the Holy Spirit come upon these Gentile believers. God revealed the mystery of the two leaven loaves.

How might we, as Gentile believers, grafted into the people of God, remember the fulfillment of this solemn feast? As lovely as some of the liturgical traditions are, I feel these fail to embrace God’s heart for the redemption of Israel. The Apostle Paul expresses his heart for Israel in his letter to the predominantly Gentile church in Rome.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.”       Romans 10:1

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  • Jewish people need the Gospel. A great way to celebrate Pentecost is to pray for Israel. Ask God to rescue the Jewish people from trusting in their righteousness and receive, by faith, the redemption of Messiah (Romans 10:2-4). Pray they hear the Gospel as they read the book of Ruth.
  • Read the book of Ruth. It only takes about twenty minutes, and it’s a riveting story (My granddaughter loves it when I read Ruth to her!). Ask God to open your eyes to the beauty of His redemptive work.
  • Be grateful we were grafted into God’s Kingdom. God, in a sense, baked us together with the Jews—like the loaves of Shavuot—two sinful peoples joined for His glory (Romans 11:23-24). Pentecost should be a day of thanksgiving for the harvest of the First Fruits. That’s us, His church!
  • Taste and see the Lord is good. A delicious way to celebrate would be baking two loaves of bread. If you want to get fancy, you could branch the loaves together with a dove-shaped piece of dough as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. As you enjoy this treat, explain the importance of this day to your children and grandchildren and any guests you may invite to celebrate with you.
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Sisters, let’s reclaim the wonder of God’s festival and celebrate Pentecost, a memorial day far better than one that just passed.

Shalom!

Easter Every Day?

2 Comments / celebrations, Community, Faith / By / February 28, 2022 / , ,

We’ve got the power!

The children’s story, Christmas Every Day, chronicles the saga of a little girl who asked Santa to make every day Christmas for a whole year. Santa Claus indulges her by making her dream of 365 days of candy and presents come true. Within a week, the little girl regrets her greed as her family and most others are impoverished by gift-giving and feel ill from gluttony. Everyone ends up cranky. Finally, the year ends, and so do the celebrations. Everyone dances with joy. Then the girl sticks her foot in the other ditch asking Santa to never, ever have another Christmas. This time the jolly old elf does not indulge her, and everyone lives happily ever after with an annual celebration.

I love holidays and traditions. Easter is my favorite for many reasons; warmer weather, spring flowers popping up, cheery pastel decorations, cute, cuddly animal decorations, and most of all, Christ’s victory over the grave. Now, I must wait again for the year to pass for Easter to come again. Or do I?

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As a follower of Jesus, I can celebrate the resurrection every day. I don’t need egg decorating and hunts, sunrise services, or chocolate bunnies to appreciate Easter. Who needs a bunny when we have Jesus? Christ lives! And He lives in us.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

The verse above implies we should remember Good Friday daily; the following passage encourages us to make every day a step-by-step resurrection celebration.


“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

If we mindfully walked in the power of the Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead, imagine the positive impact on the world around us.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus told His disciples to let their light shine among men. He’s calling us to live out the Sonrise life with Holy Spirit power. Jesus invites us to Easter every day. And I don’t think He’d mind if we ate a chocolate egg or two. Better yet, sharing those leftover sweets wrapped in shiny, pastel foil may be enough to brighten up someone’s day.

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Happy Easter, again! He has risen!

(If you know the traditional response, leave it in a comment.)

What do Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Saint Patrick have in Common?

1 Comment / celebrations, Faith, Spiritual warfare / By / March 2, 2022 / , , , , ,

Legendary Courage!

As war rages in Ukraine, it’s business as usual in America. On St. Patrick’s day. Parades will march through our streets with marching bands and shamrock-covered floats. I predict many will wear blue and yellow armbands to support Ukraine. Who knows, maybe in Chicago, they’ll dye the river yellow and blue and watch it turn green? Then, the bars will fill in the evening, and glasses will be raised to Zelensky, toasting his courage as the usual drunken debauchery unfolds. This kind of celebration is not what Patrick envisioned when he left Britain and returned to Ireland.

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Irish slave traders kidnapped Patrick (born a free Roman citizen) from his homeland in Britain when he was seventeen. He was one of few who escaped this fate. After returning to Britain, he came to saving faith. He returned to Ireland with a burning desire to see God transform the heart of the Irish people. His courage stands as an example to us today.

“It was not by my own grace, but God who overcame it in me, and resisted them all so that I could come to the peoples of Ireland to preach the gospel. I bore insults from unbelievers, so that I would hear the hatred directed at me for traveling here. I bore many persecutions, even chains, so that I could give up my freeborn state for the sake of others. If I be worthy, I am ready even to give up my life most willingly here and now for his name. It is there that I wish to spend my life until I die, if the Lord should grant it to me.” from Saint Patrick’s Confessio

As Zelensky stands against Putin, he understands the cost. Patrick understood the cost of returning to Ireland. Are we willing to lay down our lives for something greater than pleasure and comfort? Is the freedom the Gospel brings worthy of our sacrifice?

Yes! But will we count the cost?

Real courage isn’t rhetoric. It’s easy to imagine what we would say or do in dangerous circumstances. I waste a lot of time daydreaming like that. Yet, we shy away from sharing Christ because we don’t want to offend people. That’s like failing to do CPR on a person who passes out in front of us for fear of being sued. If we can save lives, shouldn’t we?

Courage shows up in hard places; we choose bravery, or we don’t. Many around us will head to the bar on St. Patrick’s Day. Before that happens, let’s ask them a bold question, “What do you know about St. Patrick?” Then let’s be bolder yet and thrust the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—into the conversation. It doesn’t matter if they don’t believe the Bible is God’s truth. As a wise old pastor once said, “poke ‘em with it anyway!”

Remember Saint Patrick!

Humili*tea

1 Comment / celebrations, prayer, Teatime Qualities / By / February 28, 2022 / , , ,

Welcome to Teatime

Tea Time is a quarterly (February, May, August, and November) reflection on various qualties.

hu*mil*i*Tea /(h)yo͞oˈmilədē/ noun: 1. a modest opinion of one’s own importance, 2. an absence of pride or self-assertion, 3. To accept, with gratitude, a cup of coffee when you’d prefer tea.

Did you know today, February 22nd is national “Be Humble Day” and the birthday of the first president of the U.S.? I wonder if the anonymous founder of “Be Humble Day” chose George Washington’s birthday on purpose? (Google didn’t know either.)

 I think Washington would count it an honor to have his birthday celebrated by acts of humility—a day to refrain from boasting and acknowledge our mistakes and flaws. In the spirit of “Be Humble Day.”

When I was a child, I enjoyed two days off from school in February: the 12th and the 22nd. However, in 1968, when I was a wee second-grader, Uncle Sam stole candy from this baby by rolling the two days into one—Presidents Day—a day to remember not only Washington and Lincoln but all who’ve taken the solemn oath of office. This act of congress took the limelight off Washington’s accomplishments and celebrated each person who served our country as commander-and-chief. Washington would approve, no doubt, but he wasn’t always that humble.

Historians note that young Washington displayed arrogance and excessive ambition. But General Washington resigned his commission as a changed man. War taught him to put others first—a lesson to master if we want to leave this world better than we found it.

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“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.” ~ George Washington

Humility enjoys the freedom of transparency; pride protects self with deception. The humble confess transgressions, receive forgiveness, and gain confidence in the work and worth God bestows upon him. In contrast, the arrogant hide failure and inflate successes. Our Creator gifts us with talents, abilities, and resources to be used for the good of others and the glory of God.

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.” ~  C. S. Lewis

As the newly formed government considered a title for its first leader, Vice President Adams suggested the following: “His Elective Majesty,” “His Mightiness,” and even “His Highness, the President of the United States of America and the Protector of their Liberties.”

 However, Washington rejected these inflated perceptions of a head-of-state. They had just won a revolution against a king who claimed divine anointing. While God raises leaders, He also removes those that think too highly of themselves and fail to give Him glory—Nebuchadnezzar being a prime example (Daniel 4:30-33).

Washington understood the title he chose would set both the tone of his leadership and precedence for his successors. He suggested, and the House adopted, the title “The President of the United States,” accepting the simple address, “Mr. President.”

I shuddered at the phrase “under my reign” (instead of administration) as I listened to recent presidential debates. Sorry boys and girls, there’s no such thing as King of America! It’s lamentable that few modern-day presidents display the same humility as George Washington.

Putting politics aside, might celebrating “Be Humble Day” help repair the political and cultural rifts in our nation and the world? The best place to start is on our knees with honest confessions. For example, do we speak disrespectfully about the authorities God placed over us or fail to pray for them? Ouch! I plead guilty. Then our hearts will be ready to pray and thank God for those who serve our nation.

Jesus challenges us to be humble every day, not just on February 22nd. What might happen if we all accept His mandate, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

Lord, please deliver us from delusions of grandeur. Help us reflect the humility of Jesus, Who came not to be served but to serve by laying aside His glory and laying His life down for others. Amen

ith gratitude, a cup of coffee when you’d prefer tea (or vice versa).

Honoring Survivors: This Veteran’s Day, how will we honor those who served us?

celebrations, Community / By / August 18, 2021 / , , ,

Let’s Remember

My husband watched in shock as Afghan allies clung to the sides of U.S. aircraft, hoping to escape the Taliban take-over. He cringed as some fell to their death on the abandoned tarmac. And he was not alone.

(William Gasser, U.S. Navy and Marines 1974-2017. Thanks for serving, Sweetheart!)

Thousands of U.S. troops spent time in Afghanistan fighting the war on terror. My husband spent just nine months there. He came home physically unharmed—but mentally, he formed an attachment to the people and their need for a stable government and freedom. For many U.S. veterans who fought in that nation, the debacle of that exit feels like a defeat. The same failure our Veterans from Vietnam and Korea felt. These men and women faithfully obeyed when duty called. They are not losers.

(David Donaldson, Vietnam veteran U.S. Navy 1957-1977. Thanks, Daddy!)

The responsibility to honor their sacrifice and courage rests on our shoulders.

“Whereas the first nationwide observance of Veterans Day was on November 11, 1954: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress hereby— (1) encourages Americans to demonstrate their support for veterans on Veterans’ Day by treating that day as a special day of remembrance;” (117 STAT. 2958 CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—OCTOBER 31, 2003).

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs data, around 19 million U.S. veterans populate these great United States. That’s close to one in ten adults.

Janet Manseau U.S. Army 1955-1957 Thanks, Mom!
  • 18.2 million living veterans served during at least one war as of 2018.
  • 9% of veterans are women.
  • 7 million veterans served during the Vietnam War.
  • 3 million veterans have served in support of the War on Terrorism.
  • Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, about 325,000 were still alive as of 2020.
  • 2 million veterans served during the Korean War.
(The sailor in the middle is Jonathan Gasser. Currently serving in the Navy. Thanks, Son!)

As followers of Jesus, we not only have a national responsibility to give honor to who honor is due (Romans 13:7), we must also be mindful of Kingdom soldiers suffering for their faith.

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you

yourselves are in the body also.” Hebrews 13:3

A map from the Voice of the Martyrs hangs in my study. The band of blackened countries representing nations where the Christian faith is illegal reveals an ominous reality. Among those nations lies North Korea (a war the U.S. lost), Vietnam (another failed military action), and most Middle Eastern countries. The other surprising fact is that many of those middle eastern countries once housed the infant church of the first century.

(Thank you, Jesus, that you are building your kingdom and the gates of hell will not prevail!)

Jesus asks us a poignant question, “when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

Today by faith, let us remember not only American veterans; let us pray for our brothers and sisters worldwide who lay down their lives for the One who died for them. Those Kingdom veterans storming the gates of hell to recuse those lost in darkness need our prayer support as much as our U.S. troops need to be honored.

Here are a few ideas of what we can do:

  • Write a thank-you note to veterans you know personally.
  • Attend a parade
  • If you home school, teach about the founding of Veteran’s Day earlier in the week, make the 11th a day to remember for your students.
  • If you send your kids to public school, you can pull them out for a special day of homeschooling and take them to a parade.
  • Post a “thank you for your service; you are not forgotten” banner in your front yard.
  • Set aside a meal and spend that time fasting and praying for persecuted Christians.

These dark days—filled with wars and rumors of war—will end. Soon our King of Kings will come, and a glorious day of freedom will dawn. Until that day, let’s shine in this darkness by sharing our gratitude and concern for all the veterans.

Need Encouragement? God Gave Us Cheerleaders

celebrations, Community, Faith / By / August 18, 2021 / , , , , ,

New Life!

Dark thunderclouds roll over the hill beyond my house. Soon the rain will burst, and lightning crash. The threat of severe weather brings with it a promise of new life. The shower waters my yard. Soon Irises will blossom, joining the daffodils and tulips that popped up last month. This season reminds us of resurrection power. Listen to the voice of Jesus thunder as He calls Lazarus from the grave.

“I am the resurrection,” he told those gathered at that funeral.

Another cloud gathers in the highest Heaven. It too thunders—but it’s full of light, not darkness.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1

The drops of refreshment that form that cloud will never touch this old earth again. Their testimonies surround us with cheers as they wait for our reunion in the new Heavens and earth.

“I’m here—and you will be too,” cries my dear friend, Judy. She loved me to Jesus forty years ago.

“He is indeed the resurrection,” shouts my pastor, Loyd.

“It’s beautiful beyond words,” Chloris, another mentor of mine, proclaims. Herb, her husband, chimes in, “You can do it! Keep running with Jesus.”

The cheers of resurrected saints who finished the race fill the air. Saints who no longer look through a glass dimly—they behold the Father face to face. These dear brothers and sisters who died in Christ now live in a perfect, loving home. It’s okay to miss them and weep over their absence. But don’t let grief rob you of their encouragement.

A dear friend of mine lost her husband to cancer several years ago. She recently posted a tribute to him on Facebook with a picture of his favorite peony, a bush they had planted together in their yard. For those who don’t know much about plants, peonies grow from tubers, like irises. But instead of a single perennial bloom, peonies grow into a large shrub that looks a lot like a rose bush from a distance. Unlike a rose bush, peonies die back to nothing in the fall. The place they bloomed lies abandoned through the winter.

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Then come spring—peonies rise from their winter grave in resurrection glory—what a perfect reminder of my friend’s husband. She rests her heart in knowing he still cheers her on; he’s waiting for her to finish her race well.

“ Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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When the heaviness of this life oppresses your soul, look up. Listen. Those who’ve gone before stand at the finish line, calling us on to join them in Heavenly places. Let the new sparkle of leaves and bursting blossoms remind you of the reality of our hope. Open your spiritual ears to the cheers of those who beat you to the finish line; let resurrection power energize your pursuit of the prize.

Father, we praise you for springs reminder. We praise you for raising Jesus from the dead and promising us resurrection power. Thank you for our many mentors and friends who beat us to Heaven. Please, open our ears to their encouragement and our eyes to the glory to come. ~Amen

Copyright © 2024 teri gasser, Steeped in Truth