Friday, November 16, 2012

Pass the Gravy, Please


1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Thanksgiving always brings to mind one my first attempt at making gravy. I was a young bride bursting with domestic enthusiasm. My husband and I invited another young family from our church over to celebrate the giving of thanks, including sharing what I envisioned to be the Good Housekeeping seal of award Thanksgiving dinner. 

The turkey was roasted to a nice golden brown crispiness on the outside, and tender perfection on the inside. Marshmallow covered sweet potatoes were ready to be popped in the oven for a quick bake. Now it was time to put what I thought would be the easiest of all food preparations together. The gravy. How hard could this be? I had my pan drippings from the turkey. Had some salt nearby. Was it cornstarch or flour? Could not remember, so I got both out from the pantry. Browning liquid? Oops – didn’t have that, so I was set to be creative with just the right mix of food coloring. How hard could light brown be, really? 

After several emergency phone calls were placed to my grandma and mother who graciously didn’t laugh at me (at least that I heard), I was ready to proceed. Why wasn’t my gravy thickening? Must need more flour, a little more cornstarch too couldn’t hurt. A few drops of this color, a few drops of that, surely soon this gravy would look somewhat brownish. 

As we gathered around the table I explained that the gelatinous glob of lemon yellow foodstuff in the gravy boat was no, not a custardy dessert, but indeed gravy. My dear husband tried to be a good sport with his affirmation that it was sure to taste good. I did my best to hold back the tears and enjoy the presence of my dear friends and own little family gathered around the table. The truth was, the “gravy” didn’t taste good. It was like trying to swallow wet chalk. Believe me, the last thing I felt like doing was giving thanks. 

As I think back to the circumstances of that long ago Thanksgiving feast failure, I am reminded that all of us as women have seen circumstances of much greater depth, disappointment, and discouragement than a batch of botched gravy. Giving thanks in seasons of grieving the loss of a loved one, the ending of a relationship, the pain of moving, all are difficult if not nearly impossible in our own strength. And yet, as a follower of Christ we know that His will for us is to give thanks in ALL things. 

This Thanksgiving, whether you are in a season of rejoicing, or in one of pain, let’s give thanks together to the One who deserves our gratitude every moment of every day. When we feel like the world is crumbling around us, let us rest in the One who holds every moment of every day together by His will and perfect plan. It is His will that we give thanks in all things. Will you?

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Not Home Yet

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."  2 Corinthians 5:1

I love all things home.  I get a thrill from paint chips, a butterfly in the tummy from funky furniture, a giddy feeling from seeing the perfect placement of cheery pillows on a sofa or bed.  Yes, Pinterest is my friend, and also my enemy.   What often begins as a few minutes of gathering cozy ideas  to apply to my house often ends up being a reminder that what I need to transform my house into the idyllic combined farm/beach house is beyond my budget, time, and talents.   

Nesting is a good thing.  Momma birds lovingly prepare a home for their babies.  We human parents enjoy doing the same for our families.  Homes are at their best when they are a reflection (a small at best is our human hope) of heaven.   But sometimes, I know that I, and maybe you, struggle to remember that while our homes can provide a sanctuary, they are not heaven.  They are not forever.

A few years ago I was talking with a friend about the reality that her family may soon lose their home.  I asked her how she was coping with the uncertainty of  not knowing where her family may have to live if foreclosure proceedings continued.  Her response still rings in my heart, "If we lose everything, we still have a Home in heaven."    Yes,  this friend is amazing.  Her certainty of knowing her eternal address and not forgetting it during times of earthly crisis humbled and encouraged me.  

We currently are living in a rental (small) house (that doesn't quite feel like home).  Praying fervently that our house back "east" sells so we can put a down payment on the dream home we've found.  Every few days I check the listing website to see if "our" house is still available.  My heart rests when I see that no one has purchased it yet.  Through several different devotions I have read, God has been speaking to me about not making the "perfect has everything I've ever imagined" house an idol.  Not putting my "then my family will feel like we're home and everyone will get along better" hopes on an address.   He is reminding me that while we enjoy glimpses of heaven in our homes,  we're not there yet.

I hope if you, like me, enjoy pinning photos of just right rooms and perfect paint palettes, that together we will do so with the perspective of eternity and remember the old song's words, "This world is not my home, I'm just a -passin' through." 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Living Thanks

Welcome to the first day of Broken and Blessed. It is my hope to share a short devotional thought as time, children, and life as a pastor's wife allows me. I hope that as I share how God has blessed, encouraged, forgiven, restored, and in all LOVED me, you will be encouraged as well. Sometimes we think we're all alone on this journey, but we're not. May this humble attempt at a devotional blog remind you of that.

 I John 4:19 "We love because he first loved us."

Many of you. like me, have posted daily reasons for thanks on Facebook or other social media sites. It's been inspiring to read the many unique ways God has blessed so many of my dear friends and family. It is a good thing to pause and remember and celebrate all we've been given in this life.

 I've been challenged this last week to thank God for who He is and how that translates in my life as His follower. Let me preface by saying I have been reading an interesting book that calls its readers to return to a simpler life. A life that puts people on a higher level than possessions. A life that puts the eternal above the temporal. I've gleaned some good insights from this book, but there is one thing that it also has been leaving me with. Guilt. Why? Because the book focuses heavily on the thought that because we have so much and the world has so little, our duty is to to get rid of excess and give to those who are lacking. Yes, that's a good thing. But guilt never serves as a good motivator. Why? Because we never measure up, we can never do enough. It tires us, defeats us, wears us out. So what is the best motivator for us to give thanks? The Love that God poured out to us in His Son. That love and forgiveness was not earned, it was freely given. When we really stop, consider, and live in the receiving of Christ's death for our sins, our natural life's reaction will be that of a living thank you letter. Loving others, thanking others, blessing others, no longer becomes a task, or chore to mark off of our lists, but a natural, vibrant, never-run-dry lifestyle. We can truly love others. Not in ourselves, but because of His love inhabiting in us and overflowing to the world.

Thanking Him together with you for who HE is and all HE has done,

 Sarah