Tuesday With Teri

Devotions from lessons I'm learning from God

A Christmas Tree Angel, A Reminder of Grace December 24, 2014

Filed under: devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 1:39 pm

A Christmas Tree Angel….reposting this story has become a tradition. Each year I continue to be reminded of God’s grace as I see her oddly perched atop our tree. I hope you have enjoyed the advent posts this year as much as I have enjoyed writing them. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and new beginnings!

Tuesday With Teri

            I’m not sure where she came from.  I’m not even certain of her age.   I do know that she sat atop the Christmas tree for many of my growing up years, quietly presiding over each holiday season.  I acquired her from my mother many years ago.

Her gold foil, cardboard wings, once ended in perfect points extending her stature to seven inches.  Now her wing span is slightly reduced, as the tips went from being slightly bent, to folded, until they eventually tore off.  Her dark red velvet dress, trimmed with gold brick brack, fits snuggly to her waist before flowing over her cardboard form.  Her once silky, radiant white hair, now hangs in brittle coils around her shoulders.  A little gold foil halo covers a place on her head where some of her hair has given way to the passage of time.

Her head and hands are made…

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Packing Peanuts and Baby Jesus December 23, 2014

Filed under: devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 4:52 pm

 This is the fourth week of Advent. Each week, four leading up to Christmas, we pause in remembrance of the birth of our Savior. In some households a candle will be lit in recognition of each of the Advent themes. This week we light the candle of LOVE

          I was thrilled to receive the box! It contained the manger scene from my youth. As kid I always enjoyed putting up the manger scene. Each year I would set the wooden stable on a prominent table and spread a bed of hay at its base. Careful thought went into placement of the plastic sheep, cow and donkey. Mary, Joseph, the wise men and one lowly shepherd would be arranged around a tiny manger. The last item to be placed, and my favorite, was the itty bitty plastic baby Jesus. I never got too old to enjoy setting them up.   In our home, our daughter Ashley took on the task of setting up our manger scene each year. Even though she is now 25, if she is in town, she sets it up. I hope someday she is as happy to receive our manger scene into her home as I was to receive this one.

 

I did not know what was in the box at first, but it was soon apparent that whatever it was, was definitely precious. Someone obviously wanted to be certain the shipped item made its journey intact. I have NEVER seen so many packing peanuts in my life!   As I pulled apart the oddly combined boxes, static filled, little tufts of pink Styrofoam floated all over our dining room. Eventually I discovered the another box nestled within and immediately recognized it.

 

I carefully pulled out the larger inner box holding the wood framed stable. Below this I found a smaller box, which held the various manger scene figurines. It was partially open and the contents had shifted out of their protective nooks. I immediately began taking inventory and inspecting each piece. As I held each piece I felt a warm familiarity.

 

Two cream colored sheep posed as if in the middle of baying, check.

One donkey with perky ears and tired eyes, check.

One brown disinterested cow, check.

Three wise men of varying ethnicities and clutching gifts to their chests, check.

One balding, barefoot shepherd posed in a kneeling position, check.

Mary and Joseph, both with adoration painted on their faces, check.

Little plastic manger with tufts of hay glued inside, check.

Baby Jesus…..Baby Jesus? Wait, where is baby Jesus? I lost baby Jesus!

 

My heart thumped rapidly as I realized the tiniest, most important, figurine was lost. I pushed down the urge to panic. It had to be in the box somewhere. It figures, my plastic baby Jesus is itty bitty with light pink skin and tiny white swaddling cloth, the packing peanuts which filled the depths of the box before me just happened to be mostly light pink. Finding baby Jesus was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. I plunged my hand and arm into the box, swirling around trying to feel for my Jesus. I was up to my arm pit in packing peanuts when I felt the little thing under my fingers.  I scooped him to the surface and let out a sigh of relief.

(can you find the baby Jesus in the picture included here?)WP_20141205_003

 

 

 

 

This week I have been thinking about losing baby Jesus. It’s not like I am the only one who’s ever lost Jesus. Mary and Joseph lost Him once. Jesus had accompanied his folks to Jerusalem for Passover each year. The year He was twelve, apparently they forgot to be sure He was with the group when they headed home. “…and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. AND HIS PARENTS WERE UNAWARE OF IT…” Luke 2:43

 

I can only imagine the panic that filled their hearts when they realized they had misplaced Jesus. They returned to Jerusalem and found Him in the temple hanging out with the teachers. When his mother asks Him why he would worry them like that, His response is VERY important. You see, in His response He affirms what angels and prophets proclaimed. In His response we hear the truth of who He is… ”Why is it that you are looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in MY FATHER’S HOUSE?” Luke 2:49   Jesus is the Son of God. This is why we celebrate the birth of Christ each year, not because a child was born, but because Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world. We celebrate this amazing act of LOVE.

 

“By this the LOVE of God was manifested in us, that God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is LOVE, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (cancelation) for our sin.” (1 John 4:9&10)

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father…for His fullness we have all received grace upon grace…grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:14-17)

 

“It Is What It Is” December 16, 2014

Filed under: devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 7:23 pm
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This is the third week of Advent.  Each week, four leading up to Christmas, we pause in remembrance of the birth of our Savior.  In some households a candle will be lit in recognition of each of the Advent themes.  This week we light the candle of PEACE.

“It is what it is”. I am not sure exactly when I heard this phrase for the first time. I do not recall what it was in reference to, but it made me feel uncomfortable. Since then, I have heard these words uttered countless times and each time it made my heart ache. I had only heard “It is what it is” in negative contexts I suppose. It was often spoken with a breathy sigh, a resignation of a plight, or a settling/acceptance of a bad thing.

I get it. I know there are times in life when there is just nothing anyone can do, and as one of my friends once said, “Sometimes you just have to put your big kid pants on and deal with it.” Still, it just does not feel right to proclaim a situation as beyond change, even if it is true.

I was not a fan of “it is what it is”, which is why I found it odd, that when considering the topic of “PEACE” for our advent devotion, I could not get this phrase out of my head. I had written it down as a passing thought in my notes last week. It was even scribbled in the margin of a shopping list I made a few days ago. The words kept bouncing around in my head like that ping pong ball in the old Atari games.  At first, I thought of it as a good example of resignation/hopelessness. I thought it would be a good intro into the topic of “HOPE”, but that advent theme has already passed. I had been asking God for something to share about “PEACE”.   I was sort of hoping for a scripture to roll into my life and present itself, not a negative tinged “It is what it is.”  What could THAT have to do with PEACE, God’s PEACE?

I looked the phrase up on line, seeking to find its intended meaning. Of course there were many ways it can be utilized, but for the most part, it has come to mean the following concerning situations:

Inevitable, unchangeable, unstoppable, out of one’s control, and my favorite, “C’ est la vie” (such is life)

Suddenly the phrase that was at once zinging around in my head in negative connotation, came to a complete stop and stood glaring out at me as if in neon lettering. “It is what it is.” is not always about settling for less of a thing, or accepting a negative situation… it is a confidence that when something is not in your control, you will still be okay. It is a knowing that while something is unchangeable, you are capable of moving forward.   We may not control our circumstances, but we control how we respond in our hearts.

At Christmas we are especially mindful of the year round truth that is this:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

This is God’s PEACE…in Him we do not strive for perfection, nor do we sit condemned from our sin. In Him we find grace, unearned favor, forgiveness and life. God’s PEACE is being settled in the midst of unsettling times. We face unchangeable things, unstoppable events and we may not have control, but our God is UNCHANGEABLE, UNSTOPPABLE and always in CONTROL.

“It is what it is” once caused me to envision someone throwing their hands up in defeat…now, when I think of this phrase, instead I envision someone dropping their burden, tossing their hands in the air and falling back into His capable arms.

“For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah9:16)

 

Oh Baby! December 9, 2014

Filed under: devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 8:01 am
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V__3400 This is the second week of Advent. Each week, four leading up to Christmas, we pause in remembrance of the birth of our Savior. In some households a candle will be lit in recognition of each of the Advent themes. This week we light the candle of JOY.

 

My daughter, Ashley, was home from New York for Thanksgiving. We took advantage of her being in town for her to visit family friends, Pete and Kristin.  Kristin, and her older sister Kari, are like sisters to Ashley. They are the daughters of one of my best friends.  We have known them since Ashley was a preteen. Over the years they were always there with encouraging words, ready to listen and including her in their lives.  I know she misses seeing them both and she was glad to at least be able to see Kristin.  It was especially nice since Ashley had yet to meet Kristin and Pete’s newest addition, sweet baby Nixon.

 

The evening we arrived, Kristin’s home was already filled with family.  Pete’s mom and dad, brother, sister-in-law and their baby girl were all visiting for Thanksgiving.  I was engaging Pete’s dad in conversation when I noticed a concerned look on his face.  He looked at me and nodded toward Ashley.  “Is she okay?” he sweetly asked.   That’s when I saw it…I was so caught up in greeting people I almost missed it.

 

Kristin was standing beside Ashley after just placing baby Nixon in her arms.   Ashley, holding and seeing Nixon for the first time, was moved to tears.  She tried to turn away so no one would see her cry.  She knew we’d probably tease her.  I am pretty sure her tears surprised even her.  I was not surprised though.  I had seen her do this one other time, when she met Noah, Kari’s son, for the first time.

 

Pete’s compassionate dad continued to be concerned for her tears.  “Why is she crying?” he quietly asked me.   I assured him she was okay, but struggled with explaining “why”.  Teary eyed now myself, all I could bring myself to say was , “Its because she loves Kristin”.    He smiled, obviously relieved.

 

You see, Ashley does not cry every time she holds just any baby.  But that night, and when she held Kari’s son for the first time, she could not help but be overwhelmed.  She held and looked into the sweet face of a baby born to someone she loves dearly, someone who has loved her unconditionally.  They were tears of JOY.

 

I have thought of Ashley’s precious tears a lot this week.  In the Christmas season we are surrounded by images of baby Jesus.  What would it have been like if Mary had placed baby Jesus in my arms?  I feel certain I too would find myself moved to tears.  I know, because even as I write this, I am fighting back tears at just the thought.  I imagine holding the son of THE ONE I love completely.  Cradling Him in my arms and looking into the eyes of the son of the God who loves me unconditionally.  There would be tears, tears of JOY.

 

We may not be able to hold Him in our arms, but we can hold Him in our hearts.  May this week we consider the treasure of knowing the Son of God and forever mindful of the Joy of it all.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great JOY, that will be for all people.” Luke 2:10

 

NASCAR December 2, 2014

Filed under: devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 5:27 pm
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    This is the first week of Advent. Each week, four leading up to Christmas, we pause in remembrance of the birth of our Savior. In some households a candle will be lit in recognition of each of  the Advent themes. This week we light the candle of HOPE.

       I was simply driving around town running a few errands when I received the first message. It came in the form of a faded bumper sticker on the car in front of me. “God is My Copilot”, it proclaimed. I looked at the empty passenger seat beside me and considered the importance those words. I would not want to go anywhere in life without God near me. He is my copilot too. I decided I needed to be more aware of God’s presence in my life.

 

The second message came as I continued on my way to grocery store. I was bobbing my head to country tunes when Carrie Underwood blared from my speakers. I was immediately caught up in the emotion of her song and soon found myself crooning along with her… “Jesus Take The Wheel…..” I sang it with passion, although not even close to being in tune. The words stirred my heart. I realized I did not want God to just be my copilot, I want Him to be my PILOT! I want Him to have the “wheel” of my life.

 

My errands were completed, and I was on my way home, when a third message came to me from a very unusual source. I am not a NASCAR fan, but I think God may be. I was pushing the radio buttons absentmindedly, just trying to find something interesting to listen to, when I stopped briefly on a station discussing NASCAR. I did not hear all of the discussion, but my mind stuck on something they mentioned in passing. In reference to a recent race they commented, “His SPOTTER could have done a better job for him there.”   A “spotter”, what is that?

 

As if the guys on the radio heard my question, they proceeded to explain that a spotter is an actual position on a NASCAR driver’s team. It is the person who sits in an observation section high above the raceway.   Apparently the drivers have limited ability to view their surroundings as they hurtle around the oval track. They cannot move their heads around very easily and therefore rely on spotters to give them the bigger picture. From their vantage point the spotters can radio to the drivers and alert them to accidents, proximity of other racers as well as giving them tips for maneuvering based on the location of the other cars.   I changed my mind. I don’t want God to just be my copilot or pilot…I want God to be my SPOTTER!

 

Yep, God used a bumper sticker, Carrie Underwood and NASCAR to “drive” the lesson home. (Great pun right?) As I finally pulled into my driveway after running my errands, I bowed my head and prayed.

 

“God, my hope and trust is in You alone. You are more than qualified to be my copilot, pilot and spotter in this journey of life. I want to fully and faithfully follow You.”

        As we enter into this Christmas season and celebrate the birth of Christ, I find myself especially mindful of who God is in my life. His birth, life, death and resurrection are the reason for my every HOPE. Through Him I know forgiveness and grace. In Him I find direction. Without Him I would be hopelessly lost in every way.

That little baby we sing about in a manger….yep, He is my copilot, pilot and spotter….He is my Hope.

“Rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1Peter 1:13