Tuesday With Teri

Devotions from lessons I'm learning from God

Rager in the Manger December 13, 2025

Filed under: advent,Christianity,Christmas,devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 10:00 am
Tags: , , , , ,

Following our granddaughters’ last visit, our manger scene was a bit of a mess.  The aftermath of them spending time with the figurines resulted in what appears to be a rather rough morning after a crazy party.  I was tempted to rearrange the scene, righting it from this chaos to a more aesthetically pleasing nativity scene…but I stopped myself.

 

      Every morning, I look at what I now call the “Rager in the Manger” and smile.  I am reminded of the little hands that held those figurines and the interesting conversations I overheard. 

 

      The display’s inhabitants varied quite a bit…in addition to the regulars, a nesting doll set, a ballerina, and a reindeer made an appearance.  I tried to keep up with the soap opera unfolding before me as they played.  At one point, every figurine was placed in the stable and given names, “this one is grandma Boyles, this is grandpa, this one is Nana and this is Papa…”    Eventually, an unusual storyline emerged from their imaginations…Brooklyn, the youngest, was the ballerina.  She proclaimed she was the mommy and kept having her ballerina lovingly kiss baby Jesus.  Parker, the middle child, pushed back at this idea.  Showing Brooklyn a picture of the nativity scene on a nearby music box, she pointed out that Mary was not a ballerina.  Brooklyn explained that the picture was before she was a ballerina.  Parker’s imaginative mind wrestled this concept into time travel.  Asking if she came back in time.  Then, out of nowhere, Brooklyn proclaimed, “Baby Jesus is going to die”.    Cue dramatic pause…Parker once again tries to make it make sense, “so you came back to sped time with him?”   

 

       “Baby Jesus is going to die.” This blunt statement felt unsettling in the midst of ramping up for the Christmas season, and yet, she was not wrong. 

      This next week of Advent, we await the celebration of the birth of Jesus while contemplating  His LOVE for us.  Births are hope-filled and worthy of celebration each year with candles, presents, and cake.   But, what makes this particular birth different can be found in those startling words uttered by my granddaughter: “Baby Jesus is going to die”.   

       God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to our world on that night long ago…the Word becoming flesh, a savior born to take on the sin of the world, a fulfillment of God’s promise to us all.   His life would continually point the way to His Father.  In every step He took, every action and word, He was leading us to the cross. Yes, baby Jesus would die, but the story only begins there…Christ’s death and resurrection made a way for you and I to be reconciled with God.  Once separated from God by our sin, we can seek forgiveness and know grace because Christ was born, lived, died, and rose again.  

“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the porpotiation(atonement) for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

 

We are loved. You are loved. It is not an earned love. It is a gift, waiting to be accepted, given to us in the birth of Christ.  This week, in every nativity I see, in my head I will hear Brooklyn’s sweet voice: “Baby Jesus is going to die”  and I will thank God for this most precious gift and remember how loved we are.

 

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons and advent of Hope November 25, 2025

Filed under: advent,devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 3:43 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

It was September and far from Thanksgiving, but for some odd reason, visions of the giant balloons in the Macy’s Parade kept floating through my head each night (pun intended).  I had seen a video about the line handlers for balloons.  While an interesting history of the tradition, I had never really considered the folks holding those lines.  No doubt this is what started the dreams.  My Macy’s parade balloon dreams included various balloons looming over a city, with only a few people straining at the lines to control them.  By the third night of restless balloon-filled dreams, I began to put things in place. I had been feeling untethered lately.    Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with self-doubt, discouragement, and guilt.  Oh, I am perfectly capable of breezing through days or weeks, without a care, one step in front of the other, doing life…but there are also days, weeks, seasons, when my mind veers into rabbit holes, drags me back to the weight of past choices, or shrouds my thoughts with hopelessness and anxiety concerning little and large aspects of my world.  It is too easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of life.

Here is the thing, when conditions are perfect, it does not take many line handlers to maneuver the giant balloons…but because things can quickly become imperfect, numerous handlers are needed to keep parade attendants safe and the balloons secure and on track.  That is me, that is my life…when things are going great, I do not feel the need to have help staying attached or on course.  It is only when those life storms kick up that I begin to concern myself with to Whom or how I am anchored or tethered.   

Who holds my lines?  Where do I turn when anxious?  When I feel I am losing myself, who do I trust to reel me back in…I will tell you that on my fourth night of restless sleep, when thoughts of parade balloons loomed overhead…I mentally focused on the handlers.  I found myself thanking God for the people He has placed in my life who are my line handlers.  Family, friends, and loved ones, who go through life with me and remind me of His blessings.  I also realized I had placed lines in hands of people or things not worthy of them…I had allowed people or things to have control of parts of my life that were not healthy; I am learning to let them go.  I also realized I had (once again) allowed the Word of God to fall from my daily life…I can literally feel myself handing God my most impactful “line” each time I read His words.   I feel tethered again.

It is funny, but not at all surprising, to realize that as I sit to write my first advent post this year, it is only days before Thanksgiving and the Macy’s Day Parade!  Those ballons are still in my thoughts and on my heart.  These last few months I have be mindful of my lines…determined to stay tethered to the God of my Hope. 

This first week of advent we stop and consider the HOPE we have in Jesus Christ.   Though we may not deserve it, while we all are still sinners, He sent His son, Jesus Christ, who overcome death on our behalf that we may know forgiveness and grace and not eternal darkness.  THIS is the lifeline God sent to us…THIS is the reason God will always be my ultimate line handler, the One who keeps me on course, safe from all manner of misguiding currents or storms.   I am looking forward to the Macy’s parade this year, but now I will see it differently…those silly, floppy, wayward, comical balloons will forever be a reminder to check my lines and trust the God Who holds them.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13

 

The Christmas Tree Angel…a reminder of grace December 24, 2024

Filed under: advent,Christianity,Christmas,devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 9:37 am
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Merry Christmas dear friends and family.

Have you ever noticed how any time an angel appears in scriptures, the first words they speak are, “Do not be afraid” or “Fear not”. I suspect this is because the mere arrival of an angel is startling and unexpected. Also, perhaps their size and visage, unlike anythig one is used to, is scary. Most Christmas angel decor does not look scary…unless you consider our Christmas angel.

This year as I unearthed our beloved angel Christmas tree topper from her tissue filled box, I was stunned at just how unsightly she had become. If a larger version of her desended from the heavens, knocked on my door or popped up in my room, I would definatley need to hear her say, “Do not be afraid!” She is rather scary looking these days, and yet I love her more each passing year. She is a reminder not only of my growing up years, but of the goodness of God’s grace. Oh, I probably do not need to say, “Do not be afraid” when we meet…but if you could truley see how imperfect I am, know my hidden struggles and failures…you would perhaps gasp and I would say “”fear not”. The Good News is, God has seen and knows all our imperfections and in all our imperfections loves us, redeems us and pours out His GRACE(unearned favor).

Here again, is the annual sharing of The Christmas Tree Angel….Thank you for taking the time to read and share in this season of advent.

I’m not sure where she came from. (update: someone recognized
her and informed me she is a Nuremberg angel!) I’m not even certain of her
age. (update: As a Nuremberg angel, we probably acquired her when my
family lived in Germany when dad was in the Air Force…this would make her well
over 50 yrs!)

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 of wax, as is the candle she holds in
one hand.  I remember her as a beautiful lady, her face perfect and
delicate.  Those qualities are now faded.  Her head, once held high
and straight, has melted somewhat.  It now bows lovingly downward and a
bit to the right.  Two years ago a significant amount of time and effort
was put into re-attaching her long held candle to her now miss shaped
hand.  Yep, she’s a bit of mess you might say.  I like that about
her.

She doesn’t light up or sparkle, and quite often she is too small
for the tree, making her look even more out of place.  But I look forward
to her presence in my living room each Christmas.  Late at night, when the
tree is lit and others have gone on to bed, I find myself thinking of her and
all we have in common.

I too, know what it’s like to have my wings bent and torn.  I
know what it feels like when your body gives itself over to the challenges of
time.  My hair is no longer silky or radiant, and I only wish had a halo
to hide the places where it has become thin.  I understand the sagging of
her shoulders and the bowing of her head.  I have felt the weight every
mother bears for her family.  I know the need to bow my head in constant
prayer.   I love her imperfection.  She’s a holiday reminder
that God loves us in our imperfection.

A love full of grace, a savior born to take on the sin of the world,
a reason to celebrate, reflected in the melted features and unraveled edges of
our Christmas tree Angel.

 

A Love Loud and Clear December 22, 2024

Filed under: advent,Christianity,Christmas,devotionals,life — tlmiller82 @ 4:49 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

As we consider the advent theme of love, my thoughts are on a helpful communication technique shared with us years ago.   When you are talking through a challenging conversation, or working through disagreements…after someone has spoken, before responding, repeat back to them what you heard them say.  Pausing to truly understand what was said, and to seek clarity before you respond is valuable. 

  The proposed conversation structure looked like this:

Person #1 shares thoughts or concern.

Perso n#2 then says, “what I just heard you say was……”

Person #1 affirms that was the intended meaning of their words, or they can course correct and clarify.

To be honest, we seldom applied this technique, our contentious or emotional conversations rarely played out so orderly…but we did find a place for it in our everyday life. 

Scott:  Hun, why do you always cook the scrambled eggs to death?

Me:   What I just heard you say was…You want to make breakfast yourself every day?

We may joke about it, but the reality is that we do need to be mindful of our communication.  Clear communication is never more important than when we want to communicate love. 

When my husband takes care of our vehicles, I hear “I love you.”  When he tends the yard and helps clean the house, I hear “I love you.”  When he takes the dog out on cold rainy days so I can stay warm and dry inside, I hear “I love you.” 

When I try to not make us late to events (a challenge because I tend to dilly dally), he hears “I love you.”  When I keep the home orderly and support his work, he hears “I love you.”   When I make him breakfast, even though the eggs are “cooked to death,” he hears “I love you”.

 Love manifested toward us is hard to miss…it is shown…it is felt…it changes things…it is LOUD and CLEAR…this is the love God revealed to us in the birth of Jesus.   In a humble barn, on a silent night pierced by the cry of a baby, wrapped in cloth and laid in a manger, God said, “I LOVE YOU!” Loud and Clear.   Do you hear it?

“In this is the love of God was manifested toward us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son to be propitiation(atonement) for our sins.” 1John 4:9-10

Lord, what I just heard you say was…. “I love you!”

May this week be filled with constant reminders of how deeply loved you are by God.

 

Joy- a Choice to Trust December 17, 2024

Filed under: advent,Christianity,Christmas,devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 10:23 am
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

The advent theme JOY is perhaps my favorite of the advent themes.  I probably should not have a favorite; they are all pivotal moments in our remembrance of why we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  I just love that JOY is not seasonal or situational.  Joy does not require me or my circumstances to be perfect or perfectly happy. 

I like this explanation: Joy is a lasting emotion that comes from the choice to trust that God will fulfill His promises.

Joy is a gift for any heart in knowing God has provided a way, just as He promised, for all of us to be reconciled to Him.  This is the “good news of a  GREAT JOY which shall be for ALL the people”, proclaimed to those shepherds in Luke 2:10

 I have a renewed understanding of this explanation of joy.

We had some young adult guests in our home the other evening.  A few of them noticed a framed photo on our wall, a gift from my daughter.  It was taken in 1984, the night before we were married.  We were just kids, one month from turning twenty, and unable to imagine the future we would share.  In wonder they said, “Wow, that is a long time, you must be very happy.”    At that exact moment, I was indeed very happy.  I am blessed to share love and life with Scott.  We have had a ton of happiness.  But I also know our journey has had plenty of unhappy times.  Afterall, we are imperfect people navigating life in an imperfect world.  In our lives, happiness is wonderful, but it is not what matters most. 

What fills the heart, encourages grace, propels us through hard times, comforts, gives us confidence, and allows us to love one another every day is this:  We share a lasting emotion that comes from our choice to trust the promise we made to one another that day in 1984.

Choosing to trust God in all things, knowing He has done and will do all He has promised, is a deeply planted seed of joy that will sustain you in all your days.   May this week be filled with joy, not just the happy sights and sounds of Christmas time, but the deep-down joy of knowing God fulfills His promises.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

 

 

Unwrapping Peace December 7, 2024

Filed under: advent,Christianity,Christmas,devotionals,life — tlmiller82 @ 10:57 am
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This week of advent, Peace, has been a gentle reminder of the profound peace offered to us by God. A gift that stands out amidst the clutter and chaos and waits to be opened.

Recently a friend shared a conversation she had with her husband.  Apparently, he had a history of questionable gifting.  This year she decided to give him some not so vague guidance for his efforts.  It was a lighthearted story, but I also recognized that this small communication was actually quite huge.  Instead of letting herself grow hurt or disappointed in his gift, she was honest with him.  It is not that material things are of importance, but being able to communicate even in the little things matters.

Too often in the earlier years of our marriage I kept my husband in the dark.  Perhaps due to my exposure through magazines, TV, movies and books which glorified grand gestures, thoughtful gifts or met expectations that all happened spontaneously, without being discussed…. I somehow expected my poor hubby to just KNOW what was on my mind, what I expected, what I needed.  God bless him for navigating that landmine filled time in our lives.  He was literally living in a hit or miss reality, guessing what I wanted or needed him to do or say at any time.  Learning to communicate in a healthy way has made all the difference in our lives.

Communication brings us into a closer relationship

 A closer relationship brings confidence

 Confidence creates trust 

Trust brings peace of mind and heart

Honest communication can be hard even in the best relationships.  Sharing our thoughts, needs, burdens or hopes, and listening with care to those of others, can be a very vulnerable endeavor.  I have come to realize prayer is this kind of communication.  Oh, God doesn’t need me to tell Him my thoughts, needs, burdens or hopes…He knows my heart, He created my mind…but prayer is the communication that brings peace.

Communicating with God leads to communion (a close relationship) with Him

Communion with God brings confidence

Confidence creates trust…and when we truly trust in Him we know peace.

Prayer is not fancy words, it is not a “wish list”, it is communicating your heart with a God who loves you and wants a relationship with you.  

Prayer is the gift wrapping that opens our hearts to God’s gift of peace!

 May we all, through prayer, unwrap the peace that comes from knowing Him, and in knowing Him, confidently trusting Him.  

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ.” Phil 4:6&6 (NLT)

 

The Angel waits December 24, 2023

Filed under: advent,Christianity,Christmas,devotionals,life — tlmiller82 @ 2:00 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

 

She is here…she is waiting.  Our beloved Christmas tree angel has survived another year.  The years have not been kind.  Her hair continues to fall away and there is little left of her once radiant halo.  Her
misshaped hand clings to a barely recognizable candle and the glue keeping her head attached has discolored and cracked…but she is still here waiting.  She is waiting for our daughter Ashley’s arrival.  She will place her atop our tree, a tradition that gets more entertaining each year now that her dad can no longer easily lift her up to accomplish the task.  

 

Once again I find myself connected to this angel as I consider the wait. Waiting is
hard.  When my granddaughters struggle with waiting I let them know I understand… “I know it’s hard to
wait.”  My daughter-in-law sent me a sweet video of our little Brooklyn telling her friend when they were  told itwas not time for dinner yet, “My friend Nana says it’s hard to wait”.  I hear her little voice in my head today as I think about how hard it is to wait even now.  Waiting for closure, answers, direction, healing, growth…waiting for things to be clear, for conflicts to be resolved, for chaos and confusion to
settle into order and understanding…waiting is hard.  While we wait there is work to do, people to love and the hope and grace through Jesus Christ to share.

 “I wait for the Lord. My whole being waits, and in His Word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5

Here again, the annual retelling of “The Christmas Tree Angel”.

 Merry Christmas dear friends and family.

I’m not sure where she came from. (update: someone recognized
her and informed me she is a Nuremberg angel!) I’m not even certain of her
age. (update: As a Nuremberg angel, we probably acquired her when my
family lived in Germany when dad was in the Air Force…this would make her well
over 50 yrs!)

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 of wax, as is the candle she holds in
one hand.  I remember her as a beautiful lady, her face perfect and
delicate.  Those qualities are now faded.  Her head, once held high
and straight, has melted somewhat.  It now bows lovingly downward and a
bit to the right.  Two years ago a significant amount of time and effort
was put into re-attaching her long held candle to her now miss shaped
hand.  Yep, she’s a bit of mess you might say.  I like that about
her.

She doesn’t light up or sparkle, and quite often she is too small
for the tree, making her look even more out of place.  But I look forward
to her presence in my living room each Christmas.  Late at night, when the
tree is lit and others have gone on to bed, I find myself thinking of her and
all we have in common.

I too, know what it’s like to have my wings bent and torn.  I
know what it feels like when your body gives itself over to the challenges of
time.  My hair is no longer silky or radiant, and I only wish had a halo
to hide the places where it has become thin.  I understand the sagging of
her shoulders and the bowing of her head.  I have felt the weight every
mother bears for her family.  I know the need to bow my head in constant
prayer.   I love her imperfection.  She’s a holiday reminder
that God loves us in our imperfection.

A love full of grace, a savior born to take on the sin of the world,
a reason to celebrate, reflected in the melted features and unraveled edges of
our Christmas tree Angel.

 

 

Worth It December 7, 2015

Filed under: advent,Christianity,Christmas,devotionals,humor,life — tlmiller82 @ 9:56 am
Tags: , ,

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 the Advent themes.  This week we consider PEACE.

“Whose idea was this?”  I thought to myself as I turned off my alarm and rolled out of my very toasty, snuggly, comfy bed.  A month ago this plan seemed brilliant.  My dear hubby decided to offer to fly up to New York, pick up my daughter Ashley, and her new puppy, and rent a car to drive her home for Thanksgiving.  Of course this grand plan meant that I would drive her back the following Sunday and then fly home.  That is how I came to be rolling out of bed long before sunrise.

 

I squinted at the clock (because my eyes had not entirely gotten the message it was time to wake up), 4:15.  Our goal was to be on the road by 5am and we were well on our way to meeting that goal…then the hubby woke up.  Apparently he thought we’d be out the door long before 5!  Soon he was urging us onward and fussing that we were not moving with the appropriate “urgency”.  We picked up our pace and tried to relieve his concern…but soon found ourselves ushered out to the car, WITHOUT COFFEE!  “You don’t have time.” he pronounced as he waved goodbye.  Who in their right mind would send two women out on the road, in the predawn hours, without coffee?   That was just crazy.

 

The first thing we did was stop at a McDonalds near the interstate to get two coffees.  Here is an abbreviated version of the day…

  • Kindly attendant handed us 2 piping hot coffee cups, no protective cup sleeves(they were out)
  • once on interstate discovered cups too full to add creamer and there were no stirrers or napkins
  • daughter concedes to allow me to listen to Christmas music the entire trip, as long as I promised to NOT sing along.
  • stopped again to “fix” coffees…coffee spills inside and outside of car somehow (refer to previous mention of no napkins)
  • discovered rental car’s GPS is programmed to avoid interstates and is constantly trying to reroute us…
  • dog happily sleeps the entire time (mostly) thank goodness.
  • finally able to sip cooler, bitter coffee and relished the last bit as it contained most of the sweetener (refer to previous mention of no stirrers)
  •  approx. 3hrs into drive, found a Starbucks!(thanking God for New Jersey turnpike rest areas!)
  • enjoyed a fairly stress free drive, until we actually got to NY
  • managed to survive negotiating through NY traffic, avoiding the worst areas thanks to Ashley’s navigation skills and NO thanks to the two GPS devices we were depending on.
  • Arrived safely at La Guardia airport in time to drop off rental car, hug Ashley good bye as she and her dog got an Uber ride home, and I caught my return flight back to Virginia.

WHEW!

It was quite a journey, but it was worth it.  She was worth it.

 

Once I was back home,  I marveled that I been to NY and back in a single day.  Before heading to bed I stopped to finish setting up the nativity set we had placed on an entry table.  I thought of how each figurine represented someone who had also been on a journey.

 

I imagined Joseph’s burdened heart as he  escorted his pregnant fiancé across difficult terrain and uncertain future.  Young Mary’s advance stage of pregnancy surely made her journey uncomfortable and anxiety filled.  The shepherds left the familiarity of their fields.  Each step taking them to Bethlehem moved them far from their comfort zone amongst their sheep.  The wise men understood their journey was to not be taken lightly.  A lot of thought went into the gifts they would carry with them for the long trip.  Each of these travelers knew their journey was worth it.

 

I looked at the tiny baby Jesus, nestled in the little plastic manger painted with hay.  This figurine represented the one who had taken the greatest journey of all.  God left the enormity of heaven, came to a broken world, in the confines of flesh, to give us PEACE. 

He brought us His peace, not peace that exists because everything is okay, because often it is not.  This peace is knowing He is with us, He is for us, and He is victorious!

He made the greatest journey because He considers us worth it!

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

(John 1:14)