Tuesday With Teri

Devotions from lessons I'm learning from God

Jose’ December 20, 2025

Filed under: devotionals — tlmiller82 @ 4:19 pm
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(Not an actual photo of Jose’)

This 4th week of Advent we consider JOY.  It is always one of my favorite themes on which to focus.  Every year, I am reminded of the difference between joy and happiness.   Happiness is rooted in circumstances, and circumstances are constantly changing.  I love to be happy, but happiness is not always my companion; sometimes I am decidedly unhappy.  But JOY, the joy of the Lord, bubbles up from within us, not due to circumstances, but through the understanding that God is with us, fulfilling His promises. Joy is the knowing that while things may not always seem okay, our God has and will continue to bring us through.

When the angels appeared to the shepherds that night, they did not say “we are about to make you happy, instead they proclaimed “ …behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.”   The world could let out a collective breath that they may not have even known was being held. The Advent of Jesus Christ would mean reconciliation with God, atonement for our sin, grace, and peace in our hearts.  This is truly joyous news!  Daily, I find myself forgetful of this great gift.  I struggle in my flesh, seek happiness only, angrily shake my fist at the world, or wring my hands in despair…But our God said, “I got this” long before we faced our difficult days.   He is worthy of so much joy-filled praise for His great love for us.  Last Sunday, I saw this in action.

His name is Jose’.  I only know this because of a brief “turn and say hello to your neighbor” aspect in the church’s order of service.  He was kind and earnest, his warm smile pushed up his greying mustache, the ends of which nearly met the laugh-lined outer creases of his bright eyes.  The service began.  On the first musical note of the holiday hymn Jose’ sprang to life.  His face turned upward, his arms flowing along with the tune, his gestures punctuating each word of the song.  It was as if he were directing the music.  That morning, as hymns, praise songs, and scriptures were sung, Jose’ seemed unaware of anyone around him.  It was as if he could not help himself…buoyantly reaching up and out as if trying to touch the literal hem of the garment of God.  At one point, I wondered if I was going to need to reach out to grasp his shoes if he levitated off the ground.  He was filled with Joy and it flowed forth in the most beautiful and quiet way.   The image of Jose’ has stayed with me this week…Oh to be reaching out, looking up and overflowing with the understanding of this great JOY… the Joy He gives us through the redemption we find in Christ Jesus. 

In the quiet of the morning, as I sat with my coffee by our Christmas tree, I couldn’t help but think of Jose’….in my prayers, in my life, may I always be reaching out, looking up and seeking God, with a longing to worship God from an overflow of JOY.

Friends,

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

 

Rager in the Manger December 13, 2025

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

 

 

“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