when a gift doesn't feel like a gift... until it's gone...

The gift came... unexpected... unwanted... about a year ago...

The kitten of a stray mamma...
who gave birth... unseen...
under the shrubs...

The crew wreaked havoc in our lives for a time...
after much trauma... of kittens... cats... and us...
one kitten remained...
Omega...

A gift I didn't want...
but unable to traumatize him anymore...
he became an inside cat...
our first one in over twenty years...

Just this week...
as he lay next to me...
I wondered at his soft fur...
green eyes...
loud purr...
and thought about his Creator...

A God who gives gifts...
even in the form of domestic animals...
to care for... enjoy... wonder at...

But now he's gone...

It's been more than 48 hours since he went out...
he has not returned as usual...

Each hour... makes it less likely he will...
and I have to admit...
it makes me sad...

Wondering...
what happened...?
did he suffer...? or still suffering...?

And I wonder at the loss...
and how a gift that didn't feel like a gift...
when suddenly gone...
is seen...
for the gift he was...

"...The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;

blessed be the name of the Lord."

Job 1:21 ESV

returned gifts...

I had some gifts returned yesterday...

though it was a surprise...

it wasn't a bad thing...

One gift returned was my flute...

the one I played in high school...

I'd given it to my nephew several years ago...

when he wanted to pursue the flute...

This semester... he graduated with a masters degree in music...

he owns his own superior flute now... and a piccolo...

Yesterday... in the kitchen he brought them down...

opened them up... and asked me to play...

I had no idea if I could...

and mostly I couldn't...

I also couldn't believe how much I'd forgotten...

fingerings... notes... and how to make a clear sound...

But he patiently coached...

reviewed keys and notes...

and for a bit... we played part of a Christmas carol...

The master's educated musician... encouraged me to take my flute...

the one he learned on... the one I had given him...

to re-learn to play...

a gift returned... with gratitude...

The musician's brother was there too...

who I hadn't seen in over a year...

not since he was married...

He too returned a gift...

one which also surprised...

When they arrived...

I gave them hugs...

expressed how good it was to see them...

Then later... when things were quiet...

he descended on me again...

with a big bear hug...

Sorry... it's just been so long...

he says... as we hug...

and in the background I hear his mom say...

He loves his Aunt Carol...

And I wonder at the hugs and the words...

never knowing... he felt such love for me...

Both returned gifts...

revealed an unknown impact...

I made on those I love...

The gifts I've offered over the years...

may have looked one-sided...

but somewhere along the way...

a shift was made...

Gifts of love... no matter how small...

are never wasted...

and one day...

when you least expect it...

they just might be returned...

in a good way...

...give, and it will be given to you. Good measure,

pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.

For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

Luke 6:38 ESV

Have you had any returned gifts lately...?

Christmas... one more word... love...

Love...

The Word wrapped up in the manger...
is the greatest expression of God's love...
for the one's He created...

In this the love of God was made manifest among us,

that God sent his only Son in the world, so that we might live through him.

1 John 4:8 ESV

Even though we rebelled...
and broke everything...
He made the way through Jesus...
for us to return to Him...
and for Him to make all things new...
in and around us...

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ --

by grace you have been saved...

Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV

I pray you see His love...
know His love...
today and every day...

Have a very blessed Christmas...
Carol...

2 words till Christmas... give...

Give... an Advent word...

the word given... with just 2 days... till Christmas...

The Christmas tradition of give...
is born out of the Nativity story...

God gave Mary the blessing of bearing His Son...
she gave Him herself for His use...

"Behold, I am the servant of the Lord,

let it be to me according to your word."

Luke 1:38 ESV

Joseph gave up his reputation...
to give the Savior a flesh and blood dad...

...Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame,

resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things,

behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream...

Matthew 1:19-20 ESV

The shepherds gave encouragement...
by going to see what the angel revealed...

And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been

told them concerning this child. ... Mary treasured up all these things,

pondering them in her heart.

Luke 2:17, 19 ESV

And the wise men... they gave gifts...

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother,

and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures,

they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:10-11 ESV

Sometimes I think I've created a monster... when it comes to giving Christmas gifts within my immediate family...

In recent years... I've tried to pull back on the material...
focus more on the spiritual...
the true meaning of Christmas...
but giving gifts... has deep roots...

When I was little...
my mom made Christmas BIG...!
presents... presents... presents...
under the tree...
from Santa...
stocking-stuffers...

With both parents raised in the Great Depression...
making sure their children had more...
was important...

Jesus...
even though He should have been the center of attention...
was relegated to the shadows...
in a small hand-carved Nativity scene...

We didn't attend church as a family...
no Christmas Eve service...
no communion...
no Nativity story read from the Bible...

But gifts... they were front and center...
so that's how it went with my kids...
give a BIG Christmas...

Now it feels out of control...

Gifts have started piling...

None of these are from me...
my adult children... now connect Christmas... with giving gifts...
(and... Yes... these should be under the tree...
but it's still not decorated...
and... Yes... I know it's 2 days till Christmas...
and... Yes... it's still messy...!)

The wise men's giving of gifts... was an outpouring of worship... to the newborn King...

they fell down and worshiped him... 

opening their treasures...

they offered him gifts...

John Piper... in his daily readings for Advent... emphasizes this view...

The gifts are intensifiers of desire for Christ himself in much the same way fasting is. When you give a gift to Christ like this, it's a way of saying something like this:

The joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich with things from you. I have not come to you for your things but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up things in the hope of enjoying you more, not the things. By giving to you what you do not need and what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically, "You are my treasure, not these things."

--- John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy

The wise men didn't give because He needed...
the wise men gave because they desired Him...

The give of Christmas...
is not about the material...
it's about love...
because the One who started it all...
gave...

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but in order that the world might be saved through him. ..."

John 3:16-17 ESV

God wrapped up His Son... Himself...

the Infinite... Uncontainable... Creator...

into a tiny gift... a Babe...

in order to give the world... a Savior...

because He loves us so much...

He couldn't leave us lost...

He desires us to come back... to Him...

He gave... and still gives...

to reveal His great love...

And I suppose that's what's at the heart of all the crazy buying and giving in my family roots... the desire to show love... to bless... to make happy...

But the real question in all this giving...

What are you giving...? to show your desire...? for Him...?

because... really... without Him... we have nothing...

We love... because He first loved us...

and we give... because He gave...

one day...

One day till Christmas...
for most... it seems like less...
festivities begin this Christmas Eve...

Still so much to do...
unsure how it will happen...
looking forward with anticipation to what will get done...

Feeling the same about these twenty-five days...
He did... does... so much...
He is... so great... more than we can fathom... discover...

John wrote...

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.

Were every one of them to be written, I suppose

that the world itself could not contain the books

that would be written.

John 21:25 ESV

With all that He is...

what we've seen... what we haven't...

we end the twenty-five days...

with Him as Gift...

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish but

have eternal life. For God did not send his Son

into the world to condemn the world, but in order

that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16-17 ESV

A gift is given...

and God gave His Son...

as a gift of grace... mercy... redemption...

gift... something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation

---Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Ed.)

Gifts given... are given freely...
no compensation...
no payment required...
no strings attached...
that's a real gift...

But with freely given gifts...
we also have the right to refuse...

Or... we can receive...
but never unwrap it...
never open it up...

The same is true of Jesus...

Through Him... God offers...
the free gift of salvation... grace... mercy...

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing: it is the gift of God,

not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

The gift of Jesus... comes to us... completely undeserved... 

a gift of grace... unearned... unmerited...

When received... by faith...

the gift of Jesus... opens for us...

the way of freedom... peace... joy...

There is therefore now no condemnation for those

who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life

has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh,

could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful

flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

in order that the righteous requirement of the law might

be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh

but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4 ESV

Freedom from sin... death... fear...

The Word says... sin holds us in a death grip...

and the root of fear is punishment...

because we have become God's enemies...

But by receiving the gift of grace Jesus offers...

we are freed up from all that binds...

Jesus is a gift given... to the whole world...

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise

as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,

not wishing that any should perish, 

but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

Yet there are those who refuse to receive...

Then there are those who receive...

however... they refuse to trust the Gift...

with difficulties... or wealth... or worry...

They continue living as if still bound...

when chains have been broken...

cell doors flung open...

death-sentence repealed...

The Gift of Jesus...

receive...

unwrap...

trust...

He is the Greatest Gift ever given...

to a dark... cold... broken... lost... world...

And the angel said to them,

"Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news

of great joy that will be for all the people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David

a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10-11 ESV

Have you received Him...? do you trust Him...? do you live freely by His grace...?

Father God... continue to grow me...

in the joy... freedom... grace... and love...

of the Greatest Gift... You've ever given...

Bless me with the time to unwrap...

as much of Him as possible...

Note to email subscribers... If you only read via email... know you are one day behind... to read the actual post for Christmas Day... go to Jeremiah's Menu... today...

seven days...

Seven days... only... seven days till Christmas...
this time next week... will bring the joy of celebration...

Are you ready...?!

The gift experienced yesterday... Behold, the Lamb of God...
helped prepare a heart...
grateful for the time and gift...
grateful for the one with whom I went...

Grateful for these twenty-five days...
and the call to focus on Him...

Christmas... a time of thanks...
for a promise answered...
a gift received...

Jesus... the fulfillment of the promise...
a forever King...
a Promised Land...
a Life Eternal...

A gift received... only by recognizing... our need...

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prisons to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

to grant to those who mourn in Zion --- to give them

a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness

instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead

of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV

He came to the poor... with good news...
to the brokenhearted... with healing...
to the captive... with liberty...
to a stump of a world... with hope of life...

Poor and needy...

These words echo through my mind...
recognizing... this is who we are...
this is how He came...

His humble dependence...
from cradle to cross...
no crib... no bed...
no place to call home...
even in death... a borrowed tomb...
showed us who we really are...
He came to live like us...
reveal our poverty...

Poor and needy...

Unless we know the reality of our need...
we will not receive the promise... the gift...
we'll miss it altogether...

The Pharisees in their pride missed it...
actually dismissed it...
disposing of it on a cross... (or so they thought...)

Poor and needy...

He knocks on the door...
but only those who recognize their need...
their blindness...
their dis-ease...
answer it...

"... For you say, I am rich, I have prospered,

and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched,

pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy

from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich,

and white garments so that you may clothe yourself

and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen,

and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. ..."

Revelation 3:17-18 ESV

Those who think they are "blessed"...
let Him knock... and knock... and knock...

"...Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ..."

Revelation 3:20 ESV

To receive the gift...

to open the door...

you have to hear the message...

receive the truth...

You are poor and needy...

let Me in... so I can heal...

provide... make new...

Are you poor and needy...? or do you have it all together...?

Me... I pray with the psalmist...

As for me, I am poor and needy,

but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 40:16 ESV

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what does joyful expectancy look like...?

So I asked Him today...
What does joyful expectancy look like...?

The answer came in the form of an image... a vision...

Joyful expectancy is waiting for someone to open a gift that has been set before them...

A gift you know will be wonderful...
a gift you know will bring joy...
a gift you know will keep on giving... never get old...

Joyful expectancy... waiting for others to open a great gift...

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

the Gift...

The second week of a study...
a second week of lectio divina...
this week's passage... Acts 2:29-38...

This Jesus God raised up...

having received from the Father the promise

of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this

that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

...the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:32-38 ESV

Do you see it...?

Jesus's obedience... led to His perfection... and glorification...

in response... the Father gave Him... the promised Holy Spirit...

Before His crucifixion... suffering... and resurrection...

Jesus did not have the Holy Spirit to give...

...for as yet the Spirit had not been given,

because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:39 ESV

Father God promised it to Him... 

on completion of His mission on earth...

and return to heaven...

He Himself had access to the Spirit...

but He could not give it to others...

Jesus obeyed to receive the promised Gift...

One He could pour out on us... as gift...

The Holy Spirit is a gift of love...

an affirmation of His love for us...

The Holy Spirit... the Gift of the Lover... to the beloved...

And I wonder... 

Do I receive this Gift... in the same manner... in which it was given...? a love willing to lay down my life in order to gift the One I love...? Will I allow Him to perfect me through suffering... as a gift... to my Beloved...?

What about you...? do you recognize the depth of love... wrapped up in the Gift...? How do you respond...?

Lord... grow me to love You... as You love me...

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live,

but Christ who lives in me. And the life 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 ESV

Love came down...

I feel it... in the dark early hours of the morning...

Love... came down...
to share the Gift... of the Holy Spirit...

Love...
Joy...
Peace...
Patience...
Kindness...
Goodness...
Gentleness...
Faithfulness...
Self-control...

Do you see it in Him...? the Gift of Love...? in the midst of the hurry... the hustle and bustle...?

Can you share it with others... this Christmas...?

Let Him shine the light of love... through you... to others...

Remember... the real reason... for all the rush...
celebrating... sharing... the Love... that stooped low...
for you...

Take a moment... ask Him... to fill you up... with the greatest gift...

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow...

1Thessalonians 3:12

1000...

Blogging @ Jeremiah's Menu... a milestone of sorts...

It won't mean much to you...
but today... is significant to me...
this post in particular... the 1000th published...

I've watched the number climb with disbelief...
knowing if it was just me... there would not be so many...

This practice of...
preparing...
presenting...
putting down...
pouring out...
this gift of writing continues...*

For me today...
it is 1000 evidences of ...
His faithfulness...
His presence...
His grace...

It is His... to do with what He wills...

For from him and through him and to him

are all things. To him be glory forever.

Amen.

Romans 11:36 ESV

*Note: these words... preparing... presenting... putting down... pouring out... of gifts... learned from Priscilla Shirer's Gideon... giving credit where credit is due...

broken... a place for grace to flow...

Getting honest with ourselves does not make us unacceptable to God. It does not distance us from God, but draws us to Him --- as nothing else can --- and opens us anew to the flow of grace. While Jesus calls each of us to a more perfect life, we cannot achieve it on our own. To be alive is to be broken; to be broken is to stand in need of grace. It is only through grace that any of us could dare to hope that we could become more like Christ.

--- Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

I see a loved one... struggling with what he sees... when he comes into His presence... overwhelmed by the darkness revealed in His Light...

The initial response... run... hide... protect the heart with pride...

But the proper stance... is to stand in the Light... trust His forgiveness... and let grace flow through...

Praying for those who are broken... to trust Him... draw near... and let grace heal...

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

and this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God...

Ephesians 2:8

finding Him... in Christmas...

Where do you see Him today...?
The One who fills...
brings light...
gives life...
and is the Greatest Gift...

For the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 7:23 

Father God... help me to see Him... in the stockings filled...

shimmering candlelight... evergreen of the tree...

and each gift received...

enter the Kingdom... as little children...

the Jesus Storybook Bible...

I found out about this treasure from my sister-in-law... who has many grandchildren... now I have none... and my youngest is nineteen...

But I felt compelled to order... it came... and I've been enchanted by this storybook Bible... subtitled...

Every story whispers his name...

And it does... over and over... the author points the way to Him... His love... and His great plan for the rescue...

Truth... woven into an overview... of the Bible... simple enough... for children...

The introduction to the Nativity story... caught my attention... as it echoed recent thoughts...

Everything was ready. The moment God had been waiting for was here at last! God was coming to help his people, just as he promised in the beginning.

But how would he come? What would he be like? What would he do?

Mountains would have bowed down. Seas would have roared. Trees would have clapped their hands. But the earth held its breath. As silent as snow falling, he came in. And when no one was looking, in the darkness, he came.

---Sally Lloyd-Jones, the Jesus Storybook Bible

If you have children to gift... this would be a great one...

Even if you don't... gift it to yourself...

Come to Him... like a little child...

 But Jesus called the children to him and said,

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom

of God like a little child will never enter it."

Luke 18:16-17 NIV

active duty...

The current treadmill read... reminds Believers... they must take an active role... in their defense against the darkness...

The first thing you should understand about God's protection is that our role is not passive.

--- Neil Anderson, The Bondage Breaker

The author continues by emphasizing the verbs in Ephesians 6:10-13...
be strong...
put on...
be able...
stand firm...
take up...
resist...

It made me think... about the armor... which many days... I prayerfully put on...

But... perhaps each piece... requires... active maintenance...

The belt of truth...
breastplate of righteousness...
shoes of gospel peace...
shield of faith...
helmet of salvation...
sword of the Spirit...

What does it look like to maintain... strengthen... these vital pieces of armor the Lord has prepared for us...?

How do we... wear them... use them... in a way... that increases their effectiveness in our lives...

Something to explore over the next few days...

Standing firm... ready for... active duty...

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,

who trains my hands for war...

Psalm 144:1

off track... or divine detour...?

A simple focused task... file the 2012 tax return... went completely off track... when one box after another had to be moved... to complete the mission...

Two and a half hours later... through tears... trash... and pages... and pages... of notes... and studies... the last 15 or so years of my past... had been waded through...

The many notes... and writings... revealed... that my entire faith journey... has included writing as an expression of faith...
letters to family and friends...
poems...
articles...
devotionals...
Some completed... some not... some shared... some stuck in a box... for more than ten years...

Some of the pages... I remember writing... with passion stirred... and a desire to share... but fear... kept me from moving forward... with an offer to speak... or... submit for publication...

Many of the pieces... have been sent as Christmas cards... or included in a church Advent book...

But the number... of writings... I just let sit... in a box... brought to mind that servant... who buried his talent in the back yard... ugh...!

Of course... just yesterday... I read almost half of a book... Love Does... whose primary message is... say Yes to God... by doing... following through...

I believe... a reminder has been given... a gentle nudge... a push... to do more... with the words He gives...

A divine detour... in the middle of afternoon chores... to open my eyes... and heart... to what He has given... and the call to use it... not bury it... despite... fear... experience... or ...qualification...

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

1Peter 4:10

What about you... do you have a talent buried...? 

Maybe it's time to dig it up... dust it off... and use it... boldly... for Him... (after all... it is... His...)