Why Santa Never Comes To My House

Santa is harmless right? I mean, that's what you hear from everyone everywhere. He is harmless. Or this one, "Who doesn't like a jolly guy in a red suit?" And on the surface, yes, I like Santa. I loved him as a child, and I dreamed of his shiny red sleigh landing on my roof, and I strain to hear little twinkle bells jingle as I would lay awake in bed with eager expectation for Christmas morning.
But here is my issue with Santa as I am now a parent myself, and not only a parent, a parent who has been entrusted with children by God. God entrusted me with children who have wide eyes, and unwavering faith. And then I will take those sweet little faces in my hands and lie to them. I will tell that Santa is real. That A mere man can fly around the earth in one night and deliver toys to people everywhere. I will go on to lie to them that Santa knows when their being good, so if they are not good, they won't get as much. I will also lie into their sweet little faces about the fact that Christmas is Santa's big day!
Yes, all these lies I will tell. Really?!
Never. I will never lie to my children like this. Because here is the truth about those little "innocent" lies. The real truth is this, how will my children ever believe me when I tell them a young virgin girl, had a baby and the baby grew up to be a man who died on the cross. This baby who came to die, knows when we've have been noddy or nice, and He forgives us every time we ask for forgiveness when were noddy. He also gives us grace and mercy. Grace giving us what we don't deserve, and mercy keeps us from getting what we do deserve. This little boy who grew up to die for my sin, cares not about bad I was before I came to know Him, but He does desire me to live a life that is honoring to Him, not so I can get lots of nice things one day a year, but so that I can share in the joy of the life lived walking with God every day of the year.
THAT is the message I will share with my children. I will take their sweet little faces in my hands and I will tell them truth. Life giving truth that will save their souls for all eternity.
I always thought it takes more faith to believe in Santa then it does in Jesus.
Am I being to extreme here? It is a not very commonly shared view that I hold and propose here is it? But I have for some time thought that the idea of this jolly red man stealing the glory from the One and ONLY who came to save the world... has had the glory for long enough. Santa has stolen in such an innocent way mind you, the meaning of Christmas. Perhaps you think Santa harmlessly exemplifies what Christmas is all about, you know, good spirits, joy, giving, and the festive attitude that makes winter more bearable. How about this, the baby born to die, makes LIFE more endurable. He makes life worth living, and fills us with joy ALL year long. He makes me have good spirits even my world is falling apart because I know He is in control, cares not about the sins I passed confessed and committed. He is the reason for life...not to mention the reason for the season.
He is with me, in and out of season.
SO yes my friends, on the surface, Santa is nice. But I do not want my children to hear me tell them sweet fun lies about Santa, and in the same breath tell them the truth of Christ. How will they know if I am being honest about Jesus, if I lie to them all their young life about Santa? Can fresh water and salt water run from the same spring.... Can truth and lie come from the same lips? A house divided against itself cannot stand. So instead my house will stand on ONE foundation, One truth...One hope....One Joy....One Peace. One REASON for this season, and all seasons. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. Merry Christmas friends...

Out of the Heart

Dear Father I wanted to write you this note
I feel a small lump in my throat.
What I thought was your plan seems to have slipped through my hands
and I'm left wondering what you have in store.

I am very thankful for all you have done,
for my daughters and my sweet son.
I love them to pieces and gather them in
every day I am thankful to call them mine.

But I question and wonder with a prayer in my heart,
what do I feel this is not the whole, just a part?
My table feels empty and my hands able to hold more,
tears are starting to fall, as my knees hit the floor.

Jesus I cry, my heart wants to break,
this feeling I have will you please take?!
If the longing can't be filled on this side of heaven,
I wish you take away that I long for 5, 6, 7....

I sort of feel shame asking this thing,
You have blessed me so much.
But in your word you say to ask, to seek and to knock,
So here I kneel...

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, or sad,
but the hurt in my heart stings so bad.
I am thankful, I am thankful, I am thankful I cry,
I'll give you this burden, at least I will try.

Jesus I know that you feel all my pain,
You know every tear that hits my cheek with a stain.
I lift my eyes up to look into Yours,
I trust You Jesus.

I know the promise you painted in the sky,
But like Abraham's plan, I can't see the end,
And as hard as I think cry and pray,
My future is always yours at the end of the day.

Each day I wake up and I say, IN GOD I TRUST.
And each day I remind myself, I must...I must.
You are King over all, the flood and the sun.
You are ruler of all, I trust you my King.

I give up, I give up. Once and for all
This is yours, its all yours, I cry, I call.
Take my heart, take my plans,
It's better when they are resting in your hands.

I give up, It's yours.
Take it, this burden from me.
I'll stand up,
I walk forward in victory.

A Prayer While We Face Sorrow

God of Peace,
My hands tremble and my heart quakes. I shudder at the evil that lives within man. I can not stomach the thought of living in a world where this type of violence lives on every street corner.
I know you want my racing mind to stop. I know you want me to find my hiding place in the quiet of your embrace, where I can lay my head on your chest and listen to your heart beat.
I want to grab my children, cling them to me, wrap them up in my arms and never release them. I want to hide away in my home and never let them face the dangers of this world.
But I felt you remind me, that you are in control. That you are King over my life, my children's lives and the lives of those lost. You held the hands of the babies who left earth to soon yesterday in the same way you hold the  hands of babies who are aborted every day. You held the hand of the baby I lost before I knew how fragile life was, and you will hold my hand when I leave this earth as well. I want to sit in the corner, and cry, but you are telling me that I need not hide. I want to hide my children away so they can be "safe" but I realize the safest place they can be is in your hands, as I daily place them there knowing they are mine to take care of for as long as you want me to, and when it's time for me, or them to leave this earth, it will be best.
I want to hate those who kill. I want to hate those who take lives. And then I remember that my hate is equal to murder. And I repent.
I want to rage. I want to throw my hands up and blame someone. Anyone. Yell and show how indecent this world has become. How this world has lost it's innocence and value of life, but then I remember what you said as you hung there on the cross, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." And my face burns in shame. FOR it was MY sin that held you there.
And I also remember that this world is NOT my eternal home. I am only passing through. And so are the children who go home too soon on our clocks.
Big tears rolled down me cheeks. The hurt I feel in my heart resembles that of a gun shot wound because it leaves a big hole. As I see some of the faces who's very real life has been shattered in one day. But then I remember those holes you bore for me, in your hands, your feet and your side. You bore those wounds for me, and everyone else who knows how bad they need you.
The pain I feel in this world Lord, sometimes is more than I can handle.
And then I remember, I'm not supposed to try and handle it, I'm supposed to hand it to you. And you Lord will hold my pains, my fears and my hurts for me...and you let me rest in your perfection.
As people fire off hate with their mouths, guns and looks, I rest in the fact that someday you will make this whole broken world a thing of the past.
I trust you more than I fear, and I hand you every pain I feel, and I know you hold every tear that has fallen.
Jesus, you are the only One who makes sense is this world and this is why I need you now, and always.
Amen

Dear Friends,
This prayer comes from the depths of my soul. If you don't know the peace I speak of, seek the Lord of heaven. Cry out to the God of peace. Ask for His hand to hold yours, and He will. Jesus is the only answer in the face of such amazing sorrow and pain. Jesus is the only HOPE that you can hold on to that will never leave you or forsake you. And I know we all want to ask the question, "why would He allow this..." but I don't ask that question anymore because I know and I trust that even though the pain we feel on earth is excruciating it will end when He brings this world to a close, and we go heavenward. We have pain because we live in a pain scorched world. God is in control. God is sovereign. But the wickedness that is organic in man will not cease until man no longer thinks he does not need God. Murder is as old as the garden of Eden, and it will not end until He returns. But until that day comes we have an ever present help who meets us where we are at...and I pray you all ask Him to meet you where you are at right now. I know I am.

Remind Me...

Has anyone ever said to the one they love, "remind me that you love me?" Whether we were loved or not, the reality is, is that if we ask that question, we need to hear it, out loud, again. We are human, and we do need reminders. Reminders can come in many different forms, it can be flowers, a card, a kind word, a rainbow, and smile, an extended hand...
Reminders are good for us because they help refresh us, and renew our ability to carry on when the going gets tough.
Mostly I'm reminding my children to clean up, pick up, obey, listen, be polite, stay clean, make their bed and so on...but what about reminding them that they are cherished, held, loved and a gift to me, what about reminding them that at all times I am praying that I do what is best for them, what about reminding them that their is HOPE for them in their future.
These are the kind of reminders I ask for from my Heavenly Father.
I don't feel so bad asking Him for reminders because many people of great faith in the Bible did so as well, it's written all over the Psalms, David crying out for God to meet him "there"...or Abraham looking up at the stars each night...thinking, "is that really how many children I will have Lord?" And each time it's as if the Lord says, "Trust me."
He tells us He has plans for us, He tells us He is working all things for the good of those who love Him. We know that He is good. Holy. Perfect. And so are all His ways. THIS is a good reminder isn't it? I like to know the one I place all my hopes, fears and concerns on is trustworthy. And each time I ask Him, He reminds me of His faithfulness. The reality that HE has been faithful through all generations, gives me utmost hope, and peace for the times where the ground feels shaky, and uncertain. He meets me there to. And helps me not to stumble. He is always reminding me, that His ways are best, and I can rest in that.
Then there are those days where you wake up and the ground you stand on seems to be literally sinking beneath you. And if we are all honest with ourselves, I think we all have these days from time to time. But we serve a God who meets us there in that place as well. He gets down on His knees, meets us there in the dust and gently lifts our faces so our eyes lock with His. And then He tells me, to trust in the Lord with all my heart, to lean not on my OWN understanding, but to trust in Him, and FIX my eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of my life. HE is the Alpha and Omega, my beginning, and my end. AND He is the one who literally makes a way where there is no way. That even though we indeed feel the death sentence in our soul, we are reminded that He is the one who raises the dead. And even though our eyes fail, He causes the blind to see. And even though our strength fails, HE is the one who causes us to run and not grow weary. He is the link in the fence that makes this all make sense, and until those links connect by the Grace of Jesus, nothing, (even our good days) will not fully make sense.
So if you find yourself down in the mud, face dirty and wet, and sorrow in your heart...realize this, the one who washes us clean, picks us up and makes us whole (even when we are broken physically) is waiting, and not only waiting, He is always available. He will never leave you, nor forsake you, and He is by far the most patient One you will ever KNOW.
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest..."
Only through Him can I be victorious. Only through Him can I believe. Only through Him does my faith rest on a solid place. Is your faith resting on the Solid Rock?
"On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground in sinking sand..."
And after all this what am I left with? A perfect life? Maybe some days feels this way, but NO, I am left with peace. A peace that surpasses ALL human understanding. A peace that is NOT based on my circumstances, but rather a peace that is based on the all sufficiency and the consistency of Christ. There is no Stronger place to rest.
This is what He reminded me of today, so I thought maybe you friend would appreciate that reminder today as well. Lord bless you, and Keep you. He is the best place to land.