What a Grand "Boot Out" to 2008

OK...just came in and wanted to post this while it's fresh and I'm fresh, and probably won't be able to get to sleep anytime soon anyway. Sorry this clip is so short, but they had these "guards" walking back and forth confiscating camera's...what the...? Anyway, I had to have my moms' third eye at work while trying to keep the other two scanning for the resident aisle monster. He was "the Man," for sure and is better than ever. You'd best go if he comes near where you live. What a night!!! Oh and, my own personal Elf Whitney is the bomb! By the way...that's me you hear cheering him on. P. S. Another reminder to turn off my page music so you can hear him.

Huge diversions !!!

I get to "open" my Christmas present tonight from my daughter, Whitney... It's me and Neil Diamond all the way. Oh, and Wayne gets to come too. He he I'll let you know how it goes.

...and a Happy New Year!

The incredulous Masten clan descended upon our little ranchstyle home in full regalia. What was once thought to be a bit quiet, changed in the blink of an eye! By the time all was said and done, we counted nineteen nephews, neices, cousins, sisters, brothers, and one Nana. Still there were others that were missing, as well as missed. Food, laughter, and discussions covering every possible subject were plentious in every corner of the house. You would have thought that anything important to talk about was held off until we could all get together. Each flat surface was covered with either a plate of food, opened gifts, cups of tea or coffee, or a board game.

The major reminder was that even though this year was not as "present-full," it was full of His presence. Holding hands in a circle as we all showed our thanks before dinner was a small, habitual, but significant gesture from us as a family, and the unison statement following the amen "everybody here loves everybody here" was heartfelt. Keeping God, as the center of our celebration is important to us all. Seeing the last of them go home Sunday morning was sad, but remembering that the gift of love that we each share for the other is the best gift of all.

Now, ready or not, we move on to a New Year...2009, Wow! Knowing how much has happened in 2008, it would be easy to be a little "gun-shy" for what's coming if we weren't assurred that He is wanting to lead our way. We raise our children to not be followers, rather leaders. However, in our christian walk we need to learn to be as a sheep following The Shepherd. Maybe it might be a good thing to re-read and personalize the 23rd Psalm. To remember our Place, our Purpose, and His Plan. How much safer can we be, no matter what we experience, than to be carried on the shoulders of our great Saviour.

Have you ever experienced ....

SADNESS: a state or spell of low spirits, sadness >Synonyms: blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, mopes, oppression, unhappiness

So what do we do when we can't seem to pull ourselves up "by our bootstraps?" Are you sad or "off" today? I know the bottom line answer to our dilemma. It's that we feel so out of control about many of the things surrounding us. The only thing I can control, or at least try to control is me, and that is probably the hardest thing to do. So what do I do with everything else? Let all the circumstances begin to dictate my attitude and actions? What does the Apostle Paul say in paraphrased form? "That which I would not, that do I do... My spirit's weak and wavering, whoops there it flew. My sin is creeping over me, I covered up with flesh, the carnal man's controllin' me, I'm just a bunch of mesh. Am I the only one that finds myself repeating the phrase "I am soooo over all of this?" May I share with you what put me back on track?

Yesterday I had the privilege to deliver gifts, food, and a Christmas tree to a multi-family home along with some other friends. A recently widowed grandmother has taken in her two daughters and their children into her 1000 s.f. house. She is struggling with the loss of her husband, as well as trying to take care of eight extra people, which also includes her nine year old grand daughter who suffers from kidney failure and high blood pressure. Little, frail Brooke has to be in the hospital every few months for treatment at Valley Children's. The extra stress from having to support a sick child, drive daily to be with her while admitted, and bear the burden of keeping everyone warm and fed, while disabled herself, is overwhelming. The monthly SS check of between $500 & $600 is hardly adequate. When we arrived she was embarrassed. Even though her home was very small and crowded, it was clean and warm. I couldn't help but love on her as she worked so hard to try and express her gratitude through unending tears. She showed us the many pictures of the husband she'd recently lost, and her nine grandchildren. We asked permission to take some pictures to share with others that have adopted other families through the children's hospital, and they were happy to do it. I have been blessed to be able to bless others this way for the past three years, but this time was different. Not being able to erase that scene from my mind's eye last night caused lack of sleep, and encouraged me to pray for them, as I had done with them before leaving their home. Feeling a little like the Widow's mite here...want to give so much more, even though giving all I had....and not regretting one ounce of it!

At this Christmas time my perspective was sharpened just a little more as to how much God has shown His love to us since the beginning of time. Think about giving His one and only Son. I can relate, although rather roughly, remembering how I felt moving from SLO to the Fresno area. Taking my children from the protective bubble of their small schools and "throwing them to the lions" so to speak in huge educational complexes where they knew NO One. Isn't that what God did, but on a much greater scale? Imagine how God must have felt, all the while knowing what was going to be the outcome. The nativity pictures are sweet and nice to look at, but behind all that we could see, was so much more. All that to say that my "Mite" doesn't even begin to touch God's great gift. I only can even begin to relate in the fact that, like me at that moment, I was able to share all I had to give. My resourses will replenish, but God gave His own flesh and blood because His focus was on you and I...even then. What a gift! I hope you will take a few minutes to turn down the blog music, and watch and listen to this little video. One of the best I've seen. Look into the eyes of Mary, Joseph, and the visitors who were a part of that eventful night. I think that they may have understood a little who this baby was, don't you?

No matter where we find ourselves this year, we are truly blessed. Bake, give spiced oranges, a card, a smile, a hug. If you've never taken the time to watch this old classic, here is a clipit, then join with the Masten family and take the movie in this year. It's our gift to you! Have a wonderful day doing whatever you need to do.

P.S. Don't forget to turn off/down the blog backround music!

Times...they are a changin'

So, are you enjoying everything that the Christmas season brings? It seems to me that as a result of the change in our economy, people are approaching what was "the norm" over the past twenty years plus, very differently. I spent two days this past week in San Francisco. It was not per the usual hustle and bustle in that city. Decorations were very toned down, sidewalks were not crowded, the stores were packed full of SALE signs, discounts, coupons, etc., instead of the frantic holiday purchasers. All was definitely CALM & BRIGHT, but fiscally slow. Kind of sad. The thought came to mind that perhaps this is God's way of utilizing something that is challenging to us, that will get our attention turned to Him. Maybe it might be one way that people will be forced to consider what Christmas is really about. After all, if we can't hurry around buying, selling, partying, or ignoring the real reason for this season, what is left but to spend time contemplating life, and even the reason for our existance. The Bible states, "that even the rocks cry out there is a God." What does it really take to get our attention, and jar us back to reality? God is not a shouter, rather a Father that speaks to us in a still, small voice. "Be still, and know that I am God." I'm wondering if all the noise of our worlds has crowded out his gentle whispers to us. Would we even recognize His voice if we heard it?
Father, remove the blinders from my eyes, the numbness of my heart, and replace them with a keen ability to hear your voice and sensitivity to your gentle touch. Remind me that I was created for your plan and your purposes. That I waste much of my time running in circles instead of following your lead. You only want the best for me, to grant me the desires of my heart, and much of the time I sabotage myself by thinking I know what's best for me. So God, get my attention. Work with me as only you can so that my life is not only pleasing to you, but firmly planted in what is true, good and acceptable to you. Help me to uderstand what you want me to see and not become dulled mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Thank you, Father, that nothing is ever wasted in your economy. You are a restoring God, and I will continue to believe that you will do what you say you will do.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Christmas thoughts

At a time when most seem to be thinking of the "how's" of this holiday season, I am going to try and remind myself of all the "whys." I'm hoping that this will encourage YOU to write some of your thoughts and memories of Christmas and what it means to you.

I'll start...When I was a kid we always shared Christmas Day with extended family, namely my cousins. Butch, Marilyn, Vivian, & Kenny. Their parents, Carl & Alberta, and my Dad's oldest sister that we always called Grandma Stoltz (who was really my Aunt) Oh well, that in itself is a long story. Every year my Dad would give my brother and I a few dollars and we would go to the Woolworth's store and buy our gifts for everyone. I don't remember exactly how much we had but it wasn't much more than it would take to buy a Big Gulp drink today. We would walk up those oiled wooden floor aisles, where all the $.05 & $.10 items were displayed. I always went towards the fingernail polish and lipsticks for my teenage girl cousins to start. We would fill our little baskets full of the tiny treasures and buy those ten gifts or so to take them home to wrap and put under the Christmas tree. Can you imagine wrapping a bottle of polish or a tube of lipstick? Thinking back, now I realize why everyone always had such big smiles on their faces while opening them. They would always guess out loud what was inside. Maybe it a purrrr, or maybe it's a pair of slippers, or maybe it's a coat. All the while knowing what it was. The money spent, if any, was not the issue, it was most definitely the effort and thought that the youngest two in the family had invested that counted. I grew up in a close knit, loving, nurturing family where God was known and worshiped. Now, in hindsight I appreciate fully some of the incredible sacrifices my parents made in order that my brother and I have an education that would be an extension of what they believed, taught us through their example, and lived on a daily basis. Some of my most precious memories are remembering my Dad standing in the warm kitchen under the oven hood-light reading his Bible early in the mornings. My Mom would read the Bible through almost every year and sat in her rocking chair in her room always getting excited about something new she had learned while reading through the Old Testament for the umpteenth time. Getting back to Christmas, I've learned that it's not the effects that the holiday season has on us that matters, instead it's the simplicity of the reason for this celebration. Christmas is not all about everything it has become, it is only about one thing, one person. But as our lives become so muddled and blurry, so do times like this. The words of this song say it well, "God sent His son, they called him Jesus, He came to love, heal and forgive, He bled and died, to buy my pardon, an empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives." It isn't a Christmas carol, but the words engulf the reason he was purposely sent to live among us. So, while I am updating my Christmas lists, sending my Christmas cards, and shopping for Christmas presents I am making the "conscious" effort to not loose sight what God must have had in mind long before that day long ago. I pray we don't get LOST in the preparations, except the preparation of our hearts.

"Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing" HK

Probably should wait longer between posts, but didn't want to forget any of this...Turn up your speakers and listen to the song that should start playing while you read...I think it fits.

Pastor Mitch gave a thought provoking sermon last Sunday on Jonah. I'm sure most of you have heard the story sometime during your growing up years. Let me refresh your memories. Jonah was a prophet from Israel. One day God spoke to Jonah and told him to go to the capital city of Nineveh. Now the rub here is that Nineveh, being the capital of Assyria, hated Israel. This city was built to represent everything contrary to God. In fact, they were "God haters," or anti-God. These Assyrians were prominent, powerful, and pagan. In other words they were self-made, successful, and blind to their sin. So, God decides to send our friend Jonah on a mission. As is God's way still, He often chooses to use broken, fearful, runaways like Jonah to do His work...because He is relentless in His plan.
Well, what happens is that Jonah listens but instead of making the 500 miles east trip to Nineveh, he instead jumps on a ship and plans to go 2000 miles west to a "safe" city, Tarshish. His thoughts may have been, how could one man, an Israelite, go to a well-known pagan city like Nineveh, and tell them they were doing everything wrong and going to die because of their lifestyles and beliefs? God must be sending him on a suicide mission! The story goes on that while on the ship Jonah ends up having to sacrifice himself anyway. He took responsibility for his disobedience in order to save the ships crew, and jumped into the sea, only to be swallowed by a "great fish." I don't know; Which sounds worse to you? Being in the belly of a whale for 3 days & 3 nights, or going where God has already paved the way. See how our perspective is corrected so many times in retrospect? We, like our friend Jonah, just don't really believe that what God asks us to do, He has already made provisions for. I find myself going metaphorically 2000 miles in the opposite direction sometimes because I don't stay focused on God's provisions, His grace, His love or His faithfulness. Will we always understand why? That would be NO; but, as Pastor Mitch says, "Understanding can wait, but obedience can't." So, maybe the same question we might ask Jonah, now that we see the total picture, we can ask ourselves. What part of GO do I (we) not understand? What part of OBEY do I (we) not understand? Here is what I see that happens. We become so comfortable and "watered down" while we gather others around us, to think like us, to justify things that we do and the way we live allows us to become just a little like that city of Nineveh. The masses there all thought alike. That one person would even have the audacity to try to come into their environment and point a finger at them. The Assyrian's were daunting for sure. I can see myself in this scene and find myself "understanding" why Jonah did what he did. Not because he was right, but because I am weak too. When things are good and I am safe within my comfort zone it's all good. But when the "winds and the waves" are beating on me, there are times that I am "driven by the wind and tossed."(James 1) We all have a mission to accomplish, just like Jonah, and our problem is not so much that we don't know what we should do. We know perfectly well, but we just don't want to do it." Now the story ends well. Jonah learned the importance of listening and obeying, and once back on dry land went to Nineveh and saw God do a miracle in the lives of that whole city. Moral of the story: Let's all continue to encourage each other as we grow in the strength and knowledge of who our God is. I want to be the reason why someone comes to know God more, not the the reason that they continue to struggle, or trip and fall. You go, Jonah!