My New Year's Song

Let's sing a new song in 2011. One of my favorite songs is called "Garden" by Need To Breathe and it describes Jesus' prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane before His death. The chorus, however, describes the author's longing for his life attitude to be like Jesus' attitude of total surrender to the Father. These are the words to the chorus:

"Let the songs I sing bring joy to you. Let the words I say confess my love. Let the notes I choose be your favorite tune and Father let my heart be after you."

This is all I want for the new year. To live a life that brings joy to the Father. That all I allow myself to speak would be a witness to the love I have for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That the choices I make be only out of the good and pleasing and perfect will of God.

In this new year, I couldn't wish, for you or for me, anything better than that our song for the new year would end with, "Father, let my heart be after you."

Happy New Year!

Christmas Lights

I see so many houses all done up in Christmas lights. They look so nice. I wish my house could look like theirs. I just have two strands of lights across my front bushes and they aren't very bright. The way the electricity is set up, I have to plug them in and then unplug them from the outside. I would like to do more but financially, the priority isn't in Christmas decorations this year.

There is another kind of light, however, that will come from my house which is brighter than it was last year. This light cannot be seen when you drive by my house. It doesn't shine in different colors or even flash. It's a steady light. A light that resides on the inside of me; my physical house, if you will. The light of Christ.

With each passing year, life gives us opportunities that will test the limits and if we face them with God's guidance and perseverance and a grace filled attitude, it makes our light stronger and brighter. We can then take that light to help brighten other people's lives and hearts.

The best thing about this light, is that it never burns out. In fact it gets brighter with each use and the best thing is, we can leave it on all the time and in all circumstances. My goal is that when folks pass me on the road of life, they will want to have a bright light shining in their own "houses" and not just at Christmas time but all year round.

May the light of Christ fill you and brighten your life for all to see!

Merry Christmas!