Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 62

3 Books on my Bedside Table, Part I

From the time I was two years old, my father would let me pick out a new Little Golden Book at the grocery store each week. Then every night for a next week, I’d ask him to read it, until I had the words memorized.

In kindergarten I learned to decode the mysterious squiggles and began to read for myself. The Rogers Free Library in Bristol, Rhode Island, became a magical place. As soon as I was old enough for my own library card, I’d walk the mile to the library and check out as many books as I could carry. Lugging them home, I’d grin with anticipation. Over the next few days, I’d devour them as eagerly as most kids devoured Pop Tarts.

I’d read at the dinner table, in the lunch line, in bed, and even in the bathtub. When my sisters got in trouble for playing too much and reading too little, my transgressions were the opposite.

In middle school, when social interaction was awkward and filled with adolescent nonsense, I found warm and welcoming companionship in books. Although part of me wished to be popular, the greater part of me loved my quiet life filled with reading, writing, and thinking.

Today, several decades later, my heart still beats faster when I open a new book. Ever since my first book was published, I’ve approached books a little differently. When I read aloud to my granddaughters, I always begin by reading the title AND the author’s name. I know now what it costs an author to birth a book. Skipping over his or her name is like enjoying a delicious meal without thanking the chef—it’s ungrateful and rude. I read the introduction too, and the forward. These places give me a glimpse into the author’s heart.

This year, as I welcome in the new year, three books sit on my nightstand. One is a perpetual favorite, and the other two have already begun to change my life. I want to share them with you in the hope that you might consider adding them to your list of Must Reads for 2017. 

Happy New Year, and happy reading.


Book #1: New Morning Mercies, a Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp

[image error]
Every morning at breakfast for more than ten years, my husband and I have read a brief selection from a devotional book. In the past we’ve read various couples’ devotionals, several of John Piper’s works, and even a daily devotional app. This year, when I heard a friend talking about a new devotional, I took note and bought it.

New Morning Mercies found its genesis in daily Gospel tweets Tripp would send out to his followers. The well-received tweets caused several readers to suggest he use the tweets as a basis for a 365-day devotional. Tripp took the challenge, and New Morning Mercies is the result.

Each one-page devotion begins with one of Tripp’s famous tweets. Here are some examples:

“Your rest is not to be found in figuring your life out, but in trusting the One who has it all figured out for your good and his glory” (Jan. 2).

“Hope is not a thing, not a location, not a situation, not an experience. Hope is a person, and his name is Jesus” (Jan. 23).

“God is unwilling to be your means to what you call the “good life.” Your relationship with him must be your definition of the good life” (June 24).

Tripp’s words are wise, biblical, and applicable to the challenges we encounter every day. I’m very much looking forward to my husband and I starting our days with his truth-filled challenge to find God’s mercies in every day.

For Part 2 of "Three Books on my Bedside Table," CLICK HERE.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Three Books on my Bedside Table, Part I

Beginning when I was two, my father would let me pick out a new Little Golden Book at the grocery store each week. Then, every night for a next week, I’d ask him to read it, until I had the words memorized.

In kindergarten I learned to decode the mysterious squiggles and began to read for myself. The Rogers Free Library in Bristol, Rhode Island, became a magical place. As soon as I was old enough for my own library card, I’d walk the mile to the library and check out as many books as I could carry. Lugging them home, I’d grin with anticipation. Over the next few days, I’d devour them as eagerly as most kids devoured Pop Tarts.

I’d read at the dinner table, in the lunch line, in bed, and even in the bathtub. When my sisters got in trouble for playing too much and reading too little, my transgressions were the opposite.

In middle school, when social interaction was awkward and filled with adolescent nonsense, I found warm and welcoming companionship in books. Although part of me wished to be popular, the greater part of me loved my quiet life filled with reading, writing, and thinking.

Today, several decades later, my heart still beats faster when I open a new book. Ever since my first book was published, I’ve approached books a little differently. When I read aloud to my granddaughters, I always begin by reading the title AND the author’s name. I know now what it costs an author to birth a book. Skipping over his or her name is like enjoying a delicious meal without thanking the chef—it’s ungrateful and rude. I read the introduction too, and the forward. These places give me a glimpse into the author’s heart.

This year, as I welcome in the new year, three books sit on my nightstand. One is a perpetual favorite, and the other two have already begun to change my life. I want to share them with you in the hope that you might consider adding them to your list of Must Reads for 2017. 

Happy New Year, and happy reading.


Book #1: New Morning Mercies, a Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp

[image error]
Every morning at breakfast for more than ten years, my husband and I have read a brief selection from a devotional book. In the past we’ve read various couples’ devotionals, several of John Piper’s works, and even a daily devotional app. This year, when I heard a friend talking about a new devotional, I took note and bought it.

New Morning Mercies found its genesis in daily Gospel tweets Tripp would send out to his followers. The well-received tweets caused several readers to suggest he use the tweets as a basis for a 365-day devotional. Tripp took the challenge, and New Morning Mercies is the result.

Each one-page devotion begins with one of Tripp’s famous tweets. Here are some examples:

“Your rest is not to be found in figuring your life out, but in trusting the One who has it all figured out for your good and his glory” (Jan. 2).

“Hope is not a thing, not a location, not a situation, not an experience. Hope is a person, and his name is Jesus” (Jan. 23).

“God is unwilling to be your means to what you call the “good life.” Your relationship with him must be your definition of the good life” (June 24).

Tripp’s words are wise, biblical, and applicable to the challenges we encounter every day. I’m very much looking forward to my husband and I starting our days with his truth-filled challenge to find God’s mercies in every day.

In my next blog post, I'll share two more books that sit on my bedside table. If you haven't yet subscribed to Hungry for God, now's a great time to do it. You don't want to miss the details on the other two books that have changed my life.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

2016 My Year In Review

In some ways, 2016 was one of the most challenging years of our 32-year marriage. My husband and I experienced tremendous change, deep loss, and profound joy.  I suspect your year was similar—a bittersweet mix of tears and triumph. 

It is good, at significant junctures like the start of a new year, to look back and to look forward. Looking back reminds us of God’s faithful and sustaining presence. Looking forward reminds us that the same God who walked with us in the past will continue to walk with us in the present and into the future. 

We gain great comfort in tracing the hand of God through the days of our lives. It reinforces our hope and calms our fears. I take great comfort in the promise of Isaiah 46:4: 

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” 

So here’s my year in review. As you listen to my family's story, I hope you'll remember that the same God who carried us will also carry you if you put your trust in him. Happy New Year. 

Our year began with a huge change—we put the house where we’d lived for 29 years on the market. We’d lived in this home longer than anywhere else. We’d reared our daughters there, welcomed our friends, held Bible studies, extended hospitality, and shared happy family gatherings. In some ways, it was a hard decision, but God gave us peace that it was time to move. 







Right before we moved, we lost Winston, our rescue dog. Only nine years after we adopted him, Winston's death was sudden and unexpected. As only he can do, God helped us focus on the nine wonderful years we had with him instead of deeply mourning the years we lost. He was my faithful walking buddy, patient writing companion, and ever-present comic relief. He also had the softest ears of any dog I've ever petted. I still miss him a lot. 








In March we celebrated my dad’s 80th birthday. After several years of serious health challenges, he felt good enough for us to honor him with singing, gifts, and CAKE. 






In the spring, I competed in the Toastmasters International Speech Contest. I shared a message called “I Am Rich,” based on Psalm 37:16. Even though it was my first year competing, I won first and second place in our club contest, area, and division. It was a great learning experience, and a wonderful way to remind people that it isn’t money that makes us rich. 






After much searching and prayer, God led us to our new home in early April. It has a better layout for extending hospitality (very important, as we like to host prayer meetings, Bible studies, and other gatherings), and is in a much safer neighborhood. Best of all, we moved much closer to our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters. Now it’s much easier to be a regular part of their lives. 



 











My husband and I started walking daily in our new neighborhood, something we feel much more comfortable doing now. We also began praying while we walked the 2.8-mile route, which was great preparation for what was to come next . . . 

In May David lost his job of 17 years. It was a tumultuous time as we prayerfully sought God’s will for a new job. Although he was out of work for 3 months, God provided for all our needs, including expensive medication we were unable to afford because of the loss of his health insurance. We learned how intimately God knows and meets our needs—the medication ran out the week he became covered under health insurance at his new job. Jehovah Jireh—God provided. 


 Also in May, I had the honor and privilege of speaking at a Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony for my agent, Les Stobbe, at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. It was a joy to speak for the dozens of authors he has helped along in their publishing journey and pay tribute to his behind-the-scenes prayer and life partner, Rita.

The summer brought opportunities to spend time with family and friends, culminating in a trip to my hometown of Bristol, Rhode Island to welcome my daughter and son-in-law back from a 2-year assignment in Japan. We had the opportunity to reconnect with extended family and visit the little town about which I write so often. 




In the fall, when my eldest daughter and son-in-law left Japan permanently, I received the fulfillment of a promise God had given me two years prior when I sent my beloved daughter 7,000 miles away:

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,’ declares the LORD. . . . ‘Your children will return to their own land’” (Jer. 31:16-17). Great was his faithfulness. 

2016 also granted me many opportunities to encourage women through women’s ministry events. I shared “Dressed for Success,” “Stepping Out, How Our Footwear Impacts Our Faith,” and “A Hat for All Seasons, Serving God in Every Stage of Life” at churches in Savannah, Columbia, Lexington, and as far away as Brookville, Pennsylvania. 




 In November and December, I shared a brand new Christmas-themed program, “3 Keys to a Spirit-filled Christmas” at several churches, including ours, which hosted a lovely Christmas tea for the occasion.




And on December 28, Hubby and I celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary. During the more than three decades of our marriage, we've laughed, cried, mourned, and rejoiced. We've struggled and triumphed, despaired and persevered. We haven't always liked each other, but we've always loved each other. Our commitment to God and the truth of his Word has been the glue that has kept us together through the ups and downs of life.




In between these highlights, we’ve had spiritual, relationship, and financial challenges, but God has carried us through them all. He’s given us wisdom when we’ve asked, comfort when we’ve cried, and hope when we felt hopeless. 

As we begin a new year, my prayer for your family and mine is that we will draw closer to God, be further conformed into the image of Christ, and shine ever brighter for his glory. 




“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23).



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

If Your New Years' Resolutions Always Fail - 4 Steps to Take

A year ago I shared these thoughts on successful new year's resolutions. I'm happy to say they worked. If you're taking stock of your life and realize you want to make some positive changes in 2017, I think these tips will help.


“It will make your back feel better, protect you from injury, and give you great abs.”

The physical therapist was making a compelling case for why I should make time every day for the exercises she was prescribing. Years of working in awkward positions as a dental hygienist, combined with the hours of computer work I do every day was causing me discomfort—enough discomfort to seek medical advice. The exercises she prescribed would take less than ten minutes a day, and I should feel better almost immediately. I eagerly embraced her recommendations. After all, it was my idea to seek help.

Yet I didn’t do the exercises.

Oh, I thought about them every day. I agreed they were good for me. I acknowledged I should do them. I even bought an exercise ball and put it in the family room so I’d have everything I needed to follow her plan.

Yet I didn’t do the exercises.

One of my dental patients shared a similar story. “I know I need to floss,” she said. “When I do, my mouth feels cleaner, my breath smells better, and my gums don’t bleed. I read just yesterday how having healthy gums can help prevent heart and kidney disease, which is really important since my father died of a heart attack.”

Yet she doesn’t floss.

I even hear this in regard to spiritual disciplines. “I know I should ________________(read my Bible, pray, give, serve). When I do, I feel less fearful, more fulfilled, and more productive. I handle stress better, and my husband and I fight less.”

Yet many don’t have regular times of Bible reading and prayer. 

Why?

Why do we struggle to do the things we should? Even the things we want to do and acknowledge are good and helpful?

Even the mighty apostle Paul struggled with this. He expressed his frustration in Romans 7:18-19:

"I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”

If Mary Hunt, the brain behind the money-saving blog, Everyday Cheapskate, had been around in Paul’s day, he would have benefited from her advice. Thankfully, Mary IS around in our day. She shared a post called “Why 88% of New Years Resolutions Fail and How to Make Them Work.” It’s a practical, helpful read, and one I suggest you print and keep.

Without copying and pasting the whole article here, she and B.J. Fogg, Ph.D., director of the Persuasive Tech Lab at Stanford University, share four steps to new year resolution success:


1. Pick only one resolution. Instead of vowing to lose 30 pounds, exercise daily, and cut out everything but vegetables and tofu from your diet, choose one goal. My goal is to do my physical therapy exercises.

2. Take baby steps. “Make it tiny, even ridiculously so,” Hunt advises. The characteristics of a truly tiny step is that it’s quick and easy. For me, it would be doing one set of my PT exercises (there are 10 in the overall plan). For my floss-flunking patient, it might be to floss one tooth.

3. Become accountable. Write it down. Tell someone else. Enlist a partner to work on one resolution of her own and compare notes at the end of each week.

4. Give yourself positive feedback. Reward yourself, do something that makes you happy, or celebrate with your accountability partner.

After sharing our mutual self-improvement failures, my dental patient and I agreed to make ourselves accountable to each other. “I’ll work toward doing my exercises regularly,” I told her, “and you work on developing a regular floss habit.” She agreed, and when she comes back in 6 months for her checkup, we’re going to compare notes.

I’ve been working Mary Hunt’s plan for about a month now. Instead of trying to do all the sets of exercises my physical therapist prescribed every day (ten in all), I decided to exercise on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On those days, I might not do all the exercises, but I at least do something.

Four weeks into my experiment, I'm still exercising. There’s something delicious about giving myself the freedom to skip a day in between. And take the whole weekend off. One day this week, I chose to do my exercises on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, because I knew Wednesday would be busier. SCANDALOUS!

Instead of experiencing defeat and a totally failed resolution, I’m successfully building a habit. And you know what? I feel great. No back pain. No muscle cramps. And I think maybe, just maybe, I see a hint of an ab muscle forming . . . imagine that.

As you move into the new year, I hope you’ll choose one discipline to work on. Begin with baby steps, make yourself accountable, and reward yourself for progress. At the end of the year, you’ll be delighted with what you’ve accomplished.

And if spending time with the Lord every day is your goal, may I suggest a resource that will help?


I wrote my devotional book, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time because I know busy women struggle to make time for the Lord in the craziness of everyday life. Each devotion takes less than five minutes to read. The book is small enough to carry with you and pull it out whenever you have a few minutes for quiet reflection. 

And it’s available on Kindle, so if you carry your phone with you, you can also carry my book. At $2.99 for the Kindle version, it’s cheaper than your favorite latte and will be a great investment in your spiritual life in 2016. 

Whatever your goals for the new year, I pray God’s blessings on your efforts. And if you’d like to make yourself accountable, leave a comment below, and I’ll pray for you. Happy New Year!



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

6 Things that Are Right about the Church

I bet you could list five things you don’t like about your church. Maybe ten. 

The pastor preaches too long. 
Or not long enough. 
The music is too loud, 
or too traditional, 
or too contemporary. 
It doesn’t have enough programs. 
It’s too hot. 
It’s too cold. 
The service starts too early. 
Someone’s always asking you to volunteer.

Or maybe you haven’t joined a church, because churches are: 

Full of hypocrites. 

Always asking for money. 

Unfriendly.

If you google “complaints people have about church,” you’ll find dozens of articles. In response to the sometimes overwhelming negativity against the church, I’m going to be counter-cultural and tell you what’s right about most Christian churches. 

The pastor preaches God’s Word. 

He studies. He thinks, and he prays. He’s always wondering, how can I make this principle come alive? He worries, too, when he has to say hard things. But he says them anyway, because he loves his congregation and God more than he loves being popular. 

The pastor loves you. 

You’re seldom far from his mind. He carries you like a lamb on his shepherd shoulders everywhere he goes. Some nights he doesn’t sleep well, because he’s thinking and praying for you. That wayward teen? He’s praying for him. That broken marriage? He prays about that, too. He notices when you miss a week, or two, or three. 

Many people there love God with all their hearts. 

They’re trying their best to follow him. They serve selflessly, give sacrificially, and invest their time and talent into the church. They don’t always get it right, but they try. They clean bathrooms, vacuum floors, and set up tables. They teach your children, bring meals when you’re sick, and lend a hand when you need help. Their actions are motivated by their love for God, and as they serve you, they’re serving him. 

There are also baby Christians there. And non-Christians. 

This is good, and as it should be. A church should attract people in every stage of spiritual growth. Keep this in mind when someone disappoints you, or behaves “unspiritually” or immaturely. Breathe grace and remember how mature believers nurtured you in your spiritual infancy. Set the example, come alongside, and don’t judge. 

It’s imperfect because people are imperfect. 

“They that are well need not a physician,” Jesus said long ago, and the principle holds true today. The church isn’t a finishing school. It’s a hospital where the dying receive new life. It’s where the broken are mended, and the wounded are healed. Like a hospital, it’s messy and sometimes painful. It’s also one of the most hope-filled places around. Its doors are always open, and there are people who care. 

Jesus lives there. Jesus didn’t die for the para-church organizations. He didn’t die for podcasts, and he certainly didn’t die so people could look down their self-righteous noses and criticize his family. Flawed as the church is, Jesus chose to ordain it as his hands and feet. “Upon this rock, I will build my church,” he said, “and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” 

He entrusted to the church the Holy Scriptures, the sacraments, and the mission of sharing the Gospel with the world. In the church he inhabits the praises of his people and transforms both baby believers and spiritual saints. 

I’ll be the first to acknowledge that the church isn’t perfect. But it is God’s family. Maybe instead of criticizing, we should identify what’s wrong and try to make it right. Or if we can’t change it, we should just accept it. Like the family member who’s socially awkward and a little slow, we should look past the superficial and into the heart. If we do, I bet we’ll see Jesus there. 

Now it’s your turn. What’s right about your church? What do you love about it? Leave a comment in the box below and share your thoughts. If you’re reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Guaranteed to Banish Scrooge Forever -- 4 More Favorite Christmas Videos

If the Grinch is trying to steal your Christmas joy, these gems will send him packing. Enjoy. Merry Christmas!

Soulful, hopeful, poignantly beautiful.


   
  Casting Crown's "I Heard the Bells." If you're reading by email, click HERE.





  John Lewis Christmas Advert "Buster the Boxer" will make you smile all the way through. If you're reading by email, click HERE. 

 I'm not sure how I've lived as long as I have without ever hearing "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," by Gayla Peevey.







The Wikipedia story behind this catchy tune tells how the Oklahoma City Zoo capitalized upon the popularity of "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas" with a fundraising campaign to "buy a hippo for Gayla". The fund raised $3,000 (equivalent to $27,552.12 present day), and a baby hippopotamus named Matilda was purchased and given to Peevey, which she then donated to the zoo. 
 If you're reading by email, click HERE to listen.

And the grande finale':
 

If you're reading by email, click here to watch the Grinch's heart grow. 


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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

4 of My Favorite Christmas Videos

Today, as we enter the final week before Christmas, I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorite Christmas videos. If you have a favorite I missed, please share the link in the comment box below so we can all enjoy.



 A commercial, of all things, that depicts the true story of the 1914 Christmas Truce. If you're reading by email, click HERE.



  Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Kraus perform the Wexford Christmas Carol. If you're reading by email, click HERE.




  Pentatonix performing "Mary Did You Know?" If you're reading by email, click HERE. 





"Joseph's Song" by Michael Card. I love this. If you're reading by email, click HERE.





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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Simeon

Simeon wasn’t a priest. He wasn’t a religious leader either. He held no formal office nor fulfilled an official role in the temple. He was just an ordinary man who loved God with all his heart. 

This is how the Bible describes him in Luke 2:25: 

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” 

One day, God “revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.” 

Can you imagine? Having such a close relationship with God that he tells you what he’s going to do before he does it? Amos 3:7 testifies to this fact: “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants . . .” 

If I was Simeon, after I recovered from such an overwhelming statement, I think I’d wonder, how am I going to recognize the Messiah? What will he look like? The religious leaders of the day expect a conquering king. That shouldn’t be too hard to spot. But the holy books also refer to a suffering servant. That might be a little trickier. 

Then one day, the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart. Go to the temple. 

Of course, the temple! It stands to reason that God would send his deliverer to the most holy place in the city. Perhaps there will be fanfare and a formal proclamation. Maybe a parade. Surely an entourage of Pharisees and Saducees, not to mention the priests. And King Herod. He’ll certainly want to welcome the deliverer Israel has been waiting for for centuries. 

Eagerly Simeon ran, if you could call it that, for his old bones didn’t move easily. His racing heart set the tempo for his feet, but his thoughts moved faster than all of them. The Messiah! Here! Oh, I’ve waited so long. Prayed so hard for his appearing. At last. 

Scripture whirled in his head. 

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). 

“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isa. 9:7). 

Simeon expected to have to push through the crowd, but when he arrived at the temple, there was no royal parade. No trumpets and fanfare. Just a few peddlers hawking their wares in the dusty courtyard and money changers haggling over a mite. 

And a craggy-faced tradesman with his young wife carrying two pigeons and a copper coin. 

And a baby. 


An ordinary, non-descript baby. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Cheeks just beginning to fill out. No halo. No angelic host.  Just a baby. 

He willed his feet to move faster, then slowed as he approached the couple. Timidly, reverently he held out his trembling arms and reached for the tiny infant. The boy's mother surrendered him without hesitation, trusting the ancient sage without knowing why. For a moment their eyes met, and the tears leaking from the corners of the old man’s eyes comforted rather than frightened her. 

Gently he gathered the child to his breast and raised his eyes heavenward. 

"Sovereign Lord,” he whispered, “as you have promised, now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." 

One last look into the sleeping child’s face. One soft kiss on his fuzzy head. One final glance into the wondering eyes of his parents as he returned the babe to his mother’s arms. And then he was gone. 


My prayer for you, ordinary men and women like Simeon, is that you will eagerly anticipate the coming of Jesus. May you marvel at what has been said about him. May you see with eyes of faith the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. May you remain faithful to the end. And may you receive the crown of glory, which God reserves for those who long for his appearing.

The only song I know of that tells the story of Simeon is Michael Card's "Now That I've Held Him in My Arms." Enjoy.

If you're reading by email, CLICK HERE to hear "Now That I've Held Him in My Arms" on Youtube.






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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

How to Have a Perfect Christmas

I’ve only washed dishes in the bathtub twice. Once was on Christmas Eve. 

Out of town family would be arriving soon and my eight-foot counter was covered with mixing bowls, baking pans, and kitchen utensils. I’d been cooking all day, and now it was time to clean up. 

Except the sink wouldn't drain. 

While we tried to locate a plumber to tackle the clog, Pioneer Woman kicked in. I hauled my dirty dishes to the bathroom. On my hands and knees, I scoured the bathtub, then scrubbed the dishes. A blast from the shower head rinsed the soapy pile. 

Christmas wasn’t perfect that year. 

Another year, I awakened on Christmas morning with the worst case of vertigo I’ve ever had. If I moved my eyes too quickly, my head spun. If I moved my body too quickly, my stomach heaved. And the smell of our family’s traditional holiday feast? I sequestered myself in the living room to get away from it. 

Christmas wasn’t perfect that year, either. 

Then there was the year I had to work on Christmas Eve. When I’d finally seen my last patient and said Happy Holidays to my coworkers, I jumped into my car, eager to begin the festivities. Maybe a little too eager. 

As I headed home, I took a curve too quickly. A car, coming from the other direction, was dangerously close to the center line. I jerked the steering wheel to the right, over correcting, and hitting the curb—hard. Jumping out and hoping against hope, I peered around the front of the car to check my tire. 

Flat. 

Flat as my hair after a rainstorm. Flat as a frog on an interstate. Flat as my spirits when I realized I’d be getting a tire for Christmas instead of something much more fun. 

That Christmas wasn’t perfect, either. 

The longer I live, the more I realize that perfect Christmases are something from a Hallmark movie, not real life. It’s no surprise, really, because real Christmases are never perfect. 

Consider the first one—now that was one for the history books. 

Mary, who could have been as young as 14, was 9-months pregnant. Out-of-wedlock pregnant, no less. 

Then came the census, which meant she and Joseph had to leave home and travel to Bethlehem. This journey would take four days if Mary rode a donkey, seven days if she walked. When I was pregnant, I could barely walk to the mailbox, let alone 70 miles—with or without a donkey. 

Then, when Mary and Joseph finally arrived, they found no lodging. No Ramada Inn. No Motel Six. Not even a Good Sam Campground. 

And then her labor began. Maybe Joseph was able to find a midwife, maybe not. Either way, he was a key player in his wife’s delivery. Think on that for a moment. 

And then she gave birth in a stable. Read that again. She gave birth in a stable. 

And laid her newborn baby in a feeding trough. 

But it still wasn’t over. Just as the little family was falling into an exhausted sleep, they heard a rustling at the door. Then voices. Then louder voices. As Joseph peered out into the darkness, he saw a motley band of shepherds babbling about lights, and angels, and a heavenly message. 

“They won’t leave until they see the baby,” he told his bewildered wife. “They say they’ve looked in every manger in Bethlehem.” 

When I think about it, I realize how imperfect Mary’s Christmas was. But it didn’t matter, because Jesus was there. 

This year you may be hoping for a perfect Christmas. Or you may already know you have no chance of one. Ill health, strained finances, or a broken relationship is making you struggle. Maybe you’re facing your first holiday without a loved one, or battling depression, discouragement, or despair. 

Maybe it’s time to change the channel on our Hallmark expectations of what Christmas is supposed to look like. Maybe Christmas doesn’t have to look “perfect” to be special. 


This holiday season, let’s ask God to give us the grace to follow Mary’s example. Let’s treasure the events of Christmas and ponder them in our hearts. Let’s give thanks for the journey, the stable, and the manger. And let’s glorify and praise God for all we’ve seen and heard, spreading the word to everyone we meet. 

I’m hoping for a broken-water-heater-vertigo-flat-tire-free Christmas this year. Maybe it will happen. Maybe it won’t. Regardless, I know Christmas will still be special, because Jesus will be there.





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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

The Christmas Gift You Don't Want to Give

 “Tell GiGi what you did yesterday,” my daughter prompted my 3-year-old granddaughter.

“I gave some of my toys away to a little boy who didn’t have any.”

A couple in their church was preparing to become a foster family. My daughter, in the process of de-cluttering and donating, knew this would be the perfect new home for some of her daughters’ toys. Lauren, who loves them all, was less enthusiastic.

“So when you gave your toys away,” I asked, “how did that make you feel? Were you happy?”

“No,” she said, with drooping eyes and down-turned lips. “I was sad.”

“Well I’m really proud of you. You did a very good thing.”

Lauren’s mama is a smart one. She knows it’s important to teach her young ones to do the right thing, even if they don’t feel like it. It’s good training for the Christian life.

It’s been my observation that it’s easy to obey God when we feel like it. We watch a tender commercial about the homeless, and we can’t wait to write a check to the nearest shelter. We hear a glowing report from a missionary and eagerly sign up to staff the next fundraiser.

But what happens when we know God’s calling us to do something we really don’t want to do? I mean really don’t want to do? Like forgive?

This may seem like an odd topic for a Christmas blog post, but it’s really quite appropriate. When you peel back all the layers, Christmas is all about reconciliation and restoration.

Mankind was estranged from God. We had sinned horribly against him. We’d willfully gone our own way, done our own thing, and were living apart from God. Titus 3 describes it this way:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another."

And then God, in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, offered the gift of forgiveness:

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

Once we accepted the gift of his forgiveness, God cancelled our sin debt and welcomed us into the family. Then he gave us an assignment: “Go and do ye likewise.”

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18-19).

“He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

This means forgiving others the way he forgave us. Ephesians 4:32 puts it this way:

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Forgiveness, it’s been said, is the gift we eagerly receive and selfishly withhold. 

As we prepare to give and receive this Christmas, perhaps the greatest gift we can give isn’t one we want to give, but the gift we need to give—the gift of forgiveness. Are there people in your life who have wronged you? Perhaps the Lord has brought them to mind because he wants you to extend the gift of forgiveness—not just for their sake, but for yours.

And when the Lord calls us to do something, we don’t have the luxury of waiting until we feel like it. To delay is to disobey. 

If you do what’s right—what God is calling you to do, the feelings will come. But even if they don’t, God will give you the peace, and joy, and freedom that wholehearted obedience brings. And that is a mighty precious gift.

A wise man once said, “Forgiveness sets a prisoner free. And then you find that the prisoner is you.”

As you prayerfully bestow gifts this Christmas, don’t overlook the gift of forgiveness. It could be the greatest gift you give this year.



If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
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If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.

Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher