June Caedmon's Blog, page 63

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 8

A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things:

his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The LORD hath made known his salvation:

his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel:

all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth:

make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth:

with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. (Psa 98:1-9 KJV)

I have a confession to make.

2014 has been a hard year.

Emotionally taxing and exhausting, we’ve dealt with some tough things this year, that will continue to play out and impact the rest of our lives.

I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to the new year more than I am this year. And yet when my friend Lisa first mentioned her one word for 2015 (she hasn’t revealed it yet!), I thought, “Already? We’re doing that again?” I was determined not to even think about it until after Christmas - - if you’ve been around here much you know I like to savor the seasons.

But God . . . .

I’m talking about new today because that is what God has laid on my heart. This is the HOPE He has given me for 2015.

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?

I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
(Isa 43:19 KJV)

Although God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He is all about NEW! He may remain the same, but He changes us and our circumstances. Can I get an Amen and Hallelujah! I, for one, am so thankful that He doesn’t leave me in my pitiful, wretched state. Not only has He redeemed me from my state of sin, but He carries me through the wilderness and makes rivers in the desert. The locusts have descended. 2014 is lost, but the Lord has promised to redeem that which has been eaten.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, (Joe 2:25 KJV)

Our scripture today is a prophetic Psalm. It points to the coming kingdom of the Messiah. The establishment of it, and the bringing of the Gentiles {unless you are a Jew, then this means you!} into it. Will you sing it with me? this new song unto the Lord. A song of redeeming Love.

A song of praise for the marvelous things He has done – the more we learn and understand about God the more we know this to be true. Praise Him for the conquests He has won – our Lord has gotten victory over Satan! Praise Him for the discoveries He has made known - the victories He has won, He has revealed to us through His Son. Praise Him for the extent of this discovery - revealed to Gentile and Jew alike. Praise Him for the fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament!

How about you, is there room in your life

for God to do something new?

Do you welcome Him?

Blessings,

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Published on December 11, 2014 02:03

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 7

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,

The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,

upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it,

and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7

I’m going to share a little secret with you today.

June is my middle name. It’s the name I use to identify myself to you and “brand” my writing. I was born in the month of June and my mother chose that as my middle name. Boor- ring, right? I always used to think so. But as it turns out, June comes from Juno, the Roman goddess who is married to Jupiter, king of the heavens. Which makes Juno the queen of the heavens. At this point in my research I was liking my middle name even less than before. Being identified with a character from Roman mythology, the queen no less, does not thrill me. Then I learned that Juno was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance. Now those are attributes worthy of aspiring to! I’ve decided that June is not such a bad name for me after all. If you’ve never researched the meaning of your name, you might be surprised what you find!

If you’ve read very much at all in your bible, you’ve probably figured out that names, the meaning of names, are important to God. The angel, Gabriel, instructed both Zacharias and Mary what to name their child, much to the astonishment of Zacharias family!

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard;

and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. Luke 1:13

And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child;

and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. Luke 1:59-63

While Jesus knows our name, and even promises us a new name when we are united with Him in eternity, it is His name, the name of the Lord, that holds the power – that holds the promise.

Jesus told His disciples to ask anything in His name and it would be given to them, John 14:13. Whenever we gather, in His name, He promises to be there with us, Matthew 18:20. There are consequences for denying His name, and protection for those who invoke His name.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. Prov 18:10

I just love this picture of a strong tower, a fortress, built brick-by-brick with the names of the Lord!

Today’s passage of Hope from Isaiah proclaims five names of the Lord that have inspired psalm writers for centuries. Just speaking these names aloud fills my heart with JOY!

He is to be called . . .

Wonderful -And justly He is called thus for He is both man and God. “His love is the wonder of angels and glorified saints; in His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, He was wonderful.“ {Matthew Henry}

Counsellor – It is by Him that God gives us counsel. He is the wisdom of God, acquainted with Him from all eternity.

Mighty God – He has the wisdom and so He has the strength to save to the utmost. To accomplish all that He wills.

Everlasting Father – {sigh} there is such a beautiful promise in this word: everlasting. The Father of eternity. From everlasting to everlasting. The Father of the world to come, as the Septuagint reads. Such hope.

Prince of Peace – as King He preserves, commands and creates the peace in His kingdom. He is our peace. He is the author and giver of all that is good.

And now I have this song in my head, so I’m sharing it with you.

Enjoy.

You can also find it here if the video isn’t working: Michael W Smith – Emmanuel

Dear one, I pray this has blessed you today.

And if you’re looking for a safe place to run,

our Father is waiting, with open arms.

Blessings,

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Published on December 10, 2014 02:03

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 6

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. Isaiah 7:14-15

I was reminded the other day that most people, even many who call themselves Christians, do not share my desire for Christ to hasten His return.

A group of us were enjoying dinner together, discussing the {evil} days in which we are living. The last days, perhaps? Those of us at the table, having lived longer than we will likely yet live, expressed our desire for Jesus to return. For those present such desire was motivated by various things; a longing to be free from pain, a longing to enter His rest, a desire to simply lay on His bosom and worship.

In my naïveté, and perhaps piety, I assumed everyone at the table {being Christians} would agree and also be desirous of His coming. Not so. One young lady, in her early twenties, does not wish for a hastened return.

Her reason? She wants to get married and have a family. She longs to experience the joys of being a mother. Who can blame her for that?

While I am saddened by the fact that she desires a family more than she desires Jesus, I do not judge her. I believe it is natural for her to desire these things, and there is no evidence that her desire for a family is a denial of Christ. I pray that her relationship with God will grow until she desires Jesus about all else.

Our word of hope today is from the prophet Isaiah. Over 700 years before the birth of Christ, he brings a word of hope to the people of God. He speaks of a young virgin who will bear a son. Immanuel.

God with us.

But what if Mary had said no? What if she had chosen her reputation, her love for Joseph, their plan for a life together – what if she had chosen her own desires over obedience to God’s plan?

I am amazed anew every time I read Mary’s response to Gabriel.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.

And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38

The term handmaid can refer to a female slave who has been given their freedom but has chosen to stay with their master. I believe Mary used this term on purpose. She was acknowledging that she had a choice. The fact that God knew what her response would be does not change this fact, and it doesn’t change the reality of that choice for Mary.

Choosing to obey God does not always mean suffering, or giving up something we want and desire. But obeying God does, always, bring a blessing.

The Savior would have come regardless of Mary’s response, but her obedience brought about a far greater blessing than she could have ever imagined.

How about you, do you long for Jesus to return?

Is He asking you to do something you can’t understand or something you never imagined?

If so, remember what Gabriel told Mary, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Blessings,

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Published on December 09, 2014 02:56

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 5

And again, Isaiah says, "A descendant of Jesse will appear; he will come to rule the Gentiles,

and they will put their hope in him."
May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in Him,

so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:12-13

I’m praying for you today.

Yes, YOU.

I’m echoing Paul’s prayer. He was praying for those who read his letter to the Romans. And I’m praying the same for those of you who are reading this letter {blog}.

I know you’re hurting. And I know for some of you, your first instinct is to deny that, it’s true.

I know it’s true because, to one degree or another, we all have hurts. We all face disappointment.

What I don’t know is where you go when you’re hurting, when you face disappointment.

Where do you find peace? JOY? On who or what do you place your greatest HOPE?

If you place your HOPE on material things, or individuals you’ve probably already figured out that these things may puff you up for a time, but they don’t fill your soul.

True, heavenly, spiritual joy is filling to the soul;

it has a satisfaction in it,

answerable to the soul's vast and just desires.

And there is only One Source of true JOY, real PEACE, and secure HOPE: Jesus Christ

You’ve heard this - - You may even KNOW it. After all, this time of year all you hear about is HOPE, JOY AND PEACE. But the more you hear about it, the more you look at your life and wonder if it’s real. Is true HOPE, JOY and PEACE even attainable?

Yes, but how?

Firstly, by prayer. We must go to God for it. Prayer fetches in spiritual JOY and PEACE.

Secondly, by believing. True substantial JOY is the fruit of faith. 1 Peter 1:8

The joke is that the answer to all the questions in Sunday school is the same = Jesus

But it is true. Jesus IS the answer. Jesus is the God of hope. He is the foundation on which our hope is built, and He is the builder: He is both the object of our hope, and the author of it. Any hope that is not fastened on God is a fancy that will deceive us.

Paul knew this. He knew how important it was for believer’s to place their hope in God, rather than on earthly things.

It is why he prayed for them.

It is why I pray for you.

May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in Him,

so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Blessings,

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Published on December 08, 2014 02:12

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 4

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. Psalm 121

Today’s scripture is one of my favorite psalms. The promises of which it speaks inspire me and encourage me to go on – to keep putting one foot in front of the other. They give me a sense of security and peace.

We can trust that God will keep His promises to us. He is never out to lunch, or on vacation. His plan and purpose for our life is sure, and He will keep us.

The word preserve is used three times in the KJV. It is the Hebrew word shâmar {shaw-mar'} and the picture here is that the Lord is building a protective hedge around us.

This time of year the word preserve immediately makes me think of the canning we used to do on the farm. We would can all sorts of yummy produce. Pickled beets, cauliflower, and cucumbers. We would can peaches and corn and beans and put up all manner of jams and jellies. This picture of protection still applies. The canning process protects the food from spoiling, maintaining its existing state.

That is the promise here. Evil may come against us, but God protects our souls from spoiling.

You may wonder what this scripture has to do with Advent.

All of these promises are fulfilled in and by Jesus Christ.

He is the LORD who made heaven and earth.

And it is by the glue of His grace and mercy that He keeps our world{s} from spinning out of control.

He came as a babe, but He reigns as King.

It is Christ Who defends us – redeems us – saves us.

Even for evermore.

Blessings,

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Published on December 07, 2014 02:39

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 3

The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump,

so a new king will arise from among David's descendants.
The spirit of the LORD will give him wisdom and the knowledge and skill to rule his people.

He will know the LORD's will and honor him,
and find pleasure in obeying him. He will not judge by appearance or hearsay;
he will judge the poor fairly and defend the rights of the helpless.

At his command the people will be punished, and evil persons will die.
He will rule his people with justice and integrity.
Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats.

Calves and lion cubs will feed together, and little children will take care of them. Isaiah 11:1-6

One could write long and deep about the prophecy contained in these six verses. Like many OT scriptures that proclaim the Messiah, Isaiah 11:1-6 is fulfilled in three parts. There was an immediate fulfillment, a representation, in the government of Hezekiah. There was a future fulfillment in the 1st coming of Christ. Jesus, the Spirit of the Lord dwelt within Him without measure. He judged the poor fairly and defended the rights of the helpless.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has chosen Me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed
and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people." Luke 4:18-19

The rest of the verse speaks of a future fulfillment, which will take place when our Lord returns. The 2nd coming of Jesus.

And a child will lead them. The beasts of the field and the domestic animals will lie together and be cared for by a child. What a beautiful picture of peace we have here, my friend. Does not your heart long for it? Mine does.

But did you read what comes first? Before the peace between animals and the tender care of the child?

At his command the people will be punished, and evil persons will die.
He will rule his people with justice and integrity.

We like to skip over this part, don’t we? But the truth is, my friend, many of us are not ready to lie down with our enemies. We say we want peace, but how far out of our comfort zone are we willing to go to make it happen? I’m ashamed to say it, but I don’t go very far.

We live in a world where darkness covers the hearts of men. Some say the world has always been like this, that we’ve always had wars and rumors of wars. And perhaps that is so, but I sense a quickening. Do you sense it, too? The evil seems . . . bolder, somehow. Less in the shadows. As if it’s time is short. I look around at what is happening in the world, and I look at myself, my own sin, and I’m amazed that He continues to save. He continues to pour out His grace and mercy on our lives.

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Published on December 06, 2014 02:18

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 2

What’s your favorite Christmas carol? Mine is Little Drummer Boy, originally entitled Carol of the Drum. It was composed by Katherine K. Davis in 1941 and recorded in 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers. Since that time over 220 artists have recorded some version of the song, in seven languages. {I’m listening to Mannheim Steamroller’s version as I type this.}

It would seem I’m not the only one who loves the story of the humble little boy coming to Jesus with nothing more than a song.

I am a poor boy too
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King
Pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you
Pa rum pum pum pum
On my drum

Even more, I love Jesus’ response to his gift.

Then He smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum

It’s a simple song – but it’s filled with Grace and Truth. Many of our traditional Christmas carols contain important Truths about the Messiah. Here is just a sampling - - see if you can guess which songs these lines are from . . . .

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

***

Born a King on Bethlehem plain,

Gold I bring to crown Him again,

King forever,

Ceasing never

Over us all to reign.

***

Joy to the world, the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Do not these words excite and quicken your heart! They do mine!

I’m sure you guessed last example right away, but I included it because it contains one of my favorite lines: Let every heart prepare Him room – yes, Lord, let it be so this Christmas!

I can understand why the devil is working so hard to keep these beautiful songs out of of our public arenas. The Truths of God are powerful. And while many sing these carols mindlessly, there are others who do not. God’s word will not return void.

It may be a fanciful notion, and I have no proof to back it up, but it could be that the Truths in these carols had something to do with the Christmas Truce of 1914. I’ve read several accounts in which the German, French, and British troops are said to have blended their voices together in what could only have been the most powerfully sweet version of Silent Night ever sung. Who can account for such an occurrence in the midst of the horrors of war?

The very One we sing about.

And that brings us to today’s Advent scripture. It’s a Psalm, of course. Psalm 72. Written {for or sung by} by David at the coronation of his son Solomon as king. The psalm is too long for me to post here, but I encourage you to get out your bible, or click through the link, and read it. Although Solomon’s name is made use of here, Christ’s kingdom is prophesied. We should read this Psalm with an eye to Christ, praising Him as a King, and giving thanks for our JOY filled position as His children and heirs in the eternal kingdom.

As we sing the songs of Christmas

may we prepare our hearts

and give Him room.

Blessings,

Song excerpts:

1. What Child Is This
2.We Three Kings
3.Joy to the World

Printable Christmas Carol Lyrics

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Published on December 05, 2014 02:04

Inspired by . . . the Hope of His Coming Vol. 1

The first candle of Advent is The Prophecy Candle, or the Candle of Hope. The prophecy, or promises concerning the Messiah is what gives us hope. We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises He has made to us. In fact, being God, He can do no less.

There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled every one. They were written hundreds of years before His birth by several different men. The statistical improbability of this is staggering.

But God.

Micah is one prophet who speaks of the coming hope:

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,

yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;

whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth:

then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God;

and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
And this man shall be the peace, Micah 5:2-5a

Micah’s account describes the Messiah and foretells certain specifics about His coming. His place of birth, being born of a woman, the remnant returning to Israel.

But the word in this passage that speaks to me and gives me hope is this: everlasting

Micah says the Messiah will be from of old, from everlasting. I love Adam Clarke’s commentary:

miyemey olam, “From the days of all time;” from time as it came out of eternity.

That is, there was no time in which He has not been going forth-coming in various ways to save men.

Cross reference this with the first chapter of Colossians and you have a powerful image of the Creator God. Jesus existed before time began. In Him and through Him all things were created. He is Eternal and no part of what was created. All things but God have been created. But Jesus is the Creator of all things; therefore He is God; for He cannot be a part of His own work.

And from the beginning of time, He has been going forth in various ways to save men.

This, dear one, is the HOPE we have in Jesus.

A sure hope, not a guess or a wish.

This HOPE is the anchor of our lives.

As you wait expectantly for Him, let yourself believe in miracles again.

He is coming.

He IS come.

Blessings,

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Published on December 04, 2014 02:42

Inspired by . . . the waiting

We all have expectations of life. Even as children, whether we realize it or not, we expect to be clothed, fed and cared for by our parents.

And in many households, especially in the US, we expect a lot of presents on Christmas morning!

Christmas was always a time of great expectation for me as a child. We lived in Vermont where a sparkling white Christmas was almost guaranteed. Mom always had the house beautifully decorated, nearly every surface was an offering to the season. Even the window panes boasted snowflakes and elaborate Christmas scenes. Our beautiful staircase displayed green garlands, gold beads and white bisque cherubs. Mind your step, because use of the railing was not an option at Christmas time!

We almost always had guests. Family and friends would descend upon us from various places around the northeast. No matter where I was in the house, I would listen expectantly for the sound of cars coming up our driveway. I can still remember the feeling of excitement as we waiting for our family to arrive! I’m not sure what enticed them more; the picture postcard Christmas scene, or my dad’s pies!

With great expectation, can come great disappointment. There is one Christmas memory that has stayed with me my whole life.

I was maybe ten or eleven, and all year I’d been wanting {the original} Strawberry Shortcake dolls. Christmas morning dawned, with all it’s wild expectation. My brother and I {nearly} dragged mother from the bed and made our way downstairs to the family room. The tree stood proudly over it’s abundance, and the antique bulbs winked at me with their secret knowledge. Once everyone had been assembled, the opening of the gifts began!

And I got exactly what I’d wanted. But not just one, I’d been given four Strawberry Shortcake dolls! Strawberry Shortcake, Orange Blossom, Raspberry Tart and, I can’t remember the fourth. But here’s the thing: I realized as I removed the bows and the ribbon and tore off the pretty Christmas paper, I didn’t want the dolls anymore. Somewhere between June and December I’d outgrown Strawberry Shortcake. The dolls were my “main” gift, so Christmas that year was hugely disappointing for this little girl. It was no ones fault; my sweet family had given me exactly what I’d asked for, and not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings or seem ungrateful, I kept the disappointment to myself.

A silly memory. Maybe. But it was a valuable lesson to learn at such a young age. I think that is why the memory has stayed with me so long.

Sometimes we can receive exactly what we ask for, and realize we already have everything we really need.

Over the years other disappointments have taught me to temper my expectations. Perhaps it’s been the same for you. You learn that people disappoint, and material things don’t satisfy the way you thought they would.

Maybe you’re like me in this too; despite past disappointments, you can’t help but be expectant at Christmas time. Every year, no matter how hard I try, the sights, sounds and smells stir my senses and once again I am romanced into believing in miracles.

It’s called HOPE, my friend. We all need it.

Desperately.

Christmas is the season of HOPE.

The Hope of His Coming.

You’re hearing a lot about Advent this time of year. The word comes from the Latin ad venire and simply means: to come

Christmas is a day when we celebrate the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And this advent season, is a season of waiting, of anticipating, of reflecting on the One Whom we are about to receive.

I hope you’ll join me over the next few weeks as we wait expectantly for His arrival. I have seventeen scriptures I want to share with you about His coming. Scriptures to encourage and inspire you to HOPE.

I know how precious your time is

this time of year.

I’m honored by

your presence

here.

Blessings,

Advent Resources:

The Meaning of the Advent Wreath

#SheReadsTruth

Love God Greatly – Online Advent Study

Advent Reading Plans

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Published on December 02, 2014 02:29

Inspired by . . . savoring this life

I wish you could experience the smell in my cottage right now! I just pulled a batch of Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies from the oven.

If warmth and comfort had a smell, this would definitely be it.

They were worth the work. Even worth the dough that got crammed up under my fingernails. Ick.

Mine don’t look as picture pretty perfect as Miss Kelly’s but, oh-yeah, they’re yummy!

I’m alone in the cottage today. Enjoying the quiet. I knew it would be the perfect day to try this recipe. Not having to rush, or worry that every inch of my little kitchen is, a-hem, covered in flour.

Baking brings with it a lot of memories for me. I wanted to savor them today. Not just the memories, but life.

I want to slow down and savor this life.

I lay my dad’s bread board across the sink, doubling the counter space in my kitchen. Decades of gentle kneading has made the surface as smooth as silk. It is a large board, seamless, nearly eighteen inches wide. I think about the tree from which it came, and glance outside.

kk_monday

The wind is playing with the trees in my front yard. Coaxing them to release their leaves.

Release.

I wonder if the trees feel a sweet relief as they let go and slip into their winter slumber. I know there are a few things I’d like to let go of . . . .

"Come to Me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” Matt 11:28

Knead the dough. Roll it out. Feel the rhythm.

In the background, faintly, because I’m enjoying the peace of this day, Elvis sings White Christmas. It’s the day after Thanksgiving, so Christmas music is allowed. I like to keep it special.

Sometimes less is more.

Life is so different now, of this Elvis reminds me.

My thoughts swirl like the cinnamon and sugar, mixed with the sharp tang of the Granny Smith apples. The good, the not-so-good, and the new.

Sweet and salty.

Mix it all up, assemble your pie and apply intense heat.

The goodness comes bubbling out.

Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith,

which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. 1Peter 1:7

I’m so grateful for the memories. All of them. Even for the times when something other than good came out when the heat was applied- - for the times I needed a do over.

The times I received grace and mercy.

For they are all evidence of God’s fingers weaving the fabric of my life.

I’m so grateful for the moments-in-the-making. For God is here, now, still weaving.