Raining All Around

 

Yesterday, I saw that last blooms on my roses. As I looked at all of the trees, I know that winter is on its way. I woke up to the wonderful sounds and smells of rain. This is supposed to be a huge storm, maybe even going until Thursday. Right now, it is just gentle showers. The Doppler is really lit up as it comes towards us.

 

It is funny how the pace changes once December is upon us. I would almost say a frantic pace begins.
I know that I am  just as guilty of adding to the frantic rush. I know every year, I tell myself I will slow down.
I will spend more time being quiet, reflecting on the words of Mary, and her lovely words of praise.

" And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
 He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
 He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
 as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

In December, I long to be as the other Mary, the one who sat at the feet of Jesus.

"But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,"

The Martha in my spirit always wins. My to-do list becomes longer than the days are long. I fall into bed exhausted and empty and so many times during the day I miss the moments that make life worth living.
I miss the moment of making the tired person behind the counter smile or laugh.
I miss the sunset that I should have watched.
I miss hearing the rain because I am in a hurry to get that one more errand accomplished.
I miss the time of quietly sitting at the feet of Jesus because I am too busy to sit with His love letters open on my lap.

So this December, I will begin today, ( I already missed the first day of December because of that to do list.)
To think of others more highly than myself.
To see to those whose needs are greater than my own.
To make my home one of peace and joy and not a battle ground.
To walk in mud puddles and splash.
To loose the list a few days a week.
Just some things I would like to do instead of being frantic.

Have you seen that picture of the two kinds of people at Christmas? One is Buddy the Elf, jumping and laughing because of it being Christmas. The other is a picture of Theoden from Lord of the Rings as he looks over the miles and miles of Orks and says, " So now it begins." I am the one who chimes in with Theoden and this year I hope to be more like Buddy.
 
Happy December!

~Kim~

" The whole world had changed. Only the fairy tales remained the same."
---Number the Stars, Lois Lowry, 1989