Did you ever play with a magnifying glass as a child? Or, place it over a bug to see every detail?

When I was young, I remember watching a large, black beetle emerge from a crevice in our driveway. Wanting to see it up close, I positioned the magnifying glass over it. At first, I thought it was awesome—until I noticed the sharp pinchers and its pointy-looking appendages. Eww! Not what I expected!

Then, I decided to look at gentler things: a butterfly that landed on a branch, a rock in the garden soil, a blade of grass in the yard, and a flower in the garden. But what did I see in the magnifying glass? A  coiled hook on the butterfly’s mouth, divots in the rock, spiny edges on the blade of grass, and a horn-like part on a bee's face coming out of the flower.

One afternoon, while playing in the yard, I got a splinter in my finger. My mother retrieved the magnifying glass. As she placed it over my finger, she pointed out the pattern of tiny swirling lines. “Everyone’s fingerprints are different,” she said. “Do you know that no one else in the world has fingerprints like yours?” I was so amazed by this fact that I hardly noticed it when she removed the splinter.

These days, I still use a magnifying glass on occasion, but I don’t like using it on myself. What do I see? Age spots on my arms. Large pores on the sides of my nose. Tiny lines that accompany the spaces surrounding wrinkles in my face. My adult version of Eww! Not what I wanted, even if expected.   

However, if there was anyone whose life was ever magnified, it was that of Jesus Christ. His enemies scrutinized Him. They magnified every word or action, turned against Him, and twisted their interpretation of who He really was: the Son of God, blameless and without sin.

Talk about magnification: Jesus took with Him the sin of man upon that cross as He gave His life for each of us. 

Sometimes, I wonder what God sees when He looks at me. I start to frown, but am reminded He isn’t looking at me through a magnifying glass. He overlooks every splotch and flaw on the outside of me and every speck of sin on the inside.

As a child of the King, He sees through my flaws. I am comforted beyond measure to know that I am forgiven. 

And He loves me—and He loves YOU!
  

Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.com
(Blog adapted from an earlier post) 

Do you want to spend more time in your relationship with God but find that your good intentions somehow slip by at the end of the day? If so, you're not alone.  

I promised to set aside time each day but failed to meet that goal. Determined to find a way, I devised a plan: I tracked everything I did each day—and the amount of time spent doing those things—for one week. 

After chores, errands, shopping, and appointments, I concluded the remainder of my time consisted of six things I enjoyed: writing, music, classes, exercise, church, and spending time with family and friends.  (Your list might look quite different, but you get the idea). 

At the end of the week, on a quiet night, I sat at the kitchen table to review my findings. As I suspected, there were gaps in my schedule. That meant I had more time than I realized—time that could be put to good use.

A thought popped into my heart: “How about quiet time with God right now?”  I loved the comfort of my kitchen table, nestled in a corner, where I often enjoyed coffee. Yes, coffee with the King!

Clearing the table, I put down a lace tablecloth and arranged two place settings. A feeling of excitement bubbled inside me. The Lord would not be partaking in the physical consumption of coffee, but He would be with me in spirit. (The coffee was decaf because it was eleven o’clock at night; I didn’t think He would mind!)

His place setting was directly across from me. I poured the coffee, then offered a prayer of thanks.  Then, for the next fifteen minutes, I poured out my heart to my Lord—my King—my Counselor, my Savior. 
 
As I pondered the China place setting across the table with the empty chair, I imagined the Lord sitting there, the brightness of His white linen robe, the warmth of the light shining around Him, the look of love and compassion in His eyes, and the gentleness of His smile.

With no distractions, I attentively focused on my time with Him. It was one of the best “conversations” I’d had with God in a long time.  

That fifteen minutes was paramount to anything else I had done all day. My worries were lessened, my heart lightened, and the cup of coffee tasted pretty good, too.

Our lives are busy. I pray that you, too, find time to spend with God each day—wherever that may be! 
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Photo: N. Johnson  

My Jeep was dusty and dirty, so it was a perfect day to try out the new Auto Spa. The winter sun poked through bright clouds, so I wasn’t worried about inclement weather.
     I turned my Jeep into a narrow lane to enter the high-tech wash. As I approached the entrance, my tires on the driver’s side suddenly dropped downward, but the Jeep continued to lunge forward. I panicked, my knuckles turning white as I put a death grip on the steering wheel and slammed the brakes.
     “Take your foot off the brake!” the dark-haired attendant in the blue uniform yelled, waving his hands.
     “What?!” I felt confused.  
     “Take your foot off the brake!” he hollered.
     I lifted my foot off the brake as chills ran down my neck. I looked up as the technician pointed to the metal track embedded into the concrete. My tires were supposed to drop into the track so the vehicle could be guided through the car wash.
     But that wasn't all. The attendant barked out two more commands: “Take your hands off the steering wheel and put the vehicle into neutral!" 
     Okay, now I get it.
      I let go of the steering wheel and shifted into neutral. I felt petrified when I realized I had absolutely no control over the Jeep. The Auto Spa had taken over. All I could do was sit back and wait. 
     The Jeep inched along into a darkened tunnel. Gargantuan, roaring mop heads descended from a two-story ceiling, circling and pushing against the roof and windows of my Jeep. A thundering deluge of water slapped against the windows as giant roller bristles swiped the exterior sides, back, and front with foamy, white suds.
     I felt trapped, as if I'd been immersed in a torrential rainstorm. Unable to see out the windows, I worried. What if the ceiling leaked? What if the windows and sunroof weren't completely closed?
     I thought about when we used to take our girls to the "simple" carwash when they were young. I'd tell them when the machine was ready to spread the soapy water over the windows, easing their fears.  But if that had been today, at this Auto Spa, they would have been terrified and crying. It even gave this adult mom the shivers.
     I counted the minutes as the Jeep inched along, and finally, the “storm” dissipated. A shower of clean, clear water rinsed the suds and grime away.  As the light of day approached, I sighed with relief, happy to be out of the dark tunnel.
     Although the visit to the Auto Spa wasn’t on my initial plan for the day, I had prayed about God’s guidance. The “storm” at the car wash was God’s way of reminding me to trust him in life’s storms. I needed to put the brakes on my stubborn insistence on controlling things on my own instead of letting God “take the wheel” to guide me.
     The next time I go to the Auto Spa, I’ll be prepared to take my foot off the break and my hands off the wheel. And the next time I go through life’s storms, I’ll let God take care of the controls!  
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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.com

“How was your Christmas?” I once asked a friend who had moved away. 

"It was quiet,” she answered softly.

But I knew her use of "quiet" was her way of saying her Christmas was a lonely one.     
 
Many people feel alone during the holidays. They might live far from family and unable to visit. Others long for the way Christmas used to be or miss loved ones who are no longer with them. Some don't see their family due to strained or broken relationships.   

Christmas can be overwhelming, but when we feel this way, there are a couple of questions we can ask ourselves: 1) Are we being realistic about what to expect? (life isn't perfect). 2). Are our perceptions clouded by worldly expectations that sap us of time, energy, or money, leading us away from what is spiritual?    

For just a moment, tuck the present moment away. Imagine what it would have been like for Mary and Joseph to make the difficult journey to Bethlehem. It would have been a slow journey (even with the use of a donkey), and not easy for Mary who was expecting. Arriving in Bethlehem, and likely weary from traveling, they expected to find a place to stay, but the inns were full and had no room for them.  

How disappointed they must have felt! They were also far from  the comfort of their own home. Even though Joseph was said to have relatives in Bethlehem, for whatever reason, there was no place for Mary and Joseph to stay (despite Mary's condition). We may wonder if they felt alone because of this?   

Finally, one innkeeper offered them a stable. Imagine trying to get comfortable in a place where animals resided—a far cry from the comfort of a room at an inn. However, the stable provided shelter—and hay for the manger that would be used as a bed for the baby Jesus.      

That night, which we think of as the “first Christmas,” was likely a quiet one. In the stillness, sans crowds, advertisement or fanfare, the Christ child was born in a stable. The impact of his birth has been exceedingly far-reaching: here we are, over two thousand years following Jesus' birth, celebrating Him this Christmas season!    

May your Christmas be one of celebration for God's Gift of Salvation to you, to me, and the world: 
the gift of Jesus Christ.  

Merry Christmas!

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"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." - Luke 2:11-12.

*If feelings of sadness, loneliness, or depression are prolonged or interfere with your daily living, don't be afraid to seek professional help. 
*If you are in need of prayer, contact me, and I will pray for you.
 
Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.com