"The Beginning" Canvas

     As I sat in my Friendly Shade, which, by the way, was cloudy and cool I thought of the beauty of God's earth.  Even in the dead of winter with no leaves on the trees and no sunshine His world is still beautiful.  He painted a beautiful picture for us during all the seasons of our life.  What a wonderful artist and Master He is! 

The Beginning

The canvas was blank, void of any light,

Then the artist covered it with a frosting of white.

He added colors; some orange, green, and blue;

From there, the picture grew.

Behold! The division between earth and sky-

It was going to be a masterpiece for the human eye.

There were lakes, rivers, even the ocean,

And the waves rose up in motion.

The earth was filled with grass and trees;

All as beautiful as the great blue seas.

The canvas was splashed in colors of every hue;

There was day and night, yet He wasn't through.

He stroked in the stars, the moon, and the sun,

But still He was not done.

The artist's hands added life of every form;

There were seasons, both cold and warm.

In His touch beauty sprang forth

From the east, west, south and the north.

This was a picture interwoven from His heart and soul.

Nothing was He going to withhold.

He painted sunrays, moonbeams, and stars shining bright.

He painted and stroked to make it just right;

This masterpiece He was painting with love-

Giving all that life would be unworthy of.

A piece of art created by the Master's hand;

A canvas covered with all that He had planned.

                                   Mary Crisp Jameson

Facing Giants

      Facing the Giants in our lives was talked about today by my co-author in his blog Humor 4 A Purpose.  He is so right.  We do face giants of fear, financial problems, temptations, and many others, and, like he said, we cannot be victorious without God in our lives. 

     To enhance on his blog, I would like to say that we all, also, face emotional feelings of loneliness at times.  Those without God in their lives will always have an empty space in their hearts where God belongs.   As Christians, we have lonely times; it does not matter if we have loving people around us, there will times when we are not feeling joyful and do not even know the reason.  Yet, Christians  have hope; we have the Spirit of Jesus living within our hearts to help remove this giant of loneliness.  We have a church family and a Christian fellowship; we have the word of God and a living God within us.  We have the promises of God.  In Hebrews 13:5 we are told that He will never leave or forsake us.  We can choose to reach out to others and to reach out and study God's word.  We can choose to talk with God about our problems.  There are ways to defeat the giant of loneliness.  We will continue to have giants in our lives.  We just have to have the faith and courage David had in God when he picked up a small stone to slay the great giant who was placing fear into the heart of the king's army.     

Lengthing the Journey

     I will start my Friendly Shade today with a little humor on being short since that is what I would like to blog about.  You know, God favors short people.  How do I know this?  God tells us in Matthew, “…Lo, I am with you always…”    

     However, short doesn’t just refer to people’s height.  Many people today are short on time.  They are short on cash.  They are short on patience.  They are short on faith.
     Zacchaeus was short in stature, but he overcame it by climbing a sycamore tree. He did not care that he was well-known and that people would laugh at his child-like desire to see Jesus.  It should be noted that Zacchaeus was a rich man, yet he was not satisfied.  There was something, obviously, missing in his life.  In the end, Zachaeus was willing to give back to the people a portion of his wealth to have God in his life, and he was rewarded by his action.    
     How different life would be if we would live every day as if it were our last.  It is then that we will finally set our priorities and put God first.  Only by putting God first will we be able to lengthen our shortfalls.  When we fail to give God our time, we are robbing God.  By not floating through the shopping areas and using that time in prayer and the word of God we will spend less and increase our cash flow.  We will get to know God better, and we will begin to imitate his ways; thereby, finding more patience, love, and faith.  Our jouney here may be short, but we can lengthen it in favor with God. 

 Ecclesiastes 5:10  He that loveth silver shall not satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

    

New Year's Resolution

As I opened up a new calendar for 2012 I found it to be blank.  I quickly filled it with all the birthdays I needed to remember for the year.   Like most people, I start out doing really well remembering to send cards, but, then as the year moves forward, I gradually forget the cards.  It is the same with New Year’s Resolutions.  Yet, we should never stop making them.  We should just strive to do better each year.  Time moves forward, and, like my co-author said in his blog, Humor 4 A Purpose, no matter how old I get I have as much time as I have ever had - the time is now!  As I think on resolutions this year I would like to make mine about God and others and not just about myself.   Only by taking the "I" out can I develop a good recovery program for 2012.  So here goes:

R ead God’s Word daily

E mit a positive attitude every day
S eek to be less self-centered
O ffer support and help to those in need
L isten to what others have to say
U plift those with needs to God
T une in to the good that happens and not dwell on the bad
I ndulge in a special time to talk with God
O ffset problems by having a grateful heart
N ightly count my blessings
S low down, be Still, and Smile

All About Christmas-A King Is Born

I'm late blogging for Christmas.  I was just too busy.  I am so glad Jesus came just in time for Christmas.  He is never late and He is never too busy for me.  What a wonderful gift!

A King Is Born

The baby lay quiet and still,

Wrapped in simple rags to protect Him from the chill.

He silently let out a baby’s coo

As the Mother tenderly uncovered Him to view.

There was great joy upon her face,

Even if she had to deliver in such a place.

The dark of night was lite with light-

A star shining bright.

It scattered its light into the stable door,

Sending rays toward the manager and across the floor.

The baby wrapped its tiny finger

Around His mother’s.

She let her eyes protectively linger.

In that brief moment, time stood still,

And gone was the chill. 

She watched with love as joy filled her heart.

Here was a child that could give everyone a fresh new start.

It didn’t seem right!

This stable-the only thing left for the night;

A wooden trough – the only place for Him to rest;

- not a bed and not the very best.

It was smelly and dusty-

In a stable, cold and musky. 

It was the only thing around, 

And Mary frowned as she laid Him down. 

He was a King - Christ the Lord!

Her first-born whom she adored.

The angels declared it in song.

He was a Savior come to right the wrong!

The mother let her hand glide over His face

As she slowly released her embrace.

There was great joy

Over the birth of this infant boy.

She watched as He lay sound asleep,

Resting among the animals and the sheep.

A King lying in a heap of dusty hay?

Not a picture she wanted to portray.

Yet, not an animal stirred or moved around;

None made a disturbing sound. 

Glory shone round about.

The angels proclaimed it with a shout,

"A King is born!”

                              Mary Crisp Jameson

It's Christmas Time

As I sit beneath the shady pine, my thoughts shout, “It’s Christmas time,” and I am overwhelmed by what Jesus did for me.   

It’s Christmas Time!

There’s wonder so sublime.

My thoughts shout out, “It’s Christmas time!”

A time when a great miracle occurred,

A time when hearts are stirred.

There’s the smell of cinnamon and spice

And everyone makes merry and nice.

There’s the smell of fresh cut cedar and fir

As we remember the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The trees are all lite and glowing bright.

They’re covered with tinsel.  And what a sight!

Just a reminder of that northern star

Which brought the shepherds from afar,

 Guiding the wise men to where Jesus lay

Amidst the stable hay. 

What a star that must have been-

For around the world it could be seen.

Oh! That we would still rejoice so,

Like the shepherds who followed that starry glow. 

A Savior was born so long ago!

A King that all should want to know.

It’s the Christmas season.

Jesus was born for a reason.

He had only a stable to lay His head-

Not a warm or comfortable bed.

He came to die for all-

A King born in a barnyard stall.   

There is wonder in the air –

It’s a time to praise and to share.

The air is filled with a magic all its own

Because of a baby born in a stable instead of a throne.  

There was glad tidings to share

A Saviour was born, the angels did declare.  

There is joyful music and silver bells that chime-

It’s Christmas time!

                                  Mary Crisp Jameson

Creation

     As I was completing a sewing project for a Christmas gift, I thought, with pride, “This is great; it came out better than expected.”  I started the project with no pattern and only a visual aid which I enhanced and added to as the ideas came.  This was to be a work of love and one of artistic ability.  As the project came together, I had to rip out a few seams and start again because I was figuring out the pattern as I went.  All the time I realized that the bear rag quilt would, in time, get dirty and probably have a button or two pulled off which would need to be replaced.  However, I knew the Mom would gladly wash the quilt, as needed, and repair any damage that might occur before, lovingly, returning it to the child.  After finishing the project, I was also ready to take a long-needed rest. 

     As I contemplated all this I thought of how God created the heavens and the earth and then, with great pride and love, created man in His own image.  God, in His perfection, did not have to rip out mistakes and start again.  Man came out, visually, just as He had planned. As He looked at His creation, He said, "It was very good."  Then God took a day of rest.   But the story doesn’t stop there.  Just like my quilt, in time, man would become dirty, full of sin.  It is then that God will lovingly pick man up and wash away the dirt.  There may have to be a few seams ripped away in order for man to be cleansed and started on a new pathway of life.  Man may be left with a few tattered edges from the abuse of self, but with God healing can began anew. 

     As with any project we continue to take pride in and love what we create, and God, for whatever reason, still continues to love His creation too.   We are so blessed that God “loves even us.”