Finding Christmas: Giving Ourselves

Merry Christmas from Greenbriar Farms and the Wonder Dogs! 

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me." Matthew 25: 35 nasb

As we celebrate today, thousands of people in our area are still reeling from the catastrophic tornado less than forty-eight hours ago. The loss of property, catastrophic in its own right, is nothing compared to the loss of life and limb. Not everyone is celebrating the way I will today, with a special meal eaten with those I love. 

Not everyone is eating in the place they most love to be.

Wednesday, emergency personnel, many who are volunteers, went door to door, checking to be sure people were safe. It was a horrible kind of head count. Who made it through? Who didn't? At least one of those rescue workers lost his home, yet he was there, doing his job. 

For thousands of people across the South, it was a long, hard night.

As the WTVA newscaster reported on the damage in Holly Springs, there was a catch in her voice. "I live in Holly Springs," she said. Her heart was breaking for her town, but she stayed in place. Warning others. Keeping people safe.

There are many people who went above and beyond. We'll hear their stories over the next few days and we'll take heart in the kindness of strangers, the mercies shown in the midst of the tragedy. You and I can be part of the recovery effort. We can be one of the ones who goes above and beyond. 

We can be the strangers who show kindness to those in desperate trouble.

Hope Reigns (a Tupelo-based charitable organization) strives to "show the Love of Jesus Christ to disaster victims 48-72 hours after a disaster strikes anywhere in the contiguous 48 states." (I've copied directly from their website to ensure my accuracy.)

"The means to meeting this goal will be through clearing debris, tarping roofs, gutting water damaged homes and salvaging personal property. These are the most basic immediate actions necessary to preserve property and livelihood. In so doing, Hope Reigns volunteers seek to build bonds with home owners, community leaders and other disaster relief organizations for immediate relief and in hope of laying a foundation for future disaster-recovery efforts."

If you are interested in volunteering, please email hopereigns@eightdaysofhope.com.

There will be lots of presents given and received today, but one of the best gifts you can give is a helping hand to one in need. Why not join with us in helping our neighbors recover from the disaster they've experienced?

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." Matthew 25:40 nasb 

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Finding Christmas: Prophecy Fulfilled, Finding Christmas: The Good Husband, Finding Christmas: The Sin Fast, Finding Christmas: The Mission Statement, Finding Christmas: The Divine Paradox, and Finding Christmas: The Storm Shelter, Finding Christmas: Overcoming. 

The most read post of the last week: Finding Christmas: The Good Husband.
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The Clay Papers (lessons in being moldable in God's hands, based on a series of pottery lessons) is now available as a 99 cent ebook on Amazon. Click the link to see more. 

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#HopeReigns #eightdaysofhope #mstornado #tornado #Advent #keepChristinChristmas #MerryChristmas #JesusChrist 

Eight Days of Hope, part 3:

I'd like to introduce you to David. He is a pastor in our area, and was part of the Eight Days of Hope construction team repairing a deck at the site where I worked on Saturday. I first met him when I nearly ran him down with a wheelbarrow full of wet dirt. It was way too full for my prissy self, and I had next to no control. He was standing on the ground a few millimeters from my path as I headed to the hole I was to fill, and my wheel hit a depression in the ground. There was a terrible lurch and I barely avoided hitting him. It was not my favorite way to meet someone, but he was gracious. After that, I headed down the path, emitting "beep, beeps " as I went, hoping to avoid a collision. 

It was typical-summer-warm and the heat index was climbing. He kept right on working, drinking water non-stop. Pretty soon, a member of his team returned with a long blue rectangle. It was a tent canopy. I was surprised he'd thought to bring it, but grateful for the extra shade it afforded. 

At lunch, we sat under his canopy and visited. It turned out the tent canopy was a necessity, not a luxury. David had survived two previous heat strokes. He was not taking a chance on a third, so he had come prepared with all he needed to avoid another illness. 

I was frankly surprised. He saw a need that he could meet, and he did what it took to meet that need, while still being a good steward of the body God has given him. There was nothing about "I can't" in his vocabulary, but neither was he careless about the precious gift of health. He knows he has limits, respects them, and works within them. 

Don't get me wrong. He wasn't focused on his health. In typical nosy doctor style, I pressed until I had the history. What he was focused on was Jesus. You should see his eyes light up when he talks about Jesus coming back!  He is passionate about the Word of God, and it was a joy to meet this brother in Christ. 

I frequently see people who struggle to balance what needs to be done for their health with what they want and need to do for other responsibilities. I often hear them say, "Oh, I couldn't do what you said because..." Probably you and I have done the same thing. We could all take a lesson from David. He wanted to serve, and he did, without drama, without fanfare, and with limited risk. He was not just a good servant, he was a good steward. 

The next time you struggle about balance, don't just do what you can. Do what you should, as well. 

Be a servant and a steward. 

Eight Days of Hope, part 2

Veronica and Mitchell are here in Tupelo for their first-ever Eight Days of Hope. They live in Louisiana, and traveled here to work for several days helping repair homes and hearts. It was my treat to meet them on the first morning as we were preparing to get our assignments. 

They lost a son a while back and were surrounded by the tender, loving ministrations of friends and family. Eyes glistening with blinked-back tears, Veronica said they had been thinking about a way to "give back" in response to the kindness of others demonstrated when their son died. One day, her husband heard an announcement about Eight Days of Hope on Christian radio. 8DOH would be working in Tupelo, where a tornado had caused tremendous destruction. When Veronica realized that the tornado occurred on April 28th, their son's birthday, she knew they were supposed to participate. 

In a way, their giving is in memory of their son, but it is just as much in honor of those who helped so much during their own personal time of heartbreak. Now, this sweet couple is reaching out to others in their time of difficulty.  

Much to my surprise, they were working on the same property where my little group was hauling dirt yesterday. As I watched them building a carport in the blazing Mississippi sunshine, I thought, "That's what healed looks like."  They have reached past their grief to focus on the blessings received in the midst of that grief, and they are giving from the rich store God has given them. 

There's something we need to learn from this sweet couple. They could have chosen to allow their grief to consume them. Instead, they have mourned their son, yet still reached out to others in a way that will make a difference for years to come. They have begun to understand the truth of Isaiah 61:3 in an intensely personal way. 

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3 KJV)

In the dark nights of our own souls, we need to remember that what God has planned for those who mourn is beauty, joy, praise, and a reputation for righteousness. When you look at Veronica and Mitchell, that's exactly what you see.