Out of the corner of my eye, I became aware of a flock of black birds flitting outside our back windows. A large number of birds flew together searching for food. It’s winter. Cold. Rather barren. And in the midst of these realities, God provides food for the birds in the form of small fruit on our tree. This makes me think of Jesus’ words:
I’m sharing something special with you this week! My daughter, Ellie, wrote this in her sketch pad:
“Art is meant to be shared. People enjoy art, and they love to look at it. So make art. It doesn’t matter if it’s drawing, painting, sculpting, or even taking photos. It’s art. It doesn’t even matter if you’re good at drawing or not, it’s art! Even if you don’t like art, things like dance, music, singing, and drama are art. It’s just the art of people. So get out there and make art!”
Walking. Taking steps. Moving forward. As we enter a new year, I want to invite you to join me in taking steps to walk in love more fully! God asks us to “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). Last week we talked about choosing to Listen to the Voice of Love. We receive love from God. As we receive His love, we express His love to others.
Merry Christmas, friends! When I think of Christmas, my heart is drawn again and again to the verse in John 1 that says “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” This begins Jesus’ life of love lived in the flesh with us. It is amazing that our God would connect with us this way! It is life changing when we allow His love to define who we are. Let’s listen for the voice of Love this Christmas.
As we move into winter and the days become shorter, I like to light candles. I light one on the kitchen counter on school mornings to cheer our day. I light one at dinner as we gather together as a family to reflect on our day. And, of course, I light one whenever I simply feel like it!
