Blessings

After church Sunday, where Mr. Frantz spoke about being ready for eternity and our responsibility to others to share the truth of eternity, I read a devotional from an advent reading plan. It's from an online group and I've decided, because I like traditions, to do an Advent focused plan for 4 weeks. In the introduction the other day the writer commented about the word advent, meaning the start of something, and how we use it at Christmas. The advent that we focus on is the arrival of Christ Jesus, the arrival of our Messiah as a baby. Every year this story - that is my heritage - becomes, as I think of it and on it, more and more both a ridiculous and a miraculous thing.

My Saviour, who always was and always is and always will be, was born. Birthed. A mess of humanness to change EVERYTHING.

Just let me sit with that for a minute.

So, as I said, I was reading today's advent devotional. It spoke of what the writer felt were blessings: an unexpected Starbuck's, a spouse arrives home early, etc - yes, I can see those things as blessings (being spouse-less the Pumpkin Spice Latte is higher on my list) but really, and I hope this doesn't sound...well, rude ..., but come on.

It's a blessing that I'm home for Christmas and can see friends and family.
It's a blessing that I can share in love and time  and even gifts with many loved ones as we celebrate this time of ridiculous miracles.

But wait. It's a blessing that we have more food than we need and heated houses and cars and choices about clothes and water from the tap that I can drink!
And we're reasonably healthy and safe in a world that is sick and dying...

So many blessings. But come on.

What is all that? It's straight-up my perspective. My perspective about the things and people that I cherish. And, truth be told, I expect to keep on cherishing those things.

But the Ridiculous Miracle says that God Blesses things this way:

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

 God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.  Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way." (Matthew 5:3-12)

 

Just let me sit with this for a while. Let's do that together. Let's sit with what our Blessings are and what God Blesses and how He Blesses.

 

Oh Jesus, thank you for reconciling all this for us... for perfectly redeeming it... this mess of humanness.

SO GREAT!!

Mom and Dad came to visit in November. It was so fantastic to have them here, to share with them and to share them with loved ones here in Haiti. The time went so fast but each moment was treasured. I kept them hopping - or maybe they did me - with projects, touring around, and meeting people. Here are a couple of photos from our 9 days together:

After church on Sunday at MOH

Touring the MOH North Campus

The Super Big loaf we found at Carribean Supermarket. That's a lotta slices!

Not sure about why they're standing behind me....

but this is outside the National History Museum in Port-au-Prince.

We spent a day and a night at the beach.

Mom and Dad worked on a number of projects around the house - including getting my hammock up!

 

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 Mom enlists the help of the toddlers in sorting some big bottles of finger paint!

She totally knows how to engage children - she speaks to them with such love it doesn't matter that they don't speak English and she doesn't have Creole.

 

 

 

This fall has been really very difficult and Mom and Dad's visit was such a sweet gift from Jesus.