Month: November 2009

Blessed… or stressed?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

It’s officially Advent, a time of expectation.

What do you expect to be for the next 25 days until Christmas?

Blessed… or stressed?


Too often, particularly at this time of year, there seems to be too much to do and not enough day to do it!

Years ago someone shared with me a quote by Allen Redpath,
“There are enough hours in the day to do what God wants you to do…
…and no more.”


So, if I’m too busy, the question that begs to be answered is,
“What am I doing that God doesn’t want me to do?”


It may be a good thing, even a very good thing, but not a God thing.
Not what He wants me to do, right here, right now.


Oswald Chambers said, “Good is the enemy of best.” How often am I busy doing a good thing and miss the best thing? How often am I distracted like Martha, rather than sitting at the feet of Jesus, like Mary? Martha of Bethany reminds me of Martha Stewart, who’s tag line was “It’s a good thing.” What Martha was doing was a good thing. Jesus and His crew needed to eat, didn’t they? They needed a place to rest, and Martha wanted them to be comfortable, didn’t she?


But Jesus said that Mary chose the better thing. It wasn’t that Mary never served. She did. But not when the better thing to do was sit and listen to her Guest. True hospitality makes the guest feel welcome and important, not impressed by the fashionable surroundings. And when your guest is Jesus, there is nothing more important than listening.

You might respond, “But I HAVE to ________________.” (fill in the blank)

Do you really?


• What would happen if you used lovely paper plates instead of china (like I did at Thanksgiving)?

• What if your children didn’t have to participate in all the sports/arts/music/scouts/etc. activities that they are presented with?

• What if you purposely left a box of decorations in the attic this year?

• What if you bought fewer gifts this year?

• What if you used dollar store gift bags rather than wrapping each gift?
• What if you committed some time each day to be spent just listening to Jesus?


Ask yourself, “Is what I am spending my time on a good thing? or the best thing?”

Lord, help me sift through the many demands on my time and determine which is the best thing You want for me. Help me to not feel guilty or disappointed, but to enjoy the satisfaction of being in Your presence.






Susan

Advent Conspiracy

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Week #2 of our 40-day Focus is now complete! How are you doing keeping the Lord as the focus of your preparations, get-togethers, alone time? Today is a new day to start over if necessary. Invite Him to go shopping with you, to hang out in the kitchen with you, to spend time with your family.

Jesus prayed this for His disciples and for us, His future disciples.
My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. … I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:15-18, 26)

We are under His protection as we are sent out into the world. He is in us as we travel here and there. He’s in us in the stores, in the traffic, in the family gatherings. We represent Him to the world. This time of year, we will have more opportunities to share Christ than at any other time of year. Let us make the most of every opportunity! Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5

He didn’t promise it would be easy. He promised He would be with us.
 
Today is officially the first day of Advent, the period of expectation and waiting for the arrival of Christmas.

A few weeks ago, my daughter visited another church. She was a guest artist, dancing to “Lead Me To The Cross,” at a church in the next town. She came back so excited having heard about the Advent Conspiracy.

Our family has decided that we will not be buying gifts for each other this year. We will still do stocking stuffers (gotta open something on Christmas morning!), but our gifts to each other will be things like: support for missionaries in Uganda, wells for clean drinking water, etc. We will each research and individually decide which need we wish to meet with the money that we would otherwise have used for gifts.

Our pastor will be sharing this message with the church as well. And I encourage you to take a look at the website http://www.adventconspiracy.org/  and share this information with your friends and family.

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “Matt. 25:40

Lord, as we enter the Advent season, help us to be ever more aware of Your presence. Help us daily to walk in expectation of Your coming.

Susan

Christmas Miracles

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Today’s post comes from Kelly at Chatty Kelly from Virginia. I met Kelly (and Sonya)  at the Philadelphia Writers Conference this summer, and they graciously accepted me into their circle of friends.
This isn’t a book review. I haven’t read the book shown here, Christmas Miracles, by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson. No, but I was almost published in it. I submitted my story of a Christmas miracle to this book, and received the response that it would be included with the other stories of people who experienced miracles at Christmas.

I was overjoyed! To be published in a REAL book would be so amazing, and something with Cecil Murphey’s name attached to it, unbelievable. Soon thereafter I received my contract and signed and returned it, eagerly awaiting the book’s publication. But then somethings happened. “We regret to inform you….” Seems the publisher thought the book was too long. Six stories had to be cut. Six. One of them mine.



The disappointment was pretty big. No publication, no name in print. It stung. Time has passed, and my wound has healed, but to see the book in print does recreate the longing. But I made a connection with Cecil Murphey and have had a chance to email with him a few times. He is really nice, and I’m blessed by the connection. I’ve submitted my story to another venue (Chicken Soup for the Soul) and I can hope it will be accepted there.


So I have a choice. I can decide to be miserable that my story wasn’t published, or I be thankful for the connections made and hope for another chance to be published.


What disappointments are facing you this Christmas? What will you decide? To be miserable, or to find something to be thankful for, and to look ahead with hope. If we could all change our thinking to be thankful and hopeful, well wouldn’t that be the biggest Christmas miracle of all?



Romans 5:3-5 — Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Lord, though the world may disappoint us, hope does not. How thankful I am to know  that You turn my disappointments into God-appointments – opportunities to develop Christ-likeness that I would not have otherwise.

Susan

Black Friday

Posted on by Susan Panzica



We keep hearing the term “Black Friday” screaming from the TV and newspapers. The day after Thanksgiving begins the unofficial “holiday shopping season”, the time of year when retailers move from operating “in the red” (at a loss) to operating “in the black” (making a profit). Stores open at 4 or 5 or 6 a.m. offering crazy low prices to lure customers in, hoping that they will in turn spend a lot of money for gifts.





I can’t help but think of another “Black Friday”, a day when the greatest price was paid for the greatest gift ever given. 2000 years ago, an innocent man gave His life so that others might live. Jesus, God the Son, left His heavenly home, to be born into an ordinary family and live an ordinary life in an ordinary town, until He began His extra-ordinary ministry on earth. For 3 years, He healed the hurting, taught those who would listen, and preached the truth to all. The conclusion of His time on earth was paying the price for the sins of the entire world, past, present and future, and providing the gift of eternal life to any who receive it.




Now that Thanksgiving Day is over, let’s continue to live with thanksgiving in our hearts.






Thank you Lord for paying the debt we owe. Thank you for rising from the dead in victory, giving us the opportunity to live in victory. May we keep you as our focus in the days and weeks to come, and be ever ready to share the real reason for the season.




Susan

It’s Not Always Picture Perfect

Posted on by Susan Panzica
The picture “Freedom From Want”, by beloved painter Norman Rockwell, is a wonderful depiction of the All-American holiday, Thanksgiving Day. This poignant painting seems so simple, yet it is actually very complex. For example, it has over 100 different shades of the color white in it. Sometimes, looking at the big picture, we miss the details.
For many across the country, their day will be as perfect as this picture, a festive day filled with family, friends, football and food, food, food. But for some, Thanksgiving Day will be a sad reminder of loss, pain, absence, hurt.
Today, through the “magic” of Facebook, I heard from a young single mother who was seeking the ex-wife of her baby’s father, a man who had abandoned her and their son. While I wasn’t the person she was looking for, I offered to pray for her, and plan to followup with her. This Thanksgiving Day will be difficult for her and her little boy, and for so many others like her. It will be difficult for families with soldiers overseas, for single people longing for a family unit, for those with health issues, haunting memories or too many bills and not enough income.
When we face difficult times, is it possible to offer thanksgiving to God? Two days ago, I shared that Jesus gave thanks when He broke the bread representing His body broken at the hands of His betrayer and His crucifiers. How was He able to do so? The writer of Hebrews tells us that He endured the cross for the joy set before Him. He fixed His eyes on the joy of what He was accomplishing – the reconciliation of His people to Himself – and we are told to fix our eyes on Him. (Hebrews 12:2)
He was able to offer thanks, because He was filled with thanks. It is out of the abundance of our hearts that our mouths speak (Luke 6:45) So if we are filled with thanks, we will offer thanksgiving. My friend, Lisa, sent out an email this week and signed it “Happy Thankful Day!” We can’t give what we don’t have. So to give thanks, we must be thankful.
We don’t offer thanksgiving just because we are feeling thankful. We offer it because He deserves it. We offer it because we are His children with all the benefits that relationship provides. He is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. Period. Circumstances change. We change. He never changes.
Tonight, a pop-up ad for Oscar Mayer bacon streamed across my computer screen.
“Thanksgiving doesn’t  have to end Thursday night  
….for the love of bacon.”
Hmmm, I’d rather say it this way:
“Thanksgiving doesn’t have to end Thursday night 
….for the love of Jesus.”
Lord, thank You for Your unfailing, unending love for us. May we all experience Your presence today. May we sense Your love and provision. And as we fill up with thankfulness, may we offer up thanksgiving as a testimony to You.
Susan

Turkey Day?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Surfing the internet, I came across an old article from Elisabeth Elliot’s newsletter. Here is an excerpt from that article:

Some people are substituting “Turkey Day” for Thanksgiving. I think it must be because they are not aware that there’s anybody to thank, and the most important thing about the holiday is food. Christians know there is Somebody to thank, but often when we make a list of things to thank Him for we include only things we like. A bride can’t get away with that. She writes a note to everybody, not only the rich uncle who gave the couple matching BMW’s, but the poor aunt who gave them a crocheted toilet-paper cover. In other words, she has to express thanks for whatever she’s received.


Take the list of whatever we’re not thankful for and measure it against the mighty foundations stones of our faith. Some of us know very little of suffering, but we know disappointments and betrayals and loss and bitterness. Are we really meant to thank God for such things? Let’s be clear about one thing: God does not cause all the things we don’t like. But He does permit them to happen because it is in this fallen world that we humans must learn to walk by faith. He doesn’t leave us to ourselves, however. He shares every step. He walked this lonesome road first, He gave Himself for us, He died for us. “Can we not trust such a God to give us, with Him, everything else that we can need?” [Rom. 8:32 JBP] Those disappointments give us the chance to learn to know Him and the meaning of His gifts, and in the midst of darkness, to receive His light. Doesn’t that transform the not-thankful list into a thankful one?

Lord, thank you for transforming our darkness into light, our trials into triumphs, our weakness into strength.

Susan

He Gave Thanks

Posted on by Susan Panzica

The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 1 Cor. 11:23



Amazing! Jesus, knowing that He was betrayed, knowing that the bread represented His broken body, knowing what He was to suffer, gave thanks. So agonizing that He would later pray that His “cup” be taken from Him (Mt. 26:39), He still gave thanks to the Father.


And He set an example for us to follow (John 13:15).

Oh, but He was Jesus, God incarnate. We’re not. Surely, we can’t do what He can do… Can we?

Can we give thanks in the midst of suffering? Can we give thanks when there seems to be no hope?

James tells us to consider it joy whenever we face trials, not because of the trial itself, but because of what the trial produces: perseverance, maturity, completeness. (James 1:2-4) The New Living Translation puts it this way: Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

We are not asked to give thanks FOR the trial, but for the opportunity it presents to us. We are asked to give thanks in spite of the trial, to look past it and see that God is working in it and through it for our benefit.


Yesterday, Sonya shared that thanksgiving is a decision. It’s a choice that the Pilgrims made, and a choice that we must make. I was taught in school that the Pilgrims were thankful to the Indians. That’s false. The truth is that the Pilgrims were thankful to God. Not because of their hardships, but in spite of them. It is unlikely that any of us will ever face the hardships the Pilgrims faced. We have different ones in our generation, to be sure, but the fact that they were thankful to God despite their hardships provides hope that we can be too.

And He empowers us to do what He asks us to do.


You, however, are controlled … by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. … The Spirit helps us in our weakness. (Romans 8:9, 26)


And not only does He give us His power, He provides benefits and blessings besides!

My friend, Sharon at momandlovingit.org, shared a recent disappointment with me. During our discussion, she made a statement I will long remember:


“A grateful heart is rarely discontent.”


Lord, help us to be grateful, to see the purpose in difficulties and disappointments, to allow You to work to bring us to maturity.






Susan

Being Thankful Is A Decision

Posted on by Susan Panzica

I am thrilled to announce that several “blogger friends” have agreed to guest post here at Eternity Cafe during our 40 Day Focus.
Today’s post comes from a sweet friend in Virginia, Sonya Thompson at Truth4TheJourney.

Three days from now we are going to celebrate Thanksgiving. The holiday set up by the pilgrims to celebrate the planting of a new colony here in America. With six children, we’ve read the Thanksgiving story many, many times. One thing is clear, they were thankful – but not because it had been easy for them.
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 When they came to America, they didn’t expect extreme hardships. They were hoping to find fame and fortune and religious freedom. If they knew the hardships that they would have faced that first year, do you think they would have volunteered to come? They experienced famine, sickness, death, hostile Indians – just to name a few! They were cold and unprepared for what they were faced with. But, they had one thing that got them through – FAITH IN GOD!
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 No matter what was going on, they made sure that they were at church and learning about the Bible and their God. They prayed and believed, and when loved ones started dying, their faith remained. I’m in awe that they chose to celebrate that first year in America. I have to admit that at first glance, it didn’t seem so successful, or victorious.

So how did they celebrate and give thanks with pure hearts after suffering such loss and trauma? They knew the Bible! Here’s what one verse says:

1Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.


This is only one of many, many scriptures on giving thanks.


So what is going on in your life this year? I know that for me, 2009 has been a year of great trials and great pain. My beloved father stepped into heaven (unexpectedly) in August, just to share one trial my family has been through. Now I have a choice to make. I can allow myself to fall in to a pattern of sadness with negative feelings, or I can focus on scriptures and let God teach me how to have a thankful heart.


I am convinced that the only way to get through the pain of life is to break forth with praises and rejoicing to the God who is always faithful and who never sleeps or forsakes His children. Stay focused on the scriptures, dig into them daily, and you will find the strength to have a grateful heart this Holiday Season.


James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.


Hebrews 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

Sonya Lee Thompson
http://truth4thejourney.blogspot.com

Thank you, Sonya, for such insight and encouraging words.

Dear Lord,
May we make the choice to be thankful. May we see past our circumstances to see You. Help us to be obedient in the giving of thanks as this is your will for us (1 Thess. 5:18).

Susan

7 Day Checkup….

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Seven days ago, I presented a challenge – a 40 Day Focus – a time when we make a decision to keep Jesus in the forefront, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.

7 days down… 
33 days to go…

Has it been hard?
Have you noticed any difference in your days?

—–

Today’s post comes from James MacDonald:

“That in everything, He might have first place.” Col. 1:18



I’m going to begin with a radical statement: You will never experience the fullness of joy that you were created to know until Jesus Christ has first place in every area of your life.




Now hang onto that for a minute. First place.


First in your home.
First in your choices for entertainment.
First in the way you use your money.
First in your career.
First in your thoughts.
First in your decisions.
First in your marriage.
First in your singleness.
First in your relationships.
First in your dreams for the future.


Say it now: “I will never experience the fullness of joy that I was created to know until I put Jesus Christ first in every area of my life.”


I think a lot of people would intellectually subscribe to that statement, but I wonder how many of us would truly embrace it in a way that affects our behavior? Doing so doesn’t come easily.


Colossians 1:16 says, “All things were created through him and for him.” Through Christ and for Christ. Some people have a hard time with that. They’re like, “I can handle the fact that He created the universe, but I have a hard time with Him creating the universe for Himself. Who does He think He is? His glory? His pleasure? His purpose? Is that ever prideful! How self-centered can you get?!”


Listen. The amazing thing is not that Jesus Christ created us for Himself. The amazing thing is that He cares at all. The amazing thing is that He has chosen in His incredible grace to love us, to dwell with us, to forgive us-the list goes on.


Think about your life. Think about His persistent love. Think about how faithfully He pursues you in spite of yourself. The next time you sin or reject or ignore Him, how amazing is it that He just doesn’t walk away and say, “Forget you!” We are here to bring Him glory and to make Him known. He is our purpose and we find our greatest joy when He is at the center of our lives.
—–

He is first, and yet He also is last. He came before, and He will be with us throughout, and He’ll be there to greet us at the end. It is only fitting that He takes first place in our hearts, our thoughts, our decisions. And when we put Him first, everything else just fits into place.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  Rev. 22:13

Susan

How to Survive the Distractions

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Back in ancient Turkey lived a young boy who loved to amble through the marketplace. Accompanying his wandering feet were his wandering eyes… and his wandering hands. His curiosity turned him into a thief. The sights, sounds and smells of the marketplace were a relentless temptation for him. One quick grab, two swift feet and the object of his desire would be his.



Until he was caught.


The penalty for thievery = the amputation of the thief’s hands at dawn.



Slowly, the sun’s rays peeked out over the horizon. Dawn was coming too quickly for the little thief. Brought in chains before the king, he waited for his sentence to be carried out. As the king viewed the prisoner, compassion filled his heart. He presented a shell filled to the brim with oil to the lad. “If you can carry this shell through the market from one end to the other without spilling a drop, you will not have your hands cut off.”


Tenderly, the boy took the shell and worked his way through the market. The vendors hawked their wares, screaming for attention. The smells wafted up the boy’s nostrils. Colorful banners, tents, merchandise crowded his passageway through the alleys of the marketplace. But the boy carefully wove his way through the crowd, past all the distractions that usually captivated him.

When he arrived at the other end, there stood the king awaiting his arrival. The boy raised the shell and presented it to the king, filled with oil. Not a drop was spilled.
“How did you manage to get through the market without spilling a drop?” asked the king.
“I kept my eyes focused on the shell the whole time,” said the boy.
“That,” said the king, “is how you are to always move through the market. Keep your eyes focused where they belong, and you will not be tempted by the distractions along the way.”






I share this story because we will all be in markets of various kinds over the next few weeks. The mall, the supermarket, the boutiques. We will be shopping for gifts, for food, for our families, to bring to other’s homes. There will be vendors tempting us with their wares, salespeople who are inattentive or incompetent, fellow shoppers who are inconsiderate, traffic jams, lack of parking, should I go on? There will be all manner of situations designed by the enemy to rob our joy, to steal our peace, to hinder our witness, to distract us from the real meaning and purpose of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The antidote?

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb. 12:2-3

Fix our eyes on Jesus.
Consider Him.
And you will not grow weary and lose heart.


Lord, help us to fix our eyes, our minds, our emotions on You. Help us to sense Your presence in the midst of the chaos. We love You.


Susan